Hi all! got my first question

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GreenMachine88

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Hi everyone, my name is Alex and I just signed up on this forum site. I also got my first Toyota 4 Runner, it's a '98 with the 5speed 6cyl. My question is, on the rear axle, there are two brackets on the top that connect to a rod that goes to the frame rails. Yeah, those brackets are cracked. If I take them off is it going to effect much of anything? I figure it's stabilizer bars?? Can someone help me please? This looks like a very helpful site and am happy to be a part of it now.
 
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GreenMachine88 said:
Hi everyone, my name is Alex and I just signed up on this forum site. I also got my first Toyota 4 Runner, it's a '98 with the 5speed 6cyl. My question is, on the rear axle, there are two brackets on the top that connect to a rod that goes to the frame rails. Yeah, those brackets are cracked. If I take them off is it going to effect much of anything? I figure it's stabilizer bars?? Can someone help me please? This looks like a very helpful site and am happy to be a part of it now.
Click to expand...
Welcome, another 5 speed, wa hoo!
 
If the brackets are on top and teh bars you are talking about are approx 12" going forward to the frame they are part of the suspension(4 link) and keep the axle from rotating around if you can take a picture of the brackets and rods you are talking about for better information.
 
I tried putting photos up but I guess I need a host or something. Let me keep trying lol. It's two main brackets on the top that both have rods going off of them to little black bushings then to the rails I believe.
 
<a href="http://s1021.photobucket.com/albums/af338/GreenMachine88/?action=view&current=Broken4runner.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af338/GreenMachine88/Broken4runner.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s1021.photobucket.com/albums/af338/GreenMachine88/?action=view&current=broken4pce.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af338/GreenMachine88/broken4pce.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
 
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OK couldnt see it on here but saw it on my phone. That is your Panhard bar and it is what keeps your rear axle centered under the vehicle. Pictures like that make me glad I live in So cal and dont have the road Salt eating my car. First I would clean up as much rust as possible to make sure the actual bracket is cracked and it just isnt a big rust flake making it look that way.

Yes that needs to stay on and the bracket will need to be repaired.
 
Pikeman said:
OK couldnt see it on here but saw it on my phone. That is your Panhard bar and it is what keeps your rear axle centered under the vehicle. Pictures like that make me glad I live in So cal and dont have the road Salt eating my car. First I would clean up as much rust as possible to make sure the actual bracket is cracked and it just isnt a big rust flake making it look that way.

Yes that needs to stay on and the bracket will need to be repaired.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the quick reply! Yeah, New England takes a toll on all cars and trucks here. It is definitely cracked so I guess I will need to weld it up tomorrow. I drove it a bit the way it is, probably not the best idea haha. But thanks again man, I really appreciate the help!
 
Ok now that i see the picture larger it is my first guess without the picture, they are the upper control links for the 4 link suspension still a vital part of the suspension and stabilization.
 
Pikeman said:
OK couldnt see it on here but saw it on my phone. That is your Panhard bar and it is what keeps your rear axle centered under the vehicle. Pictures like that make me glad I live in So cal and dont have the road Salt eating my car. First I would clean up as much rust as possible to make sure the actual bracket is cracked and it just isnt a big rust flake making it look that way.

Yes that needs to stay on and the bracket will need to be repaired.
Click to expand...

same here in nor cal. i would never even consider buying a car with any amount of rust on it
 
Y'all think that's a lot of rust, I will get you more pics up soon. I ran into another problem. There are two straight bars that come off of the axle to the frame. Not the stabilizer I was talking about above. The triangular shaped mounting bracket that the bar goes to on the passengers side is completely cracked and is about to give way. This is NOT looking like a very fun project. I will get picks up as soon as I can.

Thank you for all the help and welcomes by the way!
 
Naval Jelly and you will be great friends by the end of it.... okay as far as parts going from axle to frame. 2 on top of axle going to front of truck attaching to frame crossmember(upper control link/arms), 2 on bottom of axle to front of truck attaching to frame (lower control links/arms), one going from driver side axle to passenger side frame (panhard or track bar) and lastly the sway bar.
 
<a href="http://s1021.photobucket.com/albums/af338/GreenMachine88/?action=view&current=destroyed-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af338/GreenMachine88/destroyed-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
 
<a href="http://s1021.photobucket.com/albums/af338/GreenMachine88/?action=view&current=L.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af338/GreenMachine88/L.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


Hard to see but its that tube that goes from the axle to frame. Is there a place that sells weldaments for 4runners so I can get that new mounting bracket?
 
Ouch! Those rust pictures literally hurt my eyes. I cringe at the thought of working on that thing. I had an '89XJ that I bought from upstate NY and I absolutely hated working on it. Everything required a breaker bar and impact wrench and I can't tell you how many screws and bolts snapped off and had to be drilled out. Swore I wouldn't buy anything like that again, and have kept my word!

Good luck to you though. I'd get that fixed ASAP before driving it around too much.
 
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