Why is my front driveshaft CV joint smoking?

[wollimann]

Thanks, Wolfgang.

The t-case has an oil pump? Is it located outside or inside t-case?

There's a lot of fluid leak on back of t-case where rear driveshaft exits t-case. What's that indicate?

Thanks again.

Pump is inside the t-case

Oil leakage indicates bad sealing rings. Another bad factor of this t-case is a worn out output bearing seat (bearing housing)
if it has high mileage. The only way to fix this is a new rear half shell or press in a metal sleeve ring.

Wolfgang

 

[84FLH]

Pump is inside the t-case
View attachment 450201

Oil leakage indicates bad sealing rings. Another bad factor of this t-case is a worn out output bearing seat (bearing housing)
if it has high mileage. The only way to fix this is a new rear half shell or press in a metal sleeve ring.
View attachment 450202

Wolfgang

Thanks for the pictures, Wolfgang! Nice big ones for my old eyes, too!

I had t-case fluid drained and replaced 4 weeks ago. Shop saved fluid for me so I could look for nylon particles/shavings that would indicate nylon bushings on fork rod were shot. Haven't yet looked at the oil yet, though.

I just came in from removing t-case fill plug. Truck front is on slight incline, maybe 5-10 degrees. No fluid of any kind came out from fill plug. Didn't crack open drain plug.

Going to look at that used t-case this week. If looks good may buy it. Or may just run this 397,x.. mile truck w/out front driveshaft and keep looking for another vehicle.

Used vehicles are outrageously expensive! Seems every Tom, Dick, and Nutsie are still riding the Covid wave of jacking up price for everything. Damn shame. $8,000 truck of 2019 is now $12,000 and not worth it.

 

[410Fortune]

supply and demand! Demand for older running trucks is way up because the new ones cost as much as a house.
There are still deals to be had!
We spend much time trying to keep all the ones we can save on the road
397K miles is a badge of honor!!

 

[84FLH]

supply and demand! Demand for older running trucks is way up because the new ones cost as much as a house.
There are still deals to be had!
We spend much time trying to keep all the ones we can save on the road
397K miles is a badge of honor!!

WHAT COINCIDENCE! 397,397 miles. I DON'T BELIEVE IT but there it is! And no, I didn't mess with odo. Don't know how to and why would I do that? To get kudos on Explorer Forum!?!?!

About passenger side damage. Kid ran stop sign entering from right in 2022. I swerved to avoid him but he kept coming. He didn't stop till he hit my front passenger fender. By that time I was in the oncoming lane with both driver side tires almost on the grassy hill to my left. I ran across his front bumper to about my rear door.

!*$*#%@! rich kid fron NYC at parent's summer place on Farmington River. He was driving 2022 4Runner. Limited model! Was 18 yo. Had three beautiful teen girls in the Runner. No wonder he didn't stop! His old man was on scene in 15 minutes. Kid admitted he ran stop sign. His ins company offered me $800 but wanted to total vehicle. I could've bought it back for $1 but didn't. Here's why.

If they totaled vehicle, ins co would notify state MVD vehicle was totaled. MVD would've cancelled registration. To re-register I'd have to flatbed vehicle to MVD for inspection. Flatbed cost was $400 (60 mile round trip for driver). I was pretty confident everything would pass but would have to use vacation day from work. I didn't accept offer. The $500 in pocket wasn't worth the aggravation.

Looked around for boneyard fender and front pass door. Didn't find any and forgot about it after that.

4 r

 

[84FLH]

WHAT COINCIDENCE! 397,397 miles. I DON'T BELIEVE IT but there it is! And no, I didn't mess with odo. Don't know how to and why would I do that? To get kudos on Explorer Forum!?!?!

About passenger side damage. Kid ran stop sign entering from right in 2022. I swerved to avoid him but he kept coming. He didn't stop till he hit my front passenger fender. By that time I was in the oncoming lane with both driver side tires almost on the grassy hill to my left. I ran across his front bumper to about my rear door.

