I should be grateful for advice on noise from the rear end (no pun intended!!). When in drive or coasting the noise sounds like dry bearings. All wheel bearings have been checked and the diff is full. My local mechanic says the axle is on the way out. Is this serious or dangerous? I know it will be expensive. I thought 'our' cruisers went on for ever. Mines only done 112,000 miles. 1986 auto.

- (#3000) Phil, 19 May 02

Could be diff on it's way out, try putting one of the preparatory treatments in the diff, such as WYNNS gearbox treatment or MOLYSLIP for axles. If this quietens it down, you know it's the diff for definate. It may extend the useful life of the axle. It's only dangerous if the bearings broke up completely & caused a lock up of the diff, with the resulting skid, in reality though, this is unlikely, it would be more likely that the weight of the vehicle would just cause all the gears to climb out of the casing & leave a collection of parts all over the road.

- (#3006) Rob Drinkwater, 19 May 02

I have the same symptoms. A mechanic tells me there is a bearings to change in thediff. Is that an expensive job?

- (#3235) Bruce Lepper, 3 Jun 02

Difficult to say, that would involve re-aligning the gears, a specialist job. Are you sure it's not the wheel bearings, hard to check unless you pull the axle shafts.

- (#3236) david miller, 3 Jun 02

I took your advice and added some Molyslip to the diff, fully expecting the recent garage top up to overflow out of the top-up hole. Make sure you use a 6 sided socket to take the nut off; the multi toothed ones just round it off. 15/16ths fits. After the Molyslip went in, so did another 1.5 litres of Gear Oil!! I've done at leat 6,000 miles on an almost dry diff. End result, the diff doesn't sound cruchy any more,it just gently whines. Still a problem but much more bearable, and the wife doesn't complain of headaches any more. Needless to say I am looking for alternative mechanics and when I get some quotes to fix it I will let you know.

At the sametime I thought I'd try the Molyslip engine oil additive . What a difference. The engine's gone all smooth and quiet, even at 70mph.

- (#3250) Phil Pearce, 6 Jun 02

Well at least there was oil in mine! But it looked like it had done at least 60,000 miles despite Toyota having done all the services for the one careful previous ower!This Lite-Ace has now done about 100,000 miles. My trustworthy village garage tells me , as Dave Miller said, that it'snot worth changing just the bearings in the diff, because it could end up makingmore noise than before. He say's there's no real risk in continuing to drive, it willjust make more and more noise. I'm going to slip some Molyslip in there(and maybe some in the engine, too, as you say it's so good Phil)

- (#3255) Bruce Lepper, 7 Jun 02

i've found a garage that knows what it's talking about. (se london). they quoted £400 to fix the diff, and at the same time i asked if they could do the mot. guess what. it wasn't the diff, it was the bearings, as we all suspected. both of them. one literally fell out when they removed a half shaft. good news for our cars is that my diff has run at least 6000 miles almost dry without serious problems. just a tiny whine now.

mot failed on one break cylinder. also advised low front brake pads and a little smoke. total cost to replace cylinder, pads, bleed system, dismantle diff, replace bearings etc plus mot
£350, including £100 labour. piston rings next year....

- (#3501) Phil Pearce, 24 Jun 02

Now that the rear axle is all quiet again I can hear other noises! I have discovered there is another bearing where the prop shaft joins the diff (tail bearing?) Any reports of trouble with these?

- (#3848) Phil Pearce, 16 Jul 02