"How many miles ...? Please share your Rear Diff problems!

[hendy]

Fellows,

I've enjoyed the posts lately, especially the "How many Miles ...?" post. I've got a '97 sr5 4x4 5speed, 170k miles, no significant mods. I got it at 70k miles and since have replaced a starter, timing belt and water pump, sway bar assembly, shocks, tires, etc. Nothing too major, in my opionion.

HOWEVER, lately have this ugly sound on deceleration. In an earlier post, one of our members posted excellent advice to me on the likely source and fix. It's going to be expensive in all likelyhood. I can deal with it, but I'd also be helpful to hear some of your experience with rear differential proiblems.

Care to share your rear diff experience?

Thanks!

 

[JPMORGN98]

1998 4Runner LTD 4x4 3.4

Blew my seal at approx 90k I'd say. Cost me maybe 250ish to get it re-stamped, degreased etc. It's been okay since. I've got approx. 181,500 on it now.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

My axle seals went bad on both my '97 and my '99 around 100k and my '99 has 114k on it and no problems. It's mostly a common fix-it that eventually needs to be done.
You also most likely will have to replace your brake pads if they've become covered in the diff lube. Good idea to replace these if they are close to needing it and save the labor.

*Always use Toyota OEM seals and I am stressing this as I've seen several aftermarket seals have issues with fitment which will require replacing them with OEM Toyota seals eventually.*

 

[hendy]

Thanks, guys! I'm afraid the true problem won't be revealed until we yank the whole assembly out. Woe to me.

 

[Red3.slow]

96' Limited had a bad seal I'm pretty sure it was covered under a warranty that Lander's in Little Rock gave us after denying a warranty transfer. They continued to do it wrong and after about 4 times finally got it. It wasn't to much of a problem seeing how they kept giving us a brand new Avalon to drive while they were fixing it.

 

[NCarolina4Runner]

Just got a call from my Toyota mechanic today. He's been doing 100% of all my toyota work on every toyota I've ever had for the past 8 years. My point is, I trust him. Anyway, I bought a 1999 SR5 4x4 4runner used with 105,000 miles on it. I've been noticing this loud roaring whine on acceleration and deceleration since I bought it. It's got 114,000 miles on it now and it's only been getting worse. Well, we thought my axel bearings were bad. Turns out, my axle bearings are fine. Seals are fine. But, we're having to replace the entire third member. So, I'm having to get a new rear diff assembly minus the housing. New OEM toyota rear diff cost $1191, plus labor to install. This really sucks for me. The new diff is supposed to be here tommorrow.

Hopefully this rear diff will last the life of the truck.

Theres my rear diff problem. On a positive note, my mechanic said he's only replaced MAYBE 20 rear diffs in 4runners in his 14 years with Toyota. He told me the rear diffs in 4runners are built like tanks, and rarely does the actual differential go bad. He did say that a few years ago Toyota released updated seals that are not supposed to leak. Needless to say, he'll be putting in the "newer" axle seals before my axle goes back in.

 

[ebelen1]

Just got a call from my Toyota mechanic today. He's been doing 100% of all my toyota work on every toyota I've ever had for the past 8 years. My point is, I trust him. Anyway, I bought a 1999 SR5 4x4 4runner used with 105,000 miles on it. I've been noticing this loud roaring whine on acceleration and deceleration since I bought it. It's got 114,000 miles on it now and it's only been getting worse. Well, we thought my axel bearings were bad. Turns out, my axle bearings are fine. Seals are fine. But, we're having to replace the entire third member. So, I'm having to get a new rear diff assembly minus the housing. New OEM toyota rear diff cost $1191, plus labor to install. This really sucks for me. The new diff is supposed to be here tommorrow.

Hopefully this rear diff will last the life of the truck.

