Driveshaft vibration with lift?

swapmeet

swapmeet

New member
Hello, I've tried searching in a variety of ways and can't find an answer. So hopefully this isn't a wasted new post.

Decelerating/ braking creates a vibration in the Driveshaft or U-joint. My truck is a 07 4x4 V8 lifted 3.5+" on Radflo 2.5 shocks, which are very soft. Because of the softness, I get a lot of nose dive when braking, so I think it exacerbates the issue.
I've always had a minor vibration when accelerating hard, and still do. This feels similar, but much more exaggerated.

My thought is that its either pinion angle or the slip yolk. I remember people saying it helped to get a driveshaft spacer if you lifted your truck because of the slip yolk. Is this still a thing?

I'm looking at adjustable arms for the rear, but I don't want to pull the trigger until i'm sure it'll resolve my problem.

In case anyone feels compelled to ask, its not the brakes. 100% sure.

Thanks
 
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TowMeOut said:
Triple Drilled Toyota Driveline Driveshaft Spacers by Low Range Off Road, .75", 1.0", 1.25" (TDT-DS)

I'm not sure what 3.5" of lift equates to but this would be a cheap way to at least troubleshoot. The 4th gen driveshaft is known to have issues already (famous driveline "clunk"). I'd bet lifting just makes the problem worse. Before you start tinkering with the suspension maybe give the spacer a try. I'm assuming these go on the differential end but maybe someone else will chime in.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion. It looks like those won't fit my truck (doesn't fit 2005+ 4runner)

My understanding is that the lift changes the pinion angle as well as increasing the separation on the yolk because the distance from the center diff to the rear axle has increased.

I'm not against the spacers, just want to make sure i'm taking the right steps, not just throwing parts at a problem that may be familiar to others.
 
I don't have specific answers for ya, but maybe you'll have to look into custom links to correct that pinion angle, and maybe a custom driveshaft to fix any length issues (or perhaps a spacer would do the job just fine, idk).
 
swapmeet said:
Hello, I've tried searching in a variety of ways and can't find an answer. So hopefully this isn't a wasted new post.

Decelerating/ braking creates a vibration in the Driveshaft or U-joint. My truck is a 07 4x4 V8 lifted 3.5+" on Radflo 2.5 shocks, which are very soft. Because of the softness, I get a lot of nose dive when braking, so I think it exacerbates the issue.
I've always had a minor vibration when accelerating hard, and still do. This feels similar, but much more exaggerated.

My thought is that its either pinion angle or the slip yolk. I remember people saying it helped to get a driveshaft spacer if you lifted your truck because of the slip yolk. Is this still a thing?

I'm looking at adjustable arms for the rear, but I don't want to pull the trigger until i'm sure it'll resolve my problem.

In case anyone feels compelled to ask, its not the brakes. 100% sure.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Are you completely sure the vibration is in the driveshaft because I was getting a vibration on deceleration and coasting from about 40 down to 20 but went away in 4wd (indicates bad needle bearing) Maybe this helps
 
Johns06yota said:
Are you completely sure the vibration is in the driveshaft because I was getting a vibration on deceleration and coasting from about 40 down to 20 but went away in 4wd (indicates bad needle bearing) Maybe this helps
Click to expand...

I'm always in 4wd... (V8, fulltime 4Hi) I'm not sure I could get to 40 in 4low.
 
In my limited experience i found this to be the drive shaft having some sort of problem, or that the U joint is going bad.
 
Just to button this thread up, I had a bad U-joint in the driveshaft.
Had it rebuilt by a local shop and its good to go.

Interestingly, they suggested that put new/ more grease in the U-joints every 6k miles.

I typically put more grease in every never-thousand miles.
 
Thank you for following up on this. I am about to lift my 08 V8.

swapmeet said:
Just to button this thread up, I had a bad U-joint in the driveshaft.
Had it rebuilt by a local shop and its good to go.

Interestingly, they suggested that put new/ more grease in the U-joints every 6k miles.

I typically put more grease in every never-thousand miles.
Click to expand...
 
Fairly sure U-joints are just a replace type thing after they wear out... not rebuildable.

Grease the driveline zerks every 5k-6k/oil change (6 zerks on the 4x4, 2 slip joints and 4 U-joints), and rotate the tires, your 4runner will thank you.

I had a 1985 Toy pickup on 35's... it was hard on the drive line stuff i guess.
The front U-joint on the rear axle failed/exploded.
Was in a school zone so i was going slow...good thing!
BAM! Clunk! Clunk! Clunk! ...pull over.

Put in in 4x4 and tied the axle up then drove a couple blocks to a friends house.
It put a small hole in the floor bottom where the axle bounced up off the pavement and slammed the truck.

This was way back in the late 80's.
 

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Much cheaper than a custom drive shaft lol.

Like said above keep the joints and slip yokes greased and they'll last a very long time. Per Toyota, it calls for lithium based (usually red) grease for the 4 joints and moly based (usually black) grease for all the slip joints. This will also take care of the clunk when accelerating if your's is doing that after the lift. Mine had it pretty bad after 110k of P.O never greasing the driveline.
 
Also V8 AWD. Toytec 3” lift is on. Whaddaya know... vibration at highway speed. Wheels and tires just balanced. Had the U joints greased by installer. Any other ideas?
 

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Apparently the rear slip yoke can be overgreased. When overgreased it impedes compression of the yoke which results in vibration at highway speed. Simple solution is to remove the 7mm zerks fitting on the rear slip yoke. Back up over a curb and compress all the excess grease out. Tighten zerks down.

Will have my install shop try this out and report back.
 
Spent the last couple years trying to work out why I had this type of vibration. Wheel bearings, driveshaft, CV's, transfer case, adjustable panhard, lower links, balljoints...blah blah..

So this week I'm finally underway with SAS'ing my truck and my builder says that my rear axle is bent somewhere. Pulling all that schit out anyways but how frustrating.
 
This has been a major issue with members removing and reinstalling their entire suspensions to try and trouble shoot. Apparently it’s as simple as over greasing the rear slip yoke

WhiteBoomer04 said:
Spent the last couple years trying to work out why I had this type of vibration. Wheel bearings, driveshaft, CV's, transfer case, adjustable panhard, lower links, balljoints...blah blah..

So this week I'm finally underway with SAS'ing my truck and my builder says that my rear axle is bent somewhere. Pulling all that schit out anyways but how frustrating.
Click to expand...
 
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