Any Advice for Removing Rear Axle?

BamaDrewski

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I have found a 3rd gen donor vehicle with a factory locking rear differential. I want to go today and pull it. I am just going to take the empty housing less the 4.30 ration third member (unless someone wants it)

Has anyone done this and if so, any tips and/or tricks?
 
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I was able to remove an axle housing myself using ratcheting straps, a furniture dolly, and two 4x4's.

Here are my notes & pictures: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-ge...ml#post1191149

Thanks for the link So Many Roads. The straps are a great idea! I am just wondering if I can wrestle the axle onto a dolly by myself. I understand they can weigh from 140-210lbs. This donor axle still has the 4.30 ratio third member in it and that will come out before I load this thing up. I understand the 3rd member weighs about 20-25 pounds. Thanks again man.
 
The third member weighs a little more than 25 pounds, and an axle housing is light as a feather. It's the drums and shafts that are heavy, but you'll pull those and move everything in pieces.

Put the rear frame on tall jackstands, chock the front wheels WELL. Jack up the rear axle, remove the wheels, put it on stands too or let it droop for now. Remove the brake lines, soft line between the axle and body and hard lines at each drum. Unlink the ebrake cable. Disconnect the ABS sensors, if it has them. Four bolts on each axle flange hold the shafts in, unbolt those and slide the shaft/drum assemblies out (don't let them rest on the axle seals, remove them completely). Now you can unbolt and remove the third (and depending on how much the yard wants for it you may as well buy it and sell it, since you put in the labor to remove it). Unbolt the sway bar, take the shocks off, and droop the axle so that the springs fall out. All that's left now is the axle housing - support it so it doesn't twist and fall, and unbolt the four links and you're done. Barring complications, figure on two hours.
 
Get an extra set of hands to help. It makes it much easier.

If time is not a huge factor take out the shafts and rear brake gear first.
 
If you're pulling solo, definitely unload it completely first. The housing isn't that heavy empty. Make sure you take a BFH and some good side cutters (dykes).
 
You guys are calling a little Toyota rear axle heavy???

My Dana 60 and GM 14bolt each weighed over 400 pounds (Dana 60 was >500) and I pulled each by myself.

Lift one end onto the dolly at a time that way you're only lifting half the weight.
 
other than the weight, there isn't anything technical.

I did the rear end swap and I attached the wheels to roll them around. Plus, if you can drain the fluids, do that first.
 
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complications!!

I did this two weeks ago as I removed the axels we noticed seals were shot and needed to press in new bearings, also get a new brake extension, pan hard extender for sway bar clearance also go with the lowrange elocker wiring.

The third member weighs a little more than 25 pounds, and an axle housing is light as a feather. It's the drums and shafts that are heavy, but you'll pull those and move everything in pieces.

Put the rear frame on tall jackstands, chock the front wheels WELL. Jack up the rear axle, remove the wheels, put it on stands too or let it droop for now. Remove the brake lines, soft line between the axle and body and hard lines at each drum. Unlink the ebrake cable. Disconnect the ABS sensors, if it has them. Four bolts on each axle flange hold the shafts in, unbolt those and slide the shaft/drum assemblies out (don't let them rest on the axle seals, remove them completely). Now you can unbolt and remove the third (and depending on how much the yard wants for it you may as well buy it and sell it, since you put in the labor to remove it). Unbolt the sway bar, take the shocks off, and droop the axle so that the springs fall out. All that's left now is the axle housing - support it so it doesn't twist and fall, and unbolt the four links and you're done. Barring complications, figure on two hours.
 
good luck

message me if you need tips

I have found a 3rd gen donor vehicle with a factory locking rear differential. I want to go today and pull it. I am just going to take the empty housing less the 4.30 ration third member (unless someone wants it)

Has anyone done this and if so, any tips and/or tricks?
 

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