So, there I was, off-roading for the 5th or 6th time this summer, doing a pretty easy trail, Spring Creek in Idaho Springs. The first obstacle was a bit of a doozy, had to get tow strapped for the last leg of it cuz I just couldn't make it up with open diff's. So about half way up the trail with a power steering rack thats about to go out (was supposed to be getting a new one on monday, not any more!!!) I'm going up these switch backs, when I hear a "clunk". Guy in back of me who is a good mechanic says "that didn't sound good, let's take a look". Having broken a front axle before, I'm hoping to god it's not that. We take a look, everything that we can see looks to be fine. Keep going up, hear another clunk. Trying not to be scared sh*tless, I take'r REAL easy, so I'm going about 2 mph, and bam. The truck stops, and I didn't hit the brakes at all.
And so begins my descent into the 7th circle of hell.
With a bunch of mechanics, none of which specialize in bs new-toyota wussy parts, start taking guesses. Could be the hub. Nope, not in this truck! It should be so easy. Could be the CV joint. Nope. Hey, what's that thing that looks like a grenade went off inside of it? OH! It's my front differential!!! So start taking off the front driveshaft (lots of fun lying on rocks and gravel underneath a truck) so I can get the truck out in 2LO, then I start taking off the bolt to drain the front diff, only to find out I exploded it so hard (no idea how) that the drain plug is literally cracked in half, and the inside of my differential looked more like a metal milkshake than the most important thing in my 4WD experience. Ugh. I hate these new cars. Expensive to buy, expensive to play, and expensive to fix.
*edit* The truck is currently sitting in a dirt parking lot in Idaho Springs, waiting for me to either come up with the right tools to take the axles out so I don't ruin them, or a trailer, on Tuesday.
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Truck: A big green shiny thing with lots of scratches and big tires that sounds loud and crawls over things.
Things That Have Been Broken Off-roading: Front right axle snapped (twice), turned the front diff into a metal milkshake (twice), CV Boots (lost count), Power Steering Rack.... thank god my service writer likes me!
My case was leaking when I took everything apart, so we'll see when I get back up there to take a look at it. I don't really care if it gets stolen (so long as it doesn't get recovered), but I do care if it gets vandalized. Ugh. For anyone in CO that wants to do this trail, it's rated a 7, mostly easy parts with some really hard core parts, some of which can be bypassed. The smallest truck we had in our convoy was a jeep on 33's, however. We had a Defender, Bronco (old, convertable) on 35's, a couple FJ's on 35's and 38's, a jeep on 38's, and a Dodge Ram on 36's. Good times, more money. All my friends were saying "F this, let's get a plasma cutter, tear this crap out, and get you a real axle". Oh, how i only wish....
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Truck: A big green shiny thing with lots of scratches and big tires that sounds loud and crawls over things.
Things That Have Been Broken Off-roading: Front right axle snapped (twice), turned the front diff into a metal milkshake (twice), CV Boots (lost count), Power Steering Rack.... thank god my service writer likes me!
check with one of the mechanics here to see if you are actually able to remove the axles and drive it safely. for some reason i dont think that's possible, i'm pretty sure the bolt on the end of the axle is holding the assembly together, and if you remove the axle (and that bolt), the front wheel will come off as it's only held in place by the pressed-in bearing at that point, but i could be wrong. check before trying it .
you need to have the inner cv joints in the case as they are supporting the halfshafts; the halfshafts & stubs will not release from the outer cv joint without a serious fight and some carnage. imo youre better off trailering it back somewhere you can take care of it, because if it's completely trashed inside but you still need to drive it, you should be able to take apart the case and remove the r&p, carrier, etc. and leave the inner cv joints. i have no idea how long that'd take but it would allow you to drive it safely until you decide what youre going to do with the front diff (besides regear already!).
good luck, and i'll be around this evening and tomorrow on the cell.
I've always been of the opinion that large tires and off roading on light duty trucks is a ticket to fatigue and parts failure. About 20 years ago, a friend of mine had a built up Ford F150 with 36's. He dropped the petal in a wheeling situation and sent a spider gear right through the rear diff cover. Looked like a large bullet hole.
that right there is the most common cause of carnage. never, ever redneck the skinny pedal or you will break something, especially with an open differential. the stock bits are adequate if youre gentle.
