First, welcome to TN!

Did you pull disassemble the brake all the ancillary stuff and pull the axle/bearing stuff out while it was that cold??

The first thing to check is whether the wheel on the other side turns. It should turn unless something is jammed inside the differential or the rear is locked (if you have that option).

If a tooth broke on the ring gear (yes this is known to happen) and it is jammed in the spider gears it will prevent turning.

If you have a locking rear differential, and it was locked, something such as the brake hanging up on the opposite side will also prevent it from turning.

Also having a diff locked something higher up the drive train including the drive shaft, transfer case, or transmission could also cause a lock at the wheel.

So, get your favorite 14mm socket and open end wrenches and undo the 4 bolts that hold the drive shaft flange to the differential and pry off with a big screwdriver so that the driveshaft is disconnected. Then try to turn the axle again. Also check if the opposite wheel turns. If not, the problem is in the differential.

Please keep us posted.

 

I did disassemble everything outside in the snow. Insulated coveralls, foam pad to kneel on, -65 felt pac work boots, and rubberized work gloves and a heat gun to warm the finger tips as required It wasnt as bad as I thought it would be.

First noticed trouble 2 weeks ago. After backing up (2 point turn out of driveway) and applying brake while in reverse, I would have trouble getting going. It happened a few times but the cold was just starting and so I would put in 4 high and it would roll free. On Tuesday night it locked tight and wouldnt free up. I had to use 4 low to drag it back home and get it into the driveway (all streets are snow packed and they glaze over at -25 to a glare of ice)

I did research and seeing that brakes freezing to the drums with leaky cylinders is common and swelled shoes due to gear oil is common, I ordered brake parts and waited for \sat to see if I could get the use of a garage bay. Had no choice but to work outside so I took it apart.

Maybe there is nothing wrong I had it in 4 low The passenger wheel was turning because it drove it up the driveway The truck sits with weight on the rear passenger and the wheel off the driver side. I put it in neutral to try to turn the left axle but maybe it doesnt matter until the truck rolls forward t disengage the front?

If that is the case, then I havent really fixed anything as there was no reason for the shoes to freeze to the drums. I will disconnect the drive shaft and try what you have suggested.

 

Do you have a locking differential in the rear?

 

............also I started thinking about limited slip differentials. Do you know if yours is such? There may be an LS sticker on the rear of the pumpkin (the big part) identifying its presence. Extreme cold does really strange things as you know. If you have a LS diff it uses a clutch pack inside the diff. You said the grease was really thick and I could easily imaging it being so viscous that it would temporarily lock that one side through the clutch pack.

 

This is a plain jane version If it had electric locking diff then there would be dash switch I suppose and there is not.

Limited slip? I dont think so The door plate has some codes that should tell me:

C/TR 8P4 / FN13 A/TM AO4A/A750F

I think the 8P4/FN13 is a code for the diff - I will go research that.

 

....
I think the 8P4/FN13 is a code for the diff - I will go research that.

Paint and trim codes there.

Shoot me a PM with your VIN and I will tell you specifically.

 

Had that wrong- those were the paint codes

The axles code is A04A, which according to :
http://www.off-road.com/trucks-4x4/tech/toyota-differential-identification-18588.html

may be 7.5", 4.56 ratio, 2 pinion open for vehicles 2004 and previous. Other comments on this site say all stock gen2 Tacomas had 8" 3.73 2pinion open diffs.

That is a table for vins starting with 4T. Mine starts with 5T. (US vs Canada?)

Are there any markings on the diff itself to confirm what model it is?

 

You are going to have either a 4.10 or 3.73 gear set. EDIT: exceptions are noted in Post #10 below.

In general, the 4.10 is on trucks with the 2.7l engine and the 5 speed or auto, and the 3.73 on the V6 with either the auto or 6 speed manual. Not sure if they would have done something different for Canada, I sort of doubt it.

 

I ran a quick spot check of 18 different sub-models of the Tacoma sold in the N. Amer. market in 2006. All were either 4.10 or 3.73 with the exception of one 3.153, one 3.307, and one 3.583. If you want to narrow this down to what exactly you have, I would need to run your VIN.

 

I have sent vin in a private message.

 

Ok, I got into the catalog and in any event you have a gear ratio of 3.73 (3.727:1).

