Question about driveshaft center support bushing

Truck is a 2011 DCSB SR5 4x4, 4 liter automatic. I was underneath today, changing my diff and transfer case fluids, and giving everything the "shake and rattle" tests to see what was loose or worn. I noticed that the bushing (the big rubber donut) inside the driveshaft support, just forward of the middle U-joint, has some wear, enough for the driveshaft to move maybe 1/4 inch up and down within the bushing. Is that enough to worry about? If so, how do you replace the bushing? Looks like it requires removing the driveshaft and pulling it apart where it slides inside itself forward of the support. Is that correct? I've got just over 115K on the truck; I don't feel any vibration at speed.

 

its not broke....dont fix it.

 

Are you getting vibration? Usually you feel it when resting your arm on the arm rest?

 

My ‘06 has similar play with 120k miles on it. I’m diving into the whole driveshaft when my order fro RockAuto gets here. New u-joints and center support bearing. I have some vibes on takeoff until about 5mph.

Google “u-joint replacement Tacoma”. Tons of videos with step-by-step.

 

It's supposed to have some give.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I know a guy who did it and put it back together "out-of-phase" and he went down a rabbit whole of fuckery.

 

You will have some play for sure, and you will know when it’s time to change

 

IEDLS yellow poly bushing/ford ranger carrier bearing upgrade

 

Read the last sentence in my post.

Everything else underneath was tight; I couldn't feel any play in the U-joints at all, and greased them while I was under there. I figure the bushing is okay, but it looks like a bitch to replace due to it being completely around the driveshaft.

FWIW, I ran into a stone wall when I went to change the front diff fluid. The fill plug comes out, no problem, but the drain plug is damn tight. It isn't all rusty like some of the pictures I've seen in posts about stripping the hex out of it. I was using a long 10mm Allen wrench and a small cheater bar, I guess I couldn't get enough leverage to break it loose. The wrench fit very tightly in the socket, though. I'm off to the tool store and get a proper 10mm hex socket so I can use a flex handle on it, and will elevate the truck a little to give me some swinging room. I don't want to bust a knuckle, almost as bad as I don't want to strip the hex out of the plug. I've never had the plug out since I've owned the truck, and it only had 60K on it when I bought it, so I'm guessing it's never been removed. If I can get the front diff fluid changed, it ought to last the rest of my life, I'm 68 and put about 12K a year on the truck.

Transmission drain and fill is after the diff change. Then spark plugs. I enjoy working on my vehicles, but crawling underneath is getting harder..... or at least, crawling back out is harder.