Just ordered this kit off amazon. It's a copy of the ARB breather kit for $40. Doing the math, it ends up being cheaper than DIYing the front and rear breathers, especially if you want to do the trans and tcase due to it having 4 available ports on the manifold. You'll just need to order more PTFE tubing and push connectors.

The DIY way is about $20 for fittings + tubing cost, per axle/component.


Amazon.com: 170112 Differential Axle Breather Kit for drivetrain assemblies, differentials, transmission and transfer case of 4x4 4WD vehicle: Automotive

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You just ordered it, but it's already better than the tried and true methods posted here in the forums for literally years now? Come back after you've got it installed and done some deep water crossings....

I do appreciate the link, but I'm skeptical of posts like these that offer a link to a product with few reviews, no work for the poster (that's you) and never having even installed the thing...

I bookmarked it, in case it's good, but will reserve judgement right now. 'Polyethylene tubing' sounds janky, if that's what it really is.
Please let us know what you think, with photos if possible!

Sure thing.

P.s. there's nothing wrong with using ptfe tubing for the vent. It's used all the time for air suspension. I use it on my other car to run a vacuum signal from my intake manifold to the wastegate on my rear mounted turbo setup. It's really temp resistant and durable, just be smart when routing.

IMO the arb breather is proven already, which is literally the exact same item. It's a remote vent.

The diy and this will perform the exact same. My point was it being cheaper than the diy and a cleaner setup.

I'll post here when I get it installed and let everyone know how it is quality wise. Time will tell if it gets my stamp of approval.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QBQYNF0..._PE25Db5BHC78N

Honestly the build quality couldn't be poor enough to work improperly. There doesn't need to be a valve in this. The only reason the OEM has a valve is to block dirt and other things from coming in. You could run a tube from your diff straight to your interior and achieve the same result.

I'm either going to mount the manifold under the hood or in the back interior behind a panel

unless you're fond of the smell of gear oil, might keep it out of the cabin

I was assuming this was the case, but through some googling, I found out people don't have a smell problem as much as id assume.

It needs a valve when located so low and exposed to the elements in the OEM application. When moving it to a cleaner, drier area, depending on the extent of the environment, none of that is needed. In the cabin, you could technically just run a tube and nothing on the end. Under the hood, you may want to run one of these or something else with a slight filter capability due to the possibility of dust ingress over time.

Also, do you think those OEM valves prevent water from entering if they get submerged? Like if you extend it the DIY way with a vent valve at the end, you cannot get water in it?

Typically when you do the diy diff breather method you are supposed to remove the internal check valve on the vent cap. The reason you do the diff breather in the first place is not to prevent water from getting in the breather but to prevent all of the seals on your axles from sucking up water when your axle gets submerged in cold water (expansion/contraction with different temps). When the temp goes from hot to cold it creates a vacuum inside your axle. Also sometimes the oem breathers get stuck in the closed position and can make your seals leak.

All that being said I have the ARB breather kit installed and ran the front/rear/trans breathers to it. Didn’t find one on the tcase, looks like the trans/tcase might be combined? I have it mounted at the very top of the firewall on the driver side, I figured if I’m that far underwater I’m probably in trouble anyways lol.. Don’t really see anything wrong with your kit, I bet it comes with the brass fritted disc for the filter as well. Post your install when done.

Edit: just a heads up for the trans breather it was a pretty tight fit and I ended up using a couple push fit 90’s to prevent the tubing from kinking, These are what I ordered

8mm 5/16" Pneumatic 90 Degree Elbow Connector Hose Tube Push in Fitting Air 5pcs | eBay

OP, are you planning on linking the transmission and transfer case breathers to this breather manifold? If so, I'd like to hear your experience in doing it.

Since I've had the transmission and transfer cases out of these rigs, I know how the breathers work. The breather for the transfer case starts off as a rubber line that's "U" shaped and connects to a void space between the transmission and transfer case. Above that void is a pressed in breather into the transmission. You can't unscrew it. I've heard that guys have pried off the cap and then connected a hose to the fitting pipe. But, I imagine you could just remove the rubber line off the transfer case side, plug it off somehow and then connect a breather hose from that fitting to your breather manifold.

For the transmission, it's another pressed in breather and I suppose you can break off the breather end and then connect a hose to that as well that leads back to your breather manifold.

Yea I basically pried the breather cap off on the transmission and put the plastic hose over the little nipple. Used a hose clamp to secure it just to make sure it stays on.

So are the transmission and transfer case breathers linked together with that u shaped hose?? I didn’t connect the transfercase side, only the one on top of the transmission.

I concede I was mistaken on the design of the rear breather valves. I haven’t had one of the valves physically in my hands from a 3rd gen 4runner yet.

The problem with this design with the spring and rubber disc is every time your diff heats up, it'd push an amount of air out of the breather, then seal. This would cause a negative pressure environment in your differential assembly which is bad for your seals over time due to air being sucked through them. It is a poor design. This is the same reason why you need a fresh air source going to your crank case with your PCV system.

Pertaining to the front breather being exposed to the elements, I’ve read conflicting information on the design being one or two way. Again, I haven’t inspected one at this time. There are plenty of cars with breathers that are two way that don’t have air filters. It isn't a substantial amount of air being circulated back and forth through the breather for a need for an air filter due to particle contamination to matter in most cases IMO. A filter is still preferable to an open piece of tubing and a free-flowing system is preferential to a one-way check valve in all cases.

There's one breather on the transmission more forward closer to the bell housing and then there's one at the back end of the transmission. The one at the back end of the transmission sits over the void where the transmission and transfer case come together. The u-shaped hose takes the pressure from the transfer case and moves it into the void space. So, technically the rear breather at the back end of the transmission over is the breather for the transfer case.

I agree with both statements, "IF" it is the exact same thing, Why, pay $75 for a name when you can get the exact same thing for $42?? unless someone likes to over pay for stuff lol