Rear axle fitment

[HeelAndToe85]

Slid into curb with right rear wheel today. Bent axle. My car is a 1999 limited 4x4 automatic.
Looking to grab entire rear axle + bearing + brake assembly off of donor car to swap in.
Part number searching with fitment cross reference proving harder than I imagined.
I would guess any rear axle + brake assembly would fit from 1996-2000 4x4 since all 1996-2000 have ABS. Does 2001-2002 have different ABS sensor? Or would 2001+2002 axle fit as well.
Axle itself looks like it fits RH or LH, but if I take drum brakes am I forced to use RH side only?
Not very interested in taking whole assembly apart and swapping just axle itself since I don't have the whole press tool setup to R&R bearings.

Thanks.

 

[Bad Luck]

Slid into curb with right rear wheel today. Bent axle. My car is a 1999 limited 4x4 automatic.
Looking to grab entire rear axle + bearing + brake assembly off of donor car to swap in.
Part number searching with fitment cross reference proving harder than I imagined.
I would guess any rear axle + brake assembly would fit from 1996-2000 4x4 since all 1996-2000 have ABS. Does 2001-2002 have different ABS sensor? Or would 2001+2002 axle fit as well.
Axle itself looks like it fits RH or LH, but if I take drum brakes am I forced to use RH side only?
Not very interested in taking whole assembly apart and swapping just axle itself since I don't have the whole press tool setup to R&R bearings.

Thanks.

You will need a right rear axle shaft from a 1996-2000 equipped with ABS (they did not all come with abs). The brake setup will be backwards if you use a left side axle. It's also worth pointing out that some 4Runners (mainly sport/highlander/limited) came with larger rear wheel cylinders for the rear brakes so it would probably be easiest to just swap the rear wheel cylinder from your old brakes over to the new axle.

 

[phattyduck]

You will need a right rear axle shaft from a 1996-2000 equipped with ABS (they did not all come with abs). The brake setup will be backwards if you use a left side axle. It's also worth pointing out that some 4Runners (mainly sport/highlander/limited) came with larger rear wheel cylinders for the rear brakes so it would probably be easiest to just swap the rear wheel cylinder from your old brakes over to the new axle.

The wheel cylinder size difference is whether the truck was originally 15" or 16" wheel equipped. Otherwise the rear axles and brakes are the same (or, at least close enough) for 96-00. ABS will be easy to verify - there will be a toothed ring pressed on the axle shaft inboard of the bearing.

-Charlie

 

[HeelAndToe85]

You will need a right rear axle shaft from a 1996-2000 equipped with ABS (they did not all come with abs). The brake setup will be backwards if you use a left side axle. It's also worth pointing out that some 4Runners (mainly sport/highlander/limited) came with larger rear wheel cylinders for the rear brakes so it would probably be easiest to just swap the rear wheel cylinder from your old brakes over to the new axle.

Thanks-- what is different about 2001-2002 units?

 

[spartacus]

Slid into curb with right rear wheel today. Bent axle. My car is a 1999 limited 4x4 automatic.
Looking to grab entire rear axle + bearing + brake assembly off of donor car to swap in.
Part number searching with fitment cross reference proving harder than I imagined.
I would guess any rear axle + brake assembly would fit from 1996-2000 4x4 since all 1996-2000 have ABS. Does 2001-2002 have different ABS sensor? Or would 2001+2002 axle fit as well.
Axle itself looks like it fits RH or LH, but if I take drum brakes am I forced to use RH side only?
Not very interested in taking whole assembly apart and swapping just axle itself since I don't have the whole press tool setup to R&R bearings.

Thanks.

2001 and 2002 abs sensors will work with earlier years. AFAIK because of the parking brake bracket on the back plate you'll have to use the correct side from the donor.
Give jims yota yard a call there prices have gone up, also Randy at Yota yard on Walnut street is a good guy.

 

[phattyduck]

Thanks-- what is different about 2001-2002 units?

The bearing setup changed somewhere around that time. Very similar, but not the same. Brake lines to the rear housing also changed, but that doesn't directly affect the axle shaft/brakes.

