WatsonToyota

Hello,
First i wanna say thanks to yotatech.. This site has helped me and many others for years with our toyota addictions, and hopefully it will help me now.

Here is the issue. My friend bought a rebuilt 03 Tacoma 2.8L 4wd 5 speed...(An automatic red flag for me but he went ahead and baought it with the "r" title)...he has had rear end issues since he bought the truck.(chewing through tires, grinding noises that get louder as the mph increase lol, etc)..basically his axle broke and he is looking for a new one....his tire fell off when he pulled into his driveway last weekend, he should be dead with the mountain roads we have around here but thats another realm of thinking for another website...

Now both of us are backwoods boys from Pennsylvania, and to even get to the internet is like a pack a bag for the day kind of trip, I've driven 22re's for years and have yet to make the upgrade to a newer gen of pickup, haven;t needed too... obviously i'm trying to scrounge up some info for him and possibly an axle...

This is what i know 4.30 gears 03 Tacoma
To me i would think you could weld in "ANY" rear end with some modifications but.....here is the expected question

What year rear ends could (should) he swap in?? I keep telling him to take this opportunity to upgrade his truck into a more off road worthy vehicle but stock is all he needs for hunting, fishing, getting firewood...you know a REAL truck..

Any info will help...i will try and get back to a computer periodically over the next couple of weeks and keep this updated...

Thanks for the help!!!

YOTER REV!!!!
Mike

scuba

All of the 95.5-04 Tacoma axles will bolt up.

vital22re

iTrader: (2)

find one with an elocker and bolt it in.

WatsonToyota

Thanks fella's!!

Does this mean that a 4-runner rear will match up too or is it only compatible w/in the 95.5-04 tacoma's???

This is the first time i have been able to get to a computer since my original post and i thank you for the responses.....I ran into town to grab a case of beer and will be sure to relay the info tonight over a couple of cold PBR's...life in the woods is great....! I figured that was what the deal was with compatability, but just had to ask the EXPERTS lol

BTW...The mechanic my friend took his truck to said, "I can only find ya one axle in the whole U.S. and it's in CA and will cost $1100 just to ship"...honeslty i can't believe these die hard american motor guys....the jap scrap age was over decades ago, Toyota has been one of the "BIG 3" car companies for years and their quality is, well, legendary at this point.

The e-locker point is well taken and seconded, that was what i basically told him as well and i will try to reinforce the good points of having a locking rear end

i will post a follow up if anything bizarre happens (which it usually does)
Thanks again

scuba

4Runner axle won't work.

Different suspensions.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Look for one yourself:
- http://car-part.com/

Looks like 100s of rear axles show up, depending on what options you need. Also, not sure what is broken, if just the axle shaft, you only need one of those, or if the housing is broken, then just get a new housing and keep the existing gears (differential or 3rd member), etc.