Checking out a cheap first gen today

Looking at a RCLB V8 4x4 with rear end noise. Any pointers on narrowing it down to bearings or the diff being toast?

 

The type of noise it’s making will help. Stethoscope will help if you can get it up on jack stands. Make sure the truck is otherwise worthy of the investment first. Rust is usually what kills these. Frames and rear pumpkin are good places to see it. Read up before purchase.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/so-you-wanna-buy-just-bought-a-1st-gen-tundra-eh.115928/

 

I mean, what kind of noise? "Rear end noise" is vague. It could be any number of things:

• Grinding/dragging, like ... rear end gearing is shot, parking brake isn't adjusted properly and pulling and/or the shoes aren't adjusted properly and/or the shoes are worn through, or similar
• Skipping/bumping, like ... it has LSD rear end and the previous owner put the wrong fluid in it, so it's skipping (chatter), or they did it for a long time and now the clutch pack is worn out
• Howling/whirring, like ... bad pinion bearing, bad wheel bearing

Knowing the type of noise and what other symptoms exist (any vibration in a specific speed range, does it stop/start at any time?) would be helpful.

I mean, the biggest concern is the frame condition and timing belt. But I think you know that already.

 

Yeah, ad wasn’t specific on the the type of noise. I’ll find out in a few hours

 

Well, the three bullet points above will give you the main types of sounds to check for. I'd probably want to test drive it (if they'll let you) to figure out which type of sound.

No matter which one of the above it is, you can fix for under $1k pretty easily in any of the three cases. Wheel bearings will be the most difficult to replace, and I'd be tempted just to get some used axles off another truck. But they'll also be the easiest to diagnose: If you can jack up each rear wheel independently and push/pull with hands on opposite sides in a couple of positions to check for play, it's a good start. You can also try spinning the wheel to see if grinding happens, could isolate brake issues.

You may also want to grab the drive shaft at the joints and check for play. Inspect the carrier bearing and its bolts to make sure it's both secure and not destroyed.

 

Check for rust!!!

 

Indiana and a salvage title!

 

Run away.

 

That's an oddly broad statement. A salvage-titled vehicle can be an excellent value depending on many variables (price, previous damage, repairs done, one's ability to DIY repairs/maintenance, etc.) I wouldn't think twice about buying the right vehicle with a salvage title.

 

Depends whether your insurance company will insure. And how it’s handled can vary state by state, if I recall.

 

How does that get handled ? I never thought of that. I know you said it varies by state, but do they flat out refuse to insure it and you're SOL or do they end up insuring it and charge you a crazy premium?

 

Many won’t offer full coverage. Which means you can’t have a lien on it.

 

@Dakillacore may be able to elaborate on it, at least for state of GA. May also have a map or something for state-by-state.

 

With the OPs own admission of the truck having unknown rear end problems, and now finding out it has a salvage title, there are hundreds of things that could be wrong with it. Are the rear end problems caused by how it ended up with a salvage title? Obviously need more history of this truck, but I still stand by my initial statement to run away. I personally wouldn't consider a salvage titled vehicle unless I was going to turn it into something that was not street legal.

 

Or something that wasn't a critical vehicle in your life.

 

Sounds like an outlier situation to me. Rebuilt is different than salvage though. Some may offer coverage for a rebuilt title, No one will insure a salvage total loss vehicle. That’s why it got totaled.

 

In California, a salvage title reduces resale value considerably, so it should be priced accordingly, if all else checks out okay.

 

If you can live with the dings & dents. A hail damaged total loss/salvage title vehicle can be good deal. You will most likely only be able to get liability only insurance.

 

Yep. Our 02 Corolla was a salvage title because of hail. I was was still able to insure it for liability. Hailey was a great car despite being a salvage title.

 

It was a total loss from an accident. The diff was sealed poorly and gear oil leaked out.

 

Did you buy it?

 

Must be terminology nuances because when the storm/tornado damaged mine they "totaled" it.
I'm insured with liability, and have glass coverage... Same company.
I'm in Michigan (M?)

 

No

 

Liability does not insure your vehicle. It insures the other guy you hit. The difficulty is getting them to insure the totaled vehicle with comprehensive coverage.

 

Sorry for being late to the party here but salvaged title vehicles are something to be very very weary of, depending on the damages. Here is a bit of information from my experience in collision repair..

* Salvaged title vehicles can be perfectly fine if it was only hail damage that caused the issue and nothing structural or flood related. The state has to inspect every vehicle for "road-worthiness" before they will approve it to be insured again, but it cannot be insured unless that title is approved. The only issue with this is the state inspectors have no idea what it takes to repair the vehicles properly and are only completing the most basic of inspections(tail lights work, wheels turn, DOT regulations followed), so while you may be able to get approved and the title solid again it may not be actually safe. There are a lot of shops that will turn and burn a total loss, covering structural damage or completely bandaid up a flood damaged vehicle to make a quick buck. I have seen plenty of these type roll through my door and my god....they should not be on the road. State inspectors do not take off bumpers to complete a full inspection as it's only an exterior inspection.

*If the vehicle is currently a total loss, you cannot get it insured until it has been approved by the state. As Shify said, it varies state by state. Some companies won't have a problem with insuring a salvaged vehicle but others don't want to be tied to one because it could have been a poor repair and liability could be a problem. Insurance companies are already pulling home insurance policies from high risk areas like California and Florida, and it's the same with a salvaged title vehicle. It's a high risk and could be either an expensive policy or they could refuse to insure it. Some companies probably won't care, but insurance companies are starting to tighten their belts due to climate disasters, cost of parts nowadays, and safety liabilities.

 

Exactly this right here. Liability give you, the policy holder, jack shit when it comes to coverages. They will cover the person/thing that you hit but you get nothing.

Hell, I have full coverage on all my cars, even the 98 Camry because in the event of an accident at least I will be able to get a TL settlement as a down payment on something else and a rental vehicle in the meantime.

Side note: Check your policy for rental coverage! Most insurance companies do not include rental vehicle coverage in a full coverage policy. It will only add maybe $5-10 extra per month.

 

Michigan (MN)

 

It's somewhere in the lunch table using the wayback machine

https://www.tundras.com/threads/1st-gen-lunch-table-general-discussion.60450/page-1872#post-3424560

https://www.tundras.com/threads/1st-gen-lunch-table-general-discussion.60450/page-1873#post-3424872

https://www.tundras.com/threads/1st-gen-lunch-table-general-discussion.60450/page-1889#post-3433228

 

Oh, yeah absolutely. I thought you were talking no ins period. Might not have had onboarded enough coffee yet