1999 Toyota 4runner universal joint inspection and replacement - U-Joints

After getting the misfire fixed on this 4runner I noticed it had a vibration on the highway from the rear end of the vehicle. It seemed more rapid than a tire vibration so I figured we had a Universal joint that was loose. It turns out we had a u-joint that was tight. The U-joint failed because of water intrusion and lack of maintenance. if this joint was lubricated more often this part may not have failed. I used the hammer and vice method in this video so most should be able to duplicate it at home.

[@alandust2188]

I've watched several videos on u joints....yours is by far the best. THANKS

[@Brian1.]

I like that you did not break the video up. I may have enough confidence to service my 4runner. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@spelunkerd]

Wise advice, to be sure the wheels are chocked. Twenty years ago I accidentally bumped a shift lever when changing trans fluid, it was a shock to feel the vehicle lurch while I was under. Nothing happened since I had wheels chocked, but it was a moment I'll never forget.

[@wildmustangart1577]

Just finished this repair. Thanks for the play by play. The Pin bearings were rusty dust. lol...

[@mikefitzpatrick5657]

Best video on the Toyota u-joint. Very thorough and straightforward

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

I appreciate that!

[@benzoil0453]

Very good detailed video Sir. Didn't skip anything at all which is fantastic for those who actually want to do this themselves and feel confident doing it. Getting ready to do a 3rd member swap on my 97 runner and going with limited slip. Anyway thanks again 👍

[@bushcraftnorthof6012]

Doing my 99 4Runner this weekend. Great video on this. Makes me more confident. Been years since I did this. Had an 88 Ramcharger that had plastic injected caps. Didn't use heat, just banged them out. Take care.

[@bajones9134]

The BEST video on how to change the 4Runner U-Joint!!! Thank you VERY MUCH!!

[@freebirdchampion]

Really great video! A big thank you, you are going to make my shitty weekend crawling around under my car in the snow so much better. Well I'm thanking you now, but will be cursing you come Saturday for how easy you made this look.

[@Oppenheimer1968]

Excellent complete detailed video guide-and safety awareness-perfect-thank you!!

[@avit24]

Thanks for sharing man! Have just changed the uj om my hdj81 front shaft. Quite a quick job to get straight back on the road!

[@sebeck1]

Awesome video man! Replaced my rear u-joint today on my 01 4runner!

[@bajar.m.6953]

Very well explained. Some mechanics apply a thin coat of silicone on the flench in case the oil seal start leaking on the third member and transfer case. Great job 👍🏽

[@alexfischer9493]

This is the best video I have found on this topic! Thanks

[@craigjohnson8608]

VERY good, thorough video. Easy to watch and very informative. A+

[@dc5723]

Thank for a great video on replacing the Yota U-Joint.

[@jeffbuster7816]

good video man, thanks for the thorough walk-through!

[@ProjektKickz]

Great tutorial. I think i may have to do this job to my rig soon. Thank you.

[@henryx.1779]

Going to do this to my 3rd gen runner Saturday . Thanks for the video! Hope I don’t screw it up

[@edwardchavez8265]

Thanks for the video I'm glad you did it all in one shot

[@yuk-erkmckirk9277]

going to do a new uni on my 2nd gen hi-lux surf import tomorrow. 2nd one ive owned,had the 1st one for 17yrs,this one for 7 and never needed to replace one before until now.great video to use as a reference on my tablet while while im banging away at the vice in the morning. i think the 4runner in the US is the same as ours was in Australia but without a diesel and a V6 instead, looks the same underneath as far as driveshaft and rear end goes.

[@masury1]

Great ! Detailed, i used it to work on my prado. Thanks

[@andrewk778]

Always interesting and informative. Thank you for sharing. The Weber Auto KZbin channel has a very interesting video on U joint replacement.

[@nestavincent5620]

Fantastic video, gave me the confidence to rip out the driveshaft on my first gen

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

You can do it!

[@yazming1720]

Thank You for the GREAT VIDEO. 👍 💯👍💯👍💯👍 I have the 99 4Runner 2wd That will be replacing the u joints & this video gave me the confidence to install correctly New Subscriber 2 Yazmin Venice Beach CA ⛱ ⛱

[@gary8483]

Extremely helpful video, thank you.

