99runner4me

Just got back from the desert for some trail driving. Certain parts that we'd gone through, I found out that the driveshaft moves to the left and hits the gas tanks skid plate when the DS rear wheel is at full stuffed. The driveshaft weight got pryed off when it hit, so I had to hammer it back straight.

Anyone had this problem? What's the remedy? Will a panhard drop bracket fix this problem?

This is on a 3rd gen Runner btw with 2 1/5" lift.

Thanks in advance!

midiwall

This was happening to mine as well... Depending on how far you're off (and which direction) a panhard drop may help, but in my case (already had the drop bracket on), a 3lb sledge hammer against the skid plate worked pretty well.

99runner4me

Looking at the truck from the back, it looks like rear axle has moved about 1/4" to the left when it was lifted.

When the hitting accurs at full stuffed, the rear axle moves a good 1"- 1 1/2" to the left to hit the skid plate.

midiwall

Hmmm... umm, that seems backwards. The issue with lifting the rear is that the panhard rod doesn't get longer, so as you pull the rear diff down (with the lift), it will pull towards the bracket, which is on the right.


Okay, so.. hmmm #2. The drop bracket will lower the attachment point of the rod, which effectively lengthens it, and thus will push it farther left. That's not what you want...


What's the possibility that you didn't get the springs set into the cups when you put the rear end back together? I'm thinking that may be enough to shift the axle left, but then... that panhard rod would make things really hard to put back together.


Steve S has a nice diagram online that shows what _should_ have happened in a lift:

http://sonoransteel.com/store_drop_bracket.html

Albuquerque Jim

Mine humps the tank skid too. I always though it was due to the skid being bashed in so many times. I don't think a virgin skid will make contact. I just carry a 3lb sledge with me on the trail. When it gets too bad I just get under and give it a wack. Some day I will get a custom skid and eliminate the issue.

99runner4me

You're right. Looking at Steve's diagram, it should've moved to the right. I'm just eyeballing how far the rear tires stick out from each sides, and that's how I can see that the left tire sticks out about 1/4" further to the left than the right tire. Maybe that's how the truck sits normally, I don't know.

After the lift, the panhard rod is no more than 10 degrees off from being level. I'm assuming that the drop bracket is not even a factor in this matter.



Springs are definitely it the cups. Somehow the rear end is getting shifted to the left a little more than I'd like it to be. Sounds like we're back to square one. For a temporary fix or maybe even permanent, a friend and I are just going hammer the skid plate back into shape and grid off the parts where the axle is hitting.

Now I'm wondering if installing urethan bushing in places that allows the suspension to pivot will prevent the axle from swaying to the left.

Are you guys running longer shocks than normal? Will it make a difference, I wonder?

99_Runner

How about some pics from the back of your 4Runner so we can visually see what you are talking about, not just try to imagine it.

99runner4me

Sorry I couldn't get a picture out. Somehow my camera decided to stop working.

Looks like there isn't really any solutions I could find to fix the problem properly. My buddy & I went ahead and removed he gas tank skid plate and straightened the bent areas as much as we can, and we snipped the side of the skid plate where the axleshaft weight was getting caught on. Hopefully, that fixed the problem entirely. I won't know until the next offroad outing.