96 Rear Drive Shaft

Have a 96 Tacoma and the rear drive shaft is "double cardan" with 2 u-joints. The center joint went to **** and needs replaced. I have been told the u-joints on this can't be rebuilt - and I need to buy a whole new rear driveshaft? Any help or sugesstions? A u-joint is maybe $40 and an afternoon in the garage - whole driveshaft is close to $500!

 

that is true you need a whole drive shaft. you can try savage yards or if you can find someone with a rusted 95-2000 that is getting ready to turn it in for rusted frame buy back just swap drive shafts.

 

Bump

 

The manual shows that it all comes apart, take the shaft into a good driveshaft place they should be able to fix it. The double cardan is tricky though as it is spring loaded.

 

The cardon joint went bad or the center bearing?

Check out this thread and see if the diagrams in post # 5
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/technical-chat/99510-drive-shaft-specs.html

 

The center bearing is totally loose, looks like it "gernaded". It is actually my daughters tacoma, and we were not in any extreme conditions.

 

Thanks for all the advice. I live in a small town - and every shop in town basically laughed at me. I found some drive shaft repair places on line that will rebuild it for around $250 (plus s&h). I'm waiting on a quote from Tom Woods Custom Drive Shafts. This is actually my daughters "baby", she is starting Grad School in Logan, UT this fall and Tom Woods shop is in Ogden, UT ----Daddy's "little girl" wants ..... Have heard nothing but good about them and the price looks like it will be reasonable- Toyota wants $450