A couple days ago I was down in the lake bottoms doing a multi point job of turning around and I heard this loud ping noise from my driver side. I got turned around and all seemed fine until I went to climb the slick hill to leave... Right at the top when my momentum gave out and the tires got to spinning I heard this load bang and crunching noises coming from the CV area. The CV boot is basically gone, and pretty much anything under it is toast. I can grab the cv shaft and shake it around...
I haven't had the chance to take anything off of it and mess with it yet. What all do you think I have destroyed and now need to replace? Is this something a novice can replace or should I look for a shop in the morning?


EDIT : its a 97 4runner SR5 w/ auto hubs if any of that matters...

 

You can do it ,but find a shop.

 

I agree.............

 

how novice are you? i replaced both driver & passenger inner & outer boots not too long ago. messy...very. but not too difficult if you know your way around a wrench. swapping axles is easier & much cleaner... cost is about the same once you factor in your oe shafts for cores.

if you dont mind paying ~$60-80/hr, or if you feel unqualified to do it, then get a shop to do it. it really is simple though...and the knowledge you gain from doing it yourself may save you that next time your out on a trail (with spares of course! )

 

Like said before me, it's not a hard job. Anyone could do it if they put there mind to it. Do save yourself the headache though and just get a complete half shaft from your local auto parts store and don't bother trying to rebuild the one you got. And like said before, the knowledge you gain could help you on the trail later.

 

Would worn cv's also cause steering wheel shake (very moderate) and a bit of drive trane vib?
Also, is there a write up somewhere on the half shaft replacement?

 

Thanks for all the help everyone! After the $83 investment down at the auto parts store for the half shaft and a little under 4 hrs in the driveway with a buddy I'm up and running again
Is this something more likely to happen in a v6, or auto hubs? Cause I drove the ˟˟˟˟˟ out of my 2.7 Tacoma for a couple years and didn't ever have to deal with this. I gave that truck a rough life of wheeling and abuse and all it ever did was impress. Gotta love a Yota

 

I know it's an old(er) thread but I was wondering the same thing & didn't want to start a new thread for an old topic. I have a little steering wheel wobble, I thought it might be the steering stabilizer but yesterday the vehicle made a loud pop sound when turning the steering wheel full to leave the driveway & today I listened when the wife backed it out & it's definitely coming from the CV area. I have searched for a CV axle/halfshaft replacement write-up with no luck. I have never owned a Toyota before so it's all new to me. I'm mechanically inclined enough to do the work I'm sure; I just need a few pictures since I don't know the names of the parts.


B.T.W. it's a 1995 4Runner 4x4 auto hubs.