Yeah, once the parts were available, it would be real simple!

Toyota then freaked me out saying that the bearings and axle were pressed fits, etc...

Those axles by Poly Performance... are they made for ABS vehicles? I just have to transfer the parts over to them and it would be okay?

I'm just confused since I hear that many people just swap out axle shafts w/o problems, yet, Toyota and others say that they are very vehicle specific.

That brings the question: Are just the straight axle shafts (like pictured above) different, or just the stuff that is pressed onto them?

 

Dont worry man, i'll get ya fixed up no problem.

You'll be back on the road in no time!

 

The bearings and retaining collars are pressed onto the axle. You cant take a bare axle and make your truck driveable without a press.

 

Thanks, thats what I wanted to know!!!

 

that really sucks man, i feel your pain. I go down at least 4 times a year, and every time no matter what im driving, how new it is or whatever, something happens or i see some crazy shiat. Where were u exactly? punta baja area? if i was free, id help u out to trailer it back. good luck with getting it fixed.

I hear u on the hospitality thing in baja, i got stranded a few years back around the 7 sisters area in my tacoma - turned out a wire had come loose at the fuel pump and needed to be reconnected (darn supercharger days)- anyway, i had families taking carpet out of their cars to put underneath mine so i could drop the tank and get it fixed, fish tacos, beer - u name it - theyre an incredibly humble people.

 

Get some 4340 replacements, $420 for a pair seems a bit steep. Im not going to browse marlines site to confirm they have YOUR axles but I paid $150 an axle from marline to replace my stock axles in my 8" rear non ABS. I cant imagine ABS (assuming there some slight machining difference near the flange?) making the axles that much more expensive.

And yes you need a press to install these axles.

You have the backing plate that holds the brake assembly which is BOLTED to the Bearing Retainer. There are two pieces there. The bearing retainer has 4 studs. The backing plate is inbetween the stud heads and the bearing retainer (Which is why you cant get it off unless you unpress the axle from the bearing and ITS retainer).

Confusing in words but once you look at this stuff it all makes sense.

Anyway you need an SST to properly repress the bearing onto the axle and the retainer.

 

trail gear has chromo axles a lot cheaper

http://www.trail-gear.com/rearaxle.html

 

I dont think those are for 3rd gens tho

 

My options are as follows. Any input would be appreciated:

1) Wait till Friday until I get an axle assy and drive down with the fluids and tools to get my truck on the road
2) Tomorrow go down with a U-Haul trailer and tow it back with my dad's Tundra (This is not recommended due to weight ratio and also Baja's VERY, VERY narrow hi-way)
3)Get an international tow-truck to tow it back to the states. (Sounds like it may be expensive).

Since I'm not rich, and I'm thinking I'll be able to trust the family (and their neighbors) with my truck, I'll probably get the axle assy from a junkyard and fix it down there and drive it back during the end of the week. I'll then throw the idea around of getting new shafts or possibly selling my rig since I have not been too stoked with it....

Just last week this happened to my front end (Trail Disaster Kit) where my front strut mount sheared off and basically was in the same situation in the middle of the desert. :/

To the guy from Santa Monica:
You're right, i'm wrong, i am more about 200-225 miles down in the photos. I am in San Queitin... Not 300 miles and would make sense more in the El Rosario area. Luckily its flat where I broke down and it could have been a lot worse!

We were down in the 7 sisters area. It was great man. The wall was empty, the rest of the points only had a few scattered campers/surfers. I couldn't believe my eyes. Surf sorta sucked though. March winds were killing it.

I really think the whole border-wars as of late has deterred gringo's from heading south. We saw several caravans of people heading south though on Saturday before Easter...

We actually had to walk through TJ at 10:30pm (or something late like that) with all our stuff to the border... it was a little sketchy, but, looking back was real fun

 

ouch... sucks, make sure to bring some sort of token of appreciation to the family... not cash or necessarily really expensive, but try to find something they will appreciate (religious? a nice crucifix/etc is always greatly liked in many areas without costing too much, depends on type of family you are with, but on a mission trip a few years back, that gift would be like by anyone we visited)

 

Why would you wait until friday to get a whole assembly that you dont even need? My axle shaft assy can ship today, and be there by wednesday or thursday at the latest.

 

Hey I already talked to you

I meant axle assembly, as in shaft, bearings, backing plate, ABS ring, brake shoes, wheel cylinder, etc...

Im PMing u though right now.

 

reminds me of that movie "Hostel".


wow, those pictures look scary! glad you are OK and the part failures didn't result in other injuries or fatalities; besides your wallet!

good luck on getting everything back up and running!

 

Well so far Death Cougar has been a really big help...

Hopefully the parts come in and I can get my truck back up in here in once piece. The probability of my truck being stripped is pretty low... like 50/50 so it will be nice to see it again

I'm contacting an international towing company and see how much they will cost. If its expensive I'll just wait for the part nad go down myself.

 

damn, hope you get it back in one piece. I liked how you stay calm and not be freak out that your rig is 300 miles away in some shady ass place..

 

+1

 

It takes a lot of self control... and a months supply of xanax at my disposal.

I don't want to jinx myself, but, I feel confident that the family will keep my truck safe... I'll find out soon enough. :/

 

Wooo Hooo!

I'm back. And my truck didn't have a finger print on it. The family didn't except my $50 for keeping my truck safe! Oh well.

I had to install a new brake line, drain the diff fluid (I thought there might have been debris in it) and then put a new oil seal, and then slide my new axle in from Death Cougar. It took about 3 hours of working in the dirt.

 

i hope they didn't drop your gas tank and put something in it for you to drive across the border, then come by your place and jack your 4runner later to collect! sorry, i'm always thinking the worst in people. but that was a joke anyway.

glad to hear it all went smoothly and it's all in one piece still. that's a great family you found down there. perhaps you can send an anonymous gift down there for them if they wouldn't accept anything from you.

now that your 4runner is back on the road i can feel the ratio of rockin' yotas is back in balance once again. good to have you both back

 

Glad to hear that it worked out!

I always belive in "plan for the worst but hope for the best". It sounds like you do as well.

I also like ot give people a chance, glad that it all worked out in your case!