Driveshaft Removal...

[Mel0]

I recently replaced my leaking rear axle seals and oil soaked drum shoes with hopes of eliminating the good ole rear end "thump" but no dice. It's the same thump/clunk that everyone describes as the driveshaft needing grease. Rather than just pumping a bunch of grease in there with the hopes that it will migrate to wherever it needs to go, I want to remove whatever parts are needed to completely clean and re-grease. Can I remove just the back half of the driveshaft or do I need to remove the entire shaft? Also, I can create a very similar thump when I am accelerating under load and quickly release the gas pedal. I get the same sort bump/thump when doing this. Does this still sound like the dried out slip-yoke problem or could it be something else?

Thanks All

 

[85toyrunner]

It's gonna be a lot easier to grease the driveshaft/u-joints with it in the 4runner rather than pulling the driveshaft, greasing it, then installing it. That's where I would start. It will certainly not hurt it for sure!

 

[Nelsonmd]

It's gonna be a lot easier to grease the driveshaft/u-joints with it in the 4runner rather than pulling the driveshaft, greasing it, then installing it. That's where I would start. It will certainly not hurt it for sure!

Yeah, just try loading it with grease first. Watch where the grease comes out. If it only comes out on one or 2 sides, then it might help to take the DS off and try to clean it up a bit, just to get that 3rd and 4th pinion bearing greased up well. Or you could probably clean it off on the vehicle too, might not be too much harder.

If grease comes out all the pinion bearings, then there is no point in taking the DS off.

 

[FROGrunner]

Removing the whole driveshaft is very simple takes me about 20 mins to remove-grease my DS.

 

[slapdappy]

grease grease grease

Ive had substantial thunk reduction success after reading this. For some reason many 4R owners think one should not pump until grease oozes past the seal. I think the opposite. Ive been successfully working on getting new grease to displace the old grease in the slip yokes. I have Grade 1 grease in the rear slip yoke right now. The OFFICIAL clunk/thunk driveshaft thread - Page 2
Mobil 1 synthetic grease nlgi no 2

 

[Mel0]

Maybe I'm not asking the right question. Can the two pieces of the shaft be pulled apart so you can clean out the inside and outside splines of the two pieces?

 

[Grenvilleter]

Maybe I'm not asking the right question. Can the two pieces of the shaft be pulled apart so you can clean out the inside and outside splines of the two pieces?

Yes... pay close attention to making sure you mark both halves of the drive shaft with a line before you pull it apart so when you slide it back together, the spline is back in the same groves it originally was.
Drive shaft balance issues could result if you do not get it back like original.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Maybe I'm not asking the right question. Can the two pieces of the shaft be pulled apart so you can clean out the inside and outside splines of the two pieces?

Dude if you don't at least try to just grease it up first and let it run for a week then you are :bowl: :argue: :bowl:


I had the same issue and greasing the ZIRC fittings worked great. I did it once around 140k miles and the issue NEVER came back. I'm currently at 220k miles.

Many others on here, including in this thread have done the same thing and the issue was fixed.

So why would you take apart the driveshaft when you don't need to ?????

 

[Mel0]

Dude if you don't at least try to just grease it up first and let it run for a week then you are :bowl: :argue: :bowl:


I had the same issue and greasing the ZIRC fittings worked great. I did it once around 140k miles and the issue NEVER came back. I'm currently at 220k miles.

Many others on here, including in this thread have done the same thing and the issue was fixed.

So why would you take apart the driveshaft when you don't need to ?????

I have shot some grease in all of the fittings, probably about 30 or so pumps in the slip yoke and never saw any old stuff come out nor did I see it extend at all either. However I did not have the axle up each time. If it's possible that it needs even more grease than I'll keep going at it. I just bought the truck with 260,000 on it and it doesn't seem as though anyone paid much attention to greasing the driveshaft so I'm guessing it could be pretty crusty in there, that's all. I also need to swap out the ujoint at the rear but it's a VERY small amount of play so it's not urgent. So, if it's ok to just keep greasing it then I'll give it a try...

 

[BrianSD_42]

If you do take it apart then mark it beforehand of course.

There are driveshaft shops that will charge $200+ to fix as well.

 

[Mel0]

OK, So either I did something wrong to my grease gun, the zerks are bad or I just have no idea what I'm doing. I counted and pumped about 50 times into the slip yoke zerk and it didn't seem like anything was happening. So I pulled the zerk off and there was clearly no grease being pushed through the fitting. I could see the old red stuff in the zerk and the slip yoke. The grease I'm using is black.... I also put the zerk on the gun while it was off the DS and nothing came through it but I could push the ball down with a screwdriver. I'll probably replace the zerk anyways but how do I really know if my gun is working or what. I'm kind of lost with this...help please.:wtf:

THANKS

 

[Grenvilleter]

Can I choose option 3 from your last post ?

