- Thread starter
- #21
You mean the second one, the U-joint itself? I thought if you just change the U-joint you don't need balancing, isn't it?
Whine from front during acceleration/deceleration
- Thread starter Perveance
- Start date
-
- Tags
- acceleration whine
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
True, but many shops refuse. If you can find someone or have a press go for it!
- Thread starter
- #23
Ok, so the experiment is done, and here are the results:
* The whine is gone when the front drive shaft is removed
* When I drove with only the front drive shaft the whining is there, I would even say it is
louder when only the front shaft drives the vehicle
* Needless to say the clunk was not replicated when the rear drive shaft was removed
I'm having a driveline shop replacing u-joints on both shafts with original Toyota u-joints.
* The whine is gone when the front drive shaft is removed
* When I drove with only the front drive shaft the whining is there, I would even say it is
louder when only the front shaft drives the vehicle
* Needless to say the clunk was not replicated when the rear drive shaft was removed
I'm having a driveline shop replacing u-joints on both shafts with original Toyota u-joints.
Last edited:
I think what Dan means in his statement is to buy the updated drive shaft. Propeller Shaft Assembly, Part Number 37110-60A40 for the rear.
I don't know what you will be charged for replacing the u-joints, but I would think the front drive shaft will not cost more than the updated rear drive shaft ($250-$300). I would just buy both drive shafts and spend 30 minutes putting them in yourself.
Last edited:
Correct!!
- Thread starter
- #26
Ok, got it. Well, the shop said the rear shaft was slightly bent, but without any dents. GX has no accidents. Might have been a factory defect. They balanced them both, straightened the rear one, cleaned and painted, and changed the u-joints (central bearings). Now my Lexus definitely drives smoother, the clunk seems to be gone.
But the main problem, the whine from tranny/t-case area, remained there.
But the main problem, the whine from tranny/t-case area, remained there.
It is possible to be a wheel bearing, front diff, or front output bearing based on your troubleshooting to date.
Wheel bearings (possible): lift front tire off ground, grab tire at 12 and 6, see if you have any play.
Front diff (not very likely): change fluid, inspect plug for metal, use a scope to look inside
Front output bearing (unlikely): You will see leaks forming if the bearing is bad, right behind the driveshaft yolk.
Other possibilities? Bad CV (likely).
Long shot: front diff supports are bad, or front diff rear support is loose.
Wheel bearings (possible): lift front tire off ground, grab tire at 12 and 6, see if you have any play.
Front diff (not very likely): change fluid, inspect plug for metal, use a scope to look inside
Front output bearing (unlikely): You will see leaks forming if the bearing is bad, right behind the driveshaft yolk.
Other possibilities? Bad CV (likely).
Long shot: front diff supports are bad, or front diff rear support is loose.
- Thread starter
- #28
Wheel bearings were checked twice (by myself, and two different mechanics). They are good. CV joints look good, the boots are not torn and I don't hear any clicks and noise doesn't become louder during turning.
Did fluid change, looked dark but not too bad. Didn't use the scope though.
Today I drove and tried holding the 4wd leaver while hearing the noise, and it felt almost like the vibration on 4wd leaver is linked to the whining noise.
I have a gut feeling the noise is from the tcase.
Haven't checked that, will think how it can be checked.
Last edited:
They are on the outside of the diff. Just remove skids and look. There are two long ones. One on each side. Then one at the back of the diff driver side. It usually gets loose on the bottom but which is in the frame underneath and uses a hex bit (12mm I think)
- Thread starter
- #30
Going to check the diff supports this weekend.
Bad news, the clunk while stopping is still present
. I now noticed that if I shift to N while stopping, then I don't have the clunk. Tranny is going bad? Only 109K miles on the clock... 
Bad news, the clunk while stopping is still present
. I now noticed that if I shift to N while stopping, then I don't have the clunk. Tranny is going bad? Only 109K miles on the clock...
Last edited:
Going to check the diff supports this weekend.
Bad news, the clunk while stopping is still present
The clunk is not because the tranny is going bad. The clunk is because you have a 1st generation rear drive shaft. The updated drive shaft that I mentioned in my previous post fixes the clunk. Or you can just keep pumping your current drive shaft with grease to help with, but not fully eliminate, the clunk. The clunk is a known problem and as such, there is plenty of internet discussion on it.
- Thread starter
- #32
Oh, so is the updated drive shaft shorter or longer than the 1st generation one?
It is completely different. I ordered front and rear and they are very different designs.
- Thread starter
- #34
I see. Dan, why were you changing them, to eliminate the clunk?
Yep.
- Thread starter
- #36
I see. I thought the clunk is only from the rear. Why you had to replace the front drive shaft?
They updated the part and I had 160k at the time, so I went ahead and did it, along with a TON of other stuff. My GX is an 03 and newer than most 08s 
- Thread starter
- #38
Got it. Lexus should've done recall on this. Good to know how to fix it now. But before doing it, I'd like to sort out the whine, as it's even more annoying than then clunk.
They did.. When it was in warranty
- Thread starter
- #40
Really? I thought it was one of warranty issues addressed on customer complains basis, but I didn't know it was a recall. At least I don't see any recalls in the carfax, and the previous owner says he didn't receive any recalls about the drive shafts (there's one recall on some airbags controller which is addressed). Maybe carfax is missing it. Don't know how he was driving it for 10 years thought and he thought the clunk is normal.
