Ok, I am going to take the rear axle out tomorrow night. Trying to get my game plan now.

These are the steps I came up with - please correct them with the easiest way. The rear of the 4runner(90) is lifted and safely placed on blocks, leaving rougly 12" under each tire- nice and solid.

1. remove driveshaft.
2. remove shocks.
3. remove lspv from axle side, place to side.
4. disco panhard bar from axle side.
5. disco lower control arm bolts from axle side.
6. place jack under pumpkin to aid in lowering/sliding out
7. remove upper control arm bolts on axle.
8. lower axle with jack, watching as coil springs fall to the side
9. slide axle out the side since the back of the truck is blocked up.


please let me know if you have better knowledge - I also may have missed something to disco, so please advise me that way as well!

Thanks guys/gals


Kat

 

It's not a bad idea to tie or chain the coil springs to the frame, just in case #8 becomes 'watch coil springs fly out at 90 mph into something breakable'

 

dont forget those pesky brake lines!!

lee

 

Done Deal - Everything went as outlined above except I could not get the shocks off of the bottom posts with the axle at full droop, so I cut em...

Kat

 

Revised step 1:
Get jackstands to support vehicle.

You've obviously done okay so far, but I truly wouldn't trust your current support setup. Those block stacks are a "little" sketchy.

 

OK, you're right, I have 4 jack stands right next to the truck, the issue is that I could not get a suitable location that would be high enough - If it is any consolation, I had my engine hoist holding the back bumper in case it fell over, it wouldnt fall down.... unhooked it to get the axle out from under

So, how would you go about putting jackstands under it for this project?

 

those cinder blocks are making me nervous. could you put the jack stands on the frame rails in front of the rear tire wells. looks successful so far.

 

Cinder blocks are strong if stacked with the holes facing the ground,But under a steel bumper they are very able to slip.

Gettin ready for Christmas? I see you have X-mas lights up.....

 

Well, the x-mas lights are still up because the inside of the house burned down on jan 3rd and we didnt get back into the house until mid-july - The lights were not at all fun to put up, so I said to heck with it and left em up.

I do realize that the pics of the yard/cinder blocks/x-mas lights make us look like some real hillbillies here doesn't it?! lol

I typically don't use the cinder blocks because they are a bit tippy - sometimes you have to make due though.

 

i just noticed. i have that same wrench kit. on sell for 55 bucks. craftsman to the core.

 

Black Friday sale at sears - 5 am - got em for 30 per set

and, I do really like the case

 

When I pulled the rear axle, springs and just about everything from the frame down to do my leaf swap... I put a jack stand on each side of the frame just before the wheel wells arch upwards.

I used huge 1 piece wooden blocks underneath each stand as my jack stands where to short. I have since gotten taller stands which work even better.

In my opinion, you should be able to really push and pull on the vehicle as a test of your supports before getting under or taking anything off.

By bet is if you did that now, it would fall. Just have to figure if you are under there tugging on a bolt, the action may make your stands fail... which of course would be very bad.

 

it is actually very stable as is - I could go take a video for ya, but that would be overkill - I pushed and tugged on it enough to put my life under it - I also had the hoist as a back up -


I suppose that I could stack the bricks 2 high and 2 wide to make a platform for the jackstands as well.

I also do most of my work with the impact so as not to have to beat on it much.

I do very much appreciate the safety advice because I do value my appendages/life...

 

no worrys, you're just letting your inner redneck shine.

 

Cinder blocks aren't designed to take weight when stacked in that orientation either. They are designed to be stacked with the holes vertical. I also would recommend tall jackstands on the frame rails just in front of the rear wheel wells.

 

Well as long as we're beating safety horse to death, lets don't forget to put those tire/rims to good use under the truck as an added failsafe. You can also use them as a nice base for your jackstands by putting a scrap of good quality plywood or some 2X10 across them.