[DCabTaco]

This is my first spring over axel vehicle I've ever owned. Actually its been a while since I last drove a leaf spring vehicle. Ok well I have had my truck for about 6 months now. I don't know what axel wrap feel like, but hopefully this is it. I feel some play in the drive train when stopping and some times when accelerating. It feel kind of like when a front wheel drive car has shot motor mounts and there is play from the motor/tranny to the wheels. I went under the truck and everything looks ok, so I think it is the stock springs showing signs of axel wrap. I thought this was only felt when accelerating or stopping hard. This is felt even at slow accelerations/stops. Could this be Axel wrap?

 

[rojodiablo]

It's possible, but my guess is that it may be U joints, or the center carrier for the driveshaft. Axlewrap shows through in several ways, most common is some hop in the rear. If you have some miles on it, try new rear shocks first, after checking the shaft components. The other alternative is a new leaf pack. This is after you are SURE that the problem is in the leafs. I doubt it. Shocks will kill this problem.

 

[pemart]

It sounds to me like you have the dreaded driveshft clunk maybe. I had the same problem with my '01, it ended up being an improperly lubed driveshaft -- which I eventually made the dealer replace. Basically there wasn't enough/any grease in my shaft or U joints. If you are still under warranty I'd make the dealer fix it -- and don't let them tell you "its normal". Just tell them the drive shaft is sticking and to lube the you know what out of it. I would've thought they'd have fixed that problem by the '04, but I've heard of it happening in the later models before. Just another possibility.....

 

[drabnor]

a quick check to see if you really have axel wrap is to put your truck in 2wd, put it in park or 1st gear, engage the e-brake, go to the back of the truck and see if you can rock it forwards and backwards. if you can move it, that is your axel wraping up. notice the extreme change in pinion angle that occours when you rock the truck.

 

[zszac111]

do what drabnor said, or have someone get in the truck and either pop the clutch a few times or semi power brake it and look at the rear pinion, if it shoots up a good bit thats probably your problem.

 

[DCabTaco]

Thanks guys, These are very useful troubleshooting procedures and I will try everything mentioned.

As far as the driveshaft clunk, what is the best way to check for that? I'm thinking lift rear of truck and secure/support it properly. With truck in park wiggle driveshaft back and forth(actually more like clockwise and counter clockwise) to look for excess play. Is there a better way to checking for this?

 

[wisctaco04]

do what drabnor said, or have someone get in the truck and either pop the clutch a few times or semi power brake it and look at the rear pinion, if it shoots up a good bit thats probably your problem.

I believe you just invited him to the Darwin Awards with the old "get under the truck and power brake it" line. LOL

 

[zszac111]

I believe you just invited him to the Darwin Awards with the old "get under the truck and power brake it" line. LOL

lol. i hope people have the since to watch from the side of the truck and not under it

 

[DCabTaco]

Well thanks for clearing that up. I was already under the truck and yelling at my friend to step on it,.... LOL

 

[pemart]

As far as checking for the "clunk" you might be able to jack it up and tell by moving it around. I sorta guessed what was going on with mine based on when it was happening to my truck. I noticed that I could reproduce it easily if I came to a stop, then let off the brake and just idled along vs. stepping on the gas. Time after time I could feel the driveshaft clunking back into place. Stepping on the gas didn't reproduce it as often. I also noticed that it was worse when the weather was warmer vs. cold -- the theory being that the grease thins out when its warm and not as good at lubricating (or something like that). I told the service rep at the dealership to do it exactly as I decribed and they dicovered that the driveshaft wasn't lubed correctly from the factory. I heard a lot of people complaining about it on various forums, so I took a shot. As an aside, most of them got crappy service from the dealer and didn't get it fixed -- I was lucky in that respect. You could as an alternative, get under there and just grease everyting, U joints, etc., but hey thats what warrenties are for right?

 

[gtomrad]

dreaded axel wrap NOT here

As far as checking for the "clunk" you might be able to jack it up and tell by moving it around. I sorta guessed what was going on with mine based on when it was happening to my truck. I noticed that I could reproduce it easily if I came to a stop, then let off the brake and just idled along vs. stepping on the gas. Time after time I could feel the driveshaft clunking back into place. Stepping on the gas didn't reproduce it as often. I also noticed that it was worse when the weather was warmer vs. cold -- the theory being that the grease thins out when its warm and not as good at lubricating (or something like that). I told the service rep at the dealership to do it exactly as I decribed and they dicovered that the driveshaft wasn't lubed correctly from the factory. I heard a lot of people complaining about it on various forums, so I took a shot. As an aside, most of them got crappy service from the dealer and didn't get it fixed -- I was lucky in that respect. You could as an alternative, get under there and just grease everyting, U joints, etc., but hey thats what warrenties are for right?

Thanks for all the dialogue here. I recently purchased an 03 4WD Tacoma which showed the symptoms of the dreaded axel wrap. Having read the info here I felt much more empowered and informed when I drove it into the Toyota guy to have it checked out. Turns out it was exactly the old "under-lubing" problem. $39.95 well spent and I'm on the road again w/o the drop-down clunking. noise. Pass the word....I will! And...thank you all for your input.