Front drive train noise

[jlowe]

I have a noise coming from the front drive train of my Tundra truck. The noise sounds like a bad bearing and is associated with the rotation of the drivetrain or wheels. The noise normally only occurs when the temperatures are below 40 degrees F and the truck is cold or has set several days. The noise occurs at low speeds up to 40 mph. After the truck is operated for 5 miles it normally stops. If you put it in 4 wheel drive it will stop. I have checked the brakes and they are all in good shape ( except for some rotor warpage),and calipers are free. I have tried placing the truck on jack stands and operated the transmission in drive and reverse both in and out of 4 wheel drive and it makes no noise. If you spin the wheels by hand while on the jack stands, it makes no noise. The universal joints on the drive shafts are all lubricated including the slide portion of the drive shaft and they don't show any signs of wear. I have checked the fluids in the transfer case, differentials, and automatic transmission and all are good. The truck only has 27,000 miles on it. I remember reading about others having the same problem with the same year and model of truck about 6 months ago, but I can't locate the comments to see if they resolved the problem. None of the inquiries had a solution at the time. I have returned the truck to the dealer twice and once they had it for a week. Does anyone have a solution to this problem?

[Sanosuke]

I had the same symptom happen to me too. Service Manager's reply was "It is normal. It is the front differential turning slowly. All my other toyota vehicles did/do it too." I have one hunch about it though.. possible induction from the interia of the front tires turning causing the front differental to turn slowly and causing that groaning noise we all hear (my service manager described it as a scree scree type noise). And yes I took the guy for a drive to show it to him.. he noted it happens on his 4 runner and Sequoia etc. He said there was a memo from Toyota on it but he couldn't find it for some odd reason.

Sanosuke!
Hawaii Dec 8-15 Official!

[Boxer]

check out "Disappointed with vibration on a 2003!" thread

[jlowe]

Sorry it took me so long to reply. Thanks for the information but, I am not sure that it makes me fill much better. It appears that many of the toyota owners are having the same problem.
Thanks
Jlowe

[HotRod8]

I don't have this problem with my Tundra, but I did with my '89 4x4 pickup. That truck made a horrible growling/squeeling noise from the front end during cold weather. It did it from day 1 until the time I sold it 13 years later. I had that truck in to the dealer for that issue a few times when it was still under warranty, they changed almost every part of the front drive train, nothing ever fixed it. In those trucks the noise came from the axle shaft turning in the spindle bushings. They came out with a bearing to replace the inner bushing later on. Please note that it only happened at temperatures below about -5F(-20C) or so. I eventually just learned to accept it.
I don't even know what type of bushings or bearings that the Tundra uses where the front axle shafts pass through the spindle, but could this be the same type of problem?
Rod

[jlowe]

That would be my guess as to where the noise is coming from. It seams funny that the noise doesn't occur if I jack up the front end and spin the wheel by hand.

[thruster]

Wow my 2005 tacoma does the same as your tundra.

[BlueRanger]

Mine does it, service manaeger sadid it was normal and that his tundra did it as w ell. With my mudders on I cant feel the vibration at all any more. (I wonder why )