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Old 01-12-08, 03:33 PM   #1 (permalink)
Bear80
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: San Antonio, TEXAS
TLCA# 14779
Posts: 2,754
Double Cardan Drive Shaft Solutions

After lifting an 80 series past a certain point and or correcting the front castor to account for the lift, a double cardan (DC) joint drive shaft will be needed. Slee Off-Road offers an excellent solution with all new quality Spicer joints and also a local drive shaft shop can make any custom shaft for your needs. However, my personal preference is to keep with Toyota Koyo joints AND half the price of a new shaft. There is a Toyota solution for both the front AND rear of the 80 series.

Double cardan shafts for the front
The most common has been to find a rear shaft off an '95.5-'04 extra or double cab Tacoma. The bolt patterns will match at both the pinion and t-case, however the Tacoma shaft is longer in length. A competent drive shaft shop can easily re-tube it to the needed length. The other solution is to use the rear shaft off an '00-'07 Tundra extra cab, which will also need to be shortened. Both solutions are cheap, costing half the price of a new shaft and you will have Koyo joints.

Here is the Trundra shaft on the front t-case:



Double cardan shafts for the rear
Keep in mind that the bolt pattern and bolts on the rear shaft of the Land Cruiser are BIGGER than the front. It is possible to use a rear shaft off an '96-'02 4x4 4Runner. The bolt pattern will ONLY match at the t-case. The 4Runner uses a smaller slip yoke and flange at the pinion. The only solution is to have a drive shaft shop re-tube the shaft with a new slip yoke and flange to match the Land Cruiser's pinion OR cannibalize your original shaft for the slip yoke and flange. This shouldn't be much more trouble since the 4runner shaft is longer and needs to be cut down anyway. This would also be the time to use thicker tubing.

Here is the 4Runner shaft on the rear t-case:


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Also the front shaft from a pre-'84 FJ60 will not idealy work in the rear becuase a change in flange designs. Front shafts off a pre-tacoma or '84-'95 4Runner will also not work on either the front or rear of the 80 series. However, the DC joints from these shafts can be used if the LC's tube with slip yoke flange is matted to then. Then the flange(s) on the t-case must be drilled to accept the new bolt pattern from these joints. I would consider this a less than ideal solution but no less a possiblity.

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Last edited by Bear80; 03-16-08 at 12:48 AM. Reason: Possible use for FJ60 and '83-'95 Truck shaft with drilling
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