A hole in driveline. "Safe" or not? (1 Viewer)

[tahoejoe]

I have a hole in my front driveshaft. The hole cannot be seen when looking at it straight on (it is very small) but it is right where the grease is coming out in the first pic where it is not supposed to be. The second pic is a side view where you can see a divot in the drive shaft after i wiped the grease away.

My questions are...
Is vehicle safe to drive this way for while?
Is a used OEM driveshaft better than aftermarket?

Thanks for your opinions.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Pics are not great. Cant tell if the hole is a grease zerk hole where the zerk has fallen off or if its due to rust. Not sure what dent your are referring to. If looking for a replacement shaft get OEM. Used OEM is an option but uoi may need go replace the bearings

 

[Bisho]

It’s safe for a while. Used is probably fine.

 

[2001LC]

It is safe to drive with hole in forward propeller shaft (AKA forward drive shaft). Provided slide yoke slides (moves in and out).

You can just grease more often for now, as you drive. If grease becomes contaminated, from water entering hole. It may damage the splines within. But doesn't matter much as you'll be replacing. Worst case scenario. Slide yoke would freeze up, resulting in excessive pressure on front differential input shaft & seal and forward output shaft of TC. The forward propeller shaft slide yoke doesn't move in and out much at all, in normal driving. Whereas the rear propeller shaft does, as rear differential moves up & down. If one was in deep water, so deep that the hole was submerged. Any extension of the slide yoke may create a vacuum within, sucking in water. But this would be only a few drops of water, and likely pushed back out.

A little-known fact. Some Lexus dealerships. When drive line clunk was first reported. They cured by replacing aft propeller shaft. Subsequently, they started drilling a small hole in rear of slide yoke cap plate, rather than replace. This is a plate in center of side yoke just inside where the grease zeak is fix, directly in front of spider (AKA U-joint). This drilled holed, reduced pressure in the slide yoke cavity. The seals of the slide yoke are a double seal. The lip, of the inner seal, faces inward. When we lubricate the slide yoke. This seal creates such as good seal, it blocks grease from passing he seal. This is why in the 200 series FSM, Toyota changed lubricating procedure. From lube (pump in grease) until grease passes seal. To lube until first extension of slide yoke seen. Also, best practice is to lube with weight of vehicle on tires and suspension in the neutral stance.

 

[tahoejoe]

Thanks everyone. I will look for a quality replacement and not drive it too much until then. I can't tell if the shaft is able to move normally or not.

 

[nissanh]

I think that is just the grease (spline) shield. I recently look for a one for the Hilux, so you may be able to purchase the right shield for the LC.

 

[MongooseGA]

That's where all of your horsepowers will leak out. Best to remedy ASAP.

 

[nissanh]

Check this "DRIVESHAFT COVER BOOT/SEAL" number-6 in the parts diagram
on this website: Land Cruiser Driveshafts & U-joints - https://www.sor.com/cat092.sor

 

[hoser]

@nissanh Good Call... only ~$30 too.