No problem. I still need to update that CV axle stuff in an article someday. So I've removed it from this thread.

I can get specs on the front driveshaft from transfer case to front diff as well. I have some parts left over from some rear driveshaft damage of mine from years ago.

So for the front driveshaft of '96-'02 4Runners, it is normally 27.5" long. There are U-joints on both ends. No CV joint. I don't know how much extension travel is allowed, but I'd guess very little since it's IFS and it doesn't move around much.

The rear driveshaft has a CV joint at the transfer case end. On my old damaged driveshaft I just measured 30 or maybe 31 degrees for max angle. The overall length as it is on the truck now is 48.75". It allows about 2" of compression from that point or 3" of extension from that point.

Some Limited edition 4Runners with the "Multi-mode" 4wd/all-wheel-drive mode had a larger transfer case and thus a shorter rear driveshaft. That would be maybe 10" shorter than my 48.75" and still include a CV joint. Those would only be on the top-of-the-line models of '99-'02 4Runners. It doesn't sound like that would help you anyway.

Honestly I'd be surprised if a front driveshaft on any IFS vehicle included a CV joint (double cardan) since it doesn't need to move much at all. But I don't know much about that topic. You might look into even older 4Runners that came with the solid front axle. They most likely had CV joints in short front driveshafts. Those would be '86 or earlier.

My '07 Tacoma also has a front driveshaft with U-joints on both ends - no CV joint.

The break of the model years is '96 or newer for 4Runners which starts the 3rd generation. So I guess look at '95 and earlier for your mystery joint.

You also might check into Land Cruisers while they had a solid front axle.