[d33pt]

My truck is making a grinding type noise whenever I accelerate to around 60mph. It's hard to pinpoint location, but it seems to me like it's coming from the rear. If I let go of the gas, then it stops immediately. If I accelerate about 5mph faster, then it stops too. This started happening after I got rear ended. I looked underneath the truck, but nothing in the drivetrain appears to be damaged as far as I can tell. What should I look for? Any clues on what may cause this?

Thanks

 

[scottnmos]

Try lubing your carrier bearing. I had the same grinding noise that happened to me and I couldnt figure it out for the life of me. So I lubed the entire drivetrain and that solved it.

 

[drabnor]

Try lubing your carrier bearing. I had the same grinding noise that happened to me and I couldnt figure it out for the life of me. So I lubed the entire drivetrain and that solved it.

the carrier bearing is a sealed unit, you cannot lube it whatsoever

 

[drabnor]

My truck is making a grinding type noise whenever I accelerate to around 60mph. It's hard to pinpoint location, but it seems to me like it's coming from the rear. If I let go of the gas, then it stops immediately. If I accelerate about 5mph faster, then it stops too. This started happening after I got rear ended. I looked underneath the truck, but nothing in the drivetrain appears to be damaged as far as I can tell. What should I look for? Any clues on what may cause this?

Thanks

try checking your u-joints for any play. they will make a nice grinding noise when they go out

 

[sharkaholic]

like he said==check your u-joints. that's what mine was when i had your symptoms. shaft is easy to pull, so check it yourself. shouldn't be more than a day or so at a shop for the fix, if needed, and not very expensive.

how many miles do you have?

 

[d33pt]

like he said==check your u-joints. that's what mine was when i had your symptoms. shaft is easy to pull, so check it yourself. shouldn't be more than a day or so at a shop for the fix, if needed, and not very expensive.

how many miles do you have?

145k on the truck. how do you check the u-joints? do i just go down there and wiggle the shaft? how much play should there be, if any?

 

[sharkaholic]

with that many miles, there's a good chance this is your problem (hopefully).

it's been a while since i've done, it, but yeah, just get under there and take the shaft out--doesn't have many bolts to loosen and it will be obvious. once you get the shaft out, hold the shaft still somehow and try and move the ujoints from side to side. they shouldn't move or barely at all. mine were shot, and moved all over the place. you can just take the shaft down to a repair shop for the fix (or an opinion)

someone else jump in if i've caused any confusion.

 

[bb609]

You don't have to take the shaft out to check it. Just grab hold of each side of the shaft around the joint and twist them in opposite directions. If you see any play at all in the joint, it's toast. Now you can take out the shaft! It's not all that difficult to change them yourself with a BFH.

 

[d33pt]

I checked the u-joints and everything seemed tight. i still can't locate the cause of the noise. i'm going to try to lube everything down there to see if it does anything.

any other suggestions?

 

[BVOSTON]

Hey D33pt,
Did you ever find anything out about this noise?

I've been having a similar problem in my '99 Tacoma PreRunner V6. About 2 months ago I noticed that between speeds of about 45-65mph, when I let up on the gas or coasted, I started getting a very annoying (and sometimes loud!) screech or squeal coming from underneath the rear ( I suspect in the area of the U-joint of Differential). When I give it some gas, it immediately goes away. I've researched on Usenet and many Tacoma owners report a similar problem - Unfortunately none have been able to solve it that I could find.

I've brought it to two shops - one place heard it but didn't have an answer. The other time it didn't make the noise (since it's intermittent, it's tough to get the timing right on the noise).

I'm thinking it's either the U-joint (though both shops said it's very tight) or the driveshaft itself. Someone on Usent commented that they had heard once there is a rubber lining inside of the driveshaft which can wear out and cause this, but could not confirm the details.

If anyone out there has any advice on what to check next or if anyone has successfully solved this problem, please reply! Thanks much!!

 

[d33pt]

Well my problem is the opposite of yours. It happens while accelerating and stops when I let go of the gas. I have not gotten a chance to lube the driveshaft yet, but for some weird reason the noise has STOPPED. I have not heard it in about 2 weeks. It started a bit after I got rear ended so I thought it may have been related, but the accident didn't seem to have affected the drivetrain any. Still a mystery here...

 

[01tacoTRD]

Hey D33pt,
Did you ever find anything out about this noise?

I've been having a similar problem in my '99 Tacoma PreRunner V6. About 2 months ago I noticed that between speeds of about 45-65mph, when I let up on the gas or coasted, I started getting a very annoying (and sometimes loud!) screech or squeal coming from underneath the rear ( I suspect in the area of the U-joint of Differential). When I give it some gas, it immediately goes away. I've researched on Usenet and many Tacoma owners report a similar problem - Unfortunately none have been able to solve it that I could find.

I've brought it to two shops - one place heard it but didn't have an answer. The other time it didn't make the noise (since it's intermittent, it's tough to get the timing right on the noise).

I'm thinking it's either the U-joint (though both shops said it's very tight) or the driveshaft itself. Someone on Usent commented that they had heard once there is a rubber lining inside of the driveshaft which can wear out and cause this, but could not confirm the details.

