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Engine & DrivetrainDiscussions about the engine and drivetrain of your vehicle.
This is a discussion thread titled "Driveshaft center support bearing", within the Engine & Drivetrain forum, part of the Technical & Vehicle Assistance Forums category.
How much of a bearing is the center support bearing? When I grab the driveshaft near the bearing, I can move the shaft up and down about an inch, half inch in either direction. It feels, and sounds, like the bearing is only a piece of Plastic. Before I go to the dealer and they tell me it is normal, I thought I would post to this forum first.
I looked at my driveshaft because I have had some jumping when releasing the brakes after comming to a stop. The dealer lubricated the slip joint because it was dry. They also couldn't duplicate the "jumping" problem. Also, I have always had, since new, a vibration between 15 and 25 MPH. The dealer told me it was "normal". Now I have about 12K on the truck and the dealer now tells me it is the tires.
Bob,
As far as the "jumping" when releasing the brakes, try really lubing up the spline of the rear propeller shaft at the sleeve yolk well. Pump the spline with grease until it expands. Then pull the zerk fitting out and bounce on the rear bumper to force the grease out the zerk fitting hole. Put the zerk back in and that should solve the issue.
Regarding the vibration, I don't think it is the center support bearing, unless the position of it has the multi-pice drive shaft/propeller shaft out of line between the differentials. Crawl under the vehicle with a long piece of string and some duct tape. Tape one end of the string to the bottom center of the flange at the forward end of the front section of the drive shaft. This is just at the back end of the transmission. Now stretch the string under and along the drive shaft and tape the other end to the bottom center of the flange at the rear end of the rear section of the drive shaft. This is at the front end of the rear axle. The drive shaft should lie directly above this stretched string.
Now look at the center carrier bearing. If it is offset to the left or right, even as little as 1/8 inch, it is in the wrong place. Loosen the two mounting bolts and center it over the string, making sure it is perpendicular to the string. Tighten the bolts to 30 ft-lbs.
__________________ ~Glenn~
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Glenn,
Thanks for the information. When I first noticed this "jumping" problem, I put up with it for about 6K or 7K miles. A month or so ago, I took it to the dealer. They pumped 37 pumps of grease into the sleeve yoke. They told me it had never, except for assembly grease, been lubed. The mechanic thought maybe Toyota assumed all dealers would lube vechicles when they arrived at the dealership. I would assume they would remove, as you suggest, the excess grease they added. Since I am still having the problem, they want to check it again this comming week. When they finish if I still have the vibration, I will check with the string.
It doesn't seem correct to me that the center support bearing would allow the driveshaft to move an inch in the vertical direction. I also noticed that the transmission mount also has been moving in the vertical direction. Large bolt going through the mount is quite polished. Maybe this vertical movement is normal.
I am going to have them check every inch of the truck. From the rear axle and springs to the transmission. It seems that their service writer wants to please. Hopefully this will be relayed to the mechanic.
Glenn,
The dealer was able to experience the "jumping" when letting up on the brake or pulsing the brake pedal. They didn't know what was causing the problem so they compared my truck to another in for unrelated service. It acted the same way mine does so it is a "Tundra characteristic no problem" according to the dealer. They checked all the "undercarriage" and all of it looks good.
The "jumping" makes the truck feel unstable. Maybe some sort of stabalizer would work. Maybe it could be a bad shock since one is mounted to the front side of the axle and one at the rear side. Since it is a "characteristic no problem" that just showed up in the last 5 or 6K miles, I guess I will have to live with it. I now have 12.5K miles on the truck. Maybe someday, hopefully before the warranty ends, the "real" problem will surface.
The service writer told me the sleeve yoke was lubed the last time the truck was in. I mentioned the removal of excell grease and he told me there is room for expansion. I don't think grease will compress very well so I will do as you advised, with the zerk fitting.
The driveline center support bearing is mounted in a soft rubber mount so the drive line moves horizontally as well as vertically. Using your "string" method showed the center support off almost a half of an inch. It didn't do any good to move the support to the center as the rubber bearing mount collapsed on one side to compensate for my adjustment. The drive line moved back to about where it was before I changed the support.
The service writer gave me copies of the service order. He documented everything.
Thanks
Bob
I have a 2002, SR5 4 x 2, V8, 22,000 miles with the same old driveshaft vibration that everyone else is complaining about. As usual, the tech at the dealer doesn't feel anything (surprise!). My vibration came on suddenly at 15,000 miles after the truck sat for about 4 days while I was out of town. I thinking about replacing the bearing with my $$ and see what happens. Think Toyota will reimburse me if my vib goes away? Another question/statement, does anyone know if Toyota has extensive knowledge of our problems with this driveshaft/bearing and do they plan on fixing it? I hate to say this, but has a class action law suit been discussed anywhere? Guess my frustration is coming out, I'm quickly beginning to hate this truck!
Discusssion regarding law suits is not allowed on this forum.
__________________ ~Glenn~
Forum Rules
Searching for an answer to your Tundra or other Toyota question? search HERE!
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I noticed a very light vibration that is noticed when accelerating or climbing a modest hill from about 60-65 mph. This started aroung 5k. Now, at 11k I am noticing the same vibration, but stronger, around 40-45 mph. Most obvious when truck shifts into OD.
Bob, I wonder if the jumping you experience when releasing brakes is similar to what I notice when rounding a corner? Upon going from the brake to gas when exiting the corner, the truck does jump. I've been attributing this to a delayed or sloppy shift into 1st gear. The engine seems to rev just a bit, then the transmission finds the gear. The truck then surges or jumps.
