Propeller shaft lubrication is a very simple maintenance procedure to do, but it is often avoided because cleaning the grease off between the spider joints can be a bit tedious. Keeping the propeller shafts properly lubed will ensure the longevity of a critical component in your 4Runner.
For the 4X4 5th Gen 4Runner driveline, there are two propeller shafts; for reference, these two shafts will be referred to as FWD (forward) and AFT propeller shafts in this write up. Each prop shaft consists of 2 spider joints and a slip yoke. In total there are six zerk fittings that will require greasing.
Another tool that is not required but will make this job easier in magnitude is the LockNLube Grease Gun Coupler (the one I use is GC81011). This coupler will make attaching and detaching the grease gun to the zerk fitting a breeze. Believe it or not, getting a standard grease gun stuck on a zerk fitting is quite common. I have had to unstick one on my FWD propeller shaft and it was not a pleasant experience.
Clean the zerk fittings to prevent any contaminants from entering the joints during the greasing process. Connect the grease gun coupler to the slip yoke zerk fitting and pump. I do 4 full pumps for the AFT slip yoke and 2 full pumps for the FWD slip yoke. Since the slip yoke slides in and out of the propeller shaft, if it is over-packed with grease, it could cause the shaft to not extend/contract properly.
Park the vehicle and check the AFT propeller shaft slide yoke and spider joint positions. Make sure the grease gun coupler can be attached to the three zerk fittings on the AFT propeller shaft. Chock the wheels as a safety precaution.
When working on the AFT propeller shaft, place a jack and a piece of 44 under the tow hitch and jack up the rear end. And when working on the FWD propeller shaft, place a jack under the front jack point and jack up the front end.
Note: This is optional and not intended to lift the vehicle off the ground, but to provide additional workspace while under the vehicle, use your best judgment to observe and practice all safety precautions.
The FWD propeller shaft is by far the more difficult one of the two, due to the slide yoke and spider joint being in between the exhaust pipe and transfer case. However, the FWD propeller shaft can be rotated by hand to allow easier positioning of the zerk fittings.
How much movement does the front slip yoke see, I tested it by having someone jump on the back of the 4Runner but I only see the rear slip yoke slide in and out but the front not at all.. so the real question is when does the front slide in and out or under what conditions.?
I have my 1990 Toyota V6 3.0 extra cab running on the front two wheels only, I had the same thing happen. I was told, a friend of mine, drove a similar truck all the way from the desert into San Diego.
I've been driving the truck all morning, the deal is, I have a "High" 4x4 and a "Low" 4x4, right now I have it engaged to be High 4x4, I am not using the vehicle under any heavy strain. It SEEMS like my RPMs are running much lower, under RWD, at 60 to 80 mph, my RPMs are about 4k. Using ONLY the front two wheels, I'm averaging at 2.5k RPMs.
I'm going to keep driving it like this, I'll post here, and let you know if it can take it. This particular Toyota is the most popular 4WD where I live, so I'll find a few owners and ask them about it too.
In short, if you're planning on scrapping the vehicle after this experiment, I'd be interested to hear how it goes. However, if you ever plan to repair the vehicle, you may discover that not only do you need a new rear end, but also you may discover you need a new frontend, as well as a transfer case and possibly other components.
Note: I'm basing this advice on the Top Gear South America special, where they ended up turning a jeep into a front wheel drive vehicle. In theory, it should work, as long as there aren't a lot of fancy electronics & safety systems to get in the way.
I have seen an old series 3 Land-Rover used quite successfully in this fashion, however they are a lot more agricultural than a relatively modern Toyota and so are more capable of taking the abuse. A lot of it will be down to the design of the transfer box - in the case of the Land Rover it was a simple mechanical lock, which either drove just the rear axle, or both at the same speed. If the Toyota has a differential transfer box chances are it won't work at all, and if it does it may well ruin the transfer diff.
