2022 needle bearing issues

Thoughts on how many hours of labor would be saved if the bushing and suspension lift is done together by the shop?

 

Just over 14k miles. Toyota spent about 3k dollars to repair it. It started a few thousand miles after buying new.

 

Oh you got a new diff.

no need for a new cv given all the metal shavings ?

 

Yep. I doubt the old diff would have been salvageable for the clamshell install with that much metal floating around inside.

 

Exactly, I'm talking about people bringing in their Runners and Tacomas with similar vibrations looking to confirm needle bearing issues.

 

What is a clamshell install ?

 

Interesting on the metal particles. How many miles on the diff when you took it in? How often did you use 4wd?

Mine makes noise at spring/fall temps, but no metal shavings when I changed the front diff oil at around 50k miles.

 

It's that bushing many have

It's the part type everyone's recommended to replace needle bearing

 

I originally complained and was told it was normal at 1-2k miles. It continued and I learned about the needle bearing and after the TSB failed to fix it at about 13,500 I took it back to the second dealership around14k. I didn't really use 4x4 a lot. Only when there was very slick conditions or snow. No more than any other 4x4 I have owned. Mine also had the pulsing vibration since then all year round. Warm or cold.

 

Do you mean the ECGS bushing?

FYI the clamshell is the differential case.

 

NASA and a butt load scientist have been wondering what it is also.

 

Yes but I have seen the bushing referred to as a Toyota clam shell bushing but ECGS is the company I was thinking of.

 

Finally found time to install the ECGS bearing on my vehicle. After watching a few YouTube videos, I managed to knock it out in approximately 4 hrs. Anyone in south Texas need help, feel free to reach out.

 

I'm curious as to what your impressions of the install process are...

 

Straight forward just like the videos on YouTube. The most time consuming part for me was putting the small needle bearing puller behind the bearing. I broke two needles putting it in, didn’t matter cuz it was coming out anyways, I ended up hitting it with a hammer/flat head screw driver on one side of it to force it in. Took a while cuz I was scared I would break it but it can take some hits, so don’t be too gentle with it, it won’t break. Guess start with medium blows and slowly increase striking pressure, if that makes sense. Everything else was easy. As far as pulling it out, just keep the bolt centered and comes out easily.

 

It seems like if they've increased the date range to replace the diffs, there must have been some parts updated just like they do with transmission parts. From what I've read most (not all) people who have had the later replacement diffs installed haven't had issues with the new ones.

 

Are you saying they’ve updated the
TSB recently? Can you post it?

 

Yes, the bushing fits into Toyota’s clamshell-shaped differential case. The bushing itself is not the clamshell though. Just mentioning it because you’ll get a shock if you ask for a quote for a clamshell installation

 

No, just the update to include the 23-24s late last year, many have commented it's the exact same unit with no upgrades. It's just hard to imagine them NOT improving assemblies as they learn of potential failure points.

 

Just did the ECGS swap on a '24 SR5 with 200 miles on it. SAME Needle bearing, same design, same diff. They may have updated their TSB but definitely not the Needle bearing and their design/issue.

 

You have a link to it?

 

It's on the page before this one, about 1/2 way down.

 

lol god damn Toyota… 2024 as well? Lazy bean counters.
I am 100% sure their fix for 2024 is not permanent.

 

I am good with the dampener, if it masks the noise and vibration. I just want that shit gone. My ocd cannot deal with it.

I have read that the bushing gets welded in due to heat and can be a bitch to replace

 

I think the diff would need replacement/service before worrying about removing the bushing. I still haven't bought the diff and installed a bushing to just remove it as a test. I still need to figure out how to post the video I took doing the bushing! Maybe I will try editing etc again to upload it. Removing it would be the exact same as removing the factory bushings or bearing races in American cars differentials. The dampener is interesting but it's just going to absorb the vibration, not keep the needle bearing from eventual failure.

 

Yeah I don’t care about the long term.. next owners’ issue to deal with. I put 5k miles on it per year lol

 

Haha! Ours is my wifes last car ever! (Shes not even 40) Hahah

 

I am just assuming something else will entice me to change.. vehicles..

 

Expect to do the same with 2025 and onwards

 

I also had problems getting the small plate behind the needle bearing.
There was too little space behind the bearing to tilt the plate in between.
It didn't work at first. I had to grind down the rear edges of the puller plate slightly (45 degrees chamfer).