Airborne173rd

Ok gents, so I'm really stumped on this and I need some help. I've read ALL applicable threads related to my issue and there seems to be no help in them. So, 89 v6 xtracab 4x4...center support bearing went out recently. Replaced it. Went bad again in two weeks. Replaced it. Now less than 2 weeks later, the end of the driveshaft is rubbing on the metal portion of the CSB, which is what it was doing with the first replacement as well. The CSB assembly looks as if the front is angled towards the bottom of the bed and the rubber grommet is bulging out the rear of the CSB. It almost looks as if the crossmember portion of the CSB mount is bent torwards the bottom of the bed. The most recent replacement to go bad was the one from driveline parts.com, the $40 one. First one was the advance auto one for $135, yeah, never again. Truck has stock suspension and I'm running 32x11.50 BFG km2s. I'm stumped. Please help. Got a couple of pics. Let me know if you need a better angle...😕

HighLux

Have you had driveshaft checked for balance?

Airborne173rd

The driveshaft itself is balanced, I'm pretty sure the problem lies within the mounted angle of the CSB, just not sure why or how....

Gevo

you don't feel any vibration or hear anything unusual?

I would put the rear end on jacks and put it in gear, get nearby and inspect the shaft in motion... perhaps something will reveal itself. Otherwise I don't have experience with this part.... yet..

Airborne173rd

Yes, I hear the driveshaft rubbing the metal outer portion of the CSB. The way the CSB mounts to the crossmember allows it to be ok for a while and the odd angle eventually wears the CSB out and pulls the bearing out of the center of the grommet...It's not a balancing issue though.....

HighLux

i know you said driveshaft is balanced...but did you actually take it to a driveshaft shop....and have it balanced? going off someones word?

Toyota~Boy

iTrader: (2)

Also check your u-joints and make sure there tight. Does those rear drive shafts slide apart kinda like a slip yoke. If so check the splines they could be sloppy. One more thing. Does those carrier bearings go on one way only. If not try turning it around. You may have it backwards.

Teuf

Ditch the center carrier and have a full length driveshaft made.....

Airborne173rd

U joints are tight, and no slop in the slip yoke. I haven't had the driveshaft balanced since I owned the truck, but I never noticed any vibration. It hasn't been off road so I know it hasn't contacted anything throwing it off balance. I installed the CSB with the cutouts in the flange facing towards the rear of the truck which is the way specified in the FSM. If you look at the way most of the rubber grommet is bulging out of the rear of the CSM, is this normal? When I get the new CSB I may have to drill out new mounting holes where the CSB mounts to the crossmember to put the bearing into proper alignment, but this shouldn't seem necessary. I would just put a one piece driveshaft in but I'm worried about the pinion angle and really don't want to have to shim the rear axle to make up for losing the double cardan joint. When replacing the last 2 CSB's I was VERY careful to mark the shaft and put it back together the same way it came apart. Still puzzled....

Airborne173rd

At least so I know my options, what does a 1 piece shaft usually run and where is the best place the get one made?

Teuf

Any reputable driveline shop can configure this.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Just curious just where did you get the bearing ??

Could it be a one size fits all??

It could just be that poor of quality.

It is really hard to tell but it does not look that hard to line things up so it works .

Me I would go with a one piece drive shaft and be done.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

I provided an old drive shaft to a driveshaft shop and if I recall right it around $75 for his work for him to shorten it. They will have plenty of pipe laying around that it shouldnt cost much to have one made if you decide to go with the one piece, make sure your angle wont be too sharp if you do the one piece. You may need to drive a ways to find one as the economy did shut a few of them down in my area.

Airborne173rd

Well this thread has seemed to move towards the way of me going the one piece route, but I'm still curious as to why this is happening...

CJM

When you installed it, you did put the nut on there right? And made sure to push the nut in so it cant back out right?

Airborne173rd

Yes, the nut was staked....

hossdog

I had my buddy press mine on to the shaft for me and it was backwards when I went to hang it. Would have been easy to mount it that way if it didn't have the hangers on it I would have never noticed as the bolts still lined right up. My money says it's on backwards.

hossdog

Also when I finally got mine in right it still seemed like it wasn't perfectly aligned, so I took a bar and carefully pried between it and the the frame until it bent slightly so that the it lined up right. Then went for a drive and checked it again. I think that assuming these are going to line up just perfect out of a box from NAPA might be reaching a little.