How To Identify Toyota Axles

I need some assistance identifying the most prevalent codes! I will update the table below after you send me an email with your truck’s C/TR/A/TM code, engine type, transmission type, model year, stock tire size, and country of purchase. I’m attempting to determine precisely which gearsets were available with each engine/transmission combo. I’d like to make this table as complete as possible and would like to know if there are any other inexpensive switch options, so if you have other Toyota vehicles, please give me those codes as well.

While 4.10 axle gearing is typically included in toys sold in the US, it isn’t always the case. 4.30 gearing is frequently found in four-cylinder autotransmission vehicles (4.87 if they came factory-equipped with 31″ tires). 4.56 gears were typically standard on all V6s with 31″ tires and 4-cylinder manuals with 31″ tires. And still more have had their owners modify them so they can move bigger tires.

Look for an information plate on your truck, either on the firewall (if it was manufactured before 1989) or the door jamb, to help you identify your axle type and standard gearing (1989-current). The appearance will be similar to this:

The Color (paint) code, Trim Code, Axle Code, and Transmission Code are represented by these numerals. You should also double-check your VIN number’s initial few digits.

A letter that designates the ring gear’s diameter appears in the first place of the axle code. The 7.5″ and 8″ diameters have always been utilized in Toyota vehicles and 4Runners, however the other diameters are listed here for completeness. For Toyotas made in Japan, the first table is applicable; these vehicles’ VIN numbers start with “JT”. Vehicles with a VIN starting with “4T” in North America are covered by the second, smaller table.

For instance, the code for my Japanese truck is G282. This indicates that I have a 2-pinion design, an automatic transmission, and an 8-inch (rear) axle with 4.30 gears (common in 4 cylinders).

The numbers in the first table’s highlighted cells are those that you’ll most frequently see in Toyota 4Runners and pickup trucks.

I need some assistance identifying the most prevalent codes! Please email me with your C/TR/A/TM code, engine type, transmission type, model year, stock tire size, and country of purchase of your truck so I can update the table if your truck or 4Runner (heck, even your car) includes code parts that are NOT mentioned above.

This second table contains a number of discrepancies that we’ve discovered, so don’t accept it as gospel. As of yet, the first table has shown to be reliable.

How can I tell what axle I have?

You can look for the Dana stamped bill of materials number to determine exactly what axle you have. This imprinted number is typically located facing the back of the truck on the right side or on the longer axletube on the same side of the tube as the differential cover. The axle, the year of manufacturing, and the model car the axle was initially installed in may all be determined using the number. When searching for new axleshafts and braking components for axles that have been swapped in, this information is extremely helpful. You may even find out what gear ratio the axle originally had by looking at the bill of materials number. The same location on the axle has a manufacturing date stamped into it.

Where is the axle’s part number located?

A vertically oriented marking stamped into the right side support arm’s center, the left side support arm’s opposite end (the camber adjuster’s end), or the axle carrier’s “nose end.” Depending on when the axle was manufactured, the information will be located in a specific place.

When was Toyota solid axle introduced?

Why then did we choose these years to concentrate on Toyota? Toyota pickups were initially made available with four-wheel drive in 1979. And from that time until 1985, toys had solid front axles. It wasn’t until 1986, however, that the debate over live axle versus IFS really started to heat up around the campfire.

Because many drivetrain components on these Toyotas were recycled from the ‘Cruiser, they were dubbed the Son of Land Cruiser. And since components are easily accessible for these model years, that’s a major plus. We consulted the Toyota experts, Jim Sickles of Downey Off-Road Manufacturing, Marlin Czajkowski of Marlin Crawler, and John Hendricks of Northwest Off-Road Specialties, though, for some actual purchasing tips. They claim that Toyotas from 1979 to 1985 are affordable to buy, simple to acquire parts for in salvage yards and the aftermarket, affordable to fix, dependable, and tough.

Toyota has an advantage over competing manufacturers in that it keeps everything straightforward, from car design to settings. There were no upgrades that changed the engine or performance prior to the 1981 arrival of the SR5 package, which was an interior/exterior update. The pickups from 1979 to 1995 and a half were known as Hi-Lux, although the name was rarely used after the early 1980s and was renamed to Tacoma in mid-1995. While there were no significant sheetmetal modifications between 1979 and 1983 for the pickups’ regular bed and longbed models, 1984 saw the introduction of the Xtracab, which features a shortbed mounted on a longbed chassis for an additional 2 feet of internal space.

For those of you who love the Spotter’s Guide, Toyotas from 1979 to 1982 have round headlights, whereas those from 1983 to 1985 have square ones. Due to their square-cut fenderwells as opposed to the round ones on the ’79-’83s, the ’84-’85s appear taller. The grilles somewhat modified between the model years 1981 and 1983.

Between 1979 and 1985, three Toyota pickup four-cylinder engines were employed: 20R, 22R, and 22R-E. A 21R existed, although it was only used in Japan. The 20R carbureted 2.2L engine was installed in the 19791980 models. The 22R carbureted 2.4L engine was installed in the 19811983 models. The 19841985 models were available with either the 22R carbureted or the 22RE electronic fuel injection.