[@yazming1720]

Thanks 4 the Great Video 👍💯👍💯👍🏁🏁🏁 Please keep them coming 🙏

[@lkurowic]

Excellent video.

[@blazindragon296]

its funny every technician i know or have seen on KZbin has that same hammer as I do. I just did my 03 Tacoma and my god it was in there i did everything possible. finally decided to cut the U-joint out with a cut off wheel and then hammered out the caps with heat.

[@jeromepark7002]

I just subbed a very detailed video thankyou

[@DarkBykeTwitch]

Learned a lot, thanks!

[@Itslopezbro]

Great stuff, boss!

[@solluna2155]

Good tutorial brother, thanks 👍

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

No problem 👍

[@billyyoder8171]

Thank you Chad and Val. Good job. Have a blessed and safe week to you and your family.

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

Thank you Billy. You and you family have a blessed and safe week as well. We appreciate your support.

[@CubasAutomotive]

Wow.... I noticed something different about you, and couldn't place it. It finally hit me..... NO GLASSES! I'm assuming the Lasik went well then? That's freaking awesome! I'm so happy for you Chad!! 😁🤗👍🏻👍🏻

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

I have almost good vision now. I do miss glasses at times.

[@CubasAutomotive]

@@ThePracticalMechanic missing glasses? That's crazy. But seriously, congratulations! Good vision, without the need of glasses is definitively a huge blessing. 😍

[@CubasAutomotive]

Btw, I've NEVER been able to pound out joints like that on the vice. EVER! Lol It's such a huge perk to be living out in CO. It's always a combination of torch & press here. 😅😅

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

I’m a big fan of the Tiger tool U joint press kits. They work great on the dodge axle u joints. Some just get torched apart and the press the caps out.

[@jeromepark7002]

Just a respectful comment about lock / spring washers , I was taught to always put them on the nut side if connecting flanges . If you had a bolt installed to a threaded part of engine ( without a nut) you could place the washer under the bolt head. Some one else could have worked on that uni joint and placed it wrong .

[@tylerparker4750]

Great Video ! Thank you

[@redcdiver1]

Great video

[@trippletraders]

Great instructional diy video, and while I agree the flange bolts come off with much force, the torque specs in my manual state 54 ft/lbs . I must Have mine tightened down to 100 ft/lbs right now 😅...maybe I should back them off a bit.

[@luispayan7430]

Great job thank you 😊

[@lukeneave]

Awsome video mate easy to under stand, what was the misfire problem? And what was that wire tool you used?

[@mattdewitt3985]

Hey Chad, great video on this. I have 99 Toyota 4runner Limited and we love the truck and it has just developed a slight shudder, was noticing it mostly at around 20 mph but also feel it at highway speeds. Truck is in excellent condition, zero rust, we live in north alabama. I'm having a hard time diagnosing, no lights, no codes. Runs great seems to shift fine. I have pushed/pulled on the driveshaft joints multiple times but they seem super solid. That said i can say we have never serviced it. Truck is a daily driver and does not go off road. Mileage 361k. Just wondering if you have any advice on diagnosing. Keep up the good work!

[@s2k350]

Thank you!

[@memoriespast1499]

Very good vid 10 of 10

[@Dream-Filled-Donut]

thank you!

[@suizadim8884]

Thanks

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

No problem

[@kenk3102]

...outstanding DIY video Chad....thank you very much....you have given me the confidence to do this on my 2000 4Runner.... I'm thinking of going with Moog for the u-joints on this 2 wheel drive at both ends....what are your thoughts for quality?....thanks.... :)

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

They are decent but not as good as the originals. Spicer ujoints are great but I do not know if they make them in that size. I have been seeing more and more fitment issues with the aftermarket parts lately.

[@mikeandcolleenk9831]

Excellent talk through! A great way to make sure its all back original. I use cv grease in my ujoints. Are nongreasable joints tighter tolerance than greasable?

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

I’ve never checked to see if the non-greaseable u-joint are tighter. OEM joints seem to last 200,000 mile or more and the aftermarket ones seem to only last 50,000 or so. It doesn’t seem to mater if the aftermarket ones are greasable or not. I have some Toyotas with over 300,000 and the joints are original. They get serviced every other oil change.

