Toyota issues "fix" for axle wrap / driveshaft clunky-thumpy

[philsey]

What perplexes me is why this won't be handled under the extended warranty if the owner has it. Why purchase the extended warranty then??? My wife's is rolling up on 53k and I think I have noticed this before but I don't drive it on a daily basis.

That may or may not be so - I only reported my experience. I'd sure assume it's so, if I were you.

So, drive it and find out. You've got another 7,000 miles. Take it in and report it and get the ball rolling.

Maybe your wife's been greasing her own propshaft. :naughty:

 

[alc9020]

some kind of Teflon material to help ease the yoke back into position with less friction.

If this is the only difference with the new shaft I rather lube the drive shaft myself and not take it in to the dealership. What type of grease are we using? Maybe something with Teflon?

Severe service teflon grease looks good.
http://www2.dupont.com/Consumer_Lubricants/en_US/products/grease.html

 

[Quentin]

What perplexes me is why this won't be handled under the extended warranty if the owner has it. Why purchase the extended warranty then??? My wife's is rolling up on 53k and I think I have noticed this before but I don't drive it on a daily basis.

Is prop shaft listed under your extended warranty? If so, it is covered. No offense to people at the dealerships, but their word isn't worth a whole lot when asking hypotheticals like that. They err on the side of caution (saying it isn't covered) rather than saying something is covered when it really isn't and they are on the hook because of what they told the customer.

For example, I gave the copy of two TSBs for a wire harness issue on Siennas to a friend who had that issue out of warranty. It was a $1500 repair and Toyota came back and paid for over 60% of the repair. Of course, the dealer told her "no luck" until I sent her back prepared with the right documents. My experience has been that Toyota Corporate tried to do right by the consumer. Dealers are not Toyota. They are separate businesses that act as a liaison between the customer and the corporation and they tend to look out for themselves (getting paid for every bit of warranty work) rather than the big picture (getting customers that come back over and over because they are treated well).

You can thank the antiquated dealership laws for the current situation, btw. Do you know why Apple really has such diehard fans? Apple 99% of the time takes great care of their customers. They sell their products directly through their stores and do warranty work directly through their stores. It keeps the storefronts from trying to turn away warranty work or making a customer happy to protect the storefront's bottom line. It removes a middleman who is trying to take his cut.

 

[Victor_inox]

Is there a grease fittings on propshaft or I have to take it apart? that teflon greeze sounds like a great idea!

 

[harper7]

Is there a grease fittings on propshaft or I have to take it apart? that teflon greeze sounds like a great idea!

Yes, there are grease fittings and should be greased every 5k miles I believe per the manual. I grease mine every time I change the oil while I'm waiting for it to drain. Takes all of 3 minutes for 2 squirts each!

The rear has 3 zerk fittings and the front only has 2 as it doesn't have "A".At least on mine it doesn't.

 

[-JD-]

^Do you know what size fitting I'll need?

 

[harper7]

^Do you know what size fitting I'll need?

Just a grease gun that fit's zerk fittings.....Grease fitting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[StuB]

For what it is worth, I greased my propellor shaft every 5000 miles when I changed the oil and it didn't help. I was just trying to keep the problem from getting worse.

We looked at the old shaft and the new one side by side when it was installed and there was not much difference on the outside. But obviously something inside is different because the condition is completely cured on my rig.

 

[JB.]

The rear has 3 zerk fittings and the front only has 2 as it doesn't have "A".At least on mine it doesn't.

Are you sure there aren't 6 total? I wonder how the front slip joint gets grease?

 

[harper7]

Are you sure there aren't 6 total? I wonder how the front slip joint gets grease?

Mine only has 5 and I looked to see if there was even a place to put a zerk for the front driveshaft slip joint. I thought maybe mine wasn't put on or came off.

Probably greased from the factory. It has slip joint but when you think about it it doesn't move in and out normally like the rear one. It connects to the front clamshell/diff that is attached to the frame, as is the transfer case on the other end.

The up/down movement on a IFS suspension in the front is fron the CV axles. The only time it is needed to move/slip in and out is when it is taken loose or removed.........like I did last week.

 

[JB.]

Good point. Hadn't thought about it but that makes sense. I might have to rethink how I'm greasing that particular zerk (4th gen). I have observed expansion in it while greasing, though, but nothing like the rear shaft. I suppose it has to move a little for things like frame flex and thermal expansion. Thanks.

 

[-JD-]

Just a grease gun that fit's zerk fittings.....Grease fitting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

hmmm. I always thought they came in a wide variety of sizes. Some being metric some imperial..

