Differential / Rear End Flange Bent

The wife spun out on the highway in my 07 Tacoma and was hit on the left rear side by a semi. The L rear wheel took the hit, and the bumper and fender are done. The truck was sort of drivable but wandered all over the road so I had it towed back home. When up on jacks, the left rear tire would turn only with the maximum (manual) effort, so something like a jacked up bearing (I figured). I pulled the left rear hub/axel, thinking I would replace the bearing. The bolt at the 4 oclock position was bent by about 15 degrees, making it very difficult to pull the hub/axle. After I beat it off with a 5 lb mallet, I noticed that the flange on the differential/rear end was slightly bent (at the 4 oclock position).

Question: Try to beat it back into shape or but a used rear end? I thought about pulling the differential off and hauling it to a machine shop and letting them straighten it out. The truck has 280,000 miles, but still runs great and I would like to keep it as a work truck. Plan is to go buy a low mileage Tacoma in the next few days.

Thanks.

 

From your description and the fact that it was hit by a truck, I'd believe the housing to be more bent than just at the flange.

Replace it.

 

I would start shopping for a complete good used axle with the correct gear ratio. Anything else is going to be counterproductive and will likely lead to the same conclusion after wasting time and money.

 

I located a rear end off of a 2008 4 cylinder. The differential housing on the replacement has a bar code above B6 051 032609 0030. Mine has C6 082906 0409 below the bar code. So I assume these are completely different differentials. Are the differential housings going to be the same? Im thinking about putting the differential/axles from my truck into the other housing and put it on. Im pretty confident that my problem is a bent housing (of course I dont really know whats going on inside of it). Will the rear end from the 4 cylinder work on my 6 cylinder TRD? Im not finding any other rear ends out there, and the price of the replacement is quite reasonable.

 

I think the gear ratios are different between the V6 and I4?

Edit - my bad, thought OP was looking for the entire assembly, not just the exterior axle housing

 

It is out of a 6 lug set up, correct?

 

As a matter of fact, its a 5 lug setup. Im going to pass on the I4 and wait patiently for a compatible rear end to show up. Anybody who has any leads, please let me know.

 

I’d find a used rear end to swap in.

shouldn’t be hard to find given the SUA housings are worthless enough that I bought one for $50 then gave it away months ago

 

I’d guess the 6 lug housings are more common as others have pointed out.

Maybe try the classified ads here on the website to track one down local to you. Good luck and keep us posted OP!

 

Based on Your Photo, It looks like you took apart the Right Rear Passenger side .(( You Say Left Side by Semi Truck)) .. Also Lookin at Your Straight Edge ,Photo,, shows all to be straiht at the Flange ,, but Housing could be Bent .. ? so It looks like time replace the whole Differential Axel Assembly .. Please Keep us posted !!