Rear drive shaft w/ double cardon

[Coldsmokin']

Replacing my rear drive shaft in my 2000 due to bad U joints. I found a replacement shaft in a salvage yard so I didn't have to get the shaft from Toyota. (They wanted $1200!) I've never done one of these before, but it looks super simple. 4 bolts on each end. A flange in the rear, and a mounting plate on the front. Anything special I should know before I get after it and swap them out? TIA!

 

[Konkordmusk]

Grease all the fittings before putting it in. They are accessible with it installed but its much easier to do it prior to installation.
Ask me how I know

 

[TheDurk]

Replacing my rear drive shaft in my 2000 due to bad U joints. I found a replacement shaft in a salvage yard so I didn't have to get the shaft from Toyota. (They wanted $1200!) I've never done one of these before, but it looks super simple. 4 bolts on each end. A flange in the rear, and a mounting plate on the front. Anything special I should know before I get after it and swap them out? TIA!

The front is studs, not bolts. So to get it out you have to either free the rear first or compress the slider. The latter might be tough on a yard truck. Save the nuts and bolts because they are a weird m11 thread and dealer is the only place to get them.

 

[JWaldz]

Just for future reference, double cardan u-joints are not easily rebuildable. The single cardan u-jouint (near the rear axle end) is a lot easier. By no means is it an easy job, but it is easier than the double. So if you're in the position to needing to replace the single cardan u-joint you can and not have to buy a whole driveshaft. It's also possible to find a junkyard slip yolk to get you by while you rebuild the current one. Since you bought a junkyard driveshaft I'm assuming you got the slip yolk anyways, so now you have two.

Make sure if you're pulling the slip yolk out at any point to before hand make a mark on the driveshaft and yolk. That way it's going back in the same exact location it came out. This eliminates any chance for the d-shaft to be unbalanced and will line up with the pinion flange perfectly.