Having a functioning grease gun is essential in order to actually grease something.
You know grease guns hold grease cartridges and you have to replace the grease them right? If your grease gun gets an air bubble at the pump portion, they lose their "prime" and you have to reload.

i'm guessing your on a pretty steep learning curve atm.
Good Luck

 

[slapdappy]

OK, So either I did something wrong to my grease gun, the zerks are bad or I just have no idea what I'm doing. I counted and pumped about 50 times into the slip yoke zerk and it didn't seem like anything was happening. So I pulled the zerk off and there was clearly no grease being pushed through the fitting. I could see the old red stuff in the zerk and the slip yoke. The grease I'm using is black.... I also put the zerk on the gun while it was off the DS and nothing came through it but I could push the ball down with a screwdriver. I'll probably replace the zerk anyways but how do I really know if my gun is working or what. I'm kind of lost with this...help please.:wtf:

THANKS

go to a nice garage and ask if one of the mechanics will please show you how to use a grease gun; how to load it, how to deal with an air pocket, etc

But first google "how to use a grease gun" and watch some Youtube vids.

 

[Mel0]

Can I choose option 3 from your last post ?

Having a functioning grease gun is essential in order to actually grease something.
You know grease guns hold grease cartridges and you have to replace the grease them right? If your grease gun gets an air bubble at the pump portion, they lose their "prime" and you have to reload.

i'm guessing your on a pretty steep learning curve atm.
Good Luck

Grease comes out of the gun when it's not attached to a fitting. When you say reload do you mean the old cartridge has to be removed and replaced or just re-prime it? Yes, I am on a learning curve when it comes to grease guns, If thats even possible...I'm sure it's something simple.

 

[Grenvilleter]

Pull the Plunger back and lock it. Reinsert a new grease cartridge removing the end caps first. Toyota specs a special grease for this but at this point, any grease is better than nothing.
Screw the grease gun back together and release the plunger and press it all the way in and lock it.
Now...pump the crap out of it.
You will feel the difference in the pump handle resistance when it starts to actually pump.
Hold your finger over the end of the grease gun and feel the resistance of the grease wanting to come out.
You should in no way be able to hold the grease from being pumped out with a properly working grease gun

 

[Mel0]

Pull the Plunger back and lock it. Reinsert a new grease cartridge removing the end caps first. Toyota specs a special grease for this but at this point, any grease is better than nothing.
Screw the grease gun back together and release the plunger and press it all the way in and lock it.
Now...pump the crap out of it.
You will feel the difference in the pump handle resistance when it starts to actually pump.
Hold your finger over the end of the grease gun and feel the resistance of the grease wanting to come out.
You should in no way be able to hold the grease from being pumped out with a properly working grease gun

Shouldn't the plunger sit extended until compresses on it's own? I'm seeing and reading contradicting instructions.

 

[Grenvilleter]

Shouldn't the plunger sit extended until compresses on it's own? I'm seeing and reading contradicting instructions.

No...the plunger is spring loaded and the spring forces the grease up into the actual pump portion .
There is your problem !
Push the plunger all the way in and start pumping.

 

[Mel0]

No...the plunger is spring loaded and the spring forces the grease up into the actual pump portion .
There is your problem !
Push the plunger all the way in and start pumping.

Well that is actually how I loaded it, pushed the plunger in. I thought that's where I screwed up though. I don't understand how the plunger has so much tension when it isn't assembled and then you put grease in there and the tension goes away and you can just push and pull on the plunger with no effort. Is the plunger supposed to engage with something else that is applying the pressure?

 

[TheDurk]

Shouldn't the plunger sit extended until compresses on it's own? I'm seeing and reading contradicting instructions.

There are two pieces to the plunger, the piston inside the tube and a pull rod outside the tube. The pull rod can pull, but it can't push. It's just the pull rod that sticks out and you push it in independent of what the piston does. It just slides through a hole in the piston and through the grease 'filling.' The piston is pushed in by the compression spring not the pull rod. If you wait for the pull rod to go in on its own, it won't happen until you have used up all your grease and it is time to pull it out again. My father had one about fifty years ago that worked that way, though.

Some guns have a little release valve on the top to help let the air out. It'll be a little button you can push.

 

[Mel0]

Then I'm not sure what I could have done wrong because that's how I loaded it.