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Help! Leak at diff / CV axle, clunky clacky noise as well

Tyler

Tyler

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I have a clunky noise when rolling at less than 8 mph, but there is no noise or vibration if I go faster. And no difference in 4wd either. I found a class II leak coming out of both sides of the diff, seemingly worse on passenger side. My quick guess is the CV axle splines are busted, causing the noise, and allowing fluid to get out. What do you guys think?
 
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Tyler said:
Those are badass. More than I expected, but badass. I see they are 35 spline; do we know the spline count on the stock ones?

And are there other options out there? I have never looked into these before.

@WarFabArmor
@ARCHIVE
^ You guys probably know a lot. :giggle:
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I like CV as the fuse. Easy and cheap to swap. Beefing those moves the fuse further in. Diff/add or driveline/tcase is next to go.
Never blown a CV on the Tacoma. And I'd rather swap it than the others on the trail.
 
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WarFabArmor said:
I like CV as the fuse. Easy and cheap to swap. Beefing those moves the fuse further in. Diff/add or driveline/tcase is next to go.
Never blown a CV on the Tacoma. And I'd rather swap it than the others on the trail.
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That makes sense actually. You always have a different perspective.

I wouldn't want to blow up my Nitro gears.
 
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slidoomz said:
I’m not to sure dude. I think @Victory4x4 knows.
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Tacos are 30 splines into the front diff and the hub, not sure on the inner splines of the CV bells. RCV likely goes to 35 spline just to use the same internal components on as many applications as possible. The Taco RCV bells are the same as a Dana 60 axle for instance. Still limited by the stock 30 splines at the diff and hub, but they use WAY better materials and properly heat treat them. 4340 and 300m throughout.

WarFabArmor said:
I like CV as the fuse. Easy and cheap to swap. Beefing those moves the fuse further in. Diff/add or driveline/tcase is next to go.
Never blown a CV on the Tacoma. And I'd rather swap it than the others on the trail.
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That's one way to look at, but as a counterpoint, the recoil from a broken shaft can break other internal parts as well. Or if it breaks enough to flop around instead of just stripping the splines I've seen them do some damage to front end components.

I don't know the ultimate torque strength of a yota front diff, but with an ARB, I feel way more comfortable with the RCVs. I am not worried about backing up while turned, or having one tire grabbing with the other in the air. I understand that the price of RCVs buys a lot of stock shafts, so it's really a pure judgment call on one's build.
 
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I don't know without looking at it. May want to pull the passenger CV and see what's up. It's a pretty easy job and you'll be prepared for it on the trail someday. Speaking up, if you have OEM CVs carrying a spare on trips is a great idea. You will also need the 35mm hub socket.
 
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Victory4x4 said:
I don't know without looking at it. May want to pull the passenger CV and see what's up. It's a pretty easy job and you'll be prepared for it on the trail someday. Speaking up, if you have OEM CVs carrying a spare on trips is a great idea. You will also need the 35mm hub socket.
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Sounds good, that was my plan. I'm interested to see what I find.
 
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Victory4x4 said:
Tacos are 30 splines into the front diff and the hub, not sure on the inner splines of the CV bells. RCV likely goes to 35 spline just to use the same internal components on as many applications as possible. The Taco RCV bells are the same as a Dana 60 axle for instance. Still limited by the stock 30 splines at the diff and hub, but they use WAY better materials and properly heat treat them. 4340 and 300m throughout.


That's one way to look at, but as a counterpoint, the recoil from a broken shaft can break other internal parts as well. Or if it breaks enough to flop around instead of just stripping the splines I've seen them do some damage to front end components.

I don't know the ultimate torque strength of a yota front diff, but with an ARB, I feel way more comfortable with the RCVs. I am not worried about backing up while turned, or having one tire grabbing with the other in the air. I understand that the price of RCVs buys a lot of stock shafts, so it's really a pure judgment call on one's build.
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Yeah I think a lot of wheeling style and terrain, mixed with vehicle setup.
If it's a wheel spin hammer down situation with a big lift, likely going to be stressing the CV a ton more than we do low lift, light throttle.
Not in our 3g (thankfully) but our experience has been the stock CV let's go rather unspectacularly at low speed breaks. Boots generally keep it together enough to make removable quick.
The shock load can definitely have an affect. Works in reverse too. Shattered gear or locker taking out a shaft with the shock load. So it's really a situation specific type thing.
 
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Tyler said:
That makes sense actually. You always have a different perspective.

I wouldn't want to blow up my Nitro gears.
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I'm built different and use different than the norm, so I look at stuff a bit different. Doesn't mean my justification works for everyone, quite the opposite. It does lend itself to making you think about what impacts what when things go boom. Always the freak or extra crappy scenario that would screw anyone, but trying to plan what you have to swap is helpful out on trail.
Even with the tons and big tires, I ran stock shafts bolted to hubs. Just unbolted hubs to pull shaft and slid new one in. May have been just a ujoint or not messed with hub. But easier maintenance to do whole thing than pull apart. Usually a spool guy too, so I don't worry much about locker taking a hit, more so the ring gears. Fortunately on the fronts, the add should be the weak point.
 
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Maybe this is making the noise and the diff leak has nothing to do with it.




Why should the brakes be able to do that though?
 
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WarFabArmor said:
You have no torque on the studs. Zip a lug or two on and try and do that.
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You think the lugs are torqued to the wheel and not the studs? I wasn't the last one to torque my wheels, and while the lugs are torqued, it could have been done improperly...
 
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Tyler said:
You think the lugs are torqued to the wheel and not the studs? I wasn't the last one to torque my wheels, and while the lugs are torqued, it could have been done improperly...
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It's not a press fit like rear drum on Toyota. It's a pressure fit. Tightening the lugs pinches everything between wheel bearing and lug nut together, including the rotors.
See your wheel mark? That would be grooved or worn if the rotors were moving.
 
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WarFabArmor said:
It's not a press fit like rear drum on Toyota. It's a pressure fit. Tightening the lugs pinches everything between wheel bearing and lug nut together, including the rotors.
See your wheel mark? That would be grooved or worn if the rotors were moving.
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Makes sense. This isn't my video, it's a video from @Mr. Nobody, but this pretty much sounds like what I hear.
 
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If you are getting a clicky noise up front I would immediately look at the CVs. If you can't tell what it is by it being stationary, jack the whole truck up and put it in gear and see what's making noise.
 
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WarFabArmor said:
If you are getting a clicky noise up front I would immediately look at the CVs. If you can't tell what it is by it being stationary, jack the whole truck up and put it in gear and see what's making noise.
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Right. I probably won't be able to investigate until later this week though, but I'm sure I'll find it.
 
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Tyler said:
Right. I probably won't be able to investigate until later this week though, but I'm sure I'll find it.
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Did you ever figure it out? I started getting a similar clunky noise, but of course, it wasn't repeatable in front of my mechanics this morning haha. Was looking for more of a diagnosis than a fix though - I'm sure I could swap a cv in my driveway just fine. We looked at alignment/ball joints too and all looked fine there.
 
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