</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">Originally posted by phong:
<strong>You're too honest. I just tack-welded mine back together and pretended nothing happened. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="images/icons/tongue.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">I have yet to look at the damage under the boot, but several ball bearings fell out as well as several pieces of metal. I assumed they'd notice. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="images/icons/cool.gif" />

<small>[ April 14, 2003, 05:10 PM: Message edited by: Aurora Sandman ]</small>

I would say Wednesday. Especially since Phong says it's such a piece of cake (lets hope). I'll supply the beer.

How does Wednesday at 7:00 sound?

I wish I were closer and I would come help (learn). There are many of us would appreciate pics and a write up if you don't mind and itÆs not to difficult.

This is very informative and thanks for sharing your experience thus far.

Good luck

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">Originally posted by Aurora Sandman:
<strong>How does Wednesday at 7:00 sound?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">Great. Let's party.

Steve Schaefer mailed this good info to me:

Hey Guys-

I would post, but I can't. So I'll just e-mail you guys. CarQuest routenly mixes up the Japaneese made 4Runner axle with the Non-Japaneese made Tacoma axle.

It is really easy to tell a 4Runner axle from a Tacoma axle.

1. Tacoma axle: Green sticker, completely flat center section & smaller inner tripod joint.

2. 4Runner axle: No stickers, Tapered center shaft, starts big goes smaller and then larger. It should also have ribs on the center piece, the Taco axle is smooth. Finally much larger inner tripod.

It you want to see them side by side check my page out. I got 2 axles from CarQwest. Both makred 4Runner, one was a Taco and one was a 4Runner. Sounds like Phong is sporting a set to Taco axles. Most important make sure the axle is exaclty the same as the one that is not broken and you'll have the 4Runner one. CarQwest used the same grease in both CV's Toyota uses grey in one and yellow in the other. CQ is just gray. CQ uses aftermatet boots with the ultra suckey clamps ORS gives you. This will be fine since you do not have to take it apart.

http://www.fastq.com/~sschaefer/ors.html

See you guys in Aug. I'll be crawin on up there. :-)

Steve Schaefer

<small>[ April 14, 2003, 11:52 PM: Message edited by: Aurora Sandman ]</small>

Yeah, my axles have the green stickers and a flat (non-tapered) center section... maybe this confirms what Jeff suspected <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> If it helps at all, the part number on my invoice is "RDS 49208".

I tied the axle to my sway bar (which is currently disconnected) with a rag to get it out of the way for the drive home. Worked like a charm!

<img src="http://www.h2net.net/~mgbrown/images/IMG_0635.JPG" alt=" - " />

Me to Steve:

Steve,

Thank you so much. (You're a good guy.)

Do you know what the significance of the yellow grease is? (The grease that came out on the trail was gray.)

And do you know what risk, if any, is involved in using a Taco axle?

Mike

Steve to me:

Mike,

Yellow goes in the inner joint, Gray on the outer. Your CarQuest axle will be completely assembled. The grease info was just for your FYI.

You really want a 4Runner axle. The inner tripod is much larger and stronger. There also may be slight differences in length. ORS no longer recommends Taco axles in their manual hub kit. They went to the trouble to come up with a custom center. So the 2 axles are not the same. Stay with the 4Runner axle. If you get a Taco take it back and have them order you another 4Runner one. The axle you get from CarQuest should look exactly like the one that is not broken in your truck.

Here is another way to tell the 2 apart. The 4Runner one has letters and numbers on the center part. The taco does not.

Steve

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /> I was copied on those e-mails and already replied, so I may as well copy it here:

I agree that stock Taco axles are green.
ORS now says that Taco middle axle shafts are 3/16"-1/4" shorter than 4Runner axles so the 4Runner axles are better in that respect. Taco axles are thicker diameter with more splines, so the Taco axles are better in that respect. I'm working on getting a diff drop "just in case" for my Newfield Taco axles. BTW Steve, the small rollers in the Taco tripod joint in your pic remains to be the only axle I've seen with THAT small of rollers. I didn't see that obvious of a difference with my Taco axles.
Jeff

[The different number of splines on each end of the middle axle shaft is the original reason for ORS including custom shafts for the 4Runner kit. That's how they accidentally found out about the length difference.]

I didn't send the message or post this with the expectation of getting a response from anyone, including Steve. It's just for information purposes.

<small>[ April 15, 2003, 03:46 AM: Message edited by: Jeff the marmot ]</small>