[@AustinWilhite]

What brand U-joint did you use in this case?

[@evanmadigan3157]

I keep spare drive shaft bolts where you bolt the lower inspection plate to the Trans

[@romiep9557]

What good brand u-joint did u use to replace? Thanks

[@vuthyyos5212]

Thank you for the video. Will this instruction work with 1999 Tacoma 3.4l as well? Thanks again!

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

It should be the same.

[@hylndrfan]

I need to replace the slipjoint Yoke assembly? Do you have a part number for it?

[@heyitschinoable]

Hey do you mind telling me what long wrench set you were using? Also great repair and video!

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

They are from gear wrench. I have them from 8mm up to 25mm and have never broken any of them.

[@heyitschinoable]

@@ThePracticalMechanic awesome thanks brother. Might try these out before shelling out on some pricey Snap On ones

[@moniquealarcon5515]

Hey let me start off and thank you for the awesome helpful video. I am looking to get my ujoint replaced...and dont want to get burned by a shop trying to over charge me( the tend to try since I am a lady) what would you or your shop usually charge for the work and parts for this job?

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

It really depends on how many need replaced and what quality of parts get installed but typically the rear ujoint parts and labor will be $140-240.

[@israelrodriguez6986]

@@ThePracticalMechanicInteresting, I decided to go with the entire new driveshaft for 237.00 +tax seems like the way to go for me since we use our 4runner everyday for work. Also everything will be new, balanced and I’ll have the peace of mind knowing everything is the way it should be. Still here watching to learn something new! Great Video!!!

[@4-Runner]

Great video! Do you find the rear u-joints to be the first to go on the 4runners? It looked like 3 sides of the original u-joint were greased and one wasn't. With the greaseable u-joints, I find this happens if there is a little more resistance in one of the joints and the grease will just flow through the others.

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

I do replace the rear joint much more often than any other joint. The problem with a double cardan joint on the front is the ~0 angle of the rear joint. This low angle causes the rollers to never rotate and they get flat spots. They call this brinelling and I find it often in front shafts because the front differential is always at the same angle in relation to the transfercase and the driveline angle is ~0 degrees.

[@4-Runner]

@@ThePracticalMechanic Thanks for the detailed response! This helps.

[@honorableundead2273]

I love how a mechanic tried to tell me he couldn't do this because it had security devices on it

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

Some vehicles have none serviceable universal joints but most Toyotas have replaceable universal joints.

[@spencerm106]

I wish I had seen this video before I started. Had my first crack today on an old FZJ80 (really rusted up) and completely made a meal of it by trying the "socket cup" method. After some heavy hitting and what felt like hours, I ended up on my vice and did something almost identical to what you show here that worked. The angles on those yokes on the Toyotas aren't really suitable for the cup method. On this vehicle, the front bolts are 10mm X 1mm and the rear 11mm X 1mm, and I advise using genuine. I've had a drive shaft come off on a highway once and it was pretty scary.

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

I always snag a few driveline bolts when I visit the wrecking yard because toyota uses a bolt you cannot find anywhere else. I have a 94 fzj80 project that I have the engine out of at the moment. Once I get it running I need to rebuild the front differential and knuckles. Working on a turbo setup so I hope the transmission can hold up.

[@randysanicolas1291]

i got my u joints replaced but there is still mild vibration. does it still need to get adjusted?

[@jakelong5067]

how’s your center bearing?

[@donnieboy007]

Question: Is a 1998-T100 V6 2WD similar to any other Toyota make. When it comes to motor size and mechanic work?

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

I think the last year for the T100 is 97. Most things are the same on the t100 as the tacoma and 4Runners but there are some slight differences.

[@donnieboy007]

Thanks just bought the truck and im still learning about these T100s. Not to many YT videos on Late t100s

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

@@donnieboy007 basically the engine repair videos will be the same as 1996-2002 tacoma and 4Runner. The suspension and brake videos look for 1989-1994 pickup and 4Runner.

[@RockyMountainTrails]

1.25 pitch

[@woodsey52]

can you buy the whole piece and not go through all that?

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

You may be able to purchase the entire driveshaft from a rebuilder or from the dealer. If it is no longer available then taking the shaft to a rebuilder may be the best option.