Theres my rear diff problem. On a positive note, my mechanic said he's only replaced MAYBE 20 rear diffs in 4runners in his 14 years with Toyota. He told me the rear diffs in 4runners are built like tanks, and rarely does the actual differential go bad. He did say that a few years ago Toyota released updated seals that are not supposed to leak. Needless to say, he'll be putting in the "newer" axle seals before my axle goes back in.

On a different note, you can buy 3rd members cheaper than what you paid for a new one. Right now on yotatech, some guy has a new 3rd member from a third gen w/ the wrong gears (3.72) that he's selling for $200. Isn't possible to just pull the 3rd and have a shop install new gears?

For the price you're paying, you could have changed your gears and added a good locker and pocketed a few hundred dollars...

 

[NCarolina4Runner]

On a different note, you can buy 3rd members cheaper than what you paid for a new one. Right now on yotatech, some guy has a new 3rd member from a third gen w/ the wrong gears (3.72) that he's selling for $200. Isn't possible to just pull the 3rd and have a shop install new gears?

For the price you're paying, you could have changed your gears and added a good locker and pocketed a few hundred dollars...

Why didn't I? because I didn't know I could. I ended up getting a new third member with new housing, new axle bearings (my choice), and new seals. I don't think the rear diff fluid has ever been changed. It loooked god awful!

I figured while I was at it, I'd go ahead and do a 120,000 mile maintenance since my truck is used and there isn't any docs showing the previous owner has done any of this, so I had EVERY fluid in the truck drained flushed and filled with amsoil fluids, sythetics when available (t-case, tranny, front diff, radiator, brake lines, power steering fluid), driveline cleaned and lubed, new timing belt, drive belts, water pump, thermostat, tune-up (plugs and wires). I think that's it.

Actually, I'd like to have a locker put in...I'm trying to read up and figure out who makes the best locker, etc.

 

[ebelen1]

Actually, I'd like to have a locker put in...I'm trying to read up and figure out who makes the best locker, etc. [/B]

There will always be a debate on the best locker. From what I've read (and I have no real-world experience on this), it's best to go w/ the following:

1. If you drive many more miles on the street than off-road but you still want traction, go w/ an LSD type locker. The one that gets the best recommendations is the Detroit Trutrak (sp).

2. If you don't mind some noise (some say very little to the locker being obnoxious on the street), go w/ a full-time locker. Don't have recommendations on these but there are quite a few for Toyotas. This tends to be the cheapest route but I wouldn't do it.

3. If you have dollars and you want the best of both worlds, go w/ an ARB locker or add a factory e-locker. These lockers are only activated when you push a button. You pretty much have an open diff when driving on the street and when on the trail and you need that extra traction, push a button. Again, this is pretty expensive and you'd have to value for yourself whether this is the route you want to go.

Good luck.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

Factory diff swap is a big job but works great and it's probably the most cost effective.

 

[NCarolina4Runner]

Factory diff swap is a big job but works great and it's probably the most cost effective.

Yeah? Where I live, there isn't anywhere that would just regear etc. So maybe I payed more than I would have had to for a regear or whatever. But, I've got a brand new toyota oem rear diff now, and I'm happy. If I had to do it all over again, I would still have them do the oem factory swap.

 

[hendy]

Follow up ...

Fellows,

1997 sr5, 5speed 4wd. 170k miles. Ugly roar on deceleration. Here's the end of the story:

Bad bearings (pinion bearings?) in the rear differential. My local shop swapped them out for new ones, and showed me the old ones, pitted and gnarly. I'm happy to report the rig drives like new. Quiet, smooth. Was worth the $$$ to have it done. Hoping to get another 100k out of it.

Glad tidings!

 

[3rdGENrunner]

I'm coming up on 150k and have had no problems with my diff. I did have a problem with the Ide Control, but other than that this thing is built like a tank. I'm getting the diff fluid changed this weekend.

