Help with carrier bearing shaft cross thread

Replacing all 3 ujoints and carrier (center support) bearing on the ‘09 prerunner and I goofed. Was putting the shaft back together after replacing carrier bearing and crossed/sheared about 2-3 threads worth off the post. I thought I had that center nut started enough, but did not. Hit it with impact and .

On the bright side, the damage seems to be pretty “clean”. Just about 2 rows of thread seems to have sheared right off, I think this was aided by the flat section in the threads. My immediate concern though is how much thread I may lose trying to fix this, and then if I’ll be left with enough threads to get the nut back on. It seemed like a narrow margin for the nut to get started on, to press the yoke on. And that was before I messed it up.

I went and got a 5/8-18 die already and was planning to try to fix the threads at their current size. Just wanted to take a moment to see if anyone sees any other/additional options here, agreees with my current plan, or has any other words of wisdom. Lesson learned on the impact.

1. Is chasing the threads with 5/8-18 die (current size) the best current option?

2. If 1 doesn’t work out, could I take this down to something like 9/16-18? Or is that too close to current size and I would have to take it down to something smaller like 1/2-20?

3. If 1 and maybe 2 don’t work, anyone have any luck with non-oem driveshafts?

 

I have been running an ebay $300 driveshaft for about 2 years. I have changed out u joints, and was a bit difficult to find the ujoints since they were not oem. I wheel pretty hard offroad luckily no problems yet. The shaft actually seems decent steel, u joints weak link. One seized up after about a year and a half.

 

My opinion, you'll be fine. The torque load is on the splines, the threaded end just keeps it all together.
Just don't lean on it with the impact when you put it back together. I might suggest also, a little blue Loctite.

 

Do you have a die you can clean up the starting part of the threads with?

 

Yep, have a die I was planning to chase it with. My concern is that the amount of thread I lost so far, and might lose due to the die, might mean I don’t have enough to get that nut back on there. The yoke doesn’t slide all the way on there so not all of the threads are exposed to use. You have to get the washer and nut on to seat the yoke down.
I’ll try really hammering on it this time and see how far I can get the yoke to go, but I did quite a bit of hammering the first time and could only get it to go so far

 

This was my thought. I think if the 5/8 cleanup doesn’t work out, I may try to cut all new 1/2 threads and then find a new 1/2 nut.

 

Update: 5/8-18 die did most of the job. Had to do a little filing with thread file and flat file to level out the starting thread, but I was able to get the nut on. Then hammered the shit out of the yoke until it was almost completely seated. Was then able to get the washer and nut on and torqued down. Got it all back together and I think I’m good. I did find it interesting that while I removed the driveshaft with the truck in park, chocked, and ebrake on, something moved about 1/4” and the diff flange bolt holes didn’t align. Had to put it in neutral to spin the shaft to get then to line up. Not sure how either the transmission output shaft or diff flange could have moved at all.

I’ve already committed that if I have to service this driveshaft again, I’m just buying a new one. I’m not taking that center bearing nut off again.