New rear axle for my chase car

So, my rally chase car, course closing car, desert play toy, mad max car, after it's last long trip is in need of a new rear axle. The Cressida 7.1" axle I started the build with, 3 plus years ago has become too rare, and no gearing or LSD options. I finally bit the bullet and am now building a refreshed 7.5" axle, most commonly found in the light duty 2wd trucks. I did a bunch of digging around and since the SRA Supra axle is even rarer then the Cressida axle I used, I found the next best thing, Toyota Vanwagon. It's a 7.5", 56.75" wheel mnt to mnt with 4x4.5" lug pattern. For now I'll stick with the drum brakes, as they are decently larger then the current set-up. I'm also pulling a factory clutch pack LSD from a 2nd gen Supra and 4.10 gearing. I've gotten so into this partial car rebuild, that I've even had axle brackets quoted, per my design. I had no idea it would be so cheap, so I'm having three sets made, just in case I want to build another car, this time for rallying.

A few pictures of the new axle, as it sits now, along with the Supra diff I'll be pulling the LSD out of.




and the Supra diff for the clutch plate limited slip differencial



More pictures and progress to follow in the near future, as I get it all put together.

-Jon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/22/2012 10:17AM by jrally.

I got my rebuild parts from Weir last night, in the mail. MAXGrip LSD and diff bearing kit with solid pinion spacer. By the end of the week I should have the custom made axle brackets from Ballastic. They were cutting them yesterday. And I've lined up a mechanic to do the 3rd member rebuild with LSD install. Maybe this axle install will go quicker than I thought it would.

I'll be back to having fun again, axle in like this, able to touch the ground most of the time and jump around the desert roads.



-Jon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/22/2012 10:25AM by jrally.

Coolest car on the website. You're a sick puppy and attaboy!

Thanks Gene. You can build pretty cool cars when you don't have to follow rules. Doesn't mean it's not safe, it's just not race legal.

-Jon

I agree 100% with Gene. This car of yours looks like a riot!

Thanks, it's been a blast to build and especially to DRIVE!!

Fed-Ex brought my custom made Ballistic Fab. brackets today, Weir Max Grip showed up Monday...

Good choice on the diff kit...
Didya get the inner stubbies wif the diff?
You can make them into pre-load check tools if ya did.
Nice to check in the bench to know whatcher got.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Color me intrigued. Not sure how much of a benefit the Toyota 7.5" is over the Mazda 7", but I found a bunch in junkyards for silly-cheap prices because nobody actually drives those Toyota deathvans.

---

Pete Remner
Cleveland, Ohio

1984 RX-7 (rallycross thing)
1978
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.

The 7.5 toyota axle is what the smaller 2wd pickups used, so lsd,locker options and tons of reasonable priced gear options. I used the van version for the 4 lug bolt pattern.
I do have the Supra drive stubs, but wont have much use for them soon.

-Jon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/29/2012 10:11AM by jrally.

Quote
jrally
the 7.5 toyota axle is what the smaller 2wd pickups used, so lsd,locker options and tons of reasonable priced gear options. I used the van version for the 4 lug bolt pattern.
I do have the Supra drive stubs, but wont have much use for them soon.

-Jon

You understand what I'm saying to turn those into tools?

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Yes, measuring the LSD break away torque limit, or for locking down both sides to measure gear backlash, etc...

-Jon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/29/2012 10:12AM by jrally.

I got the Supra diff rebuilt last night, went easy enough, even with the garage at around 100 deg.. I'll call up the mechanic who's going to do the gear/diff install in the 3rd member, see if I can drop everything off. I should have the 3rd member back next week sometime. This past weekend I got the rest of the axle house dismantled and cleaned up, ready for all new brackets.

-Jon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/11/2012 12:15AM by jrally.

insteresting. moar pic pls.

Quote
alkun
insteresting. moar pic pls.

which reminds me, Alperti: where's your gawddam Toiletta halfshafts?

And where is the squirterizational kit?

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Quote
john vanlandingham
which reminds me, Alperti: where's your gawddam Toiletta halfshafts?

Are you doing some of those soon? I should send you mine so you can do them at the same time. I bought an astro van last week, and as soon as I finish changing the intake gaskets I'll drive it and start tearing apart my volvo.