One Piece Driveshaft

I am wondering if any 1st gen extended cab or double cab guys have converted to a one piece driveshaft. If so are there any clearance issues? e.g. gas tank, etc.

It seems a few 2nd gen guys have converted to a one piece in an effort to combat vibrations post suspension lift kit install. I don't have vibration issues but rather a lot of backlash in the drivetrain, a problem that is exasperated by a manual transmission. My carrier bearing may have seen better days and puts a lot of slop into the drivetrain that I dislike. I have already threw in a "newused" third member because the original one howled pretty bad after 195,000 miles. I suspect the extended cabs with manual trans are harder on third members, especially if there is vertical play/slop in the carrier bearing which contributes to a lot dynamic loading on the pinion bearing and ring and pinion.

I also own a V6 manual trans regular cab 1st gen Tacoma. The regular cab has a factory one piece driveshaft and it doesn't have the annoying backlash like my extended cab does. I realize I could "probably" replace the carrier bearing to improve things OR put that money towards a naturally lighter weight one piece driveshaft and be done with it. I don't wheel this vehicle so I don't need the maximum ground clearance that a two piece driveshaft affords.

Thoughts?

 

Cant remember the manufacturer but there are a few fellas on here that run those nice aluminum one piecers. Someone outta pop in soon and throw out the maker of those things..

 

Tom Woods does the driveshafts that everyone is dropping in. They are very nice, I had one for a bit, but the d-shaft wasn't the source of my vibes. I would say fix the center support bearing. Is the truck lifted?

 

Yip^^^thats the maker i was thinking of!!

 

Mild...1.25" in front, 2" in the rear.

Those are spendy driveshafts. I would go to a self serve yard for a two piece donor out of a 3rd gen 4Runner or a Tacoma and then take it to an automotive machine shop and pay them to weld on ends to a shaft and balance it.

 

It would definitely be nice to run a one piece. I hate the factory shafts with the yokes that fling grease all over the underside of my truck! Get them for both if it's possible to eliminate this annoyance. Also, sealed u-joints as well so there's no more greasing to worry about. It's the 21st century, Toyota and GM are the only 2 trucks left that still use grease zerks on their drivetrain components that I'm aware of, time to catch up with the times there guys!

 

Man id much rather run a greaseable joint over those non serviceable ones.

 

Very true bry.

Yah,,sooo much fun pressing those cups out, just to put a blob of grease in there and reassemble, and take the chance of damaging driveshaft ends. Repeat after about 10000 miles or sooner if severe duty/dusty/bigger HP. I run non-greasable 1350's on my 56 chev,,but I slap it with 650 hp and good track bite on occasion,,so I don't want that grease zerk there, because it makes a weak spot. Rack style Arbor press gets the job done on servicing this custom gig.

Yes, yes, yes,,the non-greasables last a lifetime and umpteen gazzillion miles,,but once they do dry out of grease on a low power daily driver,,shit happens fast, furious and inconveniently. I think Ford started pouring liquid plastic waay back in the day in around the bearing cups,,to hold them to the shaft. What a nightmare on some. Cutting torch to change out non greasable u-joints if you didn't have a 30 ton step down press.

 

I was going to do the same, but by the time I had done all that, it wasn't going to save me much, especially not time. If you aren't running some weird lift that would benefit from the one-piece, or chasing some vibration, I would just knock out the the center bearing. My automatic gives me a weird unloading of the d-shaft when I stop and start, apparently due to the trans still giving some rotational force when coming to a stop and binding up the shaft. Never got that with my '04 5-speed.

 

No need anymore. I disassembled my carrier bearing assembly today and put a PVC shim around the rubber. It is working great so far.