Truck/Camper Damage from Rough Roads?

[Ted]

mtn-high,
Good to hear from you again. Hope you are doing well and enjoying your property. Your experience with the rear axle bearings on your Tundra is similar to ours. We had our camper on full time and went through two sets of axle bearings in back. Not a cheap fix.

Keep reading along and chiming in now and then. Always good to see a long time WTW member show up again.

 

[billharr]

mtn-high,
Good to hear from you again. Hope you are doing well and enjoying your property. Your experience with the rear axle bearings on your Tundra is similar to ours. We had our camper on full time and went through two sets of axle bearings in back. Not a cheap fix.

Keep reading along and chiming in now and then. Always good to see a long time WTW member show up again.

What was the indication the bearing were going out? I have a 2005 Tundra with a Hawk on the back.

 

[mtn-high]

Thanks ted. We had a great time w/ the camper and are glad we had the experience/met a few good folks along the way. Finding a little "paradise" (and man..is it ever) has given us new focus...and we are in the process of making a year+ transition from the Vail area to the Salida/Howard area...a hundred miles away...but eons away in lifestyle and "nicities" from Vail/Resortland, USA. Folks think we're nuts...so we know we are heading in the right direction! LOL. (you know how it is to head in your own direction ted. RESPECT!)


Bill...

I first noticed a slight thumping sound at highway speed...then a noticeable rubbing sound when turning to the right at slow speeds. On the highway you could press on the brake and the thumping sound would stop...

The first bearing they replaced went 10K. My heart sunk when I heard that sound the second time. Then...as "shat happens"....the second bearing lasted only 2 weeks! Toyota replaced that one under warranty...and it (#3) lasted about 5 K... they kept telling me the axle was OK.

This time it was all about "impact". no sound for hundreds of miles....then you'd hit an uneven section of pavement at a bridge or a pothole and BAM..... LOUD thumping...

Fortunately...it ate the damn axle on this go around so they had to replace it. My hope is that this will fix the problem. If not. We will be back for more warranty work.

For keeping it so long they did a comp oil change and 50 point inspection...whatever that is worth....and everything else checked out OK.

time will tell! Sure hope this is the end of it!

 

[ntsqd]

Was the first gen Tundra a US only vehicle? I'd be really tempted to see if they were sold elsewhere with a full-float rear axle, and if so to see about getting one. The FJ-60 Land Cruiser's on up were available with a full float rear axle outside of the US, so there may be hope.

 

[crazybill]

I LIVE on a bad road. Almost a mile of dirt road with ruts, holes etc. All the constant shaking has rooted out the weeak or loose fasteners. I am not the only one who uses this road so I used to see a bolt or some such hardware on the road and think "oh look, someone lost a bolt,"
Then I get home and discover it was mine. Of course when I go to look for it I can't find it.
So now I am in the habit of stopping and picking it up when I first see it. Sometimes I need it, sometimes not. I even do this when I'm in the desert. If it's useable I keep it, if not, into the trash bag it goes. Never hurts to pick up a potential tire biter.
I now have a good selection of hardware if I am in the boonies and discover something has jumped ship.
All the advice here is good. Air down or not, go slow or fast on washboards, etc.
-Bill-

 

[Ted]

Folks think we're nuts...so we know we are heading in the right direction!

I'm going to remember this line.

What was the indication the bearing were going out? I have a 2005 Tundra with a Hawk on the back.

Ours was a 2000 Tundra which was the very first year. By 2005 the Tundra was a lot different. So they could have made some big changes by then. I don't recall any sounds or feeling anything different. But I'm not tuned it to vehicle maintenance. The local Toyota dealer does all of our maintenance and they were the ones that noticed the problem. I don't recall exactly what the indication was for them, but I think the said something about the bearing seals leaking. I have so little knowledge of vehicle maintenance that I don't even know if that makes sense.

 

[ntsqd]

Makes sense to me.

 

[craig333]

I have a coffee can of assorted bolts and nuts and whatnot I carry in the Jeep. I really ought to do something similar in the camper. I think theres spot for that left somewhere. Can really save your bacon. Mmmm bacon