fantastic info man. Now onto install...i assume it's not "that" hard as actually changing out the pinion and ring correct? Anybody have a picture of what we'd actually get that way i can imagine exactly what it is?

And for those who may decide to have your existing third member regeared, try Reider Racing

They use Precision gears and their price for setup was cheaper than anyplace locally when I last looked ($100 labor) They also have very good prices on lockers/lsd.

I sent them a worn out third member a while back, for around $650 they put in a Detroit TruTrac (~$270), new Precision ring/pinion V6 gears (~$180), new bearings (~$100), setup labor (~$100)

(these prices are from memory, I can probably dig up the reciept if anyone wants more detail)

Greg

Rear third swaps are pretty easy. This tech article has some good detail on third member removal/installation.
4x4Wire LockRight Install

The front can be more work, especially with IFS trucks. fwiw - The Tacoma front diff swap I did recently was actually not bad at all.

Greg

Ok, I have two questions.. one, what is ABS? I always thought that just mean anit lock brake system, and also, when you're buying the carrier, are they shipping the whole axle?
Thanks,
-Nick

somebody correct me if im wrong but arent the factory 8" 4.88s oddball? the gears wont work in other diffs and the diffs wont take normal gears?

The ABS for a third just means it has a ring gear sensor for knowing if the wheels are still moving. If you dont have ABS just dont hook it up and all will be good.

As far as the 4.88's being weird yes thay are but its not like your giving up your current thirds. If the 4.88's ever fail you just buy another 4.88 third or have your current ones regeared. You cant regear the factory 4.88's from what I understand. How many factory toyota gear sets fail when properly maintained? I honestly dont know?


r6elmo... you dont have the change the ring and pinion individually just pull the axles out and remove the whole third as a single unit and replace it. There really is no "set up" involved just swapping.

Ok.. so the 4:88 will be a direct bolt on in an 85 front and rear without any kind of modification? Just want to get this straight, because thats an awesome deal.

Yup, they'll bolt right in. I recently found out the factory 4.88's will work with all of the locker options as well. I have a factory 4.88 diff sourced off of car-part as well. I was lucky and found mine at a local yard for $200, paid a little more but I got to check it out first. Took me about 2 hours to swap 'em in working slowly <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> The front isn't really that bad, you can usually just unbolt the cv's and the diff mounts and drop it out without pulling anything else. Might be a good time to get rid of the press fit studs for the cv's as well. Just be careful, I was maneuvering my old diff out and I almost dropped it on my head <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drunk.gif" alt="" />

It almost sounds too good to be true! I havent had a single thing on this build up go smooth <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

All is cool fellas. I'm tellin' you, just search for the "carrier/see also differential" for your V6, 4.88 factory geared third members. ABS equipped is OK, in fact, both my front and rear's are set up with this. Obviously, my '85 4Runner is not ABS. All it is is a magnetic pick-up sensor that sits on top of the housing, with the magnet placed close to the ring gear. Just cut the cable at the diff connection, leaving the sensor in place. It won't do anything, and it plugs the hole for you. With the set-up labor I didn't need to pay for, I bought a used Supra LSD diff to put the LSD guts into my rear 3rd, and a lock-right to put into the front. I'm telling you, going from open 4.10 and 33" tires, to 4.88, LSD rear, lock-rite in front (only engaged when hubs are locked), it is an entirely different truck!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />