Replaced driveshaft, still not moving forward?

The labor involved in removing, gutting and rebuilding your factory unit will rival the cost of one of those IPT already done ones. But I would explore your options and let cost, convenience, and availability help decide.

 

Ya, for $2,875 (at least $3k shipped I'm sure...which is almost more than I paid for the whole truck) I'm leaning towards that as I've no records on any service that was done and almost see it being cheaper than letting a shop chase issues or rebuild it.

 

Could always gamble on a JY trans from a rusted out Tundy. The frame is what did most of those in, not mechanical. Either way, unless your doing the swap yourself, your looking at pretty big money.

 

Ya that's where I'm stuck, as I don't think I could do it myself so the big cost of the labor and whether I want to waste all the labor on a gamble with a junk yard trans I've got no history on.

 

Sooooo got it towed to a transmission shop who refused to give me a quote without seeing it....called today to say...'ya it doesn't move, so it needs a full rebuild, $4K'....
Well what the fuck, I asked what that would cost and you said you couldn't tell me without seeing it....annoyed but whatever at this point. Waiting on a call back from a shop who'll swap in a junk yard unit, as I found a few 2004 transmissions with 80-90k on them for $350.

So I'm leaning towards replacing it cause I can't imagine the labor to just swap it will be more than $3k but waiting to hear back on their quote

 

Hope you can get out the door for less than $2k with a used one. Some of these ‘low miles’ transmissions are bs. Its a roll of the dice. Some here have done well with a used they installed themselves.

Said it before many times here. If mine ever craps out, I’ll do the $4k rebuild with a local small specialist shop. Many of the new components are better than the OEM.

 

Ya I'm still on the fence and if it's gonna be under $2k I may spring for the upgraded internals from IFT and have them installed while it's out. We'll see

 

Are you able to do the work yourself? Invite a few buddy’s over to give you a hand and put a used transmission in.

 

Some work yes, this kind of work no unfortunately. Don't have the tools nor the expertise.

 

This could be your entry into more complex work. This being a second (non-essential) vehicle makes it a perfect candidate -- then you don't need to have it done in one weekend. Years ago I had RWD Volvo (which incidentally, had the same Asin Warner transmission Toyota was putting in its trucks at the time, and very similar to the tranny in our Tundras) with a leaking rear main seal. I consider myself a pretty handy guy, but I'd never done a rear main seal, or removed a transmission (which is required to get at the seal). I was a young guy with two kids and spare money was scarce. Guess who learned to remove a transmission and replace a rear main seal?

Removing it was not that hard -- just bulky. You buy yourself a transmission jack, or an adapter for your floor jack. Remove the drive shaft, a couple electrical connections, the dipstick tube (this may not be necessary on a Tundra), oil cooler lines, and slide it off the crank shaft. Install is the same in reverse. You have to align the torque converter on the way on, but there's no shimming or any other tricks to it... just bolt it back up. I've never had to do it on a 4WD vehicle, but obviously the transfer case needs to come off. I assume that just unbolts and slides off the output shaft of the tranny. Someone who's done it can correct me if there's more too it than that. Sure it's a big job, but it's not a very complex one.

 

Appreciate all that, but I'm in a house I bought last year and have 500ft of fence to put up that was just delivered, so at this point it's more a priority thing I guess in addition to not having the tools or experience.

 

Shop called back and it'll be $1200 to swap in a junk yard trans all in. So I'm looking at more than 2x for a rebuild with a warranty (3years/100k). Gonna think on it a bit, still not sure I can justify $4k for the rebuild.

 

That $1200 is doable with a three year warranty. Hopefully a trouble free 3 years and more.

 

Sorry the 3year warrany is on the full rebuild for $4k. The $1200 swap isn't covered at all and the junkyard only warranties the trans for 6 months and parts only.

 

I’d take 3 junkyard trannies at $1200 each over a rebuild at $4k.

