I traded out some work for an 81 solid front axle. The PO had already started stripping it and I got some boxes with the parts inside. I have looked at numerous knuckle blow ups and cannot ID these washers. I've rebuilt tons of toy thirds for myself and work and know it's not part of the actual 3rd member. Can anyone shed some light on what these are and what they go to?? Thanks

 

Not certain, because of the holes in them, but they look like the metal part of seals, missing the rubber. But that's just what my mind first jumped to...

 

Thanks for the response. Yeah the holes are what are stumping me. I know its not the inner axle seal or the wheel seal because those were both still in their relative positions when I got the parts. For all I know they don't even go to a Toyota axle and the guy just had them in one of the boxes. I thought maybe they went on the axle shaft or birfield spacer somewhere but can't find anyone that mentions them or has included them in a parts diagram.

 

I was thinking they were the inner oil splash shields , in the housing , but it dosnt look like they are .. I don't think they are for the axle

I really think I have seen these before though .. got me stumped
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Inner splash shields could very well be what they are.

 

I looked at them closer today and noticed they are oblong and the hole isn't perfectly centered. I'm beginning to wonder if they arnt just random parts that got thrown in with the axle.

 

I pulled something like that out of the driver side of my front axle. It looked pretty beat up and I didn't see it in any parts diagrams so I didn't put it back in. It seems as though it was simply wedged into the axle housing and the axle shaft slides through it, but nothing seems to be keeping it in place. That being the case, I didn't want anything randomly coming loose and wreaking havoc in my axles so it stayed out.

 

Ok well at least if someone else has seen them in a toyota axle I dont have to worry if the guy threw random parts into the box. Were they inside the housing between the 3rd and the inner wheel seal or after the seal In the knuckle somewhere??

 

The one I found was between the third and inner axle seal inside the housing.

 

Ok and with the fact they are oblongs means they would hang down into the oil bath and possibly restrict it from sloshing into the wheel seals. I will see how they fit in there and take some pictures for reference. My only fear is that it might get wedged or hung up on the axle shaft and wreak havoc on something.

 

But here is something to think about. How are you supposed to slide the birf in perfectly straight without knocking them down into the bottom of the diff only to be picked up my the ring gear and go through the gear set. That could be catostrophic.