Disconnecting the rear propshaft should be fairly easy, as most 4x4s I've seen have traditional flanged UJs at either end of it. Removing the axle halfshafts may not be so easy though, depending on their design (in Land Rovers they slide out very easily, some other cars I have seen require a hydraulic press to separate them from the hubs).
Like the other answers, I'm going to summarise with "yes, it is probably possible, but it is not recommended" - I suspect that the local authorities in your jurisdiction would probably take a dim view of it as well, especially given the state you suggest the rest of the vehicle is in!
I have a 1991 Chevy Tracker on which I will be isolating the rear differential. The reason is that the pinion bearings have had extreme lube starvation do to a axle seal leak which lead to catastrophic failure. The vehicle value doesn't compare to the price of a new/used rear end, or the time it would take to pull each component and inspect for wear/damage. Time and money replacing damaged parts and ensuring proper backlash and end play spec is met. I'll just isolate the rear end.
Now a few things to think about. The difference in radius between the front drive shaft and rear drive shaft results in a very different torque load. Plus even if you isolate the rear axle you would still need to keep lubrication in it. (If it moves you need lube) So make sure you don't have any axle seals leaking.
The transfer case might be chain driven meaning that is your torque limit. The chain will break before your front drive shaft will more than likely. Or it has a planetary rear set for the ranges - Which you won't know till you're on the side of the road. Transfer case heat will be higher given the 100% torque flow to the front differential. For in town use I don't see problem with it. Hard acceleration will be a big no,no. Change the transfer case and front diff lube if you decide to proceed.
1996-2000 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER2WD ONLY - Rear Shaft2.7L 4 CYL ENGINE - MANUAL This is a brand new Driveshaft- Designed to be a direct bolt-in Features:New Maintenance Free High Quality Spicer U-JointsNew Transmission yoke...
1996-2000 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER2WD ONLY - Rear Shaft2.7L 4 CYL ENGINE - Automatic This is a brand new Driveshaft- Designed to be a direct bolt-in Features:New Maintenance Free High Quality Spicer U-JointsNew Transmission yoke...
This is a Brand New Complete drive Shaft - ready to install Come with Transmission yoke and rear Flange YokeFITS:2003-2013 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER2WD ONLY - Rear Shaft4.0L ENGINE What we sell is a Complete Ready to bolt in Drive Shaft -...
1990-1995 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER2WD ONLY - Rear Shaft3.0L V-6 ENGINE - AutomaticWhat we sell is a Complete Ready to bolt in Drive Shaft -See 4th picture (factory shafts have a rubber cushion that fails and creates play)Our Drive shafts are NEW - NOT...
1996-2002 toyota 4 Runner Rear drive shaft V-6 6 Cylinder - Automatic transmission Fits - 2wd Models only Comes Complete with new slip yoke and new u-joints, Fully balanced and ready to install drive shaft
It sounded like a loose heat shield, or other piece of sheet metal, rattling away under the back half of the truck. But I knew it wasn't a heat shield - it only happened at speeds above about 15-20mph, and changed when under load (vs. coasting) and there were certain throttle/speed/terrain combinations where I could almost get it to go away. Of course, I'd been under the truck several times to push and pull on everything I could, to see if anything was loose.
And the drive shaft itself seemed to be in good condition - the u-joints were tight, the play in the carrier bearing seemed normal, it wasn't dented from hitting a rock, and none of the balancing weights had fallen off.
As luck would have it, I was going to be taking off the skid plates for a few other bits of work, and so I decided - what the heck - I'll grease the drive shaft and see if that makes a difference. So, I cleaned off all the zerks, got out the Red-N-Tacky and grease gun, and set about pumping in grease until it oozed and popped out of the various crevices around the u-joints.
