Talked to a tech at Toyota yesterday about some electrical issues, and the fact that I had a lift and had had some CV boot issues, since he had advised me on it before I installed it. He told me I should look at Downey Off-Road and get a Diff Drop from them, since the lift would most certainly cause CV joint issues at that angle, and that if I wasn't hearing a noise now, I would in the future, and that should eliminate some of my boot clamp woes. I couldn't find a diff drop from Downey, but found one from Toytec for 30 bucks.

This guy is a very knowledgeable guy, especially concerning lifts, and drives a Taco with 6 inches of lift + many other modded trucks, so I doubt he is trying to tell me the wrong info. He also advised me against Spidertrax, but said a 1-2 inch body lift shouldn't cause any problems, and that I wouldn't have to get a steering extension. However, after searching yesterday here, on 120, and on Yotatech, it sounds like a diff drop isn't worth it at all on a 4th gen, and won't help with any CV issues at all?

Thanks for any advice you all have.

It was a big deal on 3rd gens, it's not on 4th gens. The kit, originally developed for 3rd gens, helps 3rd gens a lot. On the 4th gen due to a slightly different design it has very little effect on CV angle even though it's the same kit

Search the user Ruffian. She has good pics of her rig with an OME setup and the diff drop. You can see the shaft angle clearly in her pics. And if you look at some other pics with similar lifts you can see the difference but it's minimal.

Chris, you are always tons of help.

I had actually been looking at Ruffian's pictures since she got her install done, and waiting to see what she did with her leaking boots. I've attached a picture of my driver's side one. The small clamp on the outer boot was perpetually leaking and just replaced again, and you can see grease piled up below the large clamp in the picture, I wiped a nice chunk off the back off that clamp earlier today.

Ruffian's pictures are not a drastic difference in angles to mine, but I can notice a difference. My question is, even if the difference is minimal, will that difference be enough to help my leaking issues?

For $30, and what sounds like a fairly easy install, could it potentially be worth it?

Forgot the picture...

Your CV shaft looks pretty straight but why not go for it. I am happily lifted in the 1.5" range. If I went to the 2.5"-3" range I would put it on. $30 is so cheap and it can only help

Is your Daystar the one that's part preload and part top-space or is it all top spacer?

It looks straighter than mine does and I'm stock except for the 265/70/17's.

The guy at the frame and axle shop looked at mine and said it I went up 2" it would be straight like yours . I don't know if thats good or bad (I always thought it was good). So the question is why are you having boot problems if the axle shaft is straight ?

My question exactly Mike. It looks straighter to me, which means there is less of an angle, and there is less rubbing between the folds of the boot.

Only thing I can gather is that it is BAD to have a perfectly straight CV joint, and that the boots/clamps are made to have a certain angle to them, and tend to fail easier when that angle is missing? From what I can tell, if I drop the differential an inch, the angle will only get more severe than it is now.

and
"Only thing I can gather is that it is BAD to have a perfectly straight CV joint"

I have heard that on a couple of occasions. IIRC it's more about having a slightly increased bearing contact surface with a slight deflection. I never heard any reference to perfectly straight with respect to boot sealing.
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"From what I can tell, if I drop the differential an inch, the angle will only get more severe than it is now."

The way I see your pic if you drop it a hair (which is all the kit will do on a 4th gen) your shafts would be perfectly straight (assuming your pic was taking on level ground and not jacked-up). After thinking about this more I would only consider dropping the diff based on the Daystar kit. If it's a top spacer only kit I'd jack it up and look at the shaft angle under full suspension extension. If it looks like the outer boot is being "worked hard" then I might consider the diff drop. If you have the Daystar that uses preload and top-space I wouldn't drop.

Some of the guys at T120 have some pretty radical stuff and they never mention it...

Overall you have a boot problem, not a CV shaft angle problem, IMHO.


EDIT: Just read your post and the responses at T120. I think that's your answer.

Heh, thanks Chris, sounds like the replies at 120 are my answers. I PMed Brett over there to see what he says, but for now I guess I'll just work on the boots and ignore the diff drop. Thanks for all the help.

And now my $0.02...

Could the real issue be that your T4R is a 2003? Depending on your location and the miles that you drive... It may just be time for a replacement.

I'm with Chris on this one. I don't think that your lift has anything to do with it, but for $30, you can't go wrong with the diff drop.

-Shawn