...and after re-reading this thread i see that you dont even have that rig anymore, so maybe it will help someone else...

 

Wowe , it drove like that ? Is it possible you broke it when trying to separate it from the bellhousing ? That is crazy.

 

my original thought was that i had broken it when pulling it out, but on closer inspection none of the breaks were recent and there was alot of wear and cracking. I wish I had some pics to post, its pretty ridiculous,

 

I have the same problem, there is a rattle / box of marbles noise coming from the underside of my truck (1995 4runner 3vze automatic - Australian Hilux SR5 with right hand drive). The sound comes on deceleration, especially on a level or down hill surface under breaking. It sounds like loose gears rattling, or loose linkages.
The axle is well greased, and all U joints are tight. The automatic transmission shifts fine. The truck doesn't get all the power it should, but that might be engine flaws like vacuum leaks that I missed.

I have packed, and re-packed the grease in the transfer case linkage pivot point... twice. I exchanged the pivot point cylinder for a used junkyard one.
No luck. I still have the rattling sound.

So, I checked the transmission fluid so I can do a stall test on the torque converter (pending as I need to get some more fluid - it's Christmas and everything is closed). If that tests as good, the next place I'll be looking is the gearbox or the flex plate bolts.

So, anyone have advice? Is the transmission / gear box on the way out... or is it just a fluid issue that I've missed.

I have a spare transmission/gearbox/torque converter, but I don't want to change it out if I don't have too. It's a lot of work and I'm lazy.