Rear End Replacement Questions: 1st Gen

2001 Tacoma 3.4L 4WD DXL Extended cab 200k miles

I was t-boned a while back and their insurance totally screwed me on the rear end. Won't really get into it but it blew up again for the second time. Looking to fix it myself now.

Local junkyard has a decent rear end for <$150. The gear code B03A matches the code on my truck. The drive shaft on it is gone, I spun the hubs and everything sounds fine. Plus, no apparent oil leaks which is nice as mine's been leaking for a long while now.
To make life easier should I go ahead and get the leaf springs with it? I think mine are pretty shot anyway.
Also, what's the arm thing to the right of the pumpkin? The one on mine is missing.

Any general advice on this (at all) is greatly appreciated.




My current rear-end:

 

There is always a concern with buying an axle from junkyard. You don't know the history of anything related to it. No leaks at the axle seals is a good sign, but that doesn't mean that the bearings are good. I suggest pull the abs sensors (or cover plates) and look for oil on the tone rings. If there is oil then the axle seals are bad. That involves pulling the axles to replace. Even then I would replace the wheel bearings at the same time.

Up to you on the leaf springs, I don't think it really makes the swap any easier. It might actually be harder to remove the leaf springs then unbolt the ubolts.

The arm thing is for the rear brake proportioning valve. The valve is on the driver side frame rail above the axle. As the rear suspension compresses (due to more weight in the bed), more braking pressure is applied to the rear brakes. If yours is missing you most likely are not using your rear brakes at all.

Edit: $150 for an elocker axle is a steal btw. Even if you have to replace bearings and seals, it would still be worth more if you wanted to sell it.

 

No oil leaks might mean no gear oil in the rear .

Around here all the fluids are drained or so they say

 

You were right, (clean) oil is all up in there. I've screwed with my previous rear end before so I will have to get those items done.

Ended up not bothering with them, thanks for the advice

Yikes. I've gone ahead and got the linkage for it.

They don't bother to drain anything for some reason. But yes, there was oil on the abs ring so... more work for me.

Thank you all very much

 

It is also possible the LSPV failed and there is a brake bias valve installed by the Master cylinder.

I have yet to get a vehicle that the LSPV ever worked