How broken is my truck? Should I fix it? How do I sell as salvage?

I know it's impossible to truly diagnose on description alone, but let's try.

The situation: 2003 Tacoma, 4WD, double cab, V6 with 254,000 miles. My rear diff has had a slow leak for 2 years; my mechanic thinks it's a cracked (or super rusty) housing, not the seal, but it's slow enough that we've never bothered to do more than check the fluid levels a couple times a year, and top it up. A month ago, the low speed whirring/high speed whining of an unbalanced wheel began. Mechanic says both rear wheel bearings are bad, but he doesn't have the tools to replace them properly. I said "why not do the whole rear end?" and he said "yeah, could be cheaper, and definitely easier". He's been searching for salvage parts, but no luck. Fast forward a month, to this week. Driving on highway, wheels whining as usual, and suddenly boom - loud grinding and smell of metal on metal. I still have drive train power, pull over immediately, have it towed home.

1. What broke? Did one of the wheel bearing hubs finally explode? The truck doesn't visually lean to one side. Or did the rear diff finally die despite my vigilance? Note, there has not been any increase in leakage, but who knows what chaos may lurk inside.
2. If the bearings are toast (best case scenario), and I fix them, I want to sell it before further issues. As a private buyer, how much would you want me to come down from KBB's "fair" condition price because of the leaking rear diff?
3. If it's the bearings, but the axle(s) is/are pitted, do I replace them? Can I do just one? Should I not bother if I'm not going to replace the differential housing, too?
4. If the diff is done, the truck is done. But I've never sold a salvage truck in otherwise fair condition - what should I expect to recoup selling it as salvage?
5. It has a decent A.R.E. fiberglass cap that matches the color well. Would I make more selling the cap separately, or with the truck?

It's getting towed to a mechanic in a couple days, so place your bets now and we'll find out soon, but all advice is appreciated for these possible scenarios.

 

So you just need another read end?

 

I would just pick up an axle off a wrecked truck

 

Right. Except I don't have the tools, or the skills to be sure of what I'm getting. Or, at the moment, any way to transport it. So I guess question 6 is "how do I go about scavenging the parts I need when my mechanic tried and failed?"

 

Where do you live? Car-part.com, Craigslist.

Your mechanic sounds lazy/incompetent. Unless you live in the middle of no where. But a rear end should be found from $400-700 bucks ready to bolt in... all that holds it in are 4 ubolts, 4 drive shaft bolts and the brake lines... not rocket science to fix.


And yes given your situation buy and entire axle with matching gear ratio and ABS if you have it.

 

If you have 4.10
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/pts/d/1st-gen-tacoma-rear-axle-410s/6256292820.html
It's an easy fix

PS fire your mechanic he sounds like a lazy POS

 

This is my 30 second half drunk search
I saw I few axles recently that were other ratios also

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/oem-gear-ratio-chart.365138/
This says how to find axle ratio,
time for a refill

 

1. Frank, if you're ever in this forum - you're a great guy, but your'e fired.
2. According to those codes, it looks like 4:10 is the ratio I need. And a solid Craigslist find, thank you. Wasn't sure what I should really be looking for.
3. Regarding the bearing hubs, every shop I've talked to says it's a complicated pain in the ass, requiring a custom tool. I agree, looking at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua8H0f7X3og

 

It does take a little know how to press the bearing on and off .

Any tooling needed is most often pretty simple to make if you have the skills.

It is also pretty easy to find someone to do the press work for a few dollars.

I gotta ask was your mechanic a real shop or just some person you tossed a few dollars to for doing things??

Sure sounds like he did not really want to do much rear axle work.

When he was unable to fix your leak

 

Wait, umm I mean I'll start the bidding $27

 

Yea for the rear bearing even my local Toyota dealer removes the shaft and ships it to the local machine and bearing shop. I just cut the middle man and bring the shaft to the machine shop myself. IIRC the cost for each bearing installed is close to $300 each including parts and labor. Not worth doing yourself.

 

Sometimes when mechanics play the dick in the parked in the mud game. It's because they either suck at putting in work or they're trying to scam you out of the vehicle

 

Yeah, just replace the rear end.

I notice someone selling 4.10 front and rear diff's. I'm so pissed because this is all coming at me at the wrong time...

 

regarding replacement of the rear wheel bearing, no point to tr it yourself.
here are the parts you need (approximately, you'll have the check the exact part #s for your model):
- 90363-40068 Bearing
- 90313-54001 Axle Shaft Oil Seal
- 90520-36045 Bearing Snap Ring (2)
- 42423-20010 Bearing Retainer
These parts were maybe 60-70 total?
I dropped off the parts and my rear axle (really easy to remove) at a local machine shop before work, who charged 60 cash to remove old bearing and press on the new one. i picked it up after work, popped it back on the truck, and was up an running within an hour. piece of cake.

 

Please get a better mechanic in the meantime. Wheel bearings really aren't that hard.

 

Even a member on here has one pretty cheap, however no e locker.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rear-axle-4-10s.505885/#post-15866567