Bought a Total Loss 2016 Tundra SR 4.8

Hello Everyone,

I'm new here after buying a total loss 2016 Tundra 4.8L SR in Texas, and driving it home to CA. The truck was rear ended and the seller replaced the bed and tail lights. So far I've replaced a broken brake line, re-clamped the leaf springs, and replaced some tail light wiring.

I'm hoping this community can help me save money by not needing as much information from the mechanic. Thanks in advance!

 

Welcome to the club!

I've been buying totaled Toyota Trucks for 25 years. Fix them, drive them to 300k miles, then wash, rinse repeat.

It's not for the faint of heart, but if you like getting your hands dirty and doing some searching, every issue can be overcome.

I just finished up my last project. '21 5.7, 4x4, Crewmax Nightshade.

Please share details when you can. There are a few of us that like fixing others' write offs.

 

Thank you, Koditten. Awesome that you have the skills to fix these trucks. I do basic repairs to save money (brakes, lights, cylinders...), but I don't have the skills or the space for extensive work. You must be a major contributor to this site because I recognize your name and boat pic from another thread already.

This truck was rear ended and declared a total loss, but the seller replaced the bed and the truck runs. The mystery I'm trying to solve is a ticking noise that I hear when the truck starts rolling out of the driveway. The ticking is faster with increased speed. Then about 30 seconds after driving, the ABS and Traction Control lights come on, which stops the ticking noise.

I drove it like this to Yosemite and back, but now that I'm reading more I'm worried about further damaging something. The guy who smogged the truck said he noticed I had a problem with the differential... I feel like I should go back to him and ask what he saw/heard, because I can't see anything unusual while poking my head around underneath.

The truck is beautiful and rust-free besides a few issues. 100k miles.

 

Also should have mentioned that my plan is to replace the wheel sensors first, since I heard a bad one will trigger ABS / Traction Control.

Then I guess my hunch is that I have a wheel bearing issue, or a differential issue. But I have no idea how to diagnose differential, front or back, etc.

 

I think you do have a bad wheel sensor or sensor wiring junction opening.

My last 2 Tundra builds had broke wires that go to the rear speed sensors. My theory is the tow truck operators hook their "J" hooks to the rear axle to winch/tiedown the truck onto the wrecker. When they grab the axle, they break the speed sensor wires or junction where the wires split and go to either rear hub.

As for the clicking, that could be a bad bearing. It's easiest to pull the brakes, then spin the hub. Place a screwdriver on the axle housing near the bearing and lean your ear onto the screwdriver handle. You will definitely hear some noises if the bearing is bad. There should be no noise as you turn the tire.

It's funny, I just got done doing the bearings on a friends '09.

It was $850 for the parts and the labor to have the bearings pressed on and off the axles.

If you can do brakes, you can do bearings. Let the machine shop source the bearings and seals and you can do the rest.

 

Your tow truck J-hook theory would explain why the brake line was broken and pinched along the rear axle. I'm going to scan the wheel sensor wiring for damage in this area...

Hopefully I can get the ABS and Traction lights off with some cheap wires and sensors. Then if the noise is still around, I'll use your wheel bearing troubleshooting advice.

Can't thank you enough for taking the time to help. I'll let you know what happens!

 

Welcome from LA (Lower Alabama)!

 

Doesn’t seem like a bed replacement would generate a total loss claim though I suppose it could. The ticking could be a number of things - I had a similar sounds and turned out to be a bad axle. They replaced under warranty. I think you’re on the right track starting with the simple stuff. But I do fear for frame damage considering it was a total loss and you had to reclamp your lead springs……that’s would be no bueno.

 

Exactly. Check rear frame near hitch and shackle mounts. I was rear ended and the frame was tweaked here.

I also looked at a salvage 2016 to buy with only bumper and tailgate damage. Frame was bent down pretty bad and seller had no idea.

 

I think we are straying from the point.

Those of us that buy these wrecks are aware of why they were "totaled".

We know the vehicle will never be exactly like a unit that comes fresh off the assembly line.

