Originally Posted by 96TrailSurfer

OK, so I did some more digging and exploring

The part in issue is called a yoke subassembly, for which I found at least 3 interchangeable part numbers:
45290-35030 - all 3rd gen 4runners
45290-35031 - all 3rd gen 4runners
45290-35040 - all 3rd gen 4runners, a 1st gen tacos

Toyota lists it as a single, non-use serviceable part.

Since I had a spare shaft, I opened the yoke and I think I may have an idea of what's wrong.

The OD of the circular plastic disk is 2-4mm less than the ID of the metal carrier. Not sure why it's designed this way, but perhaps the rag joint made up of a steel lined hole on each side of the desk receiving a steel ball needs some degree of free motion.

Keeping it against one of the carrier surfaces is wave washer (OD = 60 mm, ID is 57 mm, free height = 3 mm). Without the wave waher, the whole assembly rattles like a sack of nuts. With the washer in place, the whole assembly is noticeably tighter, although it still rattles quite a bit in this (video ) since I cleaned out all of the (24 yo) grease.

So, I wonder if the following may do the trick:
- a new, preferably beefier wave washer?
- an o-ring around the plastic disk? - don't think it would survive long
- heavier grease?