Differential noise

[stonecoretx]

I noticed a noise coming from my diff, looked at the car today and im missing one of the two diff mounting bolts close to the drive shaft.

What size/length bolt and washer are these? the one marked "10",
mine is missing completely!

 

[IJ.]

Have a look at the subframe where the snout of the diff pokes through, common for them to crack due to loose/missing bolts.

Bolts were either m12x1.25 or m14, best bet is pull the remaining one to measure.
(leaning more towards m14 as the Tq spec is 122ft/lbs so much higher than the usual 10t/105 ft/lbs for an m12 bolt.)

 

[stonecoretx]

I went bolt hunting today and didn't quite find a bolt big enough, (local toyota didn't have it either)

It's bigger than a m12, I'm going to a local bolt co. tomorrow and most likely they will have something. I'm going to plan on using a greater strength, I read that these tend to break or seise even thought its a toyota grade 10...

any idea on the length? i'm thinking 35mm..? (I don't want to remove the other one yet untill the stress is off the other bolt.)

 

[stonecoretx]

Well a freind of mine had the bolt I needed from his Cressida build, which is the good news ( I belive it's a m14 x 35mm @ 1.25tp)

we both jacked up my car to put the bolt in yesterday and ran into quite a problem. the bolt holes where the diff mounts to the suframe are not aligned. spent an hour trying to get some play to somehow get it in but there was no luck. i'm guessing the subframe is tweaked seince there was only one mounting bolt..? =( the bolt goes in about halfway then taps the subframe, if you put your finger in the hole it feels like the hole is shifted like 1/4 inch to the side, if i use my pinky i can almost feel the cage nut inside the xmember but theres no way to get the holes to line up for the bolt to go in.

any ideas/options?
does this mean I've gotta get another subframe?!?!

 

[stonecoretx]

I found a crack in the subframe above the diff snout, probably due to torque and the missing mounting bolt, thus my diff noise due to play... I didn't realize how bad toyota made that area of the subframe. EVERYONE should have a look under their car and check for 2 areas, right under the two front mounting bolts and right above the diff "snout" (where it connects to driveshaft)

It coud be possible to fix and reinforce but i'm personally going to hold out for another one in better shape and reinforce it in the 2 key areas.

http://www.supraforums.com.au/forum/archive/index.php?t-43162.html

 

[hvyman]

This has been a "known" problem. Weld it up and reinforce it.

 

[Orion ZyGarian]

I'd like to add that I use www.mcmaster.com for all my various bolt needs. They have every hardware piece you could really need.

 

[TripleC]

your going to break the nut inside of the Subframe if you dont spend about an hour cleaning the threads on it. there is a cage that holds the bolts in place in the subframe that is weak as hell. if it binds it will just break it. I know i cut mine out and replaced them with my own method. Make sure you check your subframe for craks also. It has happened to a bunch of us that the noise isnt from the bolt missing but the frame twisting and poping on itself cause it is already broken.