How much play in driveshaft slip joints?

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dogfishlake

dogfishlake

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How much play should be in the front and rear splined slip joints in the driveshafts? I can turn by hand and see and feel slop. Not much, probably just a few thousandths but definitely can see it. I've got wicked vibes and grinding sound on coast and deceleration. I can see sloppy u joints (I'll replace) but I wonder if this slop is also contributing. It seems lots of you guys have dealt with driveline issues so I'm hoping someone can shed some light. Thanks
 
Very little spline twist movement is acceptable. Replace your ujoints, with Toyotas, grease them and grease your splines. Should be good to go. Wheel bearing grease for ujoints, moly for your slips or wheel bearing for both. No moly for ujoints.
 
Yeah, if it's serious play, then they are worn badly.

On the other hand, can I ask if you recently pumped them full of grease?
 
I just got this truck so haven't done anything yet. I've read that too much in the slip joint is bad. It does have evidence of grease slinging out of the end of the joint on the floorpan. I bought it in Missouri and drove it back to Michigan a couple months ago. Been sitting getting ready for the road since (and no road salt!). The trip home was when it was making the noise
 
Cool. Yeah, if they're pumped full, they will cause quite the racket and vibration and sound like they're bad, when they're not, just need the pressure released by removing the zerk while compressing the shaft. Since you don't know that someone else did or didn't do that, might be worth dropping the shaft and doing it to confirm.

If you've eliminated that possibility, then it may be time to consider a new shaft. If the splines of the slip joint are that badly worn, then the yokes are likely questionable. A good driveline shop should be able to evaluate, but check on the availability and price of new so you know which is cheaper when they tell you what they've found and how much they want to repair.
 
I haven't greased them yet. I just got it home from buying it. Heard all the noises on the 600 mile road trip. I am going to totally disassemble them first. I'll check play first and if too much I'll swap in new used shafts before u joints
 
Do you have lift. If so you should have castor sweep done to make sure your within specs. If not I bet that's most of your noise. This will cause bad angles on the diffs which the Oem driveshaft yokes don't like. Just to note my rear shaft splines where bad. Had about 1/16+ in play. This play can be felt mostly when you shift into gear. Causes a clunk. Same as having no grease in the slip joint.
 
My ujoints had no play in them when on the truck but felt 'notchy' when I checked them after taking the d-shaft off the truck. Not much but when I changed them it was night & day difference. I'd start w/joints then shafts(after lubing them all properly & seeing if that helps). My rear d-shaft & joints only needed lube.
 
Going out to a buddy's salvage yard tomorrow to grab stuff off of a 97 fzj 80 he has. He keeps bugging me cause I'm the only one with 80 series cruisers around here and I don't buy enough stuff off of it. I'll check the driveshafts on it
 
Brand new rear toyota shafts are Approx. $400 & front DC shafts are about $500. Once splines are loose the DS is shot. IMO sounds like you have a different issue than the actual driveshaft.
 
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