# Repairs

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/repairs/81445>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** toyota, 4runner\
**Created:** [September 22, 2013, 5:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/repairs/81445 "2013-09-22T05:11:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![glo\_not\_from\_kokomo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/258eb7/32.png) [@glo\_not\_from\_kokomo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/glo_not_from_kokomo)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 5:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/repairs/81445/1 "2013-09-22T05:11:27Z")

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Can a rear differential be repaired?

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**Author:** ![glo\_not\_from\_kokomo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/258eb7/32.png) [@glo\_not\_from\_kokomo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/glo_not_from_kokomo)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 5:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/repairs/81445/2 "2013-09-22T05:12:43Z")

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First time question; long time listener and NPR contributor

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**Author:** ![mleich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@mleich](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mleich)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 5:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/repairs/81445/3 "2013-09-22T05:24:29Z")

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Possibly.

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**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 5:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/repairs/81445/4 "2013-09-22T05:28:00Z")

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What is wrong with the diff?

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**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 5:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/repairs/81445/5 "2013-09-22T05:38:19Z")

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Yes. Unless the damage is extensive enough that it actually broke the housing that holds the differential.

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**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/repairs/81445/6 "2013-09-22T19:35:40Z")

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If the housing is undamaged but the ring and pinion gears are damaged then a used unit from the salvage might be a better option as the costs of ring/pinion gears, bearings, seals, and labor on a fairly technical job could be somewhat high.

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**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/repairs/81445/7 "2013-09-22T21:10:31Z")

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Rear differential repairs are very expensive. Some years ago I had the bearings replaced on a Chevy rear end at the cost of $440. No gears were damaged. If your gears are damaged, the better approach would be to find a wreck and get the wholes unit. In my case, a whole rear axle assembly would only have cost $750, clearly the way to go if there is significant damage on the gears. Our family doctor had to fix the rear end of his C class Mercedes and it came to $2800!