!*$*#%@! rich kid fron NYC at parent's summer place on Farmington River. He was driving 2022 4Runner. Limited model! Was 18 yo. Had three beautiful teen girls in the Runner. No wonder he didn't stop! His old man was on scene in 15 minutes. Kid admitted he ran stop sign. His ins company offered me $800 but wanted to total vehicle. I could've bought it back for $1 but didn't. Here's why.

If they totaled vehicle, ins co would notify state MVD vehicle was totaled. MVD would've cancelled registration. To re-register I'd have to flatbed vehicle to MVD for inspection. Flatbed cost was $400 (60 mile round trip for driver). I was pretty confident everything would pass but would have to use vacation day from work. I didn't accept offer. The $500 in pocket wasn't worth the aggravation.

Looked around for boneyard fender and front pass door. Didn't find any and forgot about it after that.



View attachment 450205

View attachment 450206

View attachment 450207

View attachment 450208
4 r

Added another odo shot. "Long distance" view.

 

[410Fortune]

That is crazy

 

[84FLH]

That is crazy

Put about 50 miles on since pics taken this afternoon. Not a sound from the t-case. Relief at last!

 

[Metalface]

Lack of grease: Mechanic said he packed bearings heavily with grease.

Incorrect install: There's only 6 bolts holding u-joint to t-case but maybe someone screwed it up.

After the stuttering incident, vehicle drove without stuttering 1/2 mile at 35 mph to exit ramp. Whenever hit 35 mph stuttering would begin, but lightly, not as heavy as at 60 mph. Never went past 35 mph during that 1/2 mile drive to exit ramp.

This is almost useless to you perhaps, so forgive me, but as this forum comes up in a lot of web searches and someone might be wondering about a similar issue -- my driveshaft U-Joints were totally boned and I had this exact symptom. Crazy vibration like you're describing at about 35 and up. Had the u-joint done (cuz it got scary and we had somewhere we had to be ASAP) and it was like driving on a cloud after lol.

What IS significant however, is that, it did not smoke. It simply was wearing out to the point of vibrating. So that makes me wonder, like yourself, if it is something else causing the driveshaft to cook itself.

 

[C420sailor]

Those Dorman CV joints come disassembled due to the nature of the joint being welded to the shaft. So you reuse one end, and build the Dorman joint around that reused end.

Many don’t last 50 miles. There are dozens of posts on here about people having boot failures on their brand new Dorman slinging grease in the first drive. They’re finicky and hard to get right.

Could’ve been a defective one. Could’ve been an issue with install. That’s why I always advise people to buy the Dana/Spicer unit, and have the whole assembly welded to the shaft and balanced. More money, but works 99.999% of the time.

Happy to see yours is working well.

 

[84FLH]

This is almost useless to you perhaps, so forgive me, but as this forum comes up in a lot of web searches and someone might be wondering about a similar issue -- my driveshaft U-Joints were totally boned and I had this exact symptom. Crazy vibration like you're describing at about 35 and up. Had the u-joint done (cuz it got scary and we had somewhere we had to be ASAP) and it was like driving on a cloud after lol.

What IS significant however, is that, it did not smoke. It simply was wearing out to the point of vibrating. So that makes me wonder, like yourself, if it is something else causing the driveshaft to cook itself.

Thank you. Did you have the u-joint or CV joint replaced?

 

[84FLH]

Many don’t last 50 miles. There are dozens of posts on here about people having boot failures on their brand new Dorman slinging grease in the first drive. They’re finicky and hard to get right.

Ya know, C420, I wasn't really confident in the guy who replaced it. But I broke down at work and his shop was right across the street, so there I went.

99% is a good rating for that Dana-Spicer. I meant to look for a driveshaft place but haven't yet. Been driving without front driveshaft since last Friday and no problems at all.