went to check another '99 today (geez you guys already got me hooked on the thing and I don't even have one yet...). It has about 57K on the clock with a rear locker.
Anyway, had a look underneath and had a look at the driveshaft play. Was taken a bit aback at how much you could rotate it There was a considerable -I thought- amount of play on the rear shaft. Same with wheels on and off the ground (I had them put it on the rack). I would say the outside of the U-joints would rotate somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4", probably close to 1/4". Was easy to rotate and you could hear and feel a crisp clunk at either end of the slop. Not mushy at all. (The driveshaft had the spliny telescoping end on the rear side - is that correct?) With the wheels off you could feel a similar slop with the front driveshaft and then the front wheels would actually rotate a bit. (The parking brake was on I think so the rear were not moving on the rack.)
Question: would 1/4" or a tad less be too much slop? Is this worrisome and an indication of potential trouble?
For comparison: I tried the play on a brand new TLC : there was absolutely none, solid as a rock. Tried to wiggle one with 120K, was less play than on the 57K one. Tried a 65K, again less. (You can tell I had a busy sunday.)
Other question: the truck was a certified Toyota with powertrain warranty. Would they likely fix this slop under that warranty or only if it falls apart?
Pardon the ignorance please, but I definitely don't want to buy a truck with a driveline timebomb in it...
thanks much
Eric
Anyway, had a look underneath and had a look at the driveshaft play. Was taken a bit aback at how much you could rotate it There was a considerable -I thought- amount of play on the rear shaft. Same with wheels on and off the ground (I had them put it on the rack). I would say the outside of the U-joints would rotate somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4", probably close to 1/4". Was easy to rotate and you could hear and feel a crisp clunk at either end of the slop. Not mushy at all. (The driveshaft had the spliny telescoping end on the rear side - is that correct?) With the wheels off you could feel a similar slop with the front driveshaft and then the front wheels would actually rotate a bit. (The parking brake was on I think so the rear were not moving on the rack.)
Question: would 1/4" or a tad less be too much slop? Is this worrisome and an indication of potential trouble?
For comparison: I tried the play on a brand new TLC : there was absolutely none, solid as a rock. Tried to wiggle one with 120K, was less play than on the 57K one. Tried a 65K, again less. (You can tell I had a busy sunday.)
Other question: the truck was a certified Toyota with powertrain warranty. Would they likely fix this slop under that warranty or only if it falls apart?
Pardon the ignorance please, but I definitely don't want to buy a truck with a driveline timebomb in it...
thanks much
Eric
