Sounds like the Spindle bushings to me. I just went through this rigmarole.


I went by the instructions in the tech section on this site. They were very precise, which I appreciated but, be warned... Don't do what I did. I spent like 4 hours pulling everything off, then when I got to the spindle, I couldn't get the bushings out because I didn't have the slide hammer.

If you don't have that slide hammer, try to find someone who would be willing to remove the bushings from the spindle once you got it off, if you go that direction.

What I did was file the scoring and pits in the inner bushing until it was as smooth as I could get it, then I put a nice thick layer of grease into the spindle on the bushings. I also greased the CV shaft entirely, then I put it all back together. With so much grease, it took some working to get the rotor and hub to seat all the way against the steering spindle, but I got it

 

He has ADD and Hubs, therfore the driveshaft wont spin in 2wd....

 

really? i still haven't put needle bearings in my truck because i never have the money to buy the parts, and i don't have access to a press easily (i do, but it's a long story). will simply pumping the spindles full of grease be an acceptable fix?

it sounds like the greasing tool is a simple fix, and it's something that could be done at the same time as all the other greasing in the front end.

thanks for the tips!

 

Issac, the spindle lubricator will allow you to fully grease the spindle in about 30 minutes max per side. All done in an hour or less. The bushing usually are not worn, just dry. When it gets cold, is when the spindle bushing noise starts. Grease cures it, and for a real long time. I mean, literally dozens of years!

 

well I'll have to see if I can find someone with a torch who can braze me up a tool. I assume you leave the bolt in the end of the axle stub so you don't stuff the bolt hole full of grease? also, can you buy 54mm nuts anywhere or is that a dealer part? do you have any pics of the tool?

I might just pull the spindle apart and stuff in as much grease as I can with my fingers.. it's -3 out and my truck sounds like it's got concrete wheels that bushing is making so much noise!

that's a great tip, someone should add it to the beginning of the writeup - it might save someone some time and money.

 

Issac, pretty tough to do it by hand unless you pull the axle out of the spindle. Lots of extra work! No, you need to remove either your ADD plate or your freewheeling hub (and usually, those with free wheeling hubs never hear it because the axles are setting still) and you can get the 54mm spindle nut from a dealer. Not sure if anyone else has these. Not spendy at all. I might take a picture of the one I made for our shop and post a picture of it.

 

If you need the 54mm for the Hub nut, a 2 1/8 inch socket also works. I bought one from sears. 27 bucks! Anyways, I'll sell it to you for 20.

Also you don't need to worry that its american vs metric. You don't tighten the hub nut that much to shear corners or anything.

 

Sure looks like you have a lot of good info for the board, but I thought the needle bearings were a fix from Toyota for the bushings that would wear out? I'm also having a hard time seeing how they would do more harm than the bushing. Do you have any more info on this?

 

Is the bushing supposed to have big grooves in it?

 

Pictures of the bushings here: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f128/steering-spindle-bearing-replacement-2nd-gen-4runner-76360/

 

that's exactly what i was wondering..

 

maybe, and im just speculating, the needle bearing won't tell you when its all out of grease inside the spindle, then it just digs right into the CV shaft. The bushings quite audibly let you know when they are dry

Or maybe the rollers inside of the bearing dig a groove into the CV shaft instead of the CV shaft moving on a thin layer of grease with the bushings.

I really don't know. Just Guessing.

 

Lubing up the spindle bushings appears to have worked. Thanks guys!

 

did you just pull out the axle from the backside and lube the shaft or did you diassemble the spindle?

 

Willie, you are right on. The bushings just let you know its low on grease. Needle bearings dont. Kinda think if it like wear indicators on your front pads. Bushings dont ruin the axles, even if its dry! Needle bearings are a bad idea.

 

I have needle bearings waiting to be pressed in... there's actually a write-up here on how to do it... along with part numbers. I'm pretty sure it's the same noise my truck makes. I replaced my cv's, noise still there. I repacked my wheel bearings, noise still there. I converted to manual hubs, noise isn't near as terrible as before. I just need to get the needle bearings pressed in and hopefully I'll rid myself of that annoying sound. Though I haven't heard it in quite some time, seeing as how when driving on the road I leave the hubs in "Free".

 

Keggo, save your time/labor, grease the spndles and the noise will be gone. Its not the fact its bushing vs needles, its the fact its dry vs lubed. The OE bushings never wear out! Needles can get water in there, rust and ruin the axle shaft bearing surface and you will have to go right back in. I can draw a picture (good at illustrating) and post a picture of my spindle lubricator tool with instructions on hardware stuff if ther demand is there. I might even take my camera to work and snap a picture of it. We dont use it nearly as much as we used to since the Tacoma and splined shaft to hubs took over. But I keep it at work for those rare occasions we need it. Also, a rattling axle over bumps is a sign of dry spindle bushings too.

 

Like they say -- a picture is worth a thousand words... Please take a pic of it.

 

Please do, I have the same noise and hope to do this as soon as I have time. I hard people say in this post that it wont do damage if it is dry? Does that mean I could wait a month (just keep the driving around town) and do it when I get home? I havent done too much of my own work on the toy so any step by step or pics to grease this would be appreciated. I have a 1990 and have been hearing this noise on and off the past couple of weeks.

 

Yes, pics please!