cwm

I recently put a 3" lift on my '97 and as a just in case, a toytec diffdrop. Problem is, the diff drop did nothing, and the cv boots on both sides popped loose. Took it to the dealers, and they "dont just do boots" (which turned out to be the case everywhere around here) and for the full replace of both cv joints it was cheaper at Toyota than anywhere else.

After leaving the dealers from the install, the front diff started making a horrible rattle with foot on the gas and at low speed the front passenger wheel sounded like a little red wagon with its squeak.

Took it back and they are telling me due to the "severe" lift I have, the cv joint has popped out again and this time on the pass side the 'needle bearing' (it is needle joint, needle bearing, needle...etc, cant remember which, i apologize) and snap rings need to be replaced. This costs almost as much as the initial cv joint replacement on both sides.

First, would a proper cv joint install job have allowed for this to have happened? I only know what this site walkthroughs tell me plus a great YouTube video, which is not nearly enough to call a mechanic out on.
2. Is a 3" lift a severe lift? It seems average in a rough comparison to the rest of the rigs on this site.
3.Do dealers have bad track records once you start modding your truck? Mine was stock until this. Should i find a local shop that specializes in modifications to do even routine work with stock parts now?
4.Should i try to have the extended cv boot mod put in to try to mitigate this from the future?

How many people have had actual front end issues due to a lift? I have found many glowing threads about lifts, but no actual anecdotal references to the bad stuff, just "it could happen" stuff salted in everywhere (except for LBJ failure stories, that seems to be the only well documented horror story).

Malcolm99

It is not normal for the CV to pop out of the diff and wreck the snap ring nor is it normal for the boot to pop something is wrong with the lift or the installation, 3" up front is borderline to much lift with no weight on the front, I put a thick washer under my tapered diff drop kit, every millimetre counts here. Try installing Sonoran Steels front suspension and you won't have any issues. Yes some dealers do not like lifted vehicles as it adds some complexity to any issues that arise that they are unfamiliar with. I'm not familiar with the extended CV boots but sounds like you have other issues. I would highly advise you keep your old axles and buy a snap ring removal tool and new boots and rebuild them as its very easy to do but messy and time consuming, and these factory axles and boots are way better than aftermarket stuff at the parts store. Was there a spacer on the top of the suspension you could remove, and adjustment to lower the spring height.

K91776

I'm having front end problems with my Tacoma but it has a 6" lift so I'm subscribing and I hope you found the answer you needed! It's been over a month have you had any progress?

muddpigg

iTrader: (1)

If you don't have the knowledge yourself then yes find someone that does to work on your rig. I've seen rigs where ppl made this mistake and had to pay a shop that specializes in Offroad rigs fix problems that were created by a shop that didn't know what they were doing. Thus paying twice for same job. Not all mechanics/shops are created equally. And throwing parts at a problem without knowledge is expensive and frustrating.

Learn about operating angles of CVs, it was a concern for me when IFS. Steering geometry and common failure points on lifted truck. This is starting knowledge grow from there.

KZN185W

iTrader: (1)

What brand of 3" lift did you use? What parts were included in the lift? What is the measurement from the center of the hub to the bottom of the fender lip? it should be approximately 23" and should not exceed 23.5" if you have a stock bumper and no winch for a 1997 V6 4WD 4Runner. If it exceeds 23.5" then there is something wrong with the assembly if it's really a 3" lift.

My truck used to have a 4" lift and the CV boots kept tearing after a few thousand miles, but the CVs didn't pop or weren't noisy. So the dealer must have done something wrong or the installed lift is excessive. However, it is normal for an old CV boot to come loose after a 3" lift even when assembled & installed correctly.