Rear diff grenaded today, need advice asap

so i went wheelin today and had a great time, my taco amazed me all day, made it further through a big mud pit/pond then a k5 blazer on 38s, and got out ALL BY MYSELF, no tow needed. but then near the end of the day bad news, i turned my diff lock off and when i disengaged my clutch the driveshaft spins, but doesnt move the truck...but if i have my diff lock on it goes, but is not posi....sooo any direction on what to replace? is that a whole new diff? if so, what kind of after market, indestructible replacement can i get? help asap would be much appreciated

 

oh, and if anybody has a ball park price on what i just did, thatd b really helpful too

 

What year, model of tacoma do you have? that would help out some. I dont know exactly where you at but if you just gernaded the 3rd member I have a 3rd out of a v6 6lug tacoma I would sell cheap to get you back on the road. You can usually pick up a complete axle from 500-900 depending on your setup

 

i have an 03 taco 4x4 trd or edition...and how do i know if it is the 3rd member or the rear end that i need? and im located right near sac

 

Oh, you will have to pull it a part to figure out what all went bad. Since you are TRD you will most likely want to elocker again. Ya, your to far from me roughly 9hrs drive.

 

oh, ok...well thanks anyway bro...and yea, id like to, haha...but idk , i still hear it engage and disengage when i hit the button, anybody have any ideas?

 

when you try to drive does it grind? or anything? what gearing where you running? Most likely ring and pinion let loose or axle shaft snapped. If you need a 3rd member I would search TTORA I see them up for sale all the time. If you need an axle shaft I would tray a junkyard. Any tacoma 4x4 or prerunner axle shaft will fit

 

theres no grinding at all, just if the locker is off the drive shaft moves but the wheels dont, and if its on, the wheels move, but its not posi trac...there is no grinding that occurs during any of this, i was running in 1st when this happened i believe...but then again i do have the grey wire mod done and was in posi alot that day for extended periods of time...

 

I'm gonna guess a axle shaft on the passenger side. Cause your drive wheel is on the passenger side when your not locked. Then when you lock it, its like a spool. So when its locked your driverside wheel is turning moving the truck. I would say put it on jack stands and see what happens if both wheels spin or just 1

 

^ That's exactly what I'd have guessed. Although I think you'd hear something...

 

Call Chase at East Coast Gear Supply (www.eastcoastgearsupply.com) - very reasonable. He can send you one out and in the meantime, yank your third and send him yours when you get yours out.

I've done it and would do it again in a heartbeat!

5 year warranty to boot!

 

thank you guys alot, i really appreciate the help, ill keep you guys updated on what happens from here

 

I HIGHLY doubt its the diff. It sounds to me like you broke an axle shaft. Theres not always a grinding noise when you do. I drove a jeep around with a locked rear and a broken shaft for weeks. You're confusing me with all the "Posi" stuff. There is a difference between e-lockers and posi-trac. Good luck

 

I would have to say you either blew an axle or the spider gears. Since it goes some when you lock it you might be bypassing the spider gears. Either way you need to pull the differental apart.

 

sorry for the confusion, i feel like dumb, but i used the terms locked and posi as the same thing...and it never "Starts to lock up" as said by the person below, just if i dont have it locked the driveshaft goes but the vehicle doesnt, when i lock it up the vehicle goes, but it is not how being locked normally is, the inside tire on a turn does not chirp as it should...so im thinking axle shaft on the passenger side is snapped, thank you very much, im going to check it out tomorrow and see if what i have to go to pick and pull for...thanks alot guys, i really appreciate the input

 

Although the fill hole makes a crappy inspection hole - if you use a pencil point bright light and look through the hole you will see the inner most 1/4 or 1/2 inch of the ring gear. You can turn the drive shaft so that you get a view of all of the teeth. If you have nailed a ring gear - you should be able to see some of the carnage.

 

If the diff was shot, you would have no wheels turning and grinding. One broken axle=no drive in open diff mode.
Drain diff and inspect through both holes for carnage.
With diff locked you shouldn't be able to rotate a rear tire independantly of the other while on jack stands.

 

so today i got it all squared away, it was the axle shaft...got one from parts planet for 150 with drum assembly, so no pressing necessary...then went to west coast diff (i dont have tools or the space at the moment, garage is FULL of shit)...ended up getting it all done for $50...great people there, and they do great work, and they r good about getting it done quickly...my shaft ended up breaking right next to the diff, but jimmy at WCD got a magnet all the way back there and pulled the piece out that way, i couldnt believe it...thank you guys for all the advice, it gave me some good direction

 

Good job but I have bad news for you - read the rules of the board!!! If you break anything while you are a member, you have to
Post Pictures of
the FAILURE!!!

 

Yah, like this can happen... On the road to Mision Santa Maria, Baja California ('03 Taco with a pop up camper):






HB MURPHY was there, too!!!