Wholesale Import Driveshafts [4WD, MT, Ext Cab]

/!\ Note: I've emailed WholesaleImportParts & DriveshaftStore asking for more information on their products.

Looking to replace my Drive Shaft, Rear; current estimate $410 shipped for OEM from a local pick-a-part.

Who are these people and do they sell quality products?
4WD - Rear Driveshaft - 4 Cyl - Manual Trans - 122" WB - Ext Cab Long Bed (6')

 

Why not get yours repaired/rebuilt?

 

I second getting your rebuilt. I recently had a shop rebuild front and rear driveshaft with all new u joints and center bearing for 470 bucks

 

That is near the cost of a new one. Mine is at the shop now. My slip joint failed. Machine the old one off, weld new one on , balance. $300. Mine is a little different that I have a disconnect for towing. The first shop quoted me $1600. I bought a used one from CL for $100 to use in the interim. Carrier bearing and ujoints are easy DIY. The cardon joint is the expensive part.

Edit: I see that you are looking for a shaft for a lifted truck, not going to find that on the shelf. Spacer? or custom built at a shop.

 

I did not properly seat the Carrier Bearing (it's required to torque down to 154 ft-lbs, back off the nut, then torque to 54 ft-lbs),
so I sheered off the splines & grooves where the front half of the shaft slides into the rear half.

Currently operating the truck with FWD (4Hi). It works okay, but steering is shoddy, especially accelerating out of a turn.

Furthermore, I need a new clutch (it's chattering).

I decided to knock out all the above with one job. Local shop (Queen Creek Auto, Queen Creek, AZ) will do the work for $600 (+ tax) with provided parts (no warranty, of course). They'll be (by this, I meant I will be providing the parts that they will be installing for me) replacing seals, clutch, clutch components, clutch slave cylinder, drive shaft, etc.

Some time ago I bought about six Spicer u-joints (with zerk fittings).
So I am on the hunt for a used Drive Shaft, Rear. I may have the shop replace the U-joints for me, since the parts will be out and workable.

 

I got two driveshaft from them recently. I'm not actually sure they make all of their own driveshaft because one came from them and the other which is the exactly same shaft came from some other company I never heard of before called driveshaft pro. I noticed that there are slight differences in each even though it's for the same product. Also the shaft from driveshaft pro came with two bag of bolts and one bag had some type of brackets that I have never seen before which I attached here.

 

Does the MT 4cyl driveshaft have a double cardan joint? It’s my understanding that they’re not rebuildable.

I likely need a new one for my 6cyl and have been looking here: https://driveshaftstore.com/Toyota-Tacoma-Driveshaft-1996-114620

I’m guessing my link and OP’s link are the same product. They both look exactly the same and have the exact same pricing for the one I need, but the driveshaft store advertises using Spicer joints by name.

Anyway, curious to hear what others with a double cardan joint have used. I do not want to switch to a one piece prop shaft.

 

The 4cyl shaft sounds much different than the 6. The cardon joint can be rebuilt, there are a couple of videos on this site. I got a quote from a shop for $300 just for the cardon. So you are getting a new shaft and a clutch for $600? That is a smoking deal. I might have to drive to QC to check them out. My shaft is at TAD on i-17 and deer valley. try to find out who is doing the work on the shaft.. for future reference. I traced down the original work on my disconnect install to AZ driveshaft in Mesa. That is why I now had a failure. They were willing to repair it for $1600.

 

About the labor

You may have misread; the labor is $600, but I am providing the parts.
I did it this way, because some time ago I bought a clutch kit and transmission mount.

Now that I've found a shop that will do the work (without a warranty), I've bought seals and other components, i.e. flywheel (bolts), release fork, slave cylinder, OEM seals (transmission, t-case), etc.

Special order - Anchor 8990
I also ordered the Anchor 8990 - Transmission Mount, brought up by this good lad.
Anchor 8990 from rockauto.com

Questions regarding driveshafts
I asked Wholesale Import Parts some question through their contact form online.

I forgot to ask what the extent of "Not for lifted vehicles" means (perhaps there's a measured lift limit that the driveshaft can accommodate), but will ask after they respond.

I also send a modified version of the following email to DriveshaftStore.com, as well (to ask them if the same questions for their driveshaft).

 

I am going to take a wild guess to say they in fact are the same driveshaft, and that they are Taiwan imports.
Really that's just a guess on the country. They're obviously imports, but does it really matter from where? I dunno.

The age-old questions regarding quality never seem reassuring. If the part fits and you have the money, is that not enough?
I feel that confirmation bias plays a role in buying products for our vehicles - because certain products were merely mentioned by other forum members, that seems to be enough in my book to trust the part is good quality.

However, I will wait it out on this one; the driveshaft takes on most of the torque at high speed, so it may be worth it to invest some time in the research to purchasing a replacement. I just figure a pick a part is better suited for my needs, although it may be +$300 to rebuild one with fresh U-Joints.

A rebuilt driveshaft may end up costing me as much as one of these imports (pick a part, rebuilt: ~$600). It may be worth it to find out exactly what "Not for lifted vehicles" means.

If I can get an import that won't disintegrate for less $$, that seems worth it, if the quality checks out.

 

I believe that wholesaleimportparts driveshafts are advertised to be made in the USA. However, from my experience I believe they don't make all of their own driveshafts. I had one driveshaft come from a local shop here in California instead. They appear to be highly regarded. I called them to confirm a few details and they said that they do make their driveshaft in house and that they use either spicer parts or another brand that starts with a C...can't remember the name at the moment but he confirmed that it is all USA made parts...take that with a grain of salt I guess...

 

For all the grains of salt I have to take from claims online, I now have quite a few shakers of salt.

 

You need to add some pepper. Keep us posted. I will keep my eye out for a used shaft 4cyl.

 

Unfortunately, neither of the two companies I emailed has yet to reply.

I am considering going the route of a wrecked Tacoma (driveshaft) for sub-$300 or a new Dorman driveshaft for $470 (+tax & shipping).
It's coming time to do the work and my drivetrain is, though chugging along, feeling looser the more I drive it (in 4Hi with my manually-locked hubs).

It's really just my clutch components that are the loose ends.

 

Are you in the bay area?

 

No, I am in the East Valley of Arizona.

 

Ok nm. I have a OEM driveshaft that you could have if you were local. Just need to replace the prop shaft on it.

 

Question: Does the AT drive shaft fit the MT? I emailed an Ebay Seller; they've said it is not interchangeable.

Which makes sense I think, because the AT is a different transmission than the MT.

My next question regards Dorman, and their quality standards.

This is the driveshaft I am interested in purchasing from RockAuto.com:
DORMAN 936700
Do any of you have any experience with Dorman as drivetrain products?

 

Here's an update:

• Neither driveshaft resellers responded to my email
• I bought a Dorman driveshaft for $560

Cost for customer-provided parts, clutch replacement at Queen Creek Auto: $600
Extra work performed:

• A few seals were replaced (I just told them to replace the ones that appeared to be leaking): $150
• Replace clutch slave cylinder: $87.75

Total was $892.02.

There is an item labeled "Parts" for $50 on the receipt - I am going to call them soon and ask what this expense was for (I'm sure they have a good reason for it).

The expense to have work done is always a good reason why you don't want a 4WD - I could probably do the job myself if it was 2wd (no transfer case).