So just out of curiosity, are all Toyota third members a common weak link? I've been to four or five junk yards and looked at at least 20 4Runners, all but one of them had the 3rd pulled.

It sucks that I couldn't find what I needed, but at least I know what the next vehicle I buy will be. There are TONS of Chevy Astros here in SoCal, even 4wd ones 😁

 

Some people can destroy anything !!

Between Celicas 4Runners Pick Ups maybe 750,000 miles since 1976 I have never blown a Rear Broke one rear axle Moving a house trailer .

I know a 35 year old child that takes a rear out about once a week maybe he moved out there .

 

Everybody wants a different gear ratio than the one that their truck has.

 

In all my years of wheeling a yota I only broke one 3rd member. And that was only because I had a lincoln locker in it and was driving it everyday on the street.

I, and others I know, have bought 3rd members from the yard when changing gear ratios in order to have them ready to install, instead of doing an r&r and re-gear all at once. Perhaps this is some of what your seeing....

 

That makes sense, I reckon, changing the ratios. I'm rather disappointed mine is going out, but I think the previous owner wheeled the crap out of her so in not all that surprised.

 

I have only had to change one 3rd member on a 84-94 truck. I too have seen third members missing on the 96-02 4Runners when in the junk yards. 1st and 2nd Gen Runners tend to have theirs still in the axle when I am in the yards.

I have a 3rd gen runner and it has never given me an ounce of problems but I don't wheel mine. Just from what I have seen in the junk yards, I am thinking maybe the early model runners 3rd members may have been built better then the 3rd gens.

Just curious as to what year runner you have and been looking for in the yards? I am just wondering if you are talking about a 3rd gen or newer.

 

What gear ratio are you looking for?

 

Ive been looking specifically for 96-04s, but Ive actually looked at every single one i could find since the junkyards are huge and not particularly well organized haha. I actually found one that still had the third member, but it wasnt an e-locker. Which is too bad because they only want $116 for a 3rd

 

4:10. Its for my 04 TRD Tacoma 4x4

 

Oh ok. I can't help. I have a 4.55's and the front clam shell to match..

To help answer you question. These third members are very strong. IV abused mine and it's still running strong. Like others said....all the empty axle housing you're finding is because everyone wants different gears.

 

Dang, it would have been nice if we had a match. Thanks for asking though!

 

i have been driving toyota trucks for 32 years (yes I am a fossilized old Fart)
i have destroyed 2 rear thirds.
first one was on an 84 extended cab running 35's on stock 4.10's. i was on steep incline, rolled backwards and punched it. sheared the ring gear.
2nd one was also in my 84 and it was a $75 third that had a dubious history.

I have hammered pretty hard on the 5.29's in my 81 for 8 years. That truck has been retired but the axles are being recycled in my 94.

It is all relative to how they have been treated and who did the set up.

It has been said that toyota axles are as strong or stronger than D44's

 

Good luck! I have never seen an E-locker 3rd hit any junk yard that I have been to here in southern California. At this point I'm pretty sure its the yard workers who is pulling them out and probably selling them privately.

 

I can understand why an elocker would sell quick. I am not familiar with all the different gear ratios on the 3rd gens, but there is a salvage with about 10 third gen runners and non have the elocker in them and all are missing the 3rd members. Not sure why the big demand for them. I understand if one gets torn up while wheeling or different gear ratios but was curious to why they were all missing.

One thing that does surprise me is the front third member is about the size of a softball and that seems to me like it would be a high fail item. They seem to be strong for their size. That is a small part in my opinion for what it does. Guess it is working for what it was designed for.

 

I'm positive you're correct on the workers selling parts. That or the salvage yards themselves are doing it. I've looked on Craigslist and there are a ton of vehicles with pictures taken in the yards, not listed on any of the websites. It's a pretty messed up scam.

 

When I first got into Toyotas I found an e locker on Craigslist. It was posted less than an hour and it was sold. When I called the guy to inquire about it he said "if I had 100 e lockers I could retire right now". Soooooooo yea. GOOD LUCK!