Measuring Your Toyota Truck, Mini Truck, Tacoma and Land Cruiser (4WD Only) Drive Shafts
This video is specifically about Tacoma drive shafts but at about 5:30 there is a section showing how to measure. The measurement process applies to all Toyota applications.
Front
Toyota used both Type A and Type B drive shaft stock from the Factory over the years and different applications.
If your vehicle is stock or just has a small lift up to 4.5" you may be able to still use the stock type drive shaft if already running a double cardan drive shaft, we will just need to know the length measurement as well as flange patterns for each end.
Figure 1: Type A drive shaft
Figure 2: Type B drive shaft
Figure 3: Measure Flange Patterns on each end
Figure 4: Measure for length. (See Below for chart on available flange patterns.)
Specialty Custom Front Drive Shaft for Toyota
When working with a modified vehicle the stock type of drive shaft may not work for your new application. We will need length measurements with the suspension compressed, extended and at ride height. If your vehicle requires more travel for compression and extension on the front drive shaft we can built a drive shaft with up to 22” of travel, these are not recommended for any kind of street or high speed use. (Less than 1000 rpm's).
We also need to know angles (slope of the t-case, slope of the drive shaft and slope of the differential) in order to try and make sure we can build a drive shaft suitable for your needs.
Our front drive shaft
Figure 5: Our front drive shaft
Drive shaft prices will vary from $299.00 and go up to $699.00 depending on what you need. Please call with the information requested above for current pricing.
Rear
Toyota used Type A drive shafts, Type B drive shafts and 2 piece drive shafts stock from the factory. Please note we cannot build drive shafts longer than 75” also, we do not build or balance Aluminum or 2 Piece type drive shafts with the carrier bearing. We do not build drive shafts for 2wd and pre-runner vehicles.
Vibration problems with the Toyota Tacoma are common even on unmodified vehicles and especially so on those with a lift kit. I wish we had a “one size fits all” solution. The truth of the matter is; we have had mixed results with any version we would send out. Should you purchase one of our drive shaft and it does not meet your expectations, you may return within 30 days for a full, product purchase, refund.
With that said. We have two options available. A conventional, 2 joint drive shaft or a double cardan (CV) drive shaft. As a general consensus, the conventional two joint seems to work well in most vehicles having up to 3" of lift. In vehicles with greater lifts, the double cardan seems to work best.
With a conventional two joint drive shaft you need to keep the output of the transfer case & the pinion parallel within 1 degree.
To use a CV drive shaft, you will want to pitch the differential so that the pinion points directly at the output of the transfer case (maintaining 3 degrees, or less, a joint angle at the differential end).
For stock vehicles (Stock motor, transmission, t-case and differential, NO LIFT) we can build stock type replacement drive shaft using 1310 series u-joints rather than the stock Toyota OE u-joints. In order to build the drive shaft we will need to know what type of drive shaft it was running, flange patterns and a length measurement. We will need the same information if the vehicle is modified, if it has different attachments than shown please visit our measuring guide.
Download entire detailed PDF Measuring Guide here.
Figure 6: Type A rear drive shaft
Figure 7: Type B rear drive shaft
Sorry we cannot build or service 2 piece drive shafts.
NOTE: IF YOU ARE REPLACING THE REAR SECTION OF A 2 PIECE DRIVE SHAFT ELSEWHERE, YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE THE COMPLETE DRIVE SHAFT BALANCED TOGETHER AS AN ASSEMBLY.
Measure for length
Figure 8: Measure for length. (See Below for chart on available flange patterns.)
Figure 9: Measure Flange Patterns on each end.