Zerk Fittings / Grease Fittings

?

 

[harper7]

hmmm. I always thought they came in a wide variety of sizes. Some being metric some imperial..

Zerk Fittings / Grease Fittings

?

Those different sizes are for the threaded end of the zerk fitting that screws into the part being lubed, like a driveshaft. You wouldn't need to know that unless you were changing one out, not lubing it.The nipple end that you will be greasing is a universal nipple size thanks to Mr. Oscar U. Zerk if you read the first link I put up.

Now there are some special flush ones,like on airplanes ,where a regular zerk can't be used due to clearances and hard to get to places ,like flap tracks,spoilers ect.They take a needle grease adapter ,but not Toyota's as they take a regular grease fitting.

 

[Victor_inox]

Those different sizes are for the threaded end of the zerk fitting that screws into the part being lubed, like a driveshaft. You wouldn't need to know that unless you were changing one out, not lubing it.The nipple end that you will be greasing is a universal nipple size thanks to Mr. Oscar U. Zerk if you read the first link I put up.

Now there are some special flush ones,like on airplanes ,where a regular zerk can't be used due to clearances and hard to get to places ,like flap tracks,spoilers ect.They take a needle grease adapter ,but not Toyota's as they take a regular grease fitting.

So, any grease gun from pepboys will fit, right?

 

[harper7]

So, any grease gun from pepboys will fit, right?

Correct, but if your just buying new ,try to find one with a flexible hose as it makes it easier IMO.

Like this........vvv

 

[Victor_inox]

Correct, but if your just buying new ,try to find one with a flexible hose as it make it easy IMO.

Like this........vvv

great idea, thanks!

 

[-JD-]

Those different sizes are for the threaded end of the zerk fitting that screws into the part being lubed, like a driveshaft. You wouldn't need to know that unless you were changing one out, not lubing it.The nipple end that you will be greasing is a universal nipple size thanks to Mr. Oscar U. Zerk if you read the first link I put up.

Now there are some special flush ones,like on airplanes ,where a regular zerk can't be used due to clearances and hard to get to places ,like flap tracks,spoilers ect.They take a needle grease adapter ,but not Toyota's as they take a regular grease fitting.

good to know. I saw them in the store and noticed the mention of different sizes and figured I had better make sure.

 

[hhalimi]

Update: Just got a call from the dealership, and they are going to order a new drive line. The service adviser said that this is a quite common issue with certain Toyota's. He said this occurs because as the nose dives (hard brake) and the back end rises, the drive line and the slip yoke become misaligned and when the vehicle returns to a level position (once stopped), the yoke slips back into its original position, and that is what produces this "clunk/thunk" or "bump from behind" sensation.

Hopefully, the new drive line will fix the issue, but the adviser said I could be back before my 60,000 warranty is up for another one. I hope not. I will update you guys when I have the new drive line installed.

I have the exact same issue as yours. Took it twice to dealer, before this TSB, and they could not reproduce the symptoms. I convinced myself that it is likely the adaptive transmission, but I am glad I came across this thread, will visit them once gain and see what happens.

 

[Bud&Me]

Mine does it at nearly every stop - the more abrupt the stop, the more pronounced the "thump". I do not hear anything, I feel it, it's exactly as described in the TSB; "feels like a bump from behind" as soon as I begin releasing the brake.

The Service Manager was very intent on knowing my mileage. I said "doesn't matter, I have the EW". He said "the EW DOES NOT cover TSBs, this is covered by the 60/60K powertrain warranty". I chose not to discuss this as I'm well below that mileage. Those pushing high mileage might consider this.

Thanks for this post philsey. I seem to remember this sensation before. I have about 24k miles on my 2010 sr5. I too am a flat lander from Illinois- Springfield

 

[TOPDECK]

So I took mine in yesterday for its 10k service and the TSB. In addition, there was another issue with a sound coming from the front left on dirt roads. It sounds like a broken shock / strut mount but it isn't broken. It developed on our last trip and got worse over the 140+ miles we traveled off road. I went under there multiple times and couldn't find anything.

The service tech confirmed the bump from the drive shaft, but said it didn't need to be replaced yet. He inspected it, and lubed it, and we took it out for a drive and the bump was gone. He said if it comes back, then bring it in.

There wasn't a road close to us (Toyota of Irvine) rough enough to get the front end to bang around and make the sound. We tried. He said he went through every nut and bolt under there, and everything looked fine. I guess we will find out what it is when it falls off.

My truck already has lots of squeaks and rattles. :nono: