Hey guys, I'm really stumped on where to go with this one. Ive got an '83 Pickup and I'm trying to replace the front driveshaft u-joints but heres the problem Ive run into: no one seems to have u-joints that fit it. I bought the truck off a farmer who used it as a plow truck, it wasnt on the road for several years. The driveshaft was held in with 3 different sizes of bolts so I would imagine it was swapped in from something else. I tried both types of front u-joint napa sells for an '83 and even one for an '86 ifs truck. Seems I can have either the right bearings caps, or the right spacing between snap ring grooves, but not both in the same joint! My yokes take a 1.125" O.D. bearing cap and have flats and internal grooves to accept both internal and external snap rings. Inside to inside spacing of the yoke ears is 2.01". Its kind of a shot in the dark but my next option is a new front driveshaft if no one can help. the bolt holes on the flanges match the t-case and pinion flangs and have not been modified to mate together, and the slip spline is the exact same as any other toyota front shaft, I just dont get why no one has u-joints that fit it. Any help, tips, advice or ideas would be much appreciated. My truck is a 2wd until I get this figured outThanks in advance!

 

have a look here , i already answered the question on ujoints

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f115...t-size-230481/


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Thanks slacker, but I'm not sure they'll work. I stopped by Pat's and looked through precision's catalog and found the 513's, the cap size is the same but they are about 2" inside to inside the snap ring grooves IIRC, I need 2" outside to outside. Hopefully youre right though. Mine is not a double cardon though, and uses the same size u-joint front and back. I'll give them a try anyways

 

Just looked up a 2 joint front shaft in my neapco catalog and show part# 1-1612 in both positions

 

does it have specs on the u-joints? I ask because Ive been through about $400 worth of u-joints that dont fit. I sat there with the parts guy at napa and we looked up specs on every u-joint they sell for an '83 and even an '86 toyota and none fit my driveshaft. I then sat there with the parts guy at Pat's and we looked through a precision catalog and the #513 looked to be too wide for my yokes. I'm going to town tomorrow to try the 513's, if they dont fit then I'll have to buy a new front driveshaft.

 

Precision #513 is for a cv front shaft, and the precision # that i show is rl3500
i sell neapco joints and the 1-1612 has a 2.047" inside yolk lockup with a bearing diameter of 1.143"
hope that helps

 

Yeah thats the very first set that I tried from Napa (same specs) the width is right but the bearing caps are not. The ones for a CV shaft dont fit it either so I tried a set from an '86 that had the right caps and again wrong spacing. I think its new driveshaft time, but where in God's creation did mine come from? It wasnt modified to fit in my truck and looks exactly like all other yota front shafts... but nobody makes a u-joint for it

 

well I bought a first gen double cardon shaft off a friend, and picked up the u-joints that slacker said would fit yesterday, spent an hour tearing the double cardon down and low and behold, the u-joints dont fit! precision #513 use a 1.125" o.d. bearing cap, the joints that came out of the double cardon are 1.143" so the total now is $570 spent on parts, and 2 front driveshafts missing u-joints...

 

hmm, that sounds like one payment on a new trd taco, have you thought of trade in value? lol jks

 

your doing something wrong then .. I , as well as 100's of others have done this successfully many times before you .. and NEVER had a problem



what can I say ?


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Are you sure your friend didn't provide a 1st gen 4runner driveshaft?
The flanges bolt up directly to your '83?
If the pattern is different he probably sold/gave you an IFS shaft. 3 different front d/s's around.

 

slacker, what could I be doing wrong? the precision #513 u joints use a 1.125" o.d. bearing cap and the ones I pulled out of the double cardon are 1.143", the 513s are also a little too wide. The 513 bearing caps slide right through the bores in the yoke and wiggle around inside. OC, I checked the flanges first before I started wrenching and they are the same pattern as my '83, the shaft came from a first gen truck. My friend doesnt own any ifs trucks except his '08 taco. The only thing I can think of is if toyota decided to change the u joints on the double cardon in '84? the guy who asked about them in the link slacker provided had a second gen pickup. I am just so frustrated with this, I dont understand why toyota made so many different u-joints and Ive got the only 2 driveshafts in the world that nobody has u-joints for. I geuss its more catalog surfing tomorrow

 

the one pictured is a 1st gen .. and I did that with no problems ..

can you throw up some pictures of the shafts , maybe we can help that way

 

the reason I bring up the Driveshaft flange is that there are more differences than I remembered, most people were selling a triple drilled flange, now some suppliers are selling D/S flanges with 5 patterns. (ex: 79-83, 4cyl CV, V6 CV, Standard Ujoint, and Turbo Ujoint patterns).

not sure if this will help or not, but gives you some measurements:

the info is below is from the Pirate Toyota FAQ.

Toyota Bolt pattern listing:
U-joint refers to the axle-end of the shaft, CV-joint to the T-case end.

U-Joint pattern '79 thru '83 (maybe early '84)
3.340"[84.8mm] Bolt Circle
2.200"[55.9mm] x 2.525"[64.1mm] Rectangular pattern
(4) holes .335"[8.5mm] Diameter

CV-Joint pattern '79 thru '83 (maybe early '84)
3.575"[90.8mm] Bolt Circle
2.350"[59.7mm] x 2.670"[67.8mm] Rectangular pattern
(4) holes .335"[8.5mm] Diameter

U-Joint pattern '84 and later
3.323"[84.4mm] Bolt Circle
2.350"[59.7mm] x 2.350"[59.7mm] Square pattern
(4) holes .413"[10.5mm] Diameter

CV-joint pattern '84 and later
3.636"[92.4mm] Bolt Circle
2.350"[59.7mm] x 2.775"[70.5mm] Rectangular pattern
(4) holes .413"[10.5mm] Diameter
----------------------------------------------------

 

Well I made some progress today, went and exchanged the precision 513s for precision 387s and they fit. The precision #613 center ball does not fit, the race is a little too small. OC, the bolt pattern for the CV flanges is the same as my '83 double joint shaft, I know the exact truck this shaft came from, its nicknamed the "newfie gunner" and has a 20r/4 spd drivetrain. Slacker, my double cardon shaft looks identical to the one you posted pics of, but all 3 u-joints seem to be precision #387 (1.143" bearing cap), the 513s use a 1.125" bearing cap. I need to go back and exchange the center ball for something that will fit, I hope its not the only one they make. I wonder why Toyota kept changing u-joint and flange bolt patterns so much, it has made this simple repair into a parts nightmare.

 

triz ..
toyota made the shafts NOT repariable , so you would have to buy a NEW shaft from them .. the aftermarket made the ujoints , so you wouldnt have to .

The precision 387 is a "stock" replacement for the "other" ujoints (front , on the front shaft , and rear drive shaft ujoints) there is NO question , what you have , is not the norm for the CV joint ..

Precision also makes a 614 center ball kit .. for the toyotas , but "traditionally" it fits the toyota panel VAN 4x4 front shaft . maybe thats what you have ?


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Thanks Slacker, this shaft is definetely a little oddball. The precision catalog listed the 387 for the diff side and 513 for the CV, but the 387 fits all positions on this shaft. I'll try to get specs or order the 614 center ball, hopefully its the one I need but the 613 is definetely too small. Right now Ive got the diff side u-joint installed and the first CV u-joint in, once I get that center ball I can finish the rest.

 

no worries .. glad to help where I can .. if I can
let us know



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Well I got everything done and the shaft in the truck. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction Slacker, the 614 center ball fit. Tookthe truck for a drive and its all good, Thanks again!

 

glad to help


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