FAQ Understanding Toyota Hardware Part Numbers And Other Part Numbering Thoughts

[OGBeno]

Just used this info. Thank you again @Onur for giving the community this information and explaining it so well.

Glad it was useful, Chase.

 

[RodrigzCrzr]

Just used this myself today! made it nice to know just a portion to find a certain hardware. will definitely refer back to it.
Thanks!!
Enjoy learning something new everyday.

 

[fjc-man]

Yes, definitely.

 

[OGBeno]

Just used this myself today! made it nice to know just a portion to find a certain hardware. will defiantly refer back to it.
Thanks!!
Enjoy learning something new everyday.

Glad it was able to assist you.

 

[diesellibrarian]

As a librarian, this system reminds me a lot of the Dewey Decimal System, in that it's a series of numbers that carry actual semantic content that a knowledgeable person can readily interpret and glean information from. Too cool. Bookmarking this thread for future reference. Thanks!

 

[OGBeno]

To really understand Toyota, you really need to understand their language, so to speak. I get very upset when there is mis-information and disinformation posted online about the nature of the Toyota logical system purely to sell something or to market something… To commoditize knowledge.


Most of the gibberish you see on mud is due to a lack of real understanding that first and foremost Toyota is an information and data logic machine. There is absolutely nothing arbitrary about any of Toyota’s internal systems of communication and structure.

A corporation that deals solely in systems… Very well-developed and very well-thought out internal language structures.

 

[Njck22]

I can imagine the frustration on your end, having put in the time and effort to "speak the language". If you ever write that book you can put me down for a signed copy.

 

[OGBeno]

I can imagine the frustration on your end, having put in the time and effort to "speak the language". If you ever write that book you can put me down for a signed copy.

You and maybe five other people actually care about this stuff. I highly doubt I will actually produce something that is narratively digestible by 95% of the people represented here, unfortunately. It will be much more a kin to a social scientific study of systems.

The anti-expertise nature of the mud population does not lend itself as a motivating factor for me. That’s unfortunate as well. There was a time when expertise and knowledge in the domain were actually valued and rewarded. That ship has unfortunately sailed.

 

[LazarusTaxa]

You and maybe five other people actually care about this stuff. I highly doubt I will actually produce something that is narratively digestible by 95% of the people represented here, unfortunately. It will be much more a kin to a social scientific study of systems.

The anti-expertise and anti-academic nature of the mud population does not lend itself as a motivating factor for me. That’s unfortunate as well. There was a time when expertise and knowledge in the domain were actually valued and rewarded. That ship has unfortunately sailed.

I don't know.. I hope that's not true. I personally find Toyota fascinating and have a huge respect for Japanese culture in general. I enjoy learning the detailed information like this through the hand-on nature of working on a Land Cruiser.

I for one would love more of this stuff. Perhaps a weekly series on Toyota history and systems?

 

[OGBeno]

I don't know.. I hope that's not true. I personally find Toyota fascinating and have a huge respect for Japanese culture in general. I enjoy learning the detailed information like this through the hand-on nature of working on a Land Cruiser.

I for one would love more of this stuff. Perhaps a weekly series on Toyota history and systems?

Hang around here a little longer. What I stated above is 100% true.

 

[Njck22]

You and maybe five other people actually care about this stuff. I highly doubt I will actually produce something that is narratively digestible by 95% of the people represented here, unfortunately. It will be much more a kin to a social scientific study of systems.

The anti-expertise and anti-academic nature of the mud population does not lend itself as a motivating factor for me. That’s unfortunate as well. There was a time when expertise and knowledge in the domain were actually valued and rewarded. That ship has unfortunately sailed.

Not trying to turn this into a private discussion or make it personal to you.

In the past years, basically any "niche" has been blown open by the huge accessibility to the internet. Look at any forum and it's growth in the past years.
anywhere that used to be able to maintain a high standard has had to lower it self due the influx of the unspecialized, and the lazy. I mean the average iq is 100, right?
just like anything nowadays, eventually everyone finds out about it and the beautiful sub culture is not "ruined" per-se, just beat to a pulp and simply discarded.