I haven't noticed any jump or shifting problems while the truck is moving fast. The problem I have occurs when the brakes are just released. I thought it was the drive line "bending" at the center bearing which was causing the jump. I have noticed lately that if I am backing up and slightly pulse the brakes, I can get the truck, or axle, to oscillate. A pulsing feeling is also felt in the brake pedal. Only when moving very slowly in the reverse direction.
I have noticed, in the last couple of days, it sounds like something is about to let go in the rear end or transmission as I, at times, hear a very loud clunk. This is when I release the brake and step on the gas.
The service writer called me a few days after I had the truck in for the "Tundra no problem". He told me he would let me know if Toyota issued a TSB for the "no problem".
The other problem, vibration, occurs at about 20-25MPH. The dealer tells me it is a tire so I will try one at a time until I find it.
Thanks
Bob
After calling Toyota, I returned my truck to the dealer. They had me drive my truck and show them the problem I was having. They then had me drive a new 2003, 250mi on it, and it exhibited the same symptom. The symptom was not as severe as my truck. I was given instruction in leaf spring suspension. The mechanic told me the rear end is rotating as I stop and the spring loads. When I let up on the brake the spring releases causing the axle to rotate. The mechanic told me the slip yoke didn't move enough to compensate for the axle housing rotation. The yoke only moves about 1/4 of an inch.
I found the problem much more noticible when backing and pumping the brakes. I guess the axle housing rocks back and forth causing the truck to "jump". The more wear to the spring hangers the more motion, as I am told.
I understand the physics but don't understand why there isn't a better stabalizer. Is this why one shock is mounted on the front of the housing and the other on the rear, trying to dampen the rotation of the housing?
Thanks
Bob
After calling Toyota, I returned my truck to the dealer. They had me drive my truck and show them the problem I was having. They then had me drive a new 2003, 250mi on it, and it exhibited the same symptom. The symptom was not as severe as my truck. I was given instruction in leaf spring suspension. The mechanic told me the rear end is rotating as I stop and the spring loads. When I let up on the brake the spring releases causing the axle to rotate. The mechanic told me the slip yoke didn't move enough to compensate for the axle housing rotation. The yoke only moves about 1/4 of an inch.
I found the problem much more noticible when backing and pumping the brakes. I guess the axle housing rocks back and forth causing the truck to "jump". The more wear to the spring hangers the more motion, as I am told.
I understand the physics but don't understand why there isn't a better stabalizer. Is this why one shock is mounted on the front of the housing and the other on the rear, trying to dampen the rotation of the housing?
Thanks
Bob
yanno, i never even thought of this...good job identifying a potential cause. the phenomenon is called "axle wrap", and i suspect it is the reason there is a damper to the front and rear of the axle. it is also noticable when flooring the pedal over a bump.
if that really is the problem, don't worry about it...any truck equipped with leaf springs will experience some degree of this "feature" .
keep us posted, let us know if this really is the source.
yanno, i never even thought of this...good job identifying a potential cause. the phenomenon is called "axle wrap", and i suspect it is the reason there is a damper to the front and rear of the axle. it is also noticable when flooring the pedal over a bump.
if that really is the problem, don't worry about it...any truck equipped with leaf springs will experience some degree of this "feature" .
keep us posted, let us know if this really is the source.
-sean
Sean,
Thank you for the reply to my post. I think you are correct about the "axle wrap". At some time I will try to install better/larger dampers/ shocks. One of the reasons I feel this "jump" so much is that the "sleve yoke" is also hanging up at times. I keep greasing it and the symptoms almost go away for a while. I think when the axle housing rotates the slip yoke binds and the force at the rear of the driveshaft causes it to raise and and then it drops down again. It's kind of like a stick with a joint in the center, when you push from both ends it bends in the center, bearing in this case. Hopefully, one of these days I can hook up a camera under the truck and record what's going on for the dealer.
The backing and pumping the brakes is something I don't always do. I think the dealers mechanic and service writer thought I was crazy since I forgot to explain I was doing this only to show them what it feels like. Only trying to duplicate the symptoms I was trying to explain to them. I don't think they understood that and I was too stupid to explain what I was trying to do. Before the warranty is up, I will try it with them again. They won't be happy about me bringing it up again but I will.
Unless they drive the truck for an extended period of time they won't experince the feeling that something is letting go under the truck. After comming to a stop, I release the brake and it feels like something has slipped and jumped. Doesn't do it all the time so it's hard to duplicate but when it happens you know that something has let loose.
Thanks
Bob
I noticed a very light vibration that is noticed when accelerating or climbing a modest hill from about 60-65 mph. This started aroung 5k. Now, at 11k I am noticing the same vibration, but stronger, around 40-45 mph. Most obvious when truck shifts into OD.
Although it was at a lower speed, 40-50 MPH, I had a similar problem with my 79 Olds wagon. Felt like a slight engine miss but only when cimbing a modest hill. I tried everything, spark plugs, wires, cap and rotor, etc. Even thought about overhauling the carb. Nothing worked. Then a friend of mine suggested checking the drive shaft for a bad universal. That was it. The front universal was bad. Although there was no looseness side to side, when you turned the drive shaft by hand you could feel a roughness in the bearings.
BTW I've never thought to look but are our universals replaceable. On some vehicles today you have to replace the drive shaft. $$$$$ Ouch!
Driveshaft center support bearing
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