The Toyota 4Runner is shaped like a truck, with a flat roof and flat window lines. It's a big box with a wide stance and edgy wheelwells There are no pinched, tucked or wraparound pieces trying to make this SUV pretty. The fenders suggest muscle and the bumpers suggest heft, even with their angles for clearance and climbing. The grille is pronounced and the lights stick out, front and rear. The standard roof rails and trailer receiver add to the impression that this truck is meant to be used. The TRD Pro raises the ruggedness to another level. Its massive black grille pays tribute to the early Toyota Baja offroad racers, and its P265/70R17 Nitto Terra Grappler tires set it apart. The eye-catching skid plate adds a chunk of wow, and, with the front end lifted by one inch to make room for the additional inch of wheel travel, the mechanical pieces of suspension and steering are visible. Beefy red Eibach springs wrap around fat polished Bilstein dampers, while axles and rack-and-pinion steering arms hide their joints inside three black accordion boots on each front wheel. SR5 and Trail are styled to project rugged good looks and a sporting nature. Nothing speaks macho like a bumper that looks like a brush bar is built in; none of that bolt-on towel rack stuff for the 4Runner. Trail has a faux hood scoop, its own wheel style, color-matched exterior trim and bumpers, and a dark smoke treatment on the headlights and tail lights. The Limited comes on lower-profile, narrower P245/60R20 tires mounted on alloy wheels. It gets more chrome and a less pronounced proboscis; it's still a blunt instrument, it's just shinier. All models come with a proper full-size spare, and the Limited has a matching alloy spare. Like the SR5 and Trail grade, the Limited has a rear spoiler that houses the rear wiper, keeping it tucked away from harm but not as easy to clean. Optional retractable running boards stay out of harm's way on the road or trail, but should have an out position on the switch so you don't have to crack a door open to clean them off. Interior Features The Toyota 4Runner interior was designed to be practical and utilitarian. The cabin is trimmed in textured materials appropriate for a vehicle likely to carry dirty boots, dogs and kids. The Limited model achieves those things while lolling in the lap of luxury, namely leather including the third row for kids. The front seats are comfortable and supportive, with good adjustability working in concert with the tilt/telescoping steering wheel. The seats wide enough for an average body, with low bolsters on the seat cushion and taller side bolstering on the seat back that provides support on winding roads without making the driver's seat hard to get into.Two fabrics are offered, in addition to leather. Second-row 60/40 seats have a comfortable recline and fold flat. If you order the 50/50 folding third-row seats the second row slides forward to ease rear access. Neither rear access nor second and third-row room matches three-row crossovers, many of which are larger outside, nor the Durango. The two-row Jeep Grand Cherokee, the shorter Nissan Xterra, and the creative Jeep Wrangler Unlimited have more second-row head and legroom, but the 4Runner has more cargo space (about 90 cubic feet behind front seats and 46 behind the second row). The steering wheel is a thick four-spoke. The Optitron instrument cluster is crisp and clear, switchgear easy to sort out, and the Entune line of audio and navigation systems quick to master. Top models link vehicle settings to paired smartphone, so your phone brings your radio stations, climate control settings and so on. Cabin lighting is blue. Although all 4Runners have the 2/4-wheel drive control on the console ahead of the properly gated shifter. The Trail models have more controls in the overhead above the rear-view mirror. Three 12-volt outlets are located in the glove box, the center console stack, and the cargo area. An available 120-volt AC outlet, useful for charging batteries or running appliances at the campsite, is located in the cargo area. Some sound systems have a party mode that adds bass and shifts audio power rearward for listening with the hatch open. For two-row 4Runners a sliding load deck cargo floor is available, rated for 440 pounds. This could be useful as a pull-out picnic or work table, for jumping dogs to get in or out without scratching bumpers, or even forklifting big boxes in. The loss in cargo volume is negligible and there's a good-size well underneath it. The rear hatch has a vertically-sliding power window that can be controlled from up front, at the back, or by key remote. This can be used for loading lighter things in back or to promote increased flow-through ventilation with minimum wind noise, and likely appreciated by some smokers or anyone who carries stinky cargo. Since it's contained in the hatch it need not be lowered before the hatch is opened. It does use a rear wiper that parks above the window, so sometimes when washing the glass the muck streaks back down.
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