So, New to 4 runners and the forum.



Looking for some Ideas and or help



The background



1996 SR5 with 210K miles. 3.4 v6 with manual and elocker.



So I was changing out the shocks. when removing the right side shock from the lower mount the entire axel housing dropped about an inch. Upon inspection I found that the Upper control arm mounting bracket on the axle housing had broken Please see pictures.



There is a good amount of rust on the frame and every steel piece of this 4runner. In addition to the rust, this axel housing has some issues before this too. The axles seals need to be replaced. The brakes need to be replaced (due to the leaking seals).



So, I spent my Saturday searching parts yards hoping to find a complete hub to hub Elocker rear end ( Without rust). I think I would have better odds with the lotto. No luck.



So I need help with options and Ideas Please comment with your thoughts or ideas

1. I know I can modify a standard axel set and swap in my elocker and dif. That is a lot of work I a I do not own a plasma cutter or the skills to do it. Any recommended shops near Salt Lake City?

2. Find an elocker axel housing. This would be preferred but Is there some other place I can find them?

3. Rebuild the current one? Is welding this bracket back on an option? Can I trust the other side? How do If find a recommended shop that is local? And will it cost more than my entire rig?

4. After market Locker?



Anyhow, Thanks for listening and any local groups/shops/forums I can user for ideas or references will be greatly appreciated.

















Upper Contol arm attachement bracket is missing


Found it!

 

you could try :
http://www.ranchotoyotatruckparts.com/
http://yotayard.com/
https://www.yodajims.com/

and if you have a grinder, a drill and a metric trap you can use the existing diff as a template...


either

either way you definitely need a new housing. with that amount of rust you should probably inspect your other link mounts on the frame since your upper left arm sheared off.

i would not recommend even attempting to repair that mount since sheared once, but i am not a fab guy or welder so maybe someone else can work a miracle but again i wouldn't drive it knowing it had a repair like that with that amount of corrosions--just my opinion

 

If the job was done Correct like any other welding repair good to go.

For me a simple job to completely remove the bracket and put another one one I would also recommend doing both sides

Now the hard question what caused it to fail Were the control arm bushings worn so bad you had lots of movement that caused it to break??

quite a lot of rust who knows what else is in need of some work or will be soon.

The Cost without being up close and in person who knows

 

Thanks for all the replies. This has turned into way more than just shocks. I found the opposite side upper controle arm had been repaired badly at some point also. The cause of the break was alot of tension on the upper control arm. When I removed the old one it was rusted into place and would not move at all. With the amount of rust and two breaks I decided to I find a replacement Axel housing in a junk yard. I only found one and it has it's own rust and a couple of problems too. Who ever took the carrier/3rd member out did not help me at all. They buggered up the gasket surface in a half dozen places with deep gouges in the metal. Currently I have scraped all the rust of the new housing. Mar-hyde converted it and added a couple of coats of paint. The old axels are out and going to the shop for bearings and seals today. Since I am pulling the old assembly out I am going to attack all the rust on the under carriage. I will post some of the picture. My fuel filler neck is also completely rusted. I am going to replace all the controle arms. the Pan hard bar and swing arm busings. while I am in there.

Axel housing from Junk yard.

Thanks Pry bar guy!

after Mar-hyde converter

Bad 2nd repair on my current axle housing

Rusted out Fuel filler neck and frame rust that will get fixed while I am doing this.


Oh and brakes too since the Oil got on them.

 

I hope you really love your truck, judging by the photos your fight with cancer has just begun and you are looking at tons of metal repair ahead of you just to keep it safe to drive.

 

Owning these vehicles it has to be a labor of love it can`t be that this many people are insane!!

 

Oh the word crazy has crossed my mind many times. I am not even half way done. All good though