Driveshaft Solution?

I brought my 03 TRD Pro crew cab into the Toyota service center after dealing with vibrations and a "clunking" at 55/60mph and when at a full stop. It felt like the truck would go over a large bump or sort of lurch, but there was no change in rmp or signs of a misfire. They diagnosed it as a bad constant velocity joint in the rear drive shaft, near the carrier bearing.

I was looking for advice on whether I should replace the entire shaft for something pre-balanced online for around $900-950, or bring the driveshaft to a local driveshaft shop and see if they can fix the piece and balance the shaft. Apparently Tacoma doesn't make that specific piece anymore, I believe the cardan(?) joint is no longer made.

Has anyone done this job before? Does new driveshafts on a 260k+ vehicle a better quick-fix?

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...easable-direct-replacement-65-5033/12451219-P

 

The driveshaft shop will chop up your driveshaft as theres no way to replace ethe u joints in the cardon joint. I'd just send it to a driveshaft shop. They can make it as good as new for way less the $950.

 

So I had the drive shaft shop replace the ujoints and cardon joint, and after replacing the shaft to the truck (lined up to the markings I made), the truck's interior vibrates like crazy and the entire ride feels stiff. Wanted to post this incase anyone had experience with this before? Was wondering if it could be an angle or weight issue on the shaft, even tho no weights were changed, or something else I should be looking for? It should be noted that I have been on the ball with all fluid trains for the 65k miles I've owned the truck.

 

Sounds like the drive shaft shop screwed up. Take it back to them and demand they fix it. Your driveshaft is out of phase or balance, and they should've phased it properly when they did the repairs.

 

I'd take the whole truck to them so they can look it over. Be kind don't go in guns blazing. Make sure the drive shaft is in the right way.

 

Appreciate the advice. I'm sure it's in the way I took it out, as the white marks I made are lined up. Are they able to balance it without the truck? I say this because they don't have room for trucks in their garage, they only have an area for the drivelines they're working on, and I took it the shaft off and brought it to 'em the first time.

 

Yea they can balance it without the truck. They either didn't balance it, or installed the double cardan out of phase with the rest of the U-joints. Both of those can be fixed without the truck

 

After they balanced it at the driveshaft shop again there's still a moderate vibration at 25-45mph that goes away at highway speeds or speeds <25mph. it's a pretty subtle, but noticeable vibration that would be rattling the dash if not for the foam strips I have wedged underneath the window.

I took it back to the Toyota Service Center, where I initially brought it a month ago, and they told me that the entire shaft needed to be replaced, not just the bearing and the constant velocity joint, to get rid of that vibration. They quoted me $1800 for parts and labor, and I found the driveshaft (37100-3d230) OEM for $1170ish online. I also saw the same part number for $522 on rockauto, and was wondering if anyone had experience with a driveshaft that wasn't from Toyota directly?

I was also wondering if anyone knew if driving the truck as is with the moderate vibrations would damage anything in the meantime?

 

I'd rule out some other possibilities before sinking all that cash into a new driveshaft.

If some of your symptoms have improved, but others have remained, perhaps you've got multiple problems needing to be addressed.

Did you recently lift the vehicle? Perhaps the vibration in that speed range is due to pinion angle needing corrected with shims?

How confident are you that your wheels and tires are perfectly balanced?

Have you done anything with the rear drums in the recent past? They could be out of round causing a vibration.

How recently was the carrier bearing replaced?

Have you ever changed front or rear wheel bearings?

I'd personally rule these causes out before springing for that new driveshaft.

Lastly, I tend to disagree that a whole new driveshaft would be necessary anyway. If all your U-joints, and your double-cardan joint have been replaced by this driveshaft shop, and they guarantee it's balanced and phased properly, then you basically have a new driveshaft, with the exception of the slip-yolk on the rear of it (and last I checked that part can be purchased separately from Toyota if need be).

 

Don't drive the truck with the vibration. It's going to damage the bearings up and down stream from the drive shaft.

Interesting that the drive shaft shop couldn't fix it. The shaft would have to be pretty bad for that to happen. I don't know where you are located, but if there is any possibility of finding another shop, I would.

As far as aftermarket drive shafts are concerned- They are OK. I have one because I thought my OEM was bad- ultimately it wasn't (ended up being the brake drums) and I reinstalled the OEM one. But I will say, in general they are smaller diameter than the OEM ones- but I don't know if that means much.

 

• My tires/wheels seem fine. I had new ones put on 2 years ago, and have them balanced and rotated appropriately. I am probably due for an alignment, but haven't noticed any inconsistent wear on the tires.
• I've done nothing to the rear drums yet. This exact vibration wasn't an issue before the driveshaft was addressed.
• carrier bearing was replaced during the driveshaft work
• the front wheel bearings were replaced last month.

 

Do you have 4wd?

You could pull the rear drive shaft out and carefully drive in 4wd (you'd essentially be front 2wd at this point), and see if you still have the vibration. It wouldn't be a smoking gun that it's the shaft, but it would limit you to the rear drive line.

Just be very careful, it's a very different driving experience than you'd be used to- the front wheels will pull as you turn... Feels a lot like a awd car.

 

Yes it is. It's a 4wd TRD. Would you recommend I do this on gravel? I've seen that its awful to run 4wd on hardtop.

 

The reason it's bad to run 4wd on a high traction surface (what you called hardtop) is because the transfer case is fixed to split between the front and rear drive shafts without a differential. So if you turn tightly, the front and rear tires need to rotate a different speeds and bind- really bad binding will break something, minor binding will just cause the wheels to hop. Being on a low traction surface (dirt, gravel) means that binding has less likelihood of breaking something.

In the case where the rear drive shaft is removed, you won't run into the same issue. The truck is essentially just a 2wd front drive at that point. I wouldn't recommend driving on the freeway or anything like that, but you're fine on surface streets. Again, it feels very different than you're used to.

The 1st gen trucks came in 4wd and 2wd with the TRD package. 2wd = Prerunner. Both had the rear locker. "Pro" was not an option on the first gen trucks. It was either TRD or not.

 

I was chasing a vibration at 50mph on my truck for 2 years. Replaced ujoints 3 times. Ended up being a $35 rebalance job.

You can replace the ujoints in the cardan. I also wouldnt have Toyota do it. Id take it to a driveline specialist

 

Yeah, I took it to a driveline/hydraulic specialist and they replace the ujoints in the cardan.

 

If the carrier bearing is slightly misaligned, it can introduce a little funk. Check it against the service manual.