Drive shaft out of phase

I’ve been overhauling my drive shaft (new joints and carrier bearing). I noticed before reassembling the intermediate shaft (front section) to the propeller shaft (rear section) that with all my match marks aligned, the yokes are out of phase compared to the FSM.

In the photo, the intermediate shaft yoke sits vertically, while the propeller shaft yokes sit horizontally.

I’ve double checked everything, and this is for sure the orientation it came out of the truck. I have it out once before, and at that point, I didn’t know about phasing, however, I can see my original match marks, so don’t think I make a mistake the previous time.

I still have the two pieces separated. But I’d like to get them together and off to a shop to balance.

I have a feeling that I shouldn’t alter the phasing, but would be an easy thing to change at this point.

Thoughts?

On a positive note, without the drive shaft in the rig, the vibration is gone. So fingers crossed that this is the last of my driveline work, and I can pay some attention to some other maintenance work...



Relevant FSM page:

 

Phasing came up at least once before. I mentioned it’s importance but was shouted down by those saying it didn’t matter.

I’m sure you will hear the same. I’m old but I’ll still properly phase any I work on.

 

Phase matters 100%, look for the service manual. Or wing it and break u joints all the time.

 

So that's two votes for changing the way it came out of the vehicle?

 

If you take it to a good shop to be balanced, will they even do it if it's out of phase via the book?

Serious question. Worth a call?

 

If it really doesn't matter, then phasing isn't going to hurt anything. I say do it for a win - win.

 

I think that's the answer. Call the shop, explain, and see what their recommendation is.

I guess I'm just curious why the phasing might have been set like that from the factory if it's so important to to be in phase.

 

Same reason some come low on trans fluid and other things that create recalls?

Or maybe it doesn't matter. A good drive shaft shop will know.

 

Doesn't necessarily mean it came that way from the factory, you can rotate that flange by the carrier bearing to any angle it's just set onto a splined shaft if I remember correctly. So rotate it 90 deg and it's "good" but phasing is a bit more complicated than that. You need to add degrees to compensate for the driveshaft angle. For a perfectly horizontal drive line they would all be at 90 degrees as simply illustrated in the FSM. BUt since your driveshaft is at an angle they set in a few degrees so there are no harmonics as the driveshaft rotates.

It's very easy to forget to put it back together right when you're replacing the carrier bearing...ask me how I know. Always make marks on the flanges with a paint marker.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Idk3BVDVHq4

Very good quick explanation of the concept. 90 degrees out of phase is very bad though

 

Well, I called the local drive line shop and the owner was incredibly rude and made it abundantly clear he didn't have the time for the details on the drive shaft or care for my money. After asking him if he had experience with 1st gen Tacoma double cardan drive shafts, and saying "I've already pulled the drive shaft out and replaced the u joints and carrier bearing" he interrupted me with "I won't work on those cheap aftermarket parts you probably used". After telling him that I indeed used OEM parts, he proceeded to tell me even OEM parts weren't up to spec for him to work on. So that was pretty interesting... I didn't even get to ask him about the phasing because he was such a complete asshole. After calling a few other drive line shops, they all said they refer balancing out to the first shop. So that blows. There is one other shop that supposedly does balancing in the greater area, but I haven't been able to get ahold of them yet.

 

Yeah. Line them all up. Driveline shop will say same thing. Really good shop in Manchester NH if you up for the ride…

 

Hey. If you correct your phasing you probably won’t need a balance. 50/50 on the position but worth a try

 

Phase matters...
When my son bought his first gen, it had a vibration. We were looking at the drive shaft, expecting a bad joint. Nope, it was out of phase. Lined it up properly and smooth as can be.

 

I'm struggling on the concept of changing it. If it was assembled that way from the factory, presumably it was balanced as a whole unit. Won't rotating the intermediate shaft 90 degrees relative to the propeller shaft put it further out of balance? Just seems like that would be throwing a wrench in the works of the carefully made match marks and diligence to reassemble it as it was.

I am positive the vibration has more to do with the new leaf springs changing the ride height than an issue with the drive shaft. The vibration was not present until the new springs, so guessing the 20 year old springs had just settled a lot.

 

Again, I can guarantee it was not assembled that way from the factory. Someone dissassembled it at some point.

 

I'm with the others on this, also I don't see but one mark on the driveshaft?

you can always try rotating the slip yoke 90 degrees. make a couple marks first with different color ink, then rotate it to the next mark. put it on and go for a drive, gradually increasing speed. if you notice any vibrations out of the ordinary, limp home and pull it

tell that DS tech to suck his own next time you talk to him. also look if they have reviews, might not be worth it to take it there if they are incompetent in the long run or if problem produce down the line

 

I'm the original owner. I have had it out once before. Match marks from the original disassembly still line up. This is the way it was in the rig from the factory.

 

The yoke on the slip yoke is in phase with the cardan joint. It's the yoke on the intermediate shaft which has a differing orientation.

 

Could this happen if someone changes the carrier bearing and didn’t reattach the driveline halves correctly? When I did my CB I was careful to make a few reference marks so everything went back with the correct indexing.