2013 - 100K miles - Bad Rear Left wheel bearing?

[KLF]

OK, so today it was finally nice enough to be driving with the windows down. I'm hearing a definite clicking/clacking coming from the driver's side rear wheel. Happens at all speeds. Very noticeable when driving next to a wall or something that reflects the sound.

I am now less than 1000 miles away from 60K miles, so the truck should still be covered under the 60K Powertrain warranty, which says covers "rear wheel drive". Does anybody know if the wheel bearings will be covered?

Edit: Just remembered, I also launched a boat today, which had the rear axle in about 16" of water. Wonder if this is related? Guess I need to pull the wheel and take a look inside the brakes.

 

[linuxgod]

OK, so today it was finally nice enough to be driving with the windows down. I'm hearing a definite clicking/clacking coming from the driver's side rear wheel. Happens at all speeds. Very noticeable when driving next to a wall or something that reflects the sound.

I am now less than 1000 miles away from 60K miles, so the truck should still be covered under the 60K Powertrain warranty, which says covers "rear wheel drive". Does anybody know if the wheel bearings will be covered?

Edit: Just remembered, I also launched a boat today, which had the rear axle in about 16" of water. Wonder if this is related? Guess I need to pull the wheel and take a look inside the brakes.

Any chance there's something rubbing? Like maybe the backing plate is loose or rusting and contacting the disc or wheel?

FYI if you have the Toyota Platinum VSA is looks like bearings are covered:

AXLE ASSEMBLY (Front, Rear, Four-wheel and Allwheel Drive): All internally lubricated components and: 4x4 Actuators; Axles and Bearings; Center Support Bearing; Constant Velocity Boot Band; Constant Velocity Joints and Boots; Differential Carrier Assembly; Drive Axle Housing; Drive Shaft; Hubs; Locking Hubs; Seals and Gaskets; Thrust Washers; Universal Joints; Viscous Coupling

 

[KLF]

I'm gonna pop the wheel off, pull the rotor and take a look. I'm hoping maybe a rock or dirt is possibly stuck in the caliper or e-brake. Will report back. Noise is very pronounced now, easy to hear when drive slowly around a parking lot, gets louder when I turn to the right.

I don't have any special warranty other than the factory warranty provided from new. Goes to 60K or 60 months, which my truck was put in service in Nov 2015, so it is still under warranty for Powertrain.

Wish I could get the thing up in the air with my new QuickJack, but that's another issue...

 

[mcgaskins]

Less than 4 years and 60k miles old sounds premature for a wheel bearing, but we do know rust accelerates the issue. I'd be very curious to know if it really is a bearing, and I'd definitely try to get it covered under warranty asap if it is since it's a pricey job.

 

[bloc]

That does sound early but it is looking like rear bearings will turn into an issue on these trucks.

 

[KLF]

Well this is embarrassing. Please allow my fail to be a lesson to us all.

So I got home tonight, put the truck up on my new QuickJack (which I LOVE, BTW), I really wanted to get all tires off the ground so I could get everything relaxed and feel for loose things or otherwise. Got the truck up in the air, wheel spun fine, no noise. Put the cordless impact gun on the first lug nut, it spun freely. Like... not even finger tight.

THREE OF THEM WERE LOOSE. The other two were only snug.

I have no idea how they are loose. I was the last one to touch them, when I swapped the wheels/tires over about 6 weeks ago from my winter set to the RW/KO2 setup. I'm sure I torqued them to 100+/- ft-lbs with my Craftsman wrench, I remember doing it. So, I got out my digital torque meter and checked the wrench, it was dead on. The lug nut seats are dry, no anti-sieze, grease, etc.

All the other lug nuts were tight. The only thing I can figure is I missed that wheel. Wow I dodged a bullet there. Wheel, studs, and lug nuts are fine, no damage.

OK, go ahead. I'll take my lumps now. Preferably with a cold micro-brew.

 

[gaijin]

Well this is embarrassing. Please allow my fail to be a lesson to us all.

So I got home tonight, put the truck up on my new QuickJack (which I LOVE, BTW), I really wanted to get all tires off the ground so I could get everything relaxed and feel for loose things or otherwise. Got the truck up in the air, wheel spun fine, no noise. Put the cordless impact gun on the first lug nut, it spun freely. Like... not even finger tight.

THREE OF THEM WERE LOOSE. The other two were only snug.

I have no idea how they are loose. I was the last one to touch them, when I swapped the wheels/tires over about 6 weeks ago from my winter set to the RW/KO2 setup. I'm sure I torqued them to 100+/- ft-lbs with my Craftsman wrench, I remember doing it. So, I got out my digital torque meter and checked the wrench, it was dead on. The lug nut seats are dry, no anti-sieze, grease, etc.

