Drive shafts with 4" Ironman lift

[landtank]

here is the link explaining how to measure the operating angles and how to determine if a front DC shaft is in order. Reading the angles are the same procedure.

DC-Shaft pinion check

With those measurements get gets real easy,

 

[baldilocks]

Since the front and rear TC shafts are in line and concentric, the angles have to be the same. One cannot be 2.5 degrees and the other 5 degrees. This just means that there is a considerable amount of error in your measurements. You are going to have to do a better job of getting the angles right if you want to fix this.

My angle finder indicates zero degrees when place on my garage floor and when my 80 is parked on said flat garage floor, the rear T-case output flange is 2 degrees down and that's with stinkbug. The pro's at the well established driveline shop I have dealt with for many years concur with this. The OP mentioned in a previous post that his measurements were take on his sloped driveway which exaggerated his angles.

 

[ceby]

Since the front and rear TC shafts are in line and concentric, the angles have to be the same. One cannot be 2.5 degrees and the other 5 degrees. This just means that there is a considerable amount of error in your measurements. You are going to have to do a better job of getting the angles right if you want to fix this.

Yes, I understand this, I was scratching my head also when I got the two different angles, but I checked it twice and even snapped pics of it with my phone up close to make sure I was seeing the reading correctly....making sure the angle finder was flush and tight with the machined surfaces of the output flanges. I'm going to crawl uder it and check again...doesnt make sense i know.

 

[ceby]

here is the link explaining how to measure the operating angles and how to determine if a front DC shaft is in order. Reading the angles are the same procedure.

DC-Shaft pinion check

With those measurements get gets real easy,

Thanks, thats exactly what I did to get my operating angles, only difference is I used a cheaper magnetic angle finder, definitely going to get the small digital one instead.

 

[finseeker]

The harbor freight digital angle gauge is a little jewel.

 

[ceby]

Ok so after all the great advice and further research, it looks like im going to try getting the DC shaft off a tundra and go that route first but If I cant find one for cheap then I will just buy a new custom DS, probably LankTank like previously suggested. My only question is, how do I correct the 4.5° operating angle at the front pinion and get it back to zero for the DC to work? Different caster correction plates?

 

[baldilocks]

Ok so after all the great advice and further research, it looks like im going to try getting the DC shaft off a tundra and go that route first but If I cant find one for cheap then I will just buy a new custom DS, probably LankTank like previously suggested. My only question is, how do I correct the 4.5° operating angle at the front pinion and get it back to zero for the DC to work? Different caster correction plates?

Just download a free angle finder APP. Mine works great on my iPhone and it was free IIRC.
When I said zero angle at the pinion I also said no bend in the UJoint. That means that your driveshaft needs to be perfectly or damn near perfectly in straight line with the pinion shaft like as if you don't even need a U joint.
I am willing to bet that your castor plates already have your pinion positioned where it needs to be for a DC shaft.
Did you read the tutorial on the Tom Woods drive shaft web site that I suggested in a previous post?

 

[ceby]

I did read it, very informative. But he more or less states that changing the pinion angle on the front will be impossible without messing up the steering components of the vehicle. Unless I am willing to cut the knuckles loose and turn them like others have done. Not willing to do that yet. I'm hoping you're right and the caster correction plates have the pinion in the right position. I'm going to get the DC put in and go from there.

 

[landtank]

I seriously doubt you have 4.5* of drive angle if there is some sort of caster plate on the truck. And you need to source a Tacoma shaft for the front DC shaft. The Tundra works for the rear.

 

[thatcabledude]

Do have any plans of ever upgrading your front axles? If so, just bite the bullet and P/T the truck.

 

[alia176]

Ceby,

Your'e at a critical juncture with the front DS business. This is a good time to decide if you want to go to PT 4x4 mode and that's what I did. For some folks, the front DS vibe issues have taken them down the proverbial rabbit hole, so to speak.

 

[ceby]

Ceby,

Your'e at a critical juncture with the front DS business. This is a good time to decide if you want to go to PT 4x4 mode and that's what I did. For some folks, the front DS vibe issues have taken them down the proverbial rabbit hole, so to speak.

Yes i know, I have read countless threads on this and the rabbit hole seems to be inevitable for so many.....seriously considering PT. Just weighing a few options right now.

 

[ceby]

I seriously doubt you have 4.5* of drive angle if there is some sort of caster plate on the truck. And you need to source a Tacoma shaft for the front DC shaft. The Tundra works for the rear.

So I sourced a 2002 Tacoma prerunner double cab rear DS with 129,000 miles on it shipped to my door for $140, and my local driveline shop will build it and balance it at 4000 rpm for $130 out the door. Sound about right?

