Drive shaft bushes

[jet1749]

Any one have any experience of problems on the front hub driveshaft bushes. I dont have any excessive movement that I can find, but I do get an intermittent howling from near side or off side or both at times. Cold temperature makes it worse. A US 4runner site says its a known problem at cold temperatures and that a Toyota upgrade was/is available as a needle roller conversion using parts:
90364 30011 needle roller
90381 32001 bush
I have new bronze bushes etc and will be replacing them soon, anyone done this already and know the correct grease to use, any way to re-grease them without stripping the hubs down.
cheers

[Delboy]

Think i might have this problem too. Is it like a whirring humming noise that comes and goes and last only for a couple of seconds?

[jet1749]

Think i might have this problem too. Is it like a whirring humming noise that comes and goes and last only for a couple of seconds?

Yes. With mine it comes on when accelerating at bang on 40mph usually lasts 20-30 seconds and goes away, comes back at about 65mph. Bumps in the road can start it off (or stop it!) Sometimes comes on when slowing down to a stop. Can be either side front hub. Have checked the wheel bearings no exessive play, no noise at all, spin free. Definately related to temperature. Looks like hub bushes, but can't find anywhere to grease them. . It looks like a one shot deal when they are built/rebuilt. Any one else got this, or cured it and how.

[TonyN]

You need to grease the bushes when fitting them, then they are fit and forget.

Bearings would be good in most cases. But probably only worth it if your replacing worn bushes, The dust seal can fail and let mud get in there, in which case the bearing will jam sooner than a bush IMHO.

No longer an issue on our trucks, as they all have manual hubs now, so the shaft dosn't rotate anymore apart from when locked for offroading, which isn't many miles in the big scheme of things.

[Koi]

There ain't no where to grease them, basically the rubber seals have let in water, dirt etc. This will now mean that brass bushes will have worn from the steel shaft rotating in them because they are no longer greased, steel on brass syndrome.
I replaced them on my Surf, when I took the old ones out they had worn quite a lot compared to the new ones. New ones fitted, new seals and it was as quite as a mouse after.
I found the noise was not heat, acceleration or speed realated it would happen at any time and for various lengths of time. I will tell you though when it gets worse it can be heard three hundred yards away, aint that right TonyN.

[jet1749]

Thanks for the info, I will probably be changing the bushes in the next week or so. I might try and do it without removing the hub, I've got an idea how I might do it. Maybe take some photo's if it will be of any use to anyone. Any one know the grade of grease to use?
John

[Delboy]

Must not be my problem as i have manual hubs too, my driveshafts never turn. Maybe my wheel bearings are the problem.!

[TonyN]

Thanks for the info, I will probably be changing the bushes in the next week or so. I might try and do it without removing the hub, I've got an idea how I might do it. Maybe take some photo's if it will be of any use to anyone. Any one know the grade of grease to use?
John

If you pull the drive plates from the hubs, then undo the drive shaft bolts from the inner end of the front shafts, you can drop the shafts and pull them through the hubs, then you can punch the bushes out and replace them.

You can undo the bottem ball joint to make it easier, but some times you don't need to, and with a little jiggling, the shafts will come out by undoing the lower shock mounts and pulling the shock out of the way.

[TonyN]

I will tell you though when it gets worse it can be heard three hundred yards away, aint that right TonyN.

Yup!