Rich Carl

I've bought and rebuilt from boneyards two Toyota one ton full floating rear axles. Not knowing their history I assume heavy prior use and poor condition since these were put under ToyRVs, ToyU-Haul moving truck, and landscape trucks. I do full R&R on 'em including: 1. drain existing gear oil over a 2-day period as it keeps seeping out. 2. replace plug, refill with dino 90 weight oil (cuz Paul Cherubini says so) 3. rotate the wheels to lubricate the pumpkin and stir up the old oil. ( best if you can drive the vehicle to get rear end up to operating temp. and to loosen the settled old contaminated gear oil on the case bottom). 4. drain that oil over another day or two: it may be dirtier than first round. 5. replace plug, refill with dino 90 weight oil, drive the rig, check for leaks. 6. if it was a really foul axle it may be worth another $5 of oil to repeat.

Question: Anyone know what an empty Fibreglass shell weighs??? --- Answer: Just weighed my 1983 Toyota 21' Sunrader undergoing rebuild as an expedition RV. It's all stock except I upgraded to a full floating one ton rear axle with dual wheels. Besides the built-in one piece fiberglass bathroom with shower it's empty while undergoing customizing. No appliances nor cabinets nor counters nor roof AC unit; empty black and grey tanks; 5 lug front wheels and a 5 lug mounted spare; 3/4 full of fuel; 1/10 ton of me. Gross vehicle weight 4700 pounds; front axle 1830; rear axle 2940. Rich Carl

Hey fellas. For you ToyRV owners needing rear axle upgrades, I have for sale two (2) sets of Toyota one ton full-floating rear axles with 6 lug wheels. Both sets come off Toyota motorhomes, -not- landscape trucks or U-Hauls. I'm in southern Michigan, happen to be driving to California departing around May 15th, and may be able to deliver an axle with 4 wheels to your door anywhere along that corridor, possibly other locations too. Guaranteed to fit under Toyota RVs. For folks who never priced freight shipping of an axle on two pallets plus a third pallet holding the wheels, that usually runs $500+. I can deliver sets for no delivery charge except beers upon arrival. Contact me directly for prices on these sets. One set has 21,000 miles and the other higher. Shoot me an email at Richard.Carl@yahoo.com for fotos, details, tips on how to swap axles since I've done a couple of those jobs too. Any other questions, contact me directly instead of via this forum. Rich Carl

Hi. Rich Carl here, Sunrader restorer and reseller. About the rear axle you need, I have one for sale including 4 correct 14" wheels and can I deliver it to your door. Fotos available. Trucking freight costs about $500 due to the 3 pallets weighing in around 500 pounds. I'm soon driving from Michigan to California and can deliver for no extra charge. This axle came off a 1990 Toyota RV having 21k miles, front end only damage due to a wreck, but the coach and driveline were undamaged. Write me directly at Rich_Carl@yahoo.com or call 517-410-3217. Another buyer is interested but first-come-first-served. Here's things to consider about your axle swap. The one ton axle was used on ToyRVs, Toyota landscape/flatbed trucks, and Toyota U-Haul trucks. Axles become available usually only when the vehicle got wrecked or the donor truck became so worn out from heavy use and high mileage it was not worth putting money into. Here you are with an unsafe light-duty rear axle and needing a one ton full-floater. This is not the area on your RV to cheap out. Get a known-good one ton axle so you never have to replace it again. You'll still need to replace the rear diff gear lube and likely turn the drums and put on new shoes. I've done a couple axle swaps, alone in my residential driveway, can offer this info. Yes, it's a good and necessary-for-safety swap. No you don't need the later-model springs set. Use your existing leaf springs to avoid welding on new spring perches required by the later-model springs. With the axle off is the time to install Firestone Ride-Rite airbag suspension; that way the old springs are OK. The one ton axle housing is physically thicker so you need 4 new, correct-width-and-length U-bolts. I get them for $10 each at a truck spring supplier. You will need to modify or replace your 2 rear shock mount plates to accomodate the wider U-bolts. Toyota no longer sells the plates so you need to find 2 donors (virtually impossible) or a welder can modify your existing ones. Also would be wise to replace the old fixed and flexible brake lines -- cheap money, good safety upgrade. Put on Bilstein shocks, front and rear. It's likely your sway bar mounting brackets need to be cut off the old axle and welded onto the new one ton axle. Replace the sway bar bushings and the link end bushings with poly bushings from Downey Off-Road. Note that some ToyRVs of your vintage didn't have rear sway bars. Any more questions, call me. Rich

