Driveline Vibration Issue & Fix: Replace Rear Driveshaft

[JayTech]

Gotcha. So the truck with issues that developed at 30k km was a different issue?

A truck with driveshaft issues from day one makes sense.

My quirk is that I had zero issues, then from one day to the next my truck developed the shaking/shudder. It's hard for me to fathom how or why a driveshaft would cause that (short of a material failure from fatigue).

It might be a separate issue but it also could have started as a vibration and eventually got worse depending on what is actually failing on these shafts. I was not involved with that one so I do not know all the details of that particular case. Unfortunately we do not have the equipment here to properly inspect the driveshaft because I would love to dig into this and find out what exactly is going on. I can't really send it out to a driveline shop incase Toyota asks for the part back. I am still hopeful Toyota will look into this to get to the bottom of what is causing this problem. Whether its a TSB, WEP, or service campaign(essentially a voluntary recall for non safety related issues).

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[NH Marine]

When you hear back from them, I would let them know other dealers have found a problem with the driveshafts so they can inspect to see if that is the same case for yours. This definitely seems to be an ongoing issue seeing there are MANY complaints of driveline vibrations.

I brought a copy of your first posting on this issue into the Service Manager last week. He read it and agreed to have a tech remove the rear drive shaft, put it into 4 High and check it out. They did that today and what do you know, it was smooth as silk. The shop foreman came to me and said "We had tried all kinds of things on others with this problem, springs, angles, shims and couldn't get it to go away". Wait! didn't you tell me it was normal driving when you went on a test drive with me???????
They ordered a new drive shaft but they weren't available anywhere local. So I am waiting on one to come in.

Thanks a million for your posting! I had been driving around hating my truck every time I was in the 30-45MPH band. I really appreciate your help!!!

 

[NH Marine]

Just got contacted by the Service Manager. The new driveshaft is in. Being installed Tuesday.

 

[NH Marine]

Drive shaft was replaced today. Issue is resolved! Thanks a million Jay Tech!

 

[Tom Sellick]

I work at a Toyota dealer and have been seeing many complaints about a driveline vibration at speeds below 50mph and no one has been able to fix them with the dealers most people have been going to being of no help. It seems most would either say it is normal or try to balance tires with most vehicles vibrations not being fixed.

We had a couple arrive with this issue at our dealer starting with a brand new Trailhunter to be sold on our lot so we started by balancing the tires, swapping the rims and tires with another truck with known good wheels/tires, and then tried removing the shaft and test driving it in 4 High. We found the vibration went away with the rear shaft removed so we have isolated the problem to being the driveshaft. We then tried the same thing, removing the shaft and driving in 4 high on the other trucks and it has solved the vibration for all of them. So far all cases of the vibration problem we have experienced have been Tacomas with the 2 piece rear driveshafts(6ft bed), so there definitely appears to be an issue with the rear driveshafts. Replacing the shafts with new units has solved the vibration concerns in all of the Tacomas we have had in for this problem.

This may also apply to some people experiencing the same vibration in the 5ft bed Tacomas with a single piece shaft but we have not had any in with this concern yet to verify if that is the case or not. One of these trucks the rear shaft pushed the rear end out of alignment so this may also be why some people are seeing the rear end out of spec while also experiencing a slight vibration.

Hopefully Toyota addresses this concern soon and hopefully this will help some of you experiencing this issue and pointing out this being a known issue to the dealers if they try to tell you "this is normal", as this is definitely NOT normal.

I’ve had these vibrations in my TRD Pro since new, between 70-80km/hr. My dealer usually isn’t very helpful when I raise issues. Anyone else having this issue with their Pro?

 

[NH Marine]

It wouldn't. matter if it's a pro or a tr5. It matters if it's a long bed or short bed. The long bed has a 2 part drive shaft. It seems to me that it's a 2 piece drive shaft issue. I met 3 other long bed owners since I bought mine and had this issue that have had the same issue with theirs. And they all were getting the same response that I got. "That's normal ride for the Tacoma".

I was lucky that my dealer Service Manager listened and red what JayTech had written. When they removed the drive shaft and drove it in 4 wheel drive (Really making it front wheel drive) they were amazed at how it fixed the issue. Then they ordered a new drive shaft and installed it yesterday. and PRESTO! Issue gone. Print out this thread and bring it in to your Service Manager!

 

[konga056]

Just had mine replaced it and completely fixed it for me as well.

Interestingly when I brought it in my service manager already knew exactly what was going on and told me right away what needed to be done and that warranty would cover it.

 

[Tom Sellick]

It wouldn't. matter if it's a pro or a tr5. It matters if it's a long bed or short bed. The long bed has a 2 part drive shaft. It seems to me that it's a 2 piece drive shaft issue. I met 3 other long bed owners since I bought mine and had this issue that have had the same issue with theirs. And they all were getting the same response that I got. "That's normal ride for the Tacoma".

I was lucky that my dealer Service Manager listened and red what JayTech had written. When they removed the drive shaft and drove it in 4 wheel drive (Really making it front wheel drive) they were amazed at how it fixed the issue. Then they ordered a new drive shaft and installed it yesterday. and PRESTO! Issue gone. Print out this thread and bring it in to your Service Manager!

I think all the Pros are 5ft bed only if memory serves. Was why I was wondering if anyone with 5ft is having the issue or had it fixed.

 

[Gfenza89]

Some things never change.....

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