rear axle swap? how hard? how many hours at a shop?

[rubegoldberg]

I have a 1997 ltd with elocker, however the truck was from a salty province and the rear pumpkin is leaky. Also the locker doesn't engage (could be an easy fix)

I have found a rear axle with elocker for quite cheap off of a lower mileage truck that rolled.


How many hours would a qualified shop charge for a swap? Also is swapping my best option, or should i be just exchanging a few parts?



Below is my current rear diff.

 

[nevada]

I have a 1997 ltd with elocker, however the truck was from a salty province and the rear pumpkin is leaky. Also the locker doesn't engage (could be an easy fix)

I have found a rear axle with elocker for quite cheap off of a lower mileage truck that rolled.


How many hours would a qualified shop charge for a swap? Also is swapping my best option, or should i be just exchanging a few parts?



Below is my current rear diff.

I just looked it up, it gives 4.7 hours. that seems like a lot to me. Id think 2-3 hours tops. but, im not sure if that is swapping an entire complete rear end, or if that includes swapping of any parts. it doesn't say.

 

[snivilous]

I would think a shop should take an hour at most. Shocks, springs, 5 bolts for links, brake lines, elocker plug, wheel sensors, and driveshaft bolts and you're done.

Unless the axle is super rusted just replace the 3rd member which it sounds like would fix all your issues.

 

[s20004runner]

if the donor truck rolled, I question whether the housing was bent.

I picked up a locked rear end cheap once and later found out that the housing was bent and not worth the effort.

 

[rubegoldberg]

gears should line up if both trucks had elockers correct?

 

[s20004runner]

gears should line up if both trucks had elockers correct?

If you have the spare rear end, why not do the rear axle seals, bearings, brakes service?

swapping out the entire rear end is pretty straight forward. (disconnect all arms, shocks, drive shaft, brake lines) reattach then bleed the brakes

4.30 is common but you can't be 100% certain unless you pull the diff then count the gears or do the spin test.

 

[MStudt]

I'm guessing 4-5 hours if not more. You're replacing a rusted axle, and the rest of what needs to come off is going to be just as rusted. I would imagine you'll have some issues with the brake lines for starters.

 

[LithiaToyotaParts]

I just swapped the complete front and rear diffs on my '02. I changed gear ratio and went to an e locker. It ended up taking most of the day for both and I didn't have a bunch of rusted bolts. Weather you just swap the center section or the complete housing, bare minimum replace the seals while you have it tore down. I would agree that 4-5 hours isn't unreasonable if your dealing lots of rust issues, replacing seals and parts swapping.

If you can get me VIN #'s from yours and the donor truck I can probably tell you what gear ratios they had originally. The ratio can also be figured out from the information decal on the drivers door which has your axle code. If all else fails, the last few Toyota diffs I have had apart had the ratio stamped into the side of the ring gear.

 

[rubegoldberg]

I just swapped the complete front and rear diffs on my '02. I changed gear ratio and went to an e locker. It ended up taking most of the day for both and I didn't have a bunch of rusted bolts. Weather you just swap the center section or the complete housing, bare minimum replace the seals while you have it tore down. I would agree that 4-5 hours isn't unreasonable if your dealing lots of rust issues, replacing seals and parts swapping.

If you can get me VIN #'s from yours and the donor truck I can probably tell you what gear ratios they had originally. The ratio can also be figured out from the information decal on the drivers door which has your axle code. If all else fails, the last few Toyota diffs I have had apart had the ratio stamped into the side of the ring gear.

they are both 1997 ltd editions, so hopefully its okay... my last service was with a local shop called disturbed industries which has a several week waiting list on just non stock offroad toyotas,
he recommended a new axle housing specifically... does that mean a whole new axle? or should i be just cannibalizing the new axle/elocker for goodies like 3rd member?

 

[csp]

Don't assume anything about the year or model has anything to do with the gear ratios being the same. They must match or you will need to pull the third member from your existing axle to swap into the new housing

 

[LithiaToyotaParts]

they are both 1997 ltd editions, so hopefully its okay... my last service was with a local shop called disturbed industries which has a several week waiting list on just non stock offroad toyotas,
he recommended a new axle housing specifically... does that mean a whole new axle? or should i be just cannibalizing the new axle/elocker for goodies like 3rd member?

Like csp said, do not assume. You need to make sure that they have the same gear ratio per axle code or VIN. Even then, I would pull the center section to double check the ratio stamped on the ring gear.

 

[csp]

VIN and axle code on the door tag aren't even 100% accurate. Some years can have the same axle code for different ratios. Paint code on the pinion is accurate if it's still there.

 

[BlackCat914]

I'm guessing 4-5 hours if not more. You're replacing a rusted axle, and the rest of what needs to come off is going to be just as rusted. I would imagine you'll have some issues with the brake lines for starters.

Lol, finally someone with some sense.

 

[BrandonF]

Lol, finally someone with some sense.

Yeah no kidding. There is no way a shop is going to only charge for 1 hour of labour.

 

[02SE]

With the proper tools, equipment, and experience, it could easily be swapped in an hour.

That is not to say that any shop will charge just by the time it actually takes.

They will charge book time.

 

[rubegoldberg]

Sort of offtopic, But are these things a suitable fix for a leaky diff cover?

Toyota Pick Up Heavy Duty Differential Cover


Some guy on 3rd gen 4runner Mafia on facebook suggested it, but I figured I'd doublecheck here since that facebook page can occasionally be a braintrust of retards.

 

[02SE]

Sort of offtopic, But are these things a suitable fix for a leaky diff cover?

Toyota Pick Up Heavy Duty Differential Cover


Some guy on 3rd gen 4runner Mafia on facebook suggested it, but I figured I'd doublecheck here since that facebook page can occasionally be a braintrust of retards.

I've never used one, but it should work. Cut the old rusted-through 'cover' off, and weld this piece in place.

 

[KidVermicious]

Sort of offtopic, But are these things a suitable fix for a leaky diff cover?

Toyota Pick Up Heavy Duty Differential Cover


Some guy on 3rd gen 4runner Mafia on facebook suggested it, but I figured I'd doublecheck here since that facebook page can occasionally be a braintrust of retards.

More than occasionally, but in this case you got good advice. If the rest of the axle is sound, that cover plate would work. You'd still have to go to the effort of pulling the axle in order to install it, though.

 

[rubegoldberg]

More than occasionally, but in this case you got good advice. If the rest of the axle is sound, that cover plate would work. You'd still have to go to the effort of pulling the axle in order to install it, though.

It looks reasonable enough, the axle housing itself is usually too thick to rot out in most cases right? Its a bit of a mess, but it seems like most of the oil is coming from that pumpkin cover.

 

[02SE]

Well, the OEM pumpkin 'cover' is actually part of the housing. As opposed to being an actual cover like you might find on a Dana, AAM, Sterling, etc., etc.

One thing that concerns me, is that the fill plug looks like it's placed a little high, which could lead to an over-full condition. So if I were to get this cover, I'd be careful to fill it to a level no higher than the OEM fill-plug placement.


This weld-on 'cover' appears to be made mainly for vehicles with a significant lift, where the Pinion would be angled up to lessen driveline angle.