Please help 1997 locked rear end

I recently bought a 1997 Tacoma 4x4. The guy I bought it from was a welder by trade. He "welded" the rear end so that it is locked. I hate it. I can't keep tires on the rear So I asked him about possibility of going back to stock rear end. He said wouldn't be possible to just swap the rear diff because of the way he welded it. He said I would have to replace the whole rear assembly. Is this true??

Is there a way he could have welded the gears so that I have to swap the whole rear end axles and all???

I won't my truck to drive like a normal truck. Please help

 

Should just be able to get a new third member. Usually people just weld the spider gears in tjer to lock em up. I don't see why u would need to get new everything.

 

unless he went all weld happy and welded the axle shafts into the carrier or somethin stupid like that.

 

Gosh, I guess your right! Now that you say that I wouldn't be surprised, friggin people! Heck at least buy a spool or something, they're cheap.

 

It would be impossible to weld the axle shafts to the carrier u have to have the 3rd member in the axle housing before you can put the axle shafts on jack up your rear end take tires off take off the 4 nuts that hold your hub on and you should be able to pull out axle shafts ... Take drive shaft off unbolt the 3rd then go from there

 

The Lincoln locker isn't exactly a new thing, op would be replacing the same parts for the same reason.

 

So you are saying if I can slide axles putt then I should be ok to be able to replace 3rd member ?

 

If the original owner even thought about locking the rear end with a welder,,I would just find another complete rear. God only knows what else he did to the truck.

 

Yeah man get the axle shfts out and pull the 3rd .. Count the ring an pinion gears find your gear ratio and get a new 3rd .... Or try to rebuild it if the carrier is not fucked

 

Well I guess I will take it to a shop and let them pull it out n see what I need. It appears to be going over my head. I don't want to buy more then I need. Just had to sink 1200.00 in a front spindle n wheel bearing. When they tried to pull the existing bearing some of the needles turned n locked it on the shaft. The shop has been searching scrapyards for a spindle for two weeks to no avail.

 

The third is gonna be pricey sorry to say but u can save your self some money by doing it your self ... It's really not hard park on level ground leave your truck in neutral no e brake jack up the rear end and put your jack stands under the axle ... Disconnect the emergency brakes it's just a pin if your truck has abs un hook the abs sensor there are four 14mm nuts that hold your hub assembly on u can leave the brake drum on if u want take those four nuts off then u may need to tap around the hub were the four studs are to knock it loose then all u have to do is pull the axle shafts out they are marked left and right on the backing plate don't mix that up from there you have to take off your rear drive shaft ..... There is about fourteens nuts with lock washers that hold your third member onto the axle housing take all them off they are also 14mm I think u can pull the third member out by hand no problems it's just heavy figure out your gear ratio and look for the best option financially east coast gear supply can get u a new third but there are cheaper ways to go about it

 

Make sure to block your front wheels really well too forgot to say that

 

If I did that and removed the 3rd member would there be anything left in the gear box that he could have welded?

 

No man He had to have the 3rd member on a table when he welded it there is no other way after u take out the axle shafts and third it's just an axle housing

 

Sell it.. sounds like a money pit that was way to abused and shade tree modified.

He welded the rear to lock it for a reason, to wheel it hard as shit.. that poor truck has been very abused.

 

How, it's a drop out 3rd member, no access internally once installed, and I doubt he would weld them on the outer ends...

He could weld the 3rd member in, but that's just stupid.

 

Does exist in the wild