-Charlie

 

[spartacus]

Thanks-- what is different about 2001-2002 units?

The axle shafts from a 01-02 should fit the 99.

 

[HeelAndToe85]

The wheel cylinder size difference is whether the truck was originally 15" or 16" wheel equipped. Otherwise the rear axles and brakes are the same (or, at least close enough) for 96-00. ABS will be easy to verify - there will be a toothed ring pressed on the axle shaft inboard of the bearing.

-Charlie

Cool. Yeah, I can swap all my drum brake stuff over if I grab something with 15" wheels.

 

[clearock]

The wheel cylinder size difference is whether the truck was originally 15" or 16" wheel equipped. Otherwise the rear axles and brakes are the same (or, at least close enough) for 96-00. ABS will be easy to verify - there will be a toothed ring pressed on the axle shaft inboard of the bearing.

-Charlie

non-abs axles dont even have the spot on the housing for the ABS wheel sensor so it's easy to c just by looking at the axle housing.

 

[HeelAndToe85]

Grabbed this from a 98 SR5 w/ 16" wheels and ABS. Bearing seems to be newish. I'm hopeful.

 

[clearock]

Thats looks to be the original bearing, if it were me I'd take the opportunity to replace both wheel bearings and all the seals as well...

 

[clearock]

should have asked sooner but what makes u think u bent the axle and not the axle housing....? the axle shaft its self has a lot of flex and I highly doubt u bent the axle shaft... did u bend the flange where the drum and wheel sit?

 

[HeelAndToe85]

Thats looks to be the original bearing, if it were me I'd take the opportunity to replace both wheel bearings and all the seals as well...

Yeah, that would be good. I don't have a press or any of the special tools though... Just did axle seals and bearings on my car 2 years ago so the other side is good. I don't like driving it the way it is and I could have this sucker in tonight.

If this bearing is wore out it could make my newish axle seal not very happy. But the amount of work to replace bearing and seal is about the same amount of work just to replace the bearing so it's maybe worth a shot to just throw this in and see how it goes?

 

[octanejunkie]

should have asked sooner but what makes u think u bent the axle and not the axle housing....? the axle shaft its self has a lot of flex and I highly doubt u bent the axle shaft... did u bend the flange where the drum and wheel sit?

This ∆∆∆

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[HeelAndToe85]

I put a jack under rear diff and put it in drive. The wheel was obviously wobbly. So I took the wheel off and put it in drive. The brake drum was wobbly. Took the brake drum off. The flange/hub had a little wobble.

If the axle housing was bent and the axle was straight... the wheel would run true with respect to the car, just at a slightly cocked angle.

 

[clearock]

I put a jack under rear diff and put it in drive. The wheel was obviously wobbly. So I took the wheel off and put it in drive. The brake drum was wobbly. Took the brake drum off. The flange/hub had a little wobble.

If the axle housing was bent and the axle was straight... the wheel would run true with respect to the car, just at a slightly cocked angle.

Ur not taking into account that the shaft will bend in a bent housing, I big clue if its ur housing and not the shaft is removal and installation of said is harder because the shaft is having to unbend/bend during fitment. as u already have the replacement u will soon now either way

 

[HeelAndToe85]

This makes sense. I will definitely find that out quick. I did drive as-is 10 miles already today. If housing was bent so bad that it forces axle to wobble I should have sensed that quick. But I'll see. I'll post an update when I rip this apart.

 

[HeelAndToe85]

Got the new assembly installed yesterday. Went surprisingly quick and easy. The bearing wasn't extremely tight but once on the car I don't get much of any noticeable play when I yank the wheel around. Everything turns super true and straight now. Camber is zero. All looks to be fixed. I'll just monitor wheel bearing and axle seal. Thanks for the help, all.

 

[clearock]

Got the new assembly installed yesterday. Went surprisingly quick and easy. The bearing wasn't extremely tight but once on the car I don't get much of any noticeable play when I yank the wheel around. Everything turns super true and straight now. Camber is zero. All looks to be fixed. I'll just monitor wheel bearing and axle seal. Thanks for the help, all.

Nice, glad it wasn't the housing and everything worked out.