Front Differential Needle Bearing Replacement

The needle bearings on my front differential are getting really sloppy. I can move my CV shafts about 1/4" in all directions where they poke into the diff, so I figure it is time to replace them.

I've read-up on the ECGS bushing upgrade, I just don't see a need for it in my situation and I can get Toyota needle bearings for considerably cheaper. That's my decision, unless you guys can sell me on the idea otherwise.

For anyone who has replaced these bearings in-kind, what is the best way to install the new bearings? Everyone on youtube pounds them in with a guide tool and a hammer. I don't like the idea of hammering bearings into place, at all.

Removing my differential and taking it to a machine shop to have them pressed in is out of the question given how much rust I have underneath. I'll end up breaking a lot of stuff trying to remove and reinstall everything, so I am going to have to do this in-place. Do these need to be pressed in, or are they loose enough that I can push them in with a wooden/plastic rod?

If anyone has any experience with this, I could use some suggestions.

 

Some good news too. New Toyota CVs are now coming available for the first gens. I couldn't find them for the longest time. I'm done with aftermarket CVs.

 

Thinking that if I carefully cut my old CV (it's already ruined) shaft correctly, I could use the differential side to seat the bearing without distorting it. That would support it sufficiently on the inside, so as to not bend it. Just thinking out loud here.

You guys always have some good ideas, let me know what you think.

 

I believe the needle bearing is only on the drivers side. You post reads like they are on both sides.

 

You might be right. I couldn't find an exploded drawing that I could see, so I just assumed they were on both sides.

 

If you’re worried about damaging the bearing, you could always put it in dry ice for awhile and shrink it. Since you’re not removing the diff, how else are you going to change it without tapping it in?

 

A concrete wall and a Porta power. Best I can come up with, unless you guys got some ideas.

 

Have any of you guys tapped them in without issue? I certainly won't rule it out if you guys have been able to do it successfully.

 

If you borrow the ECGS bushing tool from @FrenchToasty , you can remove the old one, then tap it back in. I don't see an issue doing it this way with the OEM needle bearing. https://www.tundras.com/threads/best-gen-ecgs-bushing-tool.59664/





If you don't want to borrow the tool, I'd just freeze the bearing, tap it in your own way, and call it a day.

Here's a TSB for this job on on 2nd Gen tacos that calls for using a mallet:

 

Thank you! That's good info, right from Toyota too. I'll dry ice it and tap it in.

As far as the removal tool, I have an old jaw puller that will work. I think it's for an old outboard engine, but it looks to be the right size.

 

The need for the ECGS bushing is exactly what you've described. The OE bearing wears out and gets sloppy. The ECGS has no needle bearings in it to wear out, it's just a bushing.

 

To follow up on this, if anyone cares, I ended up not replacing my needle bearing.

I purchased new CVs from Toyota, brand new, to replace the NAPA premium CVs that only lasted 4 years and 35,000 miles.

I thought my output bearings on my front differential were bad. It turns out, the aftermarket CVs just fit like absolute crap. I inspected everything upon pulling out my bad CVs and realized my bearings were fine.

I drained the oil out of my diff and inspected the magnet on the drain plug. Usual metallic buildup on the magnet so I figure I did not damage anything. The buildup on the magnet was so fine that it was like antiseize in consistency and there wasn't much of it.

I replaced the output shaft seals and stabbed the new CVs in and they fit really tight with very minimal play. No vibrations and no noise from the front end.

My aftermarket CVs were just garbage from the start.

 

Myself and others have been waiting for the day when Toyota starts selling the Factory Rebuilt front axles again. $588 x 2 for new axles hurts. Glad to see your problem was not the needle bearings.

 

They’re out there, and I’ve seen them new for as low as $360 locally.

 

I've had 3 sets of NAPA CV axles on my 2006, I've been getting anywhere from 20 to 40K miles out of them. Lifetime guaranteed, but sure is a pain to replace them that often. When the CV's on my 2004 get weak, I'd sure like to find some rebuilt OEM ones.

 

Hey @Mr Badwrench what symptoms were you having? I’m trying to diagnose a driveline issue and I’m replacing my carrier bearing to start. But now you have me wondering if it could be my front diff needle bearing.

 

I was getting some really "loose" sounds going over bumps, a clanking. It was a hollow metallic noise, kind of hard to explain. It was definitely coming from the front end. I could move the CV shafts about 1/4" or more where it went into the differential, that was probably the biggest tip-off. It was on both the passenger and driver side which made me think both differential output shaft bearings were bad.

 

Thanks. That’s good info. I’ve been having a bad vibration that feels close to my feet. Especially when coasting. The weird thing is that if I apply the brakes it stops.

 

I completely forgot about the guarantee on them to be honest. As much rust as I have underneath, I figured I only had one chance to replace them so I am a little more comfortable knowing I have OEM now. It took half a bottle of MAP gas and 4 sticks of gulf wax to free up the few bolts that I had to. And rolling around on my cold concrete floor for three hours wasn't too much fun either.

New Toyota CV's are out there, it just takes some persistence and a few phone calls to get them.

 

When I tried the lifetime replacement warranty on a waterpump for a 2005 Impala I was told lifetime is not "my lifetime" Here's how the conversation went so please let me know if this is what you experience.

Me: Buys lifetime waterpump from Napa. Installed and it weeps 5,000 miles later.
Me: Hi Napa, my lifetime waterpump is leaking. May I have another please.
Napa: We confirm you purchased a lifetime waterpump. Here is your replacement.
Me: Installs replacement and it leaked 5,000 miles later.
Me: Hi Napa, my second lifetime waterpump also leaked. Must have been a bad batch. May I have another replacement please.
Napa: No. You do not get a second replacement water pump for the original failed water pump.
Me: But it was a lifetime warranty water pump.
Napa: Correct. The first water pump you purchased had a lifetime warranty. It failed and we replaced it free of charge under the lifetime warranty. The replacement water pump does not carry a lifetime warranty. You don't get to keep coming here and getting a new waterpump for the lifetime of the vehicle. One pump failed, and it was replaced by us. No replacements on the replacements.

Is this correct or did I get cheated?

 

I didn't get that treatment on the CV axles.

 

Where are you finding them if you dont mind? I have attempted twice and they keep getting returned.

To OP, I USED two large wood clamps, a small plating cutting board and gentle taps w rubber hammper. Had to dig through my stash of clamps to get it plump, but I just did this to get seal/roller started then finished w rubber mallet so I could monitor depth. Lots of good write ups on this.

The spider gears should be fine if you are not rock crawing or shocking spider gears with high tq/high traction situations. The front diff in stock form is a light/mild duty 4x4 diff with small gears. They should have beefed us up instead of throwing taco stuff in a Tundra. But they work just fine for 95% of us.

 

For me, last time I checked it was at Marietta Toyota, or Rick Henderson, or World Toyota. They had the non-reman only though. And it was in the 360-380 range during a sale.

 

The NAPA and the Toyota. The NAPA looks great besides some surface rust... Right? This was the better of the two NAPAs that i removed and there were cracks in the boots and a distinct "knock" when I extend it with my hands. The Toyota cv is considerably heavier and much tighter.

The other CV had a completely torn outer boot and the outer bearing was destroyed.