02' rear axle swap to put an elocker in. .

[St Runner]

The rear axle was bad on my 01 when I bought it (had run out of oil) so I swapped in the complete axle in from my 97, which I had laying around after swapping an elocked axle into that. Since then I have not been able do get the trac to work and the abs did not work until I reset it and is still way more sensitive than it should be. I am going to swap back the original axles and brakes from the 01 into the 97 housing to see if this solves the problem. I have not heard anyone else having this problem but it seems to me to be a sensor compatibility problem between the older abs and the newer 01-02. If your original axle seals were dry I would change the seals in the housing and use the axles from the 02

 

[jpeaslee]

What I just realized I'm not sure of, is if the complete axle assembly I got had ABS or not. It looks like if I did, that will make things a lot easier. If it doesn't, it seems it may be easier to modify my original axle housing than it is to try and deal with using the non-ABS axle assembly. I can't find the email from when I got the axle to figure out what year truck it came out of, and I won't get to take a look at the locker axle until this weekend.

I'm way too impatient for this....

 

[St Runner]

Its pretty rare to find a 4runner without abs so I would not worry too much

 

[Taylor20]

I'm about to swap the 4.30's from my 97 into my 02 in a couple weeks.
For the front, I plan on pulling the assembly, then swapping just the diffs so the ADD tubes stay with the correct vehicles.
For the rear, I am swapping over brake lines since my 02 has VSC. Everything else should the same, or I hope.
Wiring.....I'll make my own.

 

[jpeaslee]

Can you just leave the diff tube in the truck and detach the diff from it? I haven't seen anyone reference doing that, but I was thinking it'd be potentially easier to take out without the peg leg sticking off the side.

 

[Mark_BC]

For the rear I just unplugged the ABS lines from up where they are held on in the upper shock mount area. Then plugged the new ones in. Couldn't be easier except the plug is difficult to get at being up there.

For the brake line I just unscrewed the fitting from the flex hose at the diff and then screwed the new one on once installed. It started draining when I did this so I slipped a clear vinyl hose over it and directed that to a higher elevation. Or you could put a cap over it. I didn't even need to bleed the brakes with any equipment or anything, I just let it run through the new lines on the axle out the ports on the brakes and that was it.

Haven't done the front yet, that is next.

 

[Plastics guy]

Can you just leave the diff tube in the truck and detach the diff from it? I haven't seen anyone reference doing that, but I was thinking it'd be potentially easier to take out without the peg leg sticking off the side.

Take it out as a whole. Diff tube and all. It comes out fairly easy. Use a floor jack to hold the weight of the diff. It's not that heavy but makes it a little easier. It's an easy job. Just takes a little time. I think the worst of it is taking the axles out.. I've done the job a few times by myself in the yard.

I have an 02 and bought a complete elocker axle from a 99. The backing plates are different on the 01-02 then the rest of the 3rd gems (because of the ebrake cable) I needed to swap the backing plates so the emergency brake would work.

Since I ended up swapping the backing plates I decided I should replace the bearings while I'm at it. Which made me start thinking about if I wanted to put all that work into stock axles or should I spring for some chrome-alloy. So I now have a 99 axle housing with a Elocker, yukon axles, 02 backing plates with new bearings and seals from a 99.it all works perfectly.

I bought the OEM pigtail for the elocker motor, then wired up my switch to the OEM pigtail using 4wire trailer wire to the dash. I have a diagram if you need it.

One thing I know for sure is the 01-02 axles use a different wheel bearing. Our wheel bearing has an additional ring that makes the bearing width wider. So be sure to buy the bearings for a 96-00. I have a complete axle in my back yard that I can take some reference pics of. I also have pics of the bearing that's for the 01-02 vs the 96-00. This matters because your 02 complete axle (axle, bearing, backing plate) won't fit into the elocker housing due to your wider 02 wheel bearing. Let me know what you need.

 

[jpeaslee]

I have an 02 and bought a complete elocker axle from a 99. The backing plates are different on the 01-02 then the rest of the 3rd gems (because of the ebrake cable) I needed to swap the backing plates so the emergency brake would work.

Since I ended up swapping the backing plates I decided I should replace the bearings while I'm at it. Which made me start thinking about if I wanted to put all that work into stock axles or should I spring for some chrome-alloy. So I now have a 99 axle housing with a Elocker, yukon axles, 02 backing plates with new bearings and seals from a 99.it all works perfectly.

I bought the OEM pigtail for the elocker motor, then wired up my switch to the OEM pigtail using 4wire trailer wire to the dash. I have a diagram if you need it.

One thing I know for sure is the 01-02 axles use a different wheel bearing. Our wheel bearing has an additional ring that makes the bearing width wider. So be sure to buy the bearings for a 96-00. I have a complete axle in my back yard that I can take some reference pics of. I also have pics of the bearing that's for the 01-02 vs the 96-00. This matters because your 02 complete axle (axle, bearing, backing plate) won't fit into the elocker housing due to your wider 02 wheel bearing. Let me know what you need.

Are the backing plates easy to swap? I haven't really seen any reference to that anywhere.

Swapping the bearings is the part of the rear axle seal that has to be done at a shop, right? Can I just use the axles out of the e locker axle, or does that get complicated with the different abs/dual brake lines?

That diagram would be awesome!

 

[St Runner]

I never changed the backing plates just put the whole axle in. The only physical difference I saw was a bolt holding the brake line. I will post up when I try to swap in the original axles

 

[Plastics guy]

I never changed the backing plates just put the whole axle in. The only physical difference I saw was a bolt holding the brake line. I will post up when I try to swap in the original axles

But you have a 97. The OP has a 02.

 

[2ndhandyotaman]

Are the backing plates easy to swap? I haven't really seen any reference to that anywhere.

Backing plates require you to remove the wheel bearings and their retainer housings, which at that point you may as well install new bearings and seals. Toyota really dropped the ball on that whole design.

I had to replace perfectly good working/ non-leaking wheel bearings and seals just to replace a rotted out backing plate. I had a few choice words for the designer of that axle while doing the work ! :doh:

 

[Devo9000]

Backing plates require you to remove the wheel bearings and their retainer housings, which at that point you may as well install new bearings and seals. Toyota really dropped the ball on that whole design.



I had to replace perfectly good working/ non-leaking wheel bearings and seals just to replace a rotted out backing plate. I had a few choice words for the designer of that axle while doing the work ! :doh:

I did it recently on my 02. Used a ‘96 axle.
I only used the housing and kept my axle assemblies, they bolted right in with new seals. You need to make a bracket for the ebrake . Abs computer still happy.
Have some pics if you want.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jpeaslee]

I did it recently on my 02. Used a ‘96 axle.
I only used the housing and kept my axle assemblies, they bolted right in with new seals. You need to make a bracket for the ebrake . Abs computer still happy.
Have some pics if you want.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pics would be awesome.

So can I get away with just replacing the inner seal in the axle housing and making a bracket for the parking break, or am I going to have to more than that?