Stuck at Crossroad: Solid axle front 3rd gen

So we decided to take up this project because we want to lift my friends truck up 12inches and its a lot easier to do that with 2 solid axles rather than an IFS.

We thought about it and him being a talented fabber/welder and me being me, we could tackle this project pretty well.

We located a totaled tacoma and we're able to get the guy to just sell us the rear axle it seemed to be intact.

Donor truck:


They sent us the rear axle, we made some measurements and we were happy that we could easily weld some mount to the top and line those mounts up to the shock mounts that come stock so we could do coils in the front instead of leafs.

We started by removing the tires and brakes and steering knuckles as well as the tie rods and LCAs. We did it carefully so they would be preserved and sold.

Now for the fun part, we decided to cut off the front bracket where the LCAs attache to the frame. We cut it off at the mounts because because that would give us extra space to work with.

This is where it got tricky. We started retrofitting certain components like the mounting brackets for the brake lines etc, when we realized that there's no spot for the power steering fluid line to hook up. Thats when we started to come to the frightening realization that the wheels on this damn thing won't turn!

Here are some pics of the axles before being modified:



Now I know some of y'all have done this, so I would really appreciate some advice or even help with this; how do you get the wheels to turn on this damn axle?

 

You're trying to turn a factory rear axle into a front axle??

 

Broooo… some of us here can barely put on Tacoma letters straight on our tailgates and you here grinding and welding a straight axle up front…..


I am so in on this, I cannot wait to see how it comes together!

 

FRIDAY!

 

Awshiz it is.

Damn, working nightshift messes your dates all up, only thing I'm pretty sure of anymore is that's it's still Febtober for another two weeks.

 

Has me baffled too.

 

https://media.giphy.com/media/VbbKTXH8zaJsQOkfau/giphy.gif

 

This

 

Who needs a dana 60 any ways!
D60 is overrated like Ford 9 inch rear ends and Chevy 350 small blocks.

 

Figured it was a typo but I think you might be on to something.

 

SO, something is either seized up or broken in the axle. Fix it and then tap it for the lines. I just would have bought a new axle that wasn't beat to shit but oh well now

 

Read it again

 

steal a front axle off a gladiator!

 

Apparently we have to. Its that our weld a bunch of stuff back on the truck and hope its straight.

 

Yeah well unless we get this axle to turn I don't see this working out.

 

Fixed

 

We cleaned it up nice, even regard it, but I don't see how were gonna get this wheels to turn

 

first you're gonna want to find a donor toyota solid front axle and cut the knuckle balls off of that. Cut the ends off of this axle. Clean it all up nicely with a grinder. Throw everything in the trash. Order a fabricated housing from Spidertrax or Ruffstuff and weld those toyota knuckle balls on there. Order some custom shafts from RCV. Cry. Wait 12-16 weeks for parts. Realize you should have welded 60 outers on instead. Cry some more. Sell everything at a loss and buy a solid axle swapped truck

 

Id rather keep a 2 directional truck than do that

 

I can just weld some of those 60s in the outside? Where can I find em? Im seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.