Alot of people really value your expertise. I loved listening to your segment of Toyota truck and trails about 80 series. Your pursuit and presentation of actual technical information, even if it comes off as "harsh" to some is a breath of fresh air.
Sadly that's almost counter to what the average internet user expects today, everyone wants the dopamine- fueling, ad - revenue providing, click bait, spoon-fed 5 sec reads.
As you said yourself, it seems like no one cares.
There's still plenty of those that do care. but now there's a larger population that washes them out. Keep doing what you do, Those that hear it, really value it.

 

[Godwin]

You and maybe five other people actually care about this stuff. I highly doubt I will actually produce something that is narratively digestible by 95% of the people represented here, unfortunately. It will be much more a kin to a social scientific study of systems.

The anti-expertise and anti-academic nature of the mud population does not lend itself as a motivating factor for me. That’s unfortunate as well. There was a time when expertise and knowledge in the domain were actually valued and rewarded. That ship has unfortunately sailed.

As we have discussed a time or two.

 

[Slong12]

It's helped me as I inventory and organize the OEM hardware I've accumulated over the past 20 years, parting out Land Cruisers (from a '64 FJ40 to an '89 FJ62 and many in between), as well as pickups. When I was building my '86 FJ60, and now as I'm building my '71 FJ40, I'm trying to use the appropriate OEM hardware as specified by the Toyota engineers. And trying to keep track of this and understand the numbering system helps keep my mind sharp as I get older - better than sudoku or crossword puzzles .

 

[flanker]

As requested, here are some insights into understanding the Toyota part number logic for both legacy and current hardware.

There is some back ground to understand though and some of it is easier to understand than other aspects:

1. Toyota part numbers are either 10-digits or 12-digits using a combination of numerals and letters (letters come much later on...early 2000's). The hyphen is used for readability.​

2. A 10-digit Toyota part number is broken up into two sections: Prefix 5-digit number and suffix-5 digit number. For our purposes in discussion hardware, all of them will begin with 9 and look like this: 9xxxx-xxxxx​

3. Hardware specific to different systems (AC, electrical, etc.) will have their own numbers. For example, the AC idler adjusting bolt is 88446-35040. This bolt is not "standard" or "semi-standard" hardware. This bolt is specific to the AC system (88446) and it is even more specific to the R engine family (35040) and is used in the 1FZ-FE engine family as well (a good example of how Toyota re-uses old designs rather than re-design a new part when an old one will work just fine).​

Another good example: 81119-1A270: Headlight adjusting bolt (2 per headlight) for an FJ60. The first 5 digits indicate the headlight system (81119). This is a specific piece of hardware manufactured specifically for this application, thus it is out side of the normal scope of standard or semi-standard hardware.​

For legacy hardware (so basically everything from the 4x time period with a bit of 6x/7x truck legacy), the breakdown of the first 3 digits of the first 5 prefix digits goes like this:

1st condition: will always start with 9
2nd condition: will be a number from 0-9, A-Z
3rd condition: will be a number from 0-9

2nd condition definitions:

0= Standard hardware
1= Hexagonal head bolts
2= Bolt
3= Screw
4= Nut and washers
5= Rivet, pin, key, nail, etc.
6= Fastening plate, fitting seal, cushion, hose clamp
7= Roller bearing (anti-friction)f
8= Tire and tube
9= functional parts
A-Z= serial in meaning and position; usually based on Toyota engineering application as provided by Toyota supplier

3rd condition definitions (a sub-category of the 2nd condition definitions):

900= Manufacturer semi-standard parts (same as 1-9 from 2nd condition but meant for Toyota suppliers)
909= Special semi-standard parts (think 3.5mm vacuum hose: 90999-92003 for example)

911= Hex head bolt (Class 1)
912= Hex head bolt (Class 2)
913= Hex head bolt (Class 3)
914= Hex head bolt (Class 4)

921= Stud
927= Square head bolt, flat head bolt, hex socket head bolt
928= Cup square neck bolt, Flat square neck bolt


931= Slotted screw
932= Cross-recessed screw
935= Cross-recessed tapping screw
936= Slotted wood screw
937= Cross-recessed wood screw

941= Hexagon nut
942= Nut
943= Plate nut
944= Part with nut
945= Spring washer
946= Plate washer
947= Seal washer

951= Rivet
952= Nail
953= Pin
955= Key

961= Fasteners
963= Pipe fittings
964= Fittings
966= Oil seal, dust seal
967= oring
968= cushion

