Yeah, looks OEM to me. The way I tell is the notches in the axle housing near the differential. Aftermarket ones usually don’t have those, which makes them a pain to remove.
Teegan said:
Yeah, looks OEM to me. The way I tell is the notches in the axle housing near the differential. Aftermarket ones usually don’t have those, which makes them a pain to remove.
Good to know, thanks! Mine is shot, so I want to replace it with an OEM one. Just making sure so I can get my core deposit back on the new one.
@Archer
I replied to your other post about this but figured I’d follow up here too. The Toyota OEM axles are way better than aftermarket ones. They last longer and handle wear better. Only downside is they cost 2-3x more. But the good news is you can rebuild them! A rebuild kit is about $25, and even with zero experience, you can do it. There are tons of videos online that make it super simple.
@Barbara
Yeah, I agree. A rebuild is usually the best option. They rarely get so bad that they can’t be fixed. From what I see in your pic, it looks like it’s just leaking from the outer boot. They’re actually kind of cool to take apart and look at.
@ROZZY
Appreciate the input! How hard is rebuilding it? Do I need any special tools? Think a construction worker like me can figure it out?
Archer said:
@ROZZY
Appreciate the input! How hard is rebuilding it? Do I need any special tools? Think a construction worker like me can figure it out?
For sure. It’s not about skill, just knowing what to do, and a good how-to video covers that. If you can follow basic steps, you can rebuild an axle.
@Barbara
Thanks a lot!
@Barbara
Thanks! I was looking into rebuilding, but some people say it’s a pain and you need special tools. If you found it easy, I might give it a shot. Do you recommend a specific rebuild kit?
Archer said:
@Barbara
Thanks! I was looking into rebuilding, but some people say it’s a pain and you need special tools. If you found it easy, I might give it a shot. Do you recommend a specific rebuild kit?
It depends on how comfortable you are with tools, but honestly, even a kid could do it by following a video. It’s not like learning a skateboard trick or something where you need practice, haha. It’s just basic stuff: remove the tire, change sockets, take off the hub nut, etc. Technically, you do need a couple of special tools, but they’re cheap. I’d grab a seal puller for sure. Other than that, I used a basic socket set and a pry bar instead of a pickle fork. There’s also a ring crimper, but I just used an old pair of dull side cutters to pinch the ring instead of cutting it. If you buy everything new, you’re looking at around $60 total. But if you already have a socket set and a pry bar, you’re mostly set.
@Barbara
Alright, I decided to give it a go! Found a kit for $55. I’ll grab a seal puller, and I’ll figure out the crimper situation. I already have the other stuff. Thanks for the help, let’s see how this goes!
Looks like OEM to me. One way to check is by feeling the outer boot (the one near the wheel). It should be a stiffer rubber than the inner boot.
By the way, it’s a 2004 Tacoma 4x4 if that makes a difference.
If it was replaced with a remanufactured axle at some point, there’s no way to tell. But if it’s original, then yeah, it was OEM.