Any way to differentiate between failing double cardan joint or a failing rear most u
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dogtail
New member
Look at my write up on DC joint and it may shed some light on understanding it. You can pull that shaft off and have the it rebuilt, balanced with new joints at a reasonable cost. Not hard for somebody that knows what they are doing. Don't listen to the naysayers.
Double Cardan rebuild
Double Cardan rebuild
mtbtim
Elite Member
When you did your last post on this subject I mentioned the problem isn't with being able to rebuild them but it's finding quality replacement parts for them. Did you ever ask the shop that rebuilt your double cardan joint what brand u-joints they used? Did they replace the center ball joint? If so, what was the brand of that? If the parts they used are quality, I'd say it was worth having them rebuild it for you. If the quality of the parts are suspect, I'd say you might have wasted money because that driveshaft isn't going to last you as long as you'd hoped and the money would have been better spent getting an aftermarket driveshaft from a company like Tom Woods.
My problem is I dont know if it's the double cardan joint or the rear most ujoint giving me problems. I can hear it going bad but cant pinpoint which it is. I guess I can just replace the ujoint and see if that stops it but I was trying to avoid replacing stuff that might not be bad.
dogtail
New member
AGAIN, as I replied to you twice before on this subject, maybe you never got notifications of my reply. Read the end of this thread. >>> Double Cardan rebuild
See pics of the fresh out of box DC ball and my notes. The aim is retaining the proven oem quality shaft with high quality replacement parts to the level of oem long term performance. I cannot tolerate low quality parts with my heavy use of 1,000 miles per week. Junk parts reveal themselves too soon.
I posted the parts used on my rebuilt shaft which are reputable as high quality driveline parts by Neapco, they've been around 100 years. A good driveline shop will absolutely know what is junk and what is high quality.
You can check this company out for yourself.
Aftermarket Driveline Components, Assemblies and Service Parts | Neapco
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mtbtim
Elite Member
i missed that post. So, you said that Neapco makes the center ball. Are they also the supplier for the u-joints? I'm guessing they are because you show a picture of a Neapco u-joint box with a part number. Is that the part number for the u-joints they used for your rebuild? Do you have a part number for the Neapco center ball?
Update, I looked up that part number on the box and it's the part number for the center ball. If you could hook us up with the part number for the u-joints they used, that would be helpful.
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mtbtim
Elite Member
Ok. The rear u-joint is easy to find because Toyota makes it. The ones for the double cardan joint are quite a bit more mysterious. I think Moog supposedly makes some that will fit. If you're willing to contact the shop that did the work for you and ask them the brand of u-joints they used for your rebuild, and better yet, obtain part numbers too, it would be appreciated. If the u-joints are quality and the center ball is quality, then it's worth rebuilding them.
I'd like to make a video for this rebuild so that's why I'm asking.
dogtail
New member
The DC U-joints are standard joints, its the cradle between them that has a cup and small shaft for the ball that does the trick. Here's a couple pics of an aftermarket driveshaft in my basement for an easy visual. See the standard U-joints and see the loops of the cradle that holds the ball, fairly simple. The tiny ball shaft thickness is what they measure for wear. My ball shaft was still good after 300K+
You can crawl under your rig and see what I'm talking about.
You can crawl under your rig and see what I'm talking about.
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mtbtim
Elite Member
Well Keith, maybe you don't know about the YouTube channel I run with my buddy Sean. It's called Timmy the Toolman. You might have heard it mentioned before or seen one of the thousands of posts I've made. Safe to say, I'm very familiar with these rigs. I think I've been under these rigs more than 98% of the people on this forum. I know what the double cardan joint is all about. What I don't know is a viable part number for the replacement u-joints that make up the double cardan joint. I've seen some part numbers thrown around on Tacoma World but I'm interested to find out what the shop that rebuilt your double cardan joint used. This is what I'm asking for. If you could get me the brand and part number for the u-joints the shop used, that would be awesome. The shop might be reluctant to give up this info but maybe they won't. If you're willing to try, i'd appreciate it. Thanks!
dogtail
New member
Of course I know about your Youtube channel, I even suggested to you before you do a video on double cardan rebuild. Well I did some online search and came up with little on actual part numbers on the DC U-joints. They are standard U-joints, but of course you need the right ones. Personally its not something I would mess with cause my local driveline shop is a reasonably priced complete rebuild with balance with quick turn around for only $235.