971= single row, deep groove, ball bearing
972= magnet ball bearing
973= angular ball bearing
974= double-row, self-aligning ball bearing
975= cylindrical roller bearing
976= tapered roller bearing (JIS)
977= tapered roller bearing (Timken)
978= spherical roller bearing

980= tire and tube set
981= tire
982= tube
983= rim band
984= flat
985= tubeless tire

991= switches, alarms, lighting equipment, wires, batteries
992= spark plug

So, example: 91112-41220=

91= standard hexagon head bolt
1= hexagon head bolt class 1
1= effective diameter bolt
2= flat threaded end
(-)
4= 4T (bolt tensile strength)
12= Thread diameter 12mm
20= length under head 20mm

Or, put another way:

Hardware part number: "ABCDE-FGHIJ"

AB= Initial digits of semi-standard part number (90xxx series) or standard part number (91xxx through 99xxx series)
C= Item nomenclature description type
D= effective diameter
E= rough finish
(-)
F= tensile strength
GH= thread diameter in mm
IJ= length under head in mm

Now, in the mid-1980's and into the 1990's and continuing today, Toyota part numbering has gotten more and more complicated on the surface.

What has actually happened is that there has been a reduction in part numbers through the process of discontinuation, regionalization of manufacture and part numbering, as well as superseding a number of different part numbers into a new part number (this last one is especially true for semi and standard hardware).

A new part number prefix has also developed that now encompasses many different pieces of hardware with no ostensive logic. These are the 90080 prefix numbers. These are mainly North American manufactured parts (though not exclusively) that replace parts that used to arrive via boat from Japan. So, some examples:

90917-06065 is a down-pipe to manifold "donut" gasket. This is a Japan manufacture part that follows the internal semi-standard part numbering logic. For the US, Toyota superseded the part to a local production part and gave it the following part number: 90080-43036. This part number says nothing about the part or where it lives or what it does.

See here this part number as well: 90179-10070 is a lock nut used on down-pipe to manifold mating studs. This is a Japan manufacture part that follows the internal semi-standard part numbering logic. For the US, Toyota superseded the part to a local production part and gave it the following part number: 90080-17187. This part number says nothing about the part or where it lives or what it does.

Same for this example: Spark plugs have historically been 90919-XXXXX. So, for example, 90919-01210 is the factory part number (generally called the "engineering part number") for a spark plug for a UZJ100 (2UZ-FE engine) Land Cruiser. This is a Japan manufacture part that follows the semi-standard part numbering logic. For the US, Toyota superseded the part to a local production part and gave it the following part number: 90080-91180. This part number says nothing about the part or where it lives or what it does.

Now, when it comes to the 90080-XXXXX part numbers, there is obviously (like everything to do with Toyota) some logic that is internal and is not something that is now available to even Toyota parts professionals. One just has to remember the number and know that it is a supersession of a formerly Japan manufacture part. There is unfortunately no other way to decipher these parts numbers as there is no external, ostensive logic to them.

Anyway, the above is part of a much larger project/document I am working on that explains--in minute detail--the entire Toyota parts procurement, engineering, numbering and application world.

Hope this helps.

Best.
-onur

OGBeno,
My commendations on your mastery of the bewildering Toyota Part number system... I offer my humble respects.

What would be the difference between a 90363-40020 and 90363-40020-77? This is a rear axle shaft bearing for a 99 4runner SR5 4wd.
The "-77" is discontinued in USA. The other part (without -77) is available overseas. Would I be OK using the 90363-40020 part ? Any info will be much appreciated.

 

[OGBeno]

OGBeno,
My commendations on your mastery of the bewildering Toyota Part number system... I offer my humble respects.

What would be the difference between a 90363-40020 and 90363-40020-77? This is a rear axle shaft bearing for a 99 4runner SR5 4wd.
The "-77" is discontinued in USA. The other part (without -77) is available overseas. Would I be OK using the 90363-40020 part ? Any info will be much appreciated.

You will be fine.

 

[flanker]

You will be fine.

Thanks for the reply. Just to satisfy the curiosity of the many who are trying to source this discontinued part, does the "-77" signify a re-design, change of manufacturer, etc ? Thanks again.

 

[thetoyotaman]

From what I’ve seen, extra digits can mean remanufactured such as starters and alternators or color codes on trim pieces. AFAIK if the first 10 digits match the part will work but it may not match.