rearend swap

artcap9

New member
Hi everyone I want to swap out my current rearend. The entire thing (shocks brake drums, axels, housing mounts all). is there a writeup some place for that. I have been searching for the last hour and have found nothing. I have a 1997 4X4 with 4.10 rear end and the donor vehicle is a 1997 4X4 4.10. My current vehicle has a leak and has 242000 miles the donor vehicle has 6194 miles and no leaks. Thanks in advance

Clyde
 
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Rear end swap was the first thing I did on mine for the same reason. I didn't do a write-up, but I didn't really need one either. It's not actually very complicated, just kind of a brute force project with all the rusty bolts you will have.

Feel free to post any questions and those of us that have done it will help out, but I don't know of anyone that actually did a write-up.

Just FYI, it took me about 3 weeks total, really 2 weekends and some parts ordering in the middle to get it done. I broke some bolts along the way and had to get new shocks and some hardware, so that delayed me alot. If I had to do it again now, having broken the rust, new bolts and what not, I could probably do it in a day.

If you have alot of rust, which I'm sure you do, then have a backup plan for having to order some new bolts and hardware. If you can't leave it down for a week or 2, then inspect it really well and buy the bolts and hardware in advance that you think you might need. My suggestions for replacement (or at least check the to see if you might need to, as in break it loose now to make sure you can) are:

Shock hardware (nuts, washers and bushings)
Shocks (mine were too rusted to come off, I had to cut them)
Nuts for the DS
Axle seals
A brake kit (about $15 form advance or autozone, worth it)
Diff nuts
Some of the mounting nuts for the brake line brackets (I think they are short M8's or M6's IIRC, I'd just get a handful if you are placing a dealer order)
Check the parking brake parts and the cable mounts to see if you will need replacements of anything
Diff fill plug and drain (make sure you can remove them both (fill plug first!!!))
Diff Breather (If you haven't already, extend it while you're at it, write-up floating around here somewhere, check the master thread)

Other than that, be sure to disconnect your ABS and brake lines first so that you don't stretch them or damage them down the line. If you are swapping out your diff, then I recommend getting the whole assembly all together before you put it back under the vehicle, much easier to do the diff seal and torquing when you aren't on your back underneath

Don't forget loctite on most everything (I'd use the non-permanent in case you screw something up and have to go back), and don't forget to lower the vehicle off the jacks before finally tightening the lower shock mounting bolts.

I think that's about it. Good luck.
 
Oh, and while you're at it, check your fuel filler tube for rust. You might want that from your donor. Mine had a big hole in it.
 
Writeup:

Unbolt parts attached to existing rear axle. Remove axle from under vehicle.

Slide new axle under vehicle. Bolt to other parts removed from old axle. Bleed brakes. Done.
 

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