Tacoma (and possibly 4 Runner) owners

[speedy341]

I read in my owners manual that you're suppose to re-torque the propeller shaft bolts on the drive line every 5000 miles.

I have the complete shop manual on CD Rom at work and found the torque spec. was 54 ft lbs.

Whenever I climed under the truck, I accidentally set the torque wrench to 57 ft lbs. The bolts still didn't move, which leaves me questioning how important it is to check these every 5000 miles.

Has anybody here EVER had these bolts require re-torqueing?

 

[7TFord]

I've never even checked them on my 98 Tacoma V-6 and haven't had a problem. If yours didn't need torquing this time they will not likely come loose later unless you are into heavy off road use.

 

[tom slick]

i think i'd check them every 50,000 miles. every 5000 is a bit excessive.

 

[speedy341]

quote:

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Originally posted by tom slick:
i think i'd check them every 50,000 miles. every 5000 is a bit excessive.

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That's what I thought too, but believe it or not, the manual says every 5000.

How many owners who get their oil changed at quick lube joints are checking this

 

[JohnBrowning]

I would probably check them once a year with two 14MM wrenchs if they are the same size as previous trucks. I can not see how anyone could use a torque wrench unless you have a pit or a lift! The only time I would check sooner then once a year would be if I suspected a problem.

 

[GSV]

I've got 68,000 miles on my 2001 4Runner (same drive shafts as the Taco) and I've never had to retighten them. I do wheel alot and I go a long way away from pavement so I check them at least 3 times a year.

So far so good.

 

[jsharp]

I checked mine around 60k and with 2 wrenches and they seemed plenty tight enough. I think this falls under the Toyota "overmaintain it so it *never* gives problems even in very hard use" category...

 

[The_Jeff]

I smell a lawyer...

"my driveshaft fell out."
"you didn't maintain it properly."

 

[JohnBrowning]

Toyota used to be anal about maintence! Now they hardly recommend anything and what they do recomend is very mild copared to 1980's!

I think that this is typical Toyota Continious Maintence Ideas. They want you to try to maintain the vechile in a like new condition. This is an extension of their corperate policy toward machine maintence! By striveing to maintain the vechile in like new condition and prevent ware it lasts for ever!

This idea has fallen out of favor in todays market. Today it is important for some reason to make the consumer percieve that your vechile is cheaper to maintain then their competion!

 

[widman]

On my 95 runner, 99 runner, and 2002 Pickup, once a year I retighten every bolt I can find. Don't have a torque wrench though.
Most loose bolts are on door locks, hinges, bumpers, dash supports, grill supports, filter and battery supports, fenders, hand rails. Drive line has never been a problem.
Biggest problem on the later models is all the dash parts have little plastic spikes that go into metal clamps that are slid into a plastic dash. The metal eats the spikes and the plastic dash, so I've embedded them with silicon caulking to stop the rattling.

 

[labman]

I haven't done that since I got rid of on 1964 TR 4.

 

[JohnBrowning]

I went through a phase as a teenager liveing in coastal gerogia not far from Jacksonville Fl. I started doing car audio on the side as a hobby. It was not long before I was also doing custominstall work on the side. Well my car was a show case of my work. I had to go through and tighten up nuts and bolts freg.! I also used silicone on interior trim pannels and dash componets on the back side to dampen vibration and lock fastners in place. I had 4 12" subs in the trunk and 12 speakers in the car. At the time this was considered rather good for a daily driver. I could listen to Bach or Illegal Bass and it sounded good!

I once had the bolts on my bumper back out 1/2 way.