But there are the few that would like to tackle it themselves. I think if you have a spare shaft laying around (if you were local to me I'd give you one), break it down and verify fitment and document everything that seems nobody has posted online.
The ball part number I verified one from Neapco 7-0407 you can get one here, pricey $43.75
Northern Drivetrain, LLC: Neapco 7-0407
I'm gonna assume you can get all the U-joints from them also and you can ask them part numbers, but after all the distributor markup....in the end best to source best price.
But there are the few that would like to tackle it themselves. I think if you have a spare shaft laying around (if you were local to me I'd give you one), break it down and verify fitment and document everything that seems nobody has posted online.
The ball part number I verified one from Neapco 7-0407 you can get one here, pricey $43.75
Northern Drivetrain, LLC: Neapco 7-0407
I'm gonna assume you can get all the U-joints from them also and you can ask them part numbers, but after all the distributor markup....in the end best to source best price.
Are you on Reddit Tim? I have an idea if so. There are plenty of Toyota master mechanics on there we could maybe ask.
Wedgy
New member
It's funny when I type the part # into Ebay it come out as The DC ujoint....bingo !
Double Cardan CV Ball Seat Repair Kit NEAPCO 7-0407 fits 79-85 Toyota Pickup | eBay
Double Cardan CV Ball Seat Repair Kit NEAPCO 7-0407 fits 79-85 Toyota Pickup | eBay
dogtail
New member
Yeah I saw that too, ball part number is available a few places on the net. Just looking for the exact U-joints for the Double Cardan. They are common U-joints, just don't know exact part number.
mtbtim
Elite Member
Ok, well at least we have confirmed a part number for the center ball. I think it's easier said than done calling a company and asking if they sell the u-joints for an application that Toyota themselves don't offer a replacement part for. If we could cross reference a Toyota part number, this would be easy to find. The driveline shop that did the work for you has done the homework and figured out a u-joint that will fit for this application.
Would you be willing to at least try asking the shop that did the work for you what brand u-joints were used to rebuild your double cardan joint and then ask for a part number for them? You could just tell them you have a friend that likes the challenge of doing his own work that owns a 3rd Gen 4runner and he wants to rebuild his double cardan joint himself. The worst they can say is no, that they don't want to share their trade secrets.
mtbtim
Elite Member
I'm not on Reddit. Would you be willing to ask for me?
dogtail
New member
I'll see what I can do. You're in Cali anyway, I'm east coast Mass hole territory. When they find out you're that legendary Tim the Tool Man Youtuber, they may love to help.
dogtail
New member
Ok, the driveline shop is right down the street from me, so I went to talk with them. Cool guys, seem always willing into share info. The guy said they use Neapco or Spicer U-joints on all their shaft rebuilds. He said there is not really any documentation on the 3rd gen Double Cardan U-joints (as we have found also), and he doesn't know off the top of mind. But the way he can tell what joint it is, he measures it at the points I sketched on this paper, he said also some U-joints have inner C clips. He said that the Neapco 1-1612 part number popped in his mind, but wasn't sure on that.
I'll be rebuilding another shaft with them for my other project 3rd gen in a few months. If you don't tackle the DC by then, I'll be sure to get the part numbers for you.
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MaineRunna
Member
No one knows what they are because Toyota is weird like that. I don't know if it is still the case, but a while ago you could not get a T100 2wd front inner wheel bearing from anyone but Toyota. You can't even get the double cardan u-joints from Toyota so there is no part number officially. There is a u-joint out there to fit it by measurement but I don't know what it is. My local driveshaft place says they can't rebuild it. You can get the double cardan u-joints for a Tundra from Toyota, but the last one I tried to do for a customer fit terrible and after a lot of wasted effort and two $75 u-joints I threw it in the scrap pile and called my salvage guy for a good used one. (I'm 51 years old, all my first 4x4s were solid axle and I do this for a living, I've rebuilt a lot of double cardan joints) If you have a driveshaft place that can rebuild it great, otherwise buy one from Tom Woods.
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