Multiply that tenfold if your Supercharged in low, as was the case while trying to pull my boat out of a river Near Prince Rupert, just south of Alaska.
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Unichip'd TRD Supercharger & 5.9 Overboost Crank Pulley,TRD Boost guage and Oak color matched pod,TRD LSD,Valvebody Upgrade by IPT in NY, JBA headers,Y pipe, K&N(Evol) SS catback exhaust, Helwig Rear antisway bar, Rear custom Leafpack,TRD Coils,Cornfed Spacers's with Y/B Bilsteins,Westin Outdoorsman Bushbar and Nerf Tubes, TRD Ivan Stewart 16X8 Rims and 285/75/R16 Revo AT tires.Pioneer 5500 MP3 Head unit/Q-Logic sub enclosure with dual crossfire subs/ 700 watts of Crossfire Amps/Bazooka 6.5's and 5.25's in Kickpanels/ CodeAlarm Remote starter/antitheft system.
I love my dealership - I swear to god they are the ultimate in service and satisfaction. They paid for the towing (45 miles) even though there was a closer dealership, they gave me a rental car, and they are putting the front diff under my drivetrain warranty.
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Truck: A big green shiny thing with lots of scratches and big tires that sounds loud and crawls over things.
Things That Have Been Broken Off-roading: Front right axle snapped (twice), turned the front diff into a metal milkshake (twice), CV Boots (lost count), Power Steering Rack.... thank god my service writer likes me!
I love my dealership - I swear to god they are the ultimate in service and satisfaction. They paid for the towing (45 miles) even though there was a closer dealership, they gave me a rental car, and they are putting the front diff under my drivetrain warranty.
Dude that's the coolest thing I've ever heard a dealership do. No one my dealership or any near me would EVER do that.
__________________ 2002 Limited TRD Tundra 4x4
Unichip / ASP Underdrive Pulley / K & N FIPK / Bassani Split Side Deuces / White Powdercoated ARB Sahara Bar with IPF 900XS lights and Warn M10000 Winch / Demello Offroad Sliders / ORS Manual Hub Conversion / TRD Limited Slip Differential / Fabtech Performance 3" Lift / Fabtech Performance Rear Shocks / Fabtech 1.5" Add-A-Leaf / 285/75/16 BFG All Terrains / Mickey Thompson Classic II's / Total Chaos Uniball Upper Control Arms / Total Chaos 1" Differential Drop Spacer / Bates Porsche 930 CV Boots / White C/R/C Taillights / TRD Radiator Cap / Molly Designs I.S. Grille w/TRD Emblem / Clear corners / 20% Tint / Better Built Quantum ATB Series bed box / White Rhino Liner / Odyssey PC1700MJT Battery / Wilson 4' White Fiberglass Whip / Cobra 29 WX NW ST CB/PA / Viper 791XV Responder w/530T Window Roll-Up/Down module / Focal 165K2 Polykevlar component set / U.S. Acoustics USX4085 amp / Alpine CDA-7998 / JL Stealthbox
2003.5 BMW M3
Supersprint Sport Exhaust / 15% Tint / CSL Trunklid / CSL Diffusor / 6000k HID Headlights and Foglights / BHS Pulleys
I love my dealership - I swear to god they are the ultimate in service and satisfaction. They paid for the towing (45 miles) even though there was a closer dealership, they gave me a rental car, and they are putting the front diff under my drivetrain warranty.
Well, I have never said I hated my dealer, I've used the same tech and same service writer for about 3 years now, and they always treat me great. I still maintain that I don't love this tundra when it comes to off-road use, Toyota has lost their off-road reputation (their early models are practically gold in the off-road community), but the dealer certainly helps me want to keep this truck.
-A.J.
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Truck: A big green shiny thing with lots of scratches and big tires that sounds loud and crawls over things.
Things That Have Been Broken Off-roading: Front right axle snapped (twice), turned the front diff into a metal milkshake (twice), CV Boots (lost count), Power Steering Rack.... thank god my service writer likes me!
I no longer love my tundra
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