All the other lug nuts were tight. The only thing I can figure is I missed that wheel. Wow I dodged a bullet there. Wheel, studs, and lug nuts are fine, no damage.

OK, go ahead. I'll take my lumps now. Preferably with a cold micro-brew.

Good catch. Glad you caught it before something worse happened.

No reason for lumps - never really need a reason for a cold brewskie

But your experience is why I'm really specific about my tire/wheel mounting work.

1. Mount tires and tighten lugs to specified 97 ft-lb in a star pattern:

2. Then go around the wheel clockwise checking tightness of all lug nuts. In the diagram above it would be 1-4-2-5-3

3. Proceed to next wheel and repeat steps 1 and 2.

4. After vehicle is on the ground and all 4 wheels are mounted, go around the vehicle and check each wheel again as in step 2.

I haven't had a loose wheel yet - and it helps my OCD when it kicks in several hours later with, "Did I really tighten all the lug nuts?"

HTH

 

[KLF]

That's exactly how I have been doing it for over 40 years. Always tighten in a star pattern. Then repeat all wheels when the vehicle is back on the ground. Yup. Also never had one come loose. Buy you can bet I will be checking these regularly now. I'll just keep the torque wrench all chucked up and ready (but set down to minimum for storage) in one drawer.

 

[bloc]

I have no idea how they are loose. I was the last one to touch them, when I swapped the wheels/tires over about 6 weeks ago from my winter set to the RW/KO2 setup. I'm sure I torqued them to 100+/- ft-lbs with my Craftsman wrench, I remember doing it. So, I got out my digital torque meter and checked the wrench, it was dead on. The lug nut seats are dry, no anti-sieze, grease, etc.

Do you have the official TRD lug set, or the McGard version of them? or a cheaper version?

The TRD/McGard lugs have a free-spinning seat that keeps the cone surface of the lug from spinning against the cone surface on the forged wheel. Cheap lugs (AND the security lug in my McGard black chrome set) don't have this spinning seat so they are MUCH more likely to gall the surface, and more importantly, not achieve proper clamping force for a given tightening torque.

If you have TRD/McGard, disregard. Though the info could be good for other people.

Either way, glad you caught it before it turned into a hazard.

 

[KLF]

They are the official TRD lug nuts. They were on the truck when I bought it, but I have the receipt from when the original owner bought the wheels and lug nuts from the dealer. Yes they have the spinning seat. I tossed the security lug nuts and replaced them with regular ones right after buying the truck.

 

[Ninja Cruiser100]

I did the exact same thing with far more severe results. Wheel wobbled on freeway and when I pulled over and checked two lugs missing including studs, two more loose...could have been catastrophic

The only thing I can come up with is that I just missed them.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Folks, wanted to give all an update. Ended up taking it to a friends' shop and he did the replacement of the bearing for me when I was away on business. Interesting thing to me, was that when we went shopping for the bearings, they were on backorder from Toyota at almost every dealership within 1000 miles from us... I think we even called up a few dealers in Oregon and Washington, but at that point freight costs were too high to even consider for 2 day shipping for a pair of these.

I replaced both sides to avoid future headaches, but only one was really needing replacement.

Cheers!

Bearing are in stock @ Cruiser Outfitters fwiw. I’m not in town to check pricing but I’m guessing the Koyo bearing in a blue Koyo box is 1/2 the cost of the same Koyo bearing in a red Toyota box. Full rebuild kits are close, just waiting on ample stock of a few items before we roll them out for retail sales.

 

[bloc]

Bearing are in stock @ Cruiser Outfitters fwiw. I’m not in town to check pricing but I’m guessing the Koyo bearing in a blue Koyo box is 1/2 the cost of the same Koyo bearing in a red Toyota box. Full rebuild kits are close, just waiting on ample stock of a few items before we roll them out for retail sales.

Is it still looking like axle shafts will need to be shipped to you for bearing install?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Is it still looking like axle shafts will need to be shipped to you for bearing install?

Not necessarily, any shop with the proper axle press tool can swap the bearings around. Or we could perhaps shop the tool as a loaner too? Both of which are far easier options than shipping axles back and forth and/or paying for new backing plates.

 

[bloc]

Not necessarily, any shop with the proper axle press tool can swap the bearings around. Or we could perhaps shop the tool as a loaner too? Both of which are far easier options than shipping axles back and forth and/or paying for new backing plates.

how complex is this tool? Have any pictures for those of us with a press and some fabrication ability?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

how complex is this tool? Have any pictures for those of us with a press and some fabrication ability?

It’s just big... we call it Thor’s Hammer.

Not ours but you get the idea...

You can buy them as well. No experience or affiliation:

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