If anyone out there has any advice on what to check next or if anyone has successfully solved this problem, please reply! Thanks much!!

Dude, glad to hear someone else has the same freaking problem I have. For the life of me I can not figure out what the hell is making the noise. It sounds like a cricket or something when I let off the gas between 45 and 70 MPH, but immediately goes away when I hit the gas again. I've bought mine to two shops and neither could "reproduce" the sound. Classic bullshit excuse if you ask me. Have you taken yours to the dealer and asked them. That is my next stop.

 

[BVOSTON]

Hi Paul,
I haven't brought it into the dealer as of yet (they want $120 just to listen to the sound). I brought it to my regular mechanic (who is usually pretty good) and he didn't have a clue (actually said to wait until it gets worse or breaks something so we'll know for sure). Next, fearing the diff might go out on me, I brought it to the best rearend shop in the area. That's just when the noise stopped happening (for only 2 weeks time, then started up again). He did tell me however, that if the rearend had a problem (gears or carrier bearings, etc) it would NOT be intermittent. It would make the noise in the situation I described (coasting or letting up on the gas between 45-70mph) or it ) all the time. So, that ruled out a rebuild of the diff. He also said the U-joints were very tight and looked good.

So, that brings me back to square one. I've read many similar posts for '98-2002 Tacomas on other newsgroups - closest thing to a reason is something driveshaft related. Someone mentioned something about a lining inside the thing that could wear out and cause this noise. But why only between about 45-70 mph??
They were getting estimates of $1500 or so for a new driveshaft set.

I'm thinking of just replacing the u-joint in the rear next just to eliminate that possibilty (since it's a lot cheaper than a driveshaft). The problem does come and go a bit. I also found on the Usenet postings that most people seem to hear this noise during the colder months (fall/winter) and some say it goes away in the spring/summer months. Mine started happening in November.

Did yours start making the noise right out of the blue? Some guys have noted that their trucks were hit sometime before the noise began. Not sure if that plays a factor or not.

--Brad

 

[01tacoTRD]

Brad,

I live in South Texas so we don't relly have much of a winter, but it just recently started happening probably around October or November. It does not happen all the time, only usually after driving on the highway at 60-70 for a extended period of time. My first thought was that it was in the T-case since I had a guy weld in a shifter extension about a month before the noise, but as time went on I began to doubt that. I have some play in my driveshaft, but not in the u-joints connecting the shafts. I bought my truck a year ago used, I sure hope the driveshaft doesn't need replaced. I got underneath and greased every zerk there was, but the noise still comes around. I hope it goes away like others have said in the spring/summer, yet I still would like to solve the problem. No shop has been able to give me an answer because nobody could reproduce it.

Hopefully someone will see this post and give us some more info, hopefully a solution.

 

[muddypenguin]

It seems I have the very same problem as you guys. My truck (98 4x4 reg cab 2.7/5speed) just starting making this scraping/grind/chirp noise right from the center of the truck. At first I immediatly thought it was my throwout bearing because the noise would stop when I'd press the clutch. Now it does it regardless. Just like you all describe, does'nt make it unless I tap the gas at higher speeds or if I'm like coasting down a hill. I took it to my uncles shop and we secured it on a lift then cycled through the gears. It would'nt make a sound until about 3k in 2nd. Then right when I hit 3rd it made a hell of a noise. We pinpointed the noise to the driveshaft, maybe 2-3" behind the ujoint. It was so localized I felt like I could see the sound coming off the shaft. We even used automotive stethoscope on the end of the tranny case and rear diff to see if anything was coming from there and they checked out ok. So now like everyone else I'm wondering what the heck to do. My ujoints are tight, and driveshaft has been lubed. To me I'm thinking its the driveshaft itself. The noise reminds me of a pebble in spinning tube, that very shallow tinging. Has anybody solved this mystery yet?

 

[Gad]

hey. i have the same problem. :xcrybaby: i don't know if it is the same thing you are complaining about though. i have a bad catylatic converter, and don't want ot spend the money on a new one, and also don't want to gut it. when i hit the gas, it makes this wierd grinding, roaring noise. it annoys the hell out of me. get under your truck, and bang on the converter, if it makes the slightest amount of noise, that is probably it, since when it is under a load, it will multiply it. just my $.02. good luck.

 

[Gad]

oh yea, my truck is a 2.7 reg cab 4x4 if you think we have somehtin in common?

 

[muddypenguin]

yea I was thinking it was that too but we pounded on the converter and all the exhaust while it was making that noise and it made no difference. Also i can rev the engine with it in neutral and it sounds great. So I would think if it was exhaust flow related, that would trigger it? thx for the input though, these kinda things drive me nuts.

 

[scottnmos]

the carrier bearing is a sealed unit, you cannot lube it whatsoever

Oops... around the carrier bearing, the u-joints next to it. Thanks..
I had to replace mine, while trying to figure out what the noise was, I was running it without any grease in it....wonder where it went. Replaced it and good to go....