Looking at the resale value is clue number 1.

I drive my rebuilds to 300k miles. There is no guarantee that the safety equipment will be functional at that point.

There is no guarantee that the safety equipment of a 300k mile, clear title vehicle is functional either.

We are fine with that and and do everything possible to make them as safe and as reliable as a factory fresh unit.

In fact, we often find issues that would never be apparent unless the truck was taken apart and repaired.

I get the "this wasn't repaired by the dealer" line all the time.

The dealer techs don't get a year to research the correct repair procedure, either.

I think dealer repair techs are very knowledgeable, but they don't have or are allowed the time to find the best repair procedure.

Let's not beat a horse that's already dead. Let's help train the replacement horse.

 

Welcome from Dallas..

 

Welcome from NY.

 

I’m familiar with these types of repairs as well.

I would grab a BlueDriver or other OBD2 Reader that has the ability to read ABS codes to help you narrow this down.

These do go on sale for holidays as well:

$90 BlueDriver Bluetooth Pro OBDII Scan Tool for iPhone & Android - No Subscription Fee - OBD2 Car Scanner and Code Reader - Diagnose Check Engine, ABS, SRS, Airbag & 7000+ Issues on Vehicles 1996+

https://www.amazon.com/BlueDriver-B...id=5665867398896858905-B00652G4TS-&hvexpln=73

Edit: It was $115 when I made the link, it’s $84 now for Veteran’s Day. Pretty fair deal.

 

Hello Everyone who chimed in here, I wanted to provide an update about the ticking sound I was hearing and then the ABS light going on:

Both rear wheel bearings were bad. One was worse than the other, but both made all sorts of noise when spun. The front were both okay.

This repair was a doozy. Remove the wheel, caliper and rotor. Pull each axel off and try not to dump diff oil all over your driveway. Find someone with a hydraulic press to push the bearing off the axel, which will also require building a housing around the axel for the press to push against and DON'T forget to remove the snap ring at the end of your axel (I forgot and crushed it in the press with about 15,000 lbs of pressure). After ruining the snap ring and hearing a cracking sound from the axel, I threw in the towel and bought 2 new axel assemblies for about $1100, which were easy to swap out and install, except I had to drill to widen 2 of the holes on the new assemblies. The axels seals were easy to remove with the back of a hammer, but the new ones are tricky to install (light hammer tapping with the bearing tool in place). The cheap diff oil pump from O'Reilly kept coming apart and spilling diff fluid on me, but that could have been because it was the middle of the night and cooooold.

The videos of bearing replacement and axel assembly replacement are wild. My Tundra has the rear drum parking brake, which was a complicated removal/reinstall (those springs that hold the drum up kept flying off in the dark and I had to go find them with a flashlight a couple times lol. At first I could only find a video with a guy using a plasma cutter to remove the wheel backing to get the bearing off, but I eventually found this video that was super helpful and I recommend for ANYONE CHANGING REAR AXEL ASSEMBLY: www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8-aGXmiOoA

The ABS light went off and the truck drives smoothly (sensors were good). Thank you all for the support. This place is so great for coping with the anxiety of your vehicle not working properly and all the potential costs that come with it. This was a tough but pretty fun experience and I learned a lot.

 

Thanks, I see this is my near future

 

I don't bother with doing my own press work.

I take the axle assemblies to my local automotive machine shop.

Let them press off the old bearings and press on the new bearings.

I always do both sides even if only one side is bad.

Yes, the parking brake assembly is the worse part.

 

This is my second rebuild but plan on keeping this one. I carry only liability on these old ones and can park closer to the door at stores and not worry about dings.

 

If it is a total loss how are you able to get car insurance for it?

 

I've had several total loss vehicles. After you fix it you get a rebuilt title. Never had a problem getting insurance. If it gets totaled again you only get about fifty percent of the value compared to a clean title.

 

Wow that is good to know. Thanks for the response. Sorry to hear you live in Commiefornia.

 

Welcome from NC