However, nothing in the VIN or model number (yours is GRN250L-PRADKA) tells us whether the diff is open or a mechanical limited slip.

The VIN and model number illustrations show both versions were used in your truck sub-model. I've run across this before concerning options and you are supposed to select whether or not it has such. Huh? Anyway it is the build sheet (also window sticker) that gives this level of specificity. The parts diagram did show a LSD sticker attached to the diff if it is a LSD, but who knows, the sticker could have come off.

Perhaps someone else reading this can also chime in.

 

What config is your model? That'll tell us.

Double cab (DC)?
TRD Sport Package?
Long Bed (if double cab)?

All TRD Sports and all DC LB configurations had a mechanical LSD.

 

It is the full size rear doors with 6ft box. V6 4X4 auto.


No TRD. Plain jane base

 

Then you should have a LSD. All the double cab long beds came standard with it (at least that's been the consensus). You should have a sticker like the one below on it (Borrowed from Chris4x4 on TW):

 

There is a sticker on the rear diff:

 

In case that photo isn't loaded correctly ( Im not sure why it comes in as a thumbnail and I cant enlarge it) the numbers are:


C4 031106
0083

 

Called Dealership that the truck came from (both original purchaser and me). I was very patient and polite the whole time - I just want to buy the right parts the first time. They at first said they couldn't help - no records or wouldn't look at them for me. Transferred to service dept. Got run around with 3 different people who couldn't identify what the proper parts should be. They had no clue what the sticker numbers mean. One guy says there is only one part number available (a 4111 Crown gear and pinion costs $1750, new carrier assembly costs $1650. He couldn't tell what exactly was included in the second. I assume the whole 3rd member É Makes no sense to me). I say that there were at least three options that year that I know of. Passes me to mechanic, who finally admits that they do not repair anything - they want to swap out the whole rear end with a new one ( not necessarily opposed to that - may be cheapest option if he is thinking 3rd member). I said that's OK but I still have to figure out what is actually in the truck now so the new one would match the front. I asked how he would make sure that ratio of new rear would match the front ( I assume they MUST match) - he says the parts guy would have given him the right one. I ask the parts guy the same question - he says the mechanic would tell him. The service manager says to just bring the whole truck in and we will make it right. I am 500km from dealership and the truck is partially disassembled in a non driveable state. She says to have it put on a flat deck tow truck. For 500km - I don't think so. Finally the service manager says I am sorry, we will not repair your problem - we do not rebuild differentials. Have a nice day and hung up on me.


I never imagined sourcing a correct part could be so time consuming....

 

That is what I was running into in the parts manual -- you had to tell it what diff you had. The LSD sticker that 05MOOSE is referring to is often to the right of the one in the pic you posted. I believe that the sticker you show is part of the data tracking code system for stolen parts.

 

@Taco'09 Do you know what weight gear oil comes in the rear diff from the factory? I'm wondering if there's two issues here:
1. Temperature (-25F from his first post and temp range of gear oil weights listed in the manual...page attached)
2. If LSD and the rear diff fluid has never been changed (or has without the additive), then we're looking at the probability that the clutch pack just won't slip anymore. Throw in the extreme cold temps, and I'm thinking that explains it not moving. First post lists about 56K miles (I'm converting both temp and miles for us folks south of the border).

 

I would also think your dealership should be able to identify whether you have a LSD for sure by running your VIN. If you do, then the oil should have been changed at 30K miles with the added LSD additive.

 

That is the point I am making. I can access the rear diff page no problem but then it requires you to choose whether you have a LSD or not as the two appear together. I'm gonna call my expert insider guy and see what he has to say.

I live in an area that gets extremely cold as well. Many times I have seen one of my manual transmission trucks barely able to move, if at all, when in neutral. I have seen them slow to a stop on an incline. Way high resistance. It is the reason I started using synthetics early on.

 

And now we know not all DCLBs have a LSD. Probably had to get a SR5 to add it (it was part of my SR5 package...number 8 IIRC).

 

I believe you are correct on both statements. We have the same build.

 

I'm dying to know the resolution of this. We go to send the OP a care package that includes a portable heated garage to wrap around his truck so he can continue...

OP, let me know if you need the factory procedure for pulling the carrier.

 

I have pinion gears break on the rear end on a dodge.. but it didn't freeze, unless the metal gets between the teeth...

 

tb3440, any update?