Driveshaft crossmember removal

I installed a Tom Woods 1 piece drive shaft and am having an issue with the driveshaft rubbing on the carrier bearing crossmember on occasion. Does anyone have any tips on how to remove the crossmember?

 

angle grinder or BFH

 

Get an angle grinder and grind off the rivet heads, drive the rest out with a punch and a hammer. might be a couple of bolts too (can't remember.) if you need to put it back use grade 8 bolts.

 

@hennessy3300 did you ever end up going through with this? I had a custom 1-piece shaft made for my 2006 4.0 2WD Crew Cab taco and when there's a load of people/weight in the truck the cross member for the carrier bearing contacts with the driveshaft and makes a very loud noise. It has only done it once on a really bad bump with only myself and no weight in the truck. I was debating putting some super adhesive 1 sided padding in there so it's okay if it bounces off of it, but it looks like that cross member doesn't serve a functional/structural purpose?

I will likely as a body/collision shop to remove it for me as I haven't used an angle grinder/etc. and would think it wouldn't cost too much to have it done.


Others who have done it, what solution did you end up with for the 2 mounting brackets for the brake line(s)? I see those loosely attach to this part as well. @pearing @LarryDangerfield @fatfurious2, thanks!

 

Since someone raised this thread from the dead got me googling Tom woods. They still don’t make anymore 1 piece rear driveshafts for our tacos but they recommended this shop. Anyone ever try it?

https://www.knoxvilledriveline.com/products/toyota-2016-tacoma-4x4-upgrade-one-piece-conversion?_pos=1&_sid=bb9b0c592&_ss=r

 

@lit_taco4x4 seems reputable, I think there's multiple options out there as long as you have a 4x4. The 2WD needed a custom one made from a shop because of how long the single piece needs to be for 2WD tacos.

 

I ended up selling the Tom woods driveshaft and had a shop install a double cardan joint on the stock drive shaft. Drives much better than the one piece shaft.

 

Understood thanks, yeah I wouldn't have that option since I have the 2WD and the 1 piece goes directly to the trans from the rear diff, doesn't have a double cardon option, thanks though! I will likely just punch the rivets out as others have done and keep the cross member in case I ever sell the truck and someone wants to go back to a 2 piece for some reason. My 1 piece rides with much less clunk and vibes than the 2 did.

 

Sorry for late reply. I don't remember a brake line bracket. You mean the one on the axle? Is it stretched when you're flexing?

i haven't been under my truck in a while. But I do have a Tom Woods. Haven't had any issues with the carrier bearing bracket. I would bend that bracket out a bit, if you're hitting it

 

Totally understandable, I revived a 2+ year old thread haha.

This isn't a photo of my truck, but I'm referring to this cross-member that the carrier bearing mates up to, and the 2 brackets for the brake line(s) on it, I assume I can easily re-attach these in another location with no issue though.

 

Im not sure Id remove that. Might be structural? Can you bend or cut off the carrier bearing mounts to get more clearance?

 

Mine is still there and I have had zero issues with it. Wheel the stink out of this thing, so I consider it a non issue at this point.