Found an 89 22RE 4Runner in Houston late last year. A promising restoration project for 800 bucks, runs strong. Actually, I found it on here from a forum member.

It originally had a higher price, but the rear differential w/ 5.29's and locker was bought by a guy who bought the seller's other 4Runner. But never fear....seller had a V6 pumpkin to slap in there and get me home. Not a 5.29, so no 4WD 'till the Genuine Gears <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> and minimum install kit he gave me were slapped in there.

Truck sounded good except for the rear end whine when under load. It was LOUD. Sounded like a Tie Fighter. He said it was the rear u-joint. I was skeptical, but fine...I'll take care of it. It was almost 300 miles home, all on the interstate. Got home OK, gear oil smell filling the air all the way.

Drove it a couple times after that to check things out, changed u-joint and rear end still howled. Seemed like a carrier bearing to me, but noticed tons of slop at the flange when I dropped the shaft. We're talking 30 or more degrees of slop. Hmmmm....backlash a little wide, eh? Felt like no preload anywhere. Yet, from the first test drive in Houston to the few times at home, the problem didn't get any worse.

Finally dropped the pumpkin the other day to install the Genuine Gears. Naw...just kiddin. Got a set of 5.29 US Gear, solid spacer, install kit, TrueTrac sitting on the bench. All new guts for this chunk.

Pulled the plug and about a half pint of nasty gear old came out. Metal shards a-plenty. Not pretty.

Dropped the pumpkin using my trusty Harbor Frieght tranny jack (29.99 when on sale) and easily rolled it to our examination area (uh, the garage floor). Something didn't look right.

Pointed to the side adjusters and told my perky, lovely assistant that those were the things I had to buy that blasted $40 tool to properly adjust. When I touched the adjuster nut, it MOVED!

Yep, it was hand loose, backed out almost all the way. Other side? Same thing. All 4 side bearing cap bolts? Hand loose. Two empty holes in the middle of each cap - yep, no adjusting nut locks were installed. That's what didn't look right.

The R&P actually looked astonishingly good. Carrier bearings rusted and shot, pinion bearings looked new. Busted it down and found NO OIL SEAL and NO SHIMS on pinion. What really cracks me up is that he had an oil seal in the Genuine install kit.

Oh, and it was sealed to the axle with clear RTV. A whole bunch of it. Boogers in the fluid and on the gears. On the bright side, 9 of the 10 nuts were present at the housing.

Man oh man, this is one tough truck. I don't think many of the so-called equivalents would have survived this half-assed hack job. Wish I had taken a pattern before disassembly. That would have been a hoot.

This vehicle was actually well-taken care of....until it was about to be sold, at which point the less-appealling aspects of human nature stepped hard to the forefront.

I'll chronicle the pumpkin rebuild, which has turned into drum-to-drum job, in another thread.

That's why I tell people to keep the beer on ice until yer done!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shame.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shame.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />
Glad you didn't hafta ride yer thumb home tho'. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

I just got in a rear setup kit from Marlin; got here in about 4 days. The neighborhood Yotaheads took note. Got some wrenchin to do once the ice goes out!

Hope the runout on the spindles is still good to ya. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" /> I had one depart the truck on me once when I was a little underinformed. Backplate held up just fine. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />

I love these kind of stories. When I was 19 I had a 53 Chevy that the rearend was going bad in. It whined so much that some people though I had but a SBC in it with a gear drive cam set-up. One day I drained the rear end and it was real lumpy. I put about a quart of STP in it and stuffed it full of Bananas. It quieted down a lot and I drove it for another six months. Funny thing, the car always smelled like Banana nut bread, especally when I was stoned!!!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

> That's why I tell people to keep the beer on ice until yer done!!!

The kid was squeaky-clean straight (when he wasn't installing a pumpkin on a soon-to-be someone else's vehicle). That made it all the more puzzling.

> Glad you didn't hafta ride yer thumb home tho'.

Naw...had my girlfriend waiting at home ready to mount a rescue mission if needed. Which, actually, leads to another funny story that people on this board might especially appreciate.

When we were planning the transaction, it was either I fly and drive back or we both ride our ticking time bomb (2001 Blazer) down and drive two units back.

Ended up flying solo and driving back, but while discussing our options she pointed out that if we drive at least we'll have the Chevy (38K miles) there if the Toyota (130K)breaks down.

I replied, "You mean we'll have the TOYOTA with us if the CHEVY breaks down!" <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

> Hope the runout on the spindles is still good to ya. I had one depart the truck on me once when I was a little underinformed. Backplate held up just fine.

Looks like nothing got hurt, knock on wood. Some crumbly sheet metal aside, they really put good steel and rubber in these trucks.

I got into Toyotas by looking for a small motorhome that wouldn't fall apart like a Chinese motorcycle, so I'm pretty hip to that whole axle seperation thing. When it's a dually, that makes for twice the flying assembly mayhem.

And that banana bread thing....BWA!

Funny thing about my pumpkin, I think if I buttoned it up remotely properly and actually allowed it to bathe in oil while in operation, that poor, poor, poor thing would have run for a good while. Rational thought dictates that it shoulda been toasted worse than Courtney Love on July 4th before I even got outta Houston.

I love these trucks.

Differentials are remarkable robust pieces. Had one on my RX-7 back the mounting bolts out, leaving the differential held in place by the axles only. I don't know how long I ran it that way. It wasn't until I was walking up to the car under just the right conditions and I noticed light coming through my axle that I found there was a problem here. How long had it been this way? Don't know. There was no oil in there, and lots of dust though. Weeks, months?

Bolted it back together, put oil in it, and it ran fine. Clutch pack in the limited slip was shot, but that was it. 300k miles later when I sold it the differential still was working fine.