This seems to be the most knowledgeable Toyota truck forum for this kindof thing so here goes:

Last month I toted a very heavy load south across the AlCan highway and I think that in the process of traveling back over bad, frost-heaved roads I feel I may have bent more than the rear springs; which lost some tension/ride height on the less-loaded, but still heavy, trip north 2 1/2 months earlier.

Now, I have a wobble on the passenger rear tire. I hoped it was just a bent rim but after taking the wheel off and observing the drum waver a bit and seeing how the end of the axle where the drum rides now has a uneven polished ring where the drum and axle appear to rub, I fear something more serious has failed. I have never heard of stock Toyota axle tubes or shafts bending before so I'm hoping this is just a bearing or something that can be easily repaired.

Please tell me I'm not screwed...

 

Pull the axle shaft and you can check bearings and shaft for wear.This link will help!
http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b...33rearaxle.pdf

 

its definately possible to bend it while carying heavy loads. how heavy a load were you carrying?

 

Both my rear axle shafts on my '87 were warped at the flanges.


------------| <--- that flange (with the studs) can warp and not be a true 90 degrees to the shaft.

I've never heard or seen an actual axle shaft BEND or warp it only happens at the flange where it meets the shaft on semi-floating axle types. Thats why full floaters were invented, because they're STRONGER.

Anyways, a dial indicator can show how much it is warped if you use it correctly.

The other possibility is the differential carrier is worn out allowing the axle shaft to move up and down in the axle housing... It will pivot on the bearing end (near the tire) and move up and down and around in the differential.

I had both problems on my rear end.

If the carrier goes it usually causes the axles to warp at the flanges because it's putting uneven pressure on that pivot point (at the bearing).

I put Chromoloy rears in, new seals, bearings, and a Detroit locker and new brakes.

Wasnt cheap, over a grand to do it all and the cost of a hydraulic press.. so probably up around $1500 ... the press is optional, a shop can press axle bearings for you .. I had it done once for $40 a side. Now i have a press.

 

Forgot to mention...

To check the carrier for play without actually taking the 3rd member off. Put your rear end up on a jack and put one hand ontop of the tire one on the bottom and trya and "rock" it ... push on the top of the tire, pull on the bottom.. jiggle it back and forth. IF it moves and clanks a bit.. your moving the axle shaft. If it moves you'll know what I mean.

Someone here on the forums may have a stock carrier they would send to you for cheap since most carriers get tossed when people put in dif-replacing lockers (like a full detroit, arb etc...).

In which case you could throw it in the 3rd and probably get rid of most of the wheel wobble, if not all of it if the axles haven't warped at the flanges.

 

Hard to say, I had 5 tires+wheels, 2 totes of tools and books, two duffels of clothes, a microwave, some other bags, spare gas, ropes, snow chains... At least 7-800lbs, if not more because of the canopy and the snow on top. Plus I always kept my tank above half-full...

Thanks for all the great responses! I will be attempting to pull my axle this weekend to see what's really wrong. Will I have to drain my differential before pulling the axles?

Also, what is a good brand of limited-slip differential to put in if I decide to later?

 

Put the rear axle up on stands and them spin up the wheels with the engine and see what is wobbling. Check inwards from the tire to wheel to brake drum to flange. Use a pointer held up to the rotating surface to observe any runout.

 

Since your truck is a 2WD I would go with a Detroit TrueTrac. I have one in the front of my 4x4 and I really like it! It will let you turn better than an actual locker and an ARB or something would be overkill for your Yota.

 

pull the wobble shaft (you dont have to remove the diff) 4 bolts and some brake crap.

put it on some saw horses and roll it like you would a pool cue to see if its warped.

i have seen only one broken shaft

i dont think that a messedup 3rd member would cause that wobble since the shaft runs on bearings...... that could be your problem also

 

I would think its the bearings. On my '99, I could see one of the rear tires had a slight wobble to it. After pulling the axle shaft, I could see that the outer bearings were warn, and allowing the drum to wobble on the shaft. Now that I have a full floater, no more wobble.