Just read the lettering on the wall to distinguish between the engines. The engine designation is located in a flat, machined spot on the driver’s side of the engine, behind the alternator. In case you’re lucky, a decal indicating the original engine size will be located on the valve cover’s nose. Search for the 20R’s round intake ports; the 22R’s intake ports are square for a greater challenge. There is no direct replacement for the intake manifolds.

The performance of each of the four-cylinder engines can be easily improved. The lack of a V-6 option for the solid-axle Toys is one disadvantage.

All vehicles from 1979 to 1985 had solid axles that measured 8.0 inches (the same as 7.8 inches). When it comes to extreme rock crawling, the specialists we spoke with all agreed that a solid-axle arrangement is unbeatable, and Jim Sickles of Downey points out that these trucks can be lifted more affordably than an IFS truck.

The cool aspect, though, is that the dropout pumpkins on the front and rear axles are both interchangeable from front to rear. The ’84 and subsequent models feature a different back pinion bearing, which is the sole difference between the pumpkins.

Only 10% of Toyota 4x4s in America had automatic transmissions, which were first introduced in the ’85s. Czajkowski, Hendricks, and Sickles claim that Toyota had certain issues with transmissions. The 19811983 versions simply lacked sufficient power. The trannies, however, improved and became considerably less problematic in the ’84s. Models from 1981 introduced the first five-speed overdrive transmissions.

Regardless of whether they are in regular beds, longbeds, or Xtracabs, Toyota manufacturers refer to the T-cases as four-cylinder or six-cylinder kinds rather than transfer-case model designations like NP205. All of the four-cylinder models from 1979 to 1985 had larger driveline flanges and a 1/4-inch higher case in the models from 1984 and beyond.

The shift lever is bolted to the top of the T-case with ’79-’83 carbureted engines and ’84-’87 EFI engines, however it is bolted to the tranny on ’84-’87 carbureted Toys.

The shift lever bolts to the top of the transfer case, which is the same for all Toyotas with fuel-injected engines from 1979 to 1983 and from 1984 to 1987. The lever on the one on the right bolts directly to the tranny and is for carbureted engines from 1984 to 1987.

Do Toyotas ever experience problems? “Nonearmy tanks and significantly superior vehicles.” According to Sickles of Downey. He notes that the 19791984 transnies are inadequate for large tires and powerful motors, but that by 1985, they had improved. Hendricks of Northwest claims that Toyotas are well-designed trucks, but points out that the 19841985 models had issues with rust in the bed and doors (often caused by the owner, he claims), but with the introduction of IFS in 1986, the rust issue was resolved. Marlin Crawler’s Czajkowski observes that the rust got worse with older cars. Hendricks of Northwest has observed upper shock-mount fracture as well, although he questions whether the owner is more to blame than Toyota.

If you install a front locker, Czajkowski claims the front drive axle joints, also known as Birfield joints, are the most likely parts to break; he never leaves the house without extra Birfield joints. The left horseshoe steering arm, which wears out and cracksanother extra item he won’t wheel withoutis another significant malfunction. The exhaust manifolds, according to him, can warp. The 1985 models are said to have the weakest engines.

The greatest years for lifting, according to Czajkowski, are the ’79 to ’83 models since they have the biggest wheel apertures. You can easily fit 35-inch wheels and a 5-inch lift into these models. The ’84-’85s had greater creature comforts in the premium category, like a larger cab and buckets. Since it has good mileage, torque, and powerand was the final year for the rockcrawler’s favorite, the live axlehe would lean toward a fuel-injected 1985 shortbed.

The bodies and construction of the ’79’83s, according to Hendricks, are the strongest. Since 1983 was the final year for that body type before improvements came around, he would choose that model. It’s a well-liked option because to its traditional design and sizable, rounded wheelwells. And Sickles supports the Xtracab since it has a fresh body design and more cab room.

What Toyota axles are the strongest?

Toyota Pickup and 4Runner RCV Ultimate 30 Spline Axle Set with 300M Inner Axle – STRONGEST – 300M INNER AXLE AND STAR These axles, which include 300M inners and a 300M star, are the strongest ones you can get. For your Toyota pickup or 4Runner, these Birfield axleshafts are the toughest you can find.

How do axle tags work?

A motorhome with a third axle after the rearmost axle is referred to as a tag axle RV. The reason it “tags along behind the drive axle” is how it got its name. It is a non-drive axle and usually just has one tire on each side.

Large RVs weigh a lot, and each axle can only support a certain amount of weight. The likelihood that an RV may need a tag axle to support the additional weight increases with the RV’s length, size, and weight.

A tag axle’s main use is to boost the weight-carrying capacity of larger or heavier RVs. A tag axle improves the stability of the ride and strengthens the support of the RV’s rear structure, enabling it to handle more weight.

On RVs 40 feet or longer, a tag axle is most usually employed. The inclusion of a tag axle itself doesn’t require anything unusual from a driving perspective, other than the fact that tag axle rigs are often longer.

A tag axle RV has an additional axle that allows it to transport hundreds of pounds of additional gear. Additionally, the tag axle helps the vehicle remain more stable when driving in windy or icy situations.

What are the meanings of the numbers on a differential?

The phrase alludes to the gears in the differential of the truck, a machine that mechanically connects the back axle to the driveshaft and subsequently the engine. Technically, the ratio should be written as 3.55:1, which means that for every wheel spin, the drive shaft revolves 3.55 times.