 

[abisel]

I have a 3rd Gen '97 T4R with 207K miles and am just now experiencing the growling noise talked about in this thread. Actually, I have been hearing it for about 4K miles. At first, my mechanic friend and I thought it was the rear wheel bearings, so off to toyotaworld.com to get parts. The rear bearings were worn, but did not solve the growling noise problem. My friend and I then diagnosed the pinion bearings. Today, I took the 4R to the dealer and a mechanic took it for a test drive. Sure enough, the pinion bearings are the suspect.

So now I am in the market for a good condition 3rd member. Does any body know what years will work in my 4R? It is the 6-cylinder with a 5-speed and non-locking rear diff. Will other Toyota truck 3rd members work as well? Or does the T4R have a specific 3rd member not used on other T trucks?

Any help is appreciated.

 

[RunnerUp]

So now I am in the market for a good condition 3rd member. Does any body know what years will work in my 4R? It is the 6-cylinder with a 5-speed and non-locking rear diff. Will other Toyota truck 3rd members work as well? Or does the T4R have a specific 3rd member not used on other T trucks?

Any help is appreciated.

if you want it, i will sell you my 3rd member out of my axle, 800 obo, v6 auto, 110k on it. im planning on buying a new 3rd member with an ARB in it from marlin crawler for 1400.

oh, it has 4.10 gears in it

 

[abisel]

RunnerUp,

I appreciate the offer, but I found one with 65K miles at $350.00. Now we will see if the growling noise goes away. May have to replace the front wheel bearings too. And drive shaft U-joints. Then the clutch. What with 207K on the clock, the beast is due for some new stuff.

 

[chad99]

My 99 4runner with 77K miles rear left seal is leaking, just topped it off for now till i have time to work on it, its only a weekend driver, it took little less than half a quart.

 

[nowayout4]

I noticed that my rear diff was leaking this weekend in my 99 SR5 with 154,000 on it. It was not nearly as bad as i thought it would be once I got started. Come to find out the axle seals were good, but the pinion seal and the 3rd member seals were both bad. I bought a manual and the job took about 2.5 hrs. I am currently researching putting a new clutch in my 99, it has the god awful noise coming from the tranny that seems to be the throwout bearing going bad. Anyone have any good advice?

 

[Elton]

i got 141k on mine no problems at all and also that is on stock fuild too :eek2:

 

[vinnymac]

Rear Axle and Differential

Man have I had some bad experience with Toyota rear axles; therefor I believe that I know a good bit. I just put the finishing touches on my 1998 T4R's E-locker swapped rear end. The swap was not very hard thanks to Chris Gieger and Ken Emanuel's excellent write-ups. It probably took a grand total of nine hours to complete. That also includes removing the housing from the truck, painting, wiring, cutting, welding, and reassembly.

The truck has (now) 132k on it, and I began hearing a howling noise around 114k. I bought the vehicle with 107k, and it was owned by a soccer mom in Boston, MA. Nothing had really been serviced, save for oil changes. I changed EVERYTHING (plugs, wires, coil packs, PCV, filters, etc) with Genuine Toyota parts and Castrol fluids. I rode the diff as long as I could let myself (only limited because of one exploding at 65 mph when I was 446 miles away from home last year). $1100.83 was the total for parts from Inchworm Gear (very cool, excellent people). This included a factory set-up E-locker third member with a 4.30 ratio, gasket, Toyota harness, and wiring control kit. Not too shabby. Upon inspection, I noticed that the pinion spacer had been eaten pretty badly and was letting the pinion gear slosh around, overheating the diff. Probably just from lack of fluid change before my inquisition.

As far as what will fit into a third gen T4R rear axle, any third member from '79 (4x4 only) pickup until 1994.5 pickup and 1984 until 2002 T4R will fit in the housing, because they share the same bolt pattern. For some reason though, I have conflicting information about axle spline count. The E-locker count is 30 spline and so are the shafts in my 'Runner, but my 1994 pickup was also 30 spline (stock Toyota shafts, Lock Rite Locker). This conflicts with a very knowlegeble person. Check out his section on 4x4 wire at http://home.4x4wire.com/erik/diffs/