 

Well the junkyard trans installed is more like $1500, and doing it more than once depends on finding another one for $350 down the road, which may not be possible.

 

And one break down on the used will put you almost right at the cost of a Rebuilt. Not to mention the downtime cost if its a daily driver and you have to scramble to redo. I don’t trust used transmissions although some have had success here as mentioned above.

 

Fair point

 

Final list of options after getting another quote:

Trans shop #1 - $4K - rebuild 3yr/100k warranty (claims plow won't void it)

Trans shop #2 - $3-3,400 - rebuild 1yr/12k warranty (also claims plow won't void it and will do 3yr warranty for extra $300)

Mechanic shop - $1200 labor/fluid/etc + $375 junkyard trans (85k ran when pulled last week) that's warrantied for 6 months (parts only) ('04 truck apparently had a rotted frame and they already sold the motor)

Still on the fence but leaning towards trans shop #2 cause it's a weekend/project vehicle for me so it's never going to even go 12k miles anyway, nevermind 100k

 

I would probably go with the JY one myself. Look at the fluid and if it is red (not dark), fire for effect.

 

We do used transmissions at work more than new on anything out of warranty.. typically they’re trouble free


Toyota’s got a better track record with transmissions and engines than most ol brands. So used usually is a decent option

 

Might be a waste of money but went with shop #2 to rebuild it 100% for slightly less money cause it'll never go 100k so the extra warranty won't do me any good anyway. Fingers crossed I'll actually be able to use it to go pickup some wire fence and concrete eventually so I can get started on that big fence project.

 

What type of posts are you using?

 

They're solid plastic, made of melted milk bottles and then dyed to look like wood. Heavy as hell but won't ever rot.

 

Interesting. I've never seen that product before. Are the posts solid or hollow? Is the material similar to Trex synthetic decking?

I'm finishing up installing 400' of t-post fencing around my uncle's garden. I've never installed fencing before so it's been a learning experience... but it's gone pretty smoothly. The biggest thing I've learned is that it's all about bracing the corner posts.

 

Solid and similar to Trex but probably twice as dense. Definitely right on the corners, I'll be concreting those in and another in the middle of each run since they're 100ft+ each.

https://www.bestpl.us/4x4

 

Buckle up gents.... This story gets bumpy...

Finally got the truck back today from trans shop after they had to source extra parts as apparently the shifter cable was failing apart and is a dealer only part.... And apprarently one of the internal bearings was cracked and isn't normally something they have to replace. After they test drove it for an hour the brake backing plate rattled itself apart and sounded like a garbage disposal with a spoon in it while I was driving away from the shop.... Took it back and they cut it off. They also mentioned the shocks were blown and leaking, and also now the power steering lines were all leaking....so that's great.

Made it 20 of the 30 mins home after that when it threw a CEL.... Shortly after I lost throttle.... coasted into a parking lot. Tried and tried with no luck getting the throttle back. Shut it off and got it back, went straight home where it's just leaking power steering fluid. Pulled the code and it's P0120 which comes back to a throttle position sensor which would seem to line up with the symptoms. Feeling super defeated driving this thing on hopes and dreams just to get it home after dropping almost $4k on a fully rebuilt trans.

 

Sounds like overall condition of the truck is in a poor state. Frame is ok? rusted out backing plates is not a good sign, I'm assuming it was on of the fronts. Sounds like the trans needed a rebuild, so it wasn't wasted money. TPS sensor shouldn't be very expensive. Something you could source and swap. Hope it all works out. Need to look around and check the other systems out. Full brake shake down, rear adjustment, fluid flush etc. Timing belt? Ball joints?

 

Believe someone else in another thread described it as 'Gnar Gnar' at one point. So ya I've already swapped all the fluids and it was the front drivers plate. Timing belt is on the list as well as a refresh of the brakes. Seeing a bunch of options for the TPS replacement, anyone know why there are options from $150-350? And whether it's an easy job?