Is this excessive free play? (video)

[702_SR5]

Below is a short video of me shaking the left side half shaft on my SR5 4WD.

Is this an excessive amount of free play? Seems to me there shouldn't be any? The other side has no free play at all. :twitch:

The vehicle has nearly 45K miles, and the boots on the other half shaft (right) were recently replaced. This left side has not been touched.

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[1000MPH]

Mine move pretty much the same amount and I hear no clunking when driving.

 

[Skidmarcx]

I’m no expert on this, but in my experience that doesn’t appear excessive, there should be some play there, correct me if I’m wrong

 

[DougR]

I have the same movement on my drivers side (2011 with 115,000 miles). If it's not noisy, then it's OK. See this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOvoM5irtEc If noise and vibration someday arises on the left side in 2WD and goes away in 4WD, then find a shop able to diagnose the symptom, confirm a worn needle bearing and the experience to replace it with an ECGS bushing. Do you have front suspension lift? If not, it's highly unlikely the needle bearing will ever fail.

 

[702_SR5]

I have the same movement on my drivers side (2011 with 115,000 miles). If it's not noisy, then it's OK. See this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOvoM5irtEc If noise and vibration someday arises on the left side in 2WD and goes away in 4WD, then find a shop able to diagnose the symptom, confirm a worn needle bearing and the experience to replace it with an ECGS bushing. Do you have front suspension lift? If not, it's highly unlikely the needle bearing will ever fail.

No lift.

Also, why would there be so much free play on one side, but not the other? Seems odd to me, but I am no authority on this stuff.

I've been battling problems with steering wheel shimmy and/or vibrations that seem to be related to wheel balance problems. These only occur at highway speeds. So prob not related to this, and I'm hardly the only Toy owner to have such problems, but I thought I'd mention it.

 

[702_SR5]

Mine move pretty much the same amount ...

On both sides? Or only one side? My right side doesn't have any free play.

 

[DougR]

... why would there be so much free play on one side, but not the other? ...

Needle bearing tolerance is too loose and carrier bore is not machined to center the spider gear. The video illustrates why these two factors result in extra movement on one side.

 

[1000MPH]

On both sides? Or only one side? My right side doesn't have any free play.

Sorry, Left side only.

 

[702_SR5]

Needle bearing tolerance is too loose and carrier bore is not machined to center the spider gear. The video illustrates why these two factors result in extra movement on one side.

I saw him comparing the Toyota part to a Dana part. I didn't hear where he said that this is only on one side of the vehicle.

 

[ahtoxa11]

Guys, so sorry to hijack, but a related question.

In OP's video - when you look at the inner boot, just below OP's thumb and near the boot clamp edge, do you see there's like a gap/dimple in the boot? What's that for?

The local offroad shop actually put a dab or rubber cement to seal it for me (without telling me or charging me) when they pulled the axle out to replace the needle bearing with the ECGS kit. At first I thought they patched a torn boot, but seeing this video it looks like it's part of the design?

 

[arehman11]

I was having issues with my 4runner feeling squirrely on bumps and just driving weird. I had the ECGS bushing put in and that cured 99% of my issues. I did also have the groaning and vibrations in 2wd.

 

[1000MPH]

Guys, so sorry to hijack, but a related question.

In OP's video - when you look at the inner boot, just below OP's thumb and near the boot clamp edge, do you see there's like a gap/dimple in the boot? What's that for?

The local offroad shop actually put a dab or rubber cement to seal it for me (without telling me or charging me) when they pulled the axle out to replace the needle bearing with the ECGS kit. At first I thought they patched a torn boot, but seeing this video it looks like it's part of the design?

It’s definitely part of the design, maybe to help with install in production. There are three.

 

[ahtoxa11]

It’s definitely part of the design, maybe to help with install in production. There are three.

Huh, thanks for that. I guess there must have been a small tear there that they patched up. We'll see if it lasts, but it might, given that isn't an area with a lot of deflection in the boot.