HUMMING SOUND

[Mafutha]

Afternoon guys.

Great forum. Than for accepting me.

I have a 2009 Hilux Double Cab 4x4 4l V6. Since last year I have been experiencing a large humming sound on the vehicle. I put on 4 new tyres but it continued. Then Kowie Toyota advised me to change the rear wheel bearings, which they did. The humming continued. Then they changed the front wheel bearings. It still continues.

They first of all serviced the diff right in the beginning. They fitted new parts in the diff. The humming continued as described above and then all the work above started. It is costing me a leg and a arm already. Last week they advised me to either get a new diff or let the existing one be re-conditioned in PE.

Before I allow this, i want advice from you guys pls. Can this humming sound not be comming from the gearbox?

Please help.

[ChrisF]

Hi Kenny

WELCOME.

This forum is slow on holidays and weekends .. the guys are out enjoying their toys.


some may be back in office on Thursday or Friday. Hope they can assist then. Many, like myself, have put in leave and is making the best of this extra long weekend.


Just hang in there. Sure the technical guru's will be back before long and you will get some good advise.



Just some technical questions to get the process going -

- have you tried different tires ?
- Did the humm change between the old and new tires ?
- Humm "under power" ?
- Humm when "coasting" ?
- Humm when driving but in neutral gear ?
- from the front or the back ?
- worse at low or high speeds ?

[Mafutha]

Hi Chris

Thanx for your speedy reply. I will try to answer so long:
Yes, new tires and even new shocks, no change to the humm.
It even humms when I put it in neutral (automatic)
It is quiet when I pull away, but starts humming when I reach 60kmh.
I cannot make out whether it is from the front or rear, the same with the Toyota mechanis.
No change in humming when I turn left or right while travelling.
It is almost as if I feel a vibration / slight grinding on the steering wheel when I slow down to stop at a traffic light.

I wonder whether their is bearings where the driving shaft enters the gearbox / transfer case?

Thanx for your advise. Hope the guys / experts / gurus will be willing to try and figure this out when they return.

[Mr_B]

Has the centre bearing on the drive shaft been checked? The V6's are fond of eating these.

[pietpetoors]

Sounds like they are making a pretty penny off you. Always saddens me that the client have to pay for their incorrect analyses, how many wrong guesses can they take until they find the problem. Not bad business for them, getting paid for guessing wrong. Almost as bad as government officials who get suspended with full pay.

[Mud Dog]

HI Kenny, and welcome!

The immediately obvious / more common issues have already been looked at (wheel bearings and diffs), but your problem is a little strange in that it only starts at a particular speed. Faulty diffs and bearings will be noisy throughout the speed range.

An slightly unbalanced prop-shaft could start vibrating at a particular speed and a worn centre carrier bearing could contribute. It also almost sounds like you have wind turbulence that becomes audible at a certain speed.

Perhaps the vehicle should be hoisted off the ground (wheels hanging free) and see if the sound replicates at that speed on the clock while the vehicle is stationary. If it does, it will also be easier to identify the source of the sound from under the vehicle.

Good luck.

[pietpetoors]

Is it a constant humming or does it goes up and down the whole time?

[Mafutha]

Thanks guys. Problem sorted. Cost me R30 000 in the end.

This is what I did to get to the culprit.
1. Changed tyres twice in two years - (R16 000)
2. Changed back bearings twice - (R12 000)
3. Changed front bearings - (R4000)
4. Changed propshaft center support bearing and center u joint (R2000)
5. Complete overhaul of diff (R7000)

The guy that replaced the front bearings, apparently did that with a hammer and not a press. After replacing the front bearings, which in the end was not the problem because it still hummed, I requested them to replace the diff with a new one. The same garage struggled for 2 years trying to sort out that diff. This included a complete overhaul with new bearings etc.

This did the trick. I am a very happy camper and proud Hilux owner yet again!!

My school fees to a Toyota Dealer just to get rid of a loud humming sound. (R71 000)

I appreciate everyone's advise!!

Great forum and threads.

[Mud Dog]

Glad to hear you got it sorted, but the cost of that run-around you were given is totally unfair! Geez, you're about halfway to the cost of a replacement vehicle! I would at the very least let them know how disappointed I was in their incompetence.

[dalkill]

eish, R71K.... i would take it to the ombudsman, since it was their negligence that caused the trail and error in the first place.