Newby

Hello everyone,

I saw a 98 Toyota 4runner Limited V6 4x4 for sale now for $2,000.00, but the Axles/Drive Shafts/U-Joint are bad and some damage on the body, but the Engine and Tranny are still good. Is it a good price to buy in a condition like that for the price?

I already talked to two shops and they charge me $950.00 and $1,100.00 to fix the Axles/Drive Shaft/U-Joint. In this case, if I buy it, I plan to replace the it myself, so how hard is it to fix?

I need your opinion/advise please.

Renaud33

What does this mean?? Axle shafts are broke? ring and pinion is broke? U-joints on driveshaft need replaced? Hard to answer the question without knowing whats really wrong.

Newby

I'm sorry. I don't really know the part's name. Let's call it Drive Shaft or U-Joint. How hard is it to replace the new one?

tantacoma

Really hard to say. Whats easy for some, is extremely difficult for others. What is the most complex repair you have done to a vehicle?

For example, painting the Mona Lisa was easy for DaVinci, but I sure couldn't do it.

Replacing a stock Toyota u-joint is difficult even for an experienced person. I usually let a shop do that. Simply replacing a drive-shaft with the attached u-joints is pretty easy if you can find an exact replacement. You just need 2 14mm combo wrenches.

If that estimate you got is based on what you told him, I wouldn't trust it since you don't really know what exactly needs to be replace/fixed. There are 2 axle shafts, a differential (with pinion, ring gear, bearings, spiders, etc), housing, brakes.

Newby

Thank you for your advising, tantacoma. I don't have much knowledge about car. If it's hard as you said, let me think for a bit and then make a desision either buy it or ignore it. I'll be back here to let you know.