 

[alia176]

So I sourced a 2002 Tacoma prerunner double cab rear DS with 129,000 miles on it shipped to my door for $140, and my local driveline shop will build it and balance it at 4000 rpm for $130 out the door. Sound about right?

Well crap, you're up to $270 for a gamble. What does a PT kit cost, around $400 + a set of used lockout hubs from a junk yard?
I wonder if you could borrow someone's front DS just for a quick experiment?

 

[landtank]

The pre runners might have a crimp style shaft not sire .It needs to be a 4x4 truck

 

[landtank]

Well crap, you're up to $270 for a gamble. What does a PT kit cost, around $400 + a set of used lockout hubs from a junk yard?
I wonder if you could borrow someone's front DS just for a quick experiment?

It's a s so.ole as taking the readings to know for sure.

 

[ceby]

The pre runners might have a crimp style shaft not sire .It needs to be a 4x4 truck

Here is a thread from a few years back in which I got the pre runner idea. Landtank, you stated it could be 2x4 or 4x4.

I just did this last week, so here's what I did for reference.

After talking with my guy at the local driveline shop, I sourced a 2000 Tacoma Pre-Runner shaft. He stated that there are other Tacoma shafts with the DC joint, but the Pre-Runner DC joint was actually a "nicer" joint. In any case, I figured I would try to get a Pre-Runner and if not, an extra cab or double cab shaft. I found the Pre-Runner for $125 off a truck with 40k on it, had it redone and balanced for about $85. Fully compressed it measures 30.5" flange to flange layed out flat. I'm running heavies with a 30mm spacer and it seems to fit well, but I have yet to drive around with it as I still need to add plates for castor correction. Mine was a shade over $200, so the savings was worth the hassle for me.

Hope this helps. - Nate

I just went through this and thought I'd update this thread with my findings.

First, going with a Tacoma shaft IMO is the only way to go. My truck has never drove so smooth and when I had the shop look over what I had in there I was really disappointed in how it was built.


Sourcing a shaft:

Any drive shaft from an extended frame can be used. So any motor, tranny, 4x2 or 4x4 combination is fine as long as it's an extended cab or double cab. The stock shaft is a two piece job and the only difference is the front extension piece between the configurations and we don't use that.

Also, late model shafts will likely have a damaged Yoke assembly. Since the total value is high on these trucks the ones in the yards have taken one hell of a beating before getting there and the yoke is one of the failure items and a few yards sent me a shaft with out it thinking it was complete. So be sure to ask that the yoke is present if ordering on line.

At some point there was a change in the CV design.

The older design has zirks located on one of the cups for the u-joint and a right angled one inside the joint for the centering section.

I got a 2002 shaft from a 4x4 4 cylinder that the u-joint jirks are located in the center of the spider and the centering section zirk is straight out of the joint. This is a real nice setup for greasing. With the shaft rotated with all three zirks at 10:00 the joint is actually opened up for access. The attached picture shows the three zirks.

Re-working the shaft:

The shaft needs to be shortened and because of the balloon tube used in the factory setup it needs to be re-tubed as well.

The distance from flange to flange fully compressed is 31" and this leaves about an inch expanded when installed.

The shop I used spins the shafts up to 3300 RPM when balancing. My understanding is that most shops only go up to 600 RPMs. The higher the RPMs used during balancing the better the out come.

In the end I actually bought two shafts. I had gotten an older style shaft that has been modified and is the one that I'm currently running. Unsure of how things were going to turn out with the first shaft as it has 110k on it, I found the 2002 shaft during my weekly travels for 100.00 so I picked that up for a spare if needed.

This was a lot of work and took about 6 weeks to get done as the repeated yoke issue wasted some time. But with a good shaft and the right shop, you'll have what I consider the best solution for our truck short of buying a new Tacoma shaft from CDan and modding that at over 600.00 just for the shaft.
View attachment 198032

 

[Blondie]

Thanks for posting everyone, I'm watching this one. Curious to see how you end up.

 

[baldilocks]

A front DC shaft can also be built by using a spicer 1310 DC adapted to the remainder of your original Toyota shaft. The spicer DC/CV fits right into the 80 front T-case flange studs.
There is no good reason for a DC shaft to not work as long as your driveshaft is in a straight line with your pinion as I stated yesterday. If this is not the case with Ironman plates then you simply need to try some other castor plates.

 

[ceby]

A front DC shaft can also be built by using a spicer 1310 DC adapted to the remainder of your original Toyota shaft. The spicer DC/CV fits right into the 80 front T-case flange studs.
There is no good reason for a DC shaft to not work as long as your driveshaft is in a straight line with your pinion as I stated yesterday. If this is not the case with Ironman plates then you simply need to try some other castor plates.

I will look into the 1310 adapter...good idea! im guessing that my caster plates are wrong so your prob right.