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Originally Posted by mrtwo
Hi, how is going with you drive axles? Did u consider use a non-split boot? What is the core charge?
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The core charge was $70 each at a local Advance Auto Parts store.
I first considered a full boot, but when I found a split boot with a lifetime guarantee (joke), I decided to try that first. A full boot requires dissembling that part of the driveaxle and my Haynes manual said that Toyota recommends taking the whole driveaxle out of the vehicle anyhow before replacing full boots. So, remanufactured driveaxles looked like less work. Appearances can be deceiving and it depends on who you talk to. A Toyota dealer mechanic asked me why I was taking the whole driveaxle out of the vehicle, because the dealer changes the boots without removing the whole driveaxles.
When the split boots didn't even come close, I decided to try replacing the whole left and right axles. Other people said that when one boot goes, the other may not be far behind, although in my case, it appeared that both inner boots were better shielded than the outer boots. But again, appearances can be deceiving and I don't want to have to do this again for a long time.
Both axles came out of the hubs with no effort required.
However, the passenger side driveaxle bearing on the extension shaft was severely rusted into the bearing mount. With the car up on jack stands, it was extremely difficult getting to that part of the driveaxle to pound it out. I finally bought a super penetrating oil after no results with the Pepboys Proline spray. It still took many many many tries over several days. I had to wedge and pound on multiple tools, e.g., ball joint separator, wood splitter wedge, etc., between the bearing mount and the big driveaxle weight to the wheel side of the bearing mount, because nothing fit well. I didn't have the room to get a good hit with a hammer. I finally had some success putting the points of the ball joint separator on the big driveaxle weight and was able to pound almost horizontally towards the passenger wheel.
I had trouble getting the driver side driveaxle out of the differential housing also, until I inserted the points (fork ends) of the ball separator into the space between the driveaxle weight and the differential housing and pounded on the end of the ball separator with a very large hammer. The wedge shape easily forced the driveaxle out. Brute force using my legs on a pry bar as shown in the Haynes manual did not work. That driveaxle was held in by a ring clip on the end of the shaft. The passenger side driveaxle by design does not have that ring clip, or a groove to hold it.
Installing the passenger side remanufactured driveaxle took some time. I had to work quite a while cleaning out the rust from the bearing mount with emory paper and the penetrating oil. Then I had to pound on the outer end of the driveaxle with a hammer and a block of thick plywood to keep from damaging the end. I hope this is what you are supposed to do, but I saw no other way to force the new bearing on the remanufactured driveaxle into the bearing mount, even after I cleaned it with emery cloth. I also applied a thin coating of high temperature lithium grease to the inside of the bearing mount and the outside of the driveaxle bearing. I assume that the outside of the bearing is NOT supposed to rotate inside of the bearing mount and needs a tight fit.
When I went to install the remanufactured driver side driveaxle, I found that it lacked a dust shield, although both of the original Toyota driveaxles have one and the remanufactured passenger side did too. The remanufacturer's specs say they replace the dust shields. Consequently, I must now return that driveaxle and try to get one with the dust shield. I won't install the driveaxle without the dust shield. That will probably take another business day or two, because nobody, except one Advance Auto Parts store had them in stock.