Hi all,
I was working under my car and noticed the following....
The good axle is on my passenger side... the busted one is on the driver side.
Do you guys recommend I get an OEM part? If there are any reputable aftermarket brands please let me know.
I haven't checked how much it is from Toyota, but I'm sure they're not cheap.
Also... is it relatively easy to replace this part? I would like to save on the install if possible.
Any tips and/or references to any write-ups of threads will be appreciated.
Thanks,

 

It's not real hard so long as your various bolts cooperate, mostly just messy. It's also a great time to replace the lower ball joint if needed (search lower ball joint failure). OE for lower ball joint every time IF you replace the LBJ. I like to get new bolts either way, being as that's the weak spot of what holds your wheel onto the truck.
If the joint wasn't messed up I'd go for a re-boot and there is a write up available. I haven't been very successful with the aftermarket A1Cardone reman (or new Chinese made junk) because of the boots that dry-rot within a year.

Post 310 for some pics....not really a write-up. There's much better stuff out there.
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f200/habaneros-1996-4runner-build-up-thread-201751/index16.html

A few little tips...
To button up the lower ball joint bolts loosen the upper a-arm bolt. That will bring the spindle down so you can put it together. Don't forget to retighten the bolt after the truck is back on the ground- not up in the air.
Use blue loctite on the ball joint bolts. The torque spec for my 96 is- CV shaft torque 174 ft lb, 4 Lower ball joint bolts 59 ft lb and loctite. It's your job to find what your truck's specs are. I use a screw driver in the vented rotor to hold the hub still while I tighten the axle nut.
The axle nut is usually either 34 or 35mm. I've used the old axle nut when the reman shaft nut had a different hex size.
Be aware of the seal in the differential, do your best not to bump it. Just be careful when you guide the axle in. It's not entirely uncommon for those to start leaking after a cv change, there's no lip within the dif for the seal to seat on.

 

Napa has new cv's for a good price and you don't have to give them your old one as a core.
I and others have used them with good luck.

 

while you have that d/s apart for the CV you might wanna consider doing your front brakes, looks like your pads are getting down there on both sides