Dennis, thanks for the info. Ingenious rack system. Good fotos too. Kind regards, Rich

Dennis, I believe 1977 is the first year and they were 17' in length. Had a lift-up rear door. Likely had the 18R or 20R 4 cylinder engine. Question for you: on your roof rack, what did you use as stancions to screw to the roof? And are they galvanized steel, PVC, or other material? Rich

Matt, I'm Rich Carl and live just south of Lansing, MI. I buy, restore, resell Toyota Sunrader RVs. Have 2 21' Sunraders for sale right now. I'm selling a Toyota RV rear axle, one ton, full floater, with 4 wheels. It came off a 1990 Toyota RV having 21,000 miles before it got wrecked near Grand Rapids, MI. Will sell at a reasonable price, can even deliver. Call me ASAP at 517-410-3217 please. I'm supposed to depart tomorrow morning for Florida but could delay a day if you make this purchase. Kind regards, Rich

Hey Mike. I converted one of my 21' Sunraders to have a 3 burner stove top plus an Apollo Half-Time convection/microwave oven combo. A description of the upgrade steps are at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/toyota-campers/message/98597 Rich ---

Strassy, Rich Carl here. I restore and sell Sunraders. I just posted for sale a low mileage 6 lug, one ton, full floating rear axle with 4 wheels and lug nuts. It came off a crashed 1990 Toyota RV with 21k miles. I can deliver everything to you for a modest fee before Christmas 2008. Contact me directly at Richard.Carl@yahoo.com or call me at 517-410-3217 8am-9pm. My ad is http://www.toyotamotorhome.org/classifieds...ng.php?view=483 Cheers, Rich ---

> Per your sage advice, I am on the lookout for a 1 ton axle to fit Sadie. Shanda, I have for sale a one ton, full floating, 6 lug nut axle with 4 dually rims that came off a 1990 Toyota motorhome with 21k miles that unfortunately was totalled out. The rear end was undamaged. I may be able to deliver it for a modest fee. I am located in Michigan. Email me if interested at: Rich_Carl@yahoo.com Rich

Hi Greg, Diesel Mike, All. Rich Carl here. I visit only occassionally but thought I'd add to this thread. On your failed 5-lug axle, am very happy to hear you're OK and neither you nor other drivers were injured. Sad to add that your experience mirrors many other ToyRV owners of 5-lug axles. The recall on the undersized 1/2 ton truck axles really was necessary to resolve this very real safety problem. Turns out I am presently converting a 1983 21' Sunrader to have a rebuilt one ton, 6 lug, full floating rear axle. This is my 2nd axle-swap project, I don't look forward to doing another conversion, so I have for sale another full-floater, set of shock mount plates, and 4 matching 14" dually wheels. If you intend to do the conversion yourself, it's frankly a tough job needing some parts fabrication and some special-order parts. You should research the whole conversion project before starting, and gather all the parts and have plenty of time and a work space conducive to a long-term project. In addition to what my buddy Diesel Mike has advised, and in random order, you'll need: - a known-good one ton full floating axle (then have it rebuilt with new bearings, races, oil seals, brake pads, possibly wheel cylinders, and certainly have the drums resurfaced); - a pair of used 2WD (-not- the 4WD version) one ton axle shock mount plates (Toyota calls them spring seats; note Toyota no longer sells the OEM part so you must locate some from a donor truck) that you'll have to modify since the shock mount pin geometry will be different; - new U-bolts fitting the larger diameter one ton axle (plus new washers and heavy duty nuts); - new rear shocks (Bilstein are best IMO); - 2 new brake lines plus the single flexible brake hose which is likely a special order; - new bushings for the sway bar, sway bar link ends, shock mount pins, leaf springs' front and rear shackles; - weld on new sway bar mounting bracket plates; - drill out 2 holes to bolt together the drive shaft flange to the rear end's companion flange; - refill with gear oil appropriate for your climate; - possibly upgrade your leaf springs depending on size and whether you have airbag suspension; - this was an off-the-top-of-the-head review and you'll face lots of other challenges. I wouldn't begin the job until you have all your parts and field service manual diagrams to help. Kind regards, Rich