[awhitney1]

So I have a 2006 v8 4runner with a loaded weight of around 6200lbs. Looking to regear the differentials to Nitro 4.88 and installing a dana60 axle with 35 spline chromoly axle shafts, and Electric OX Locker. I'm just cruising around the back roads of Colorado and eventually want to tackle Moab without having to worry about breaking axles. I've included the options from East Coast Gear Supply of what I want.

Also the front diff will have 4.88 gearing with ARB air locker with RCV axles.

I want to be LOCKED AND LOADED!

[Syr4RinNC]

Yea I think that’ll do it. You’re giving yourself real insurance and protection against high torque situations.

What size tires are you running?

[y=mx+b]

@Inv4drZm is going to be the best resource for this. I'd check out his build thread and hopefully he can chime in with some knowledge and experience with the ECGS Dana 60

[awhitney1]

35" Tires

Originally Posted by Syr4RinNC

Yea I think that’ll do it. You’re giving yourself real insurance and protection against high torque situations.

What size tires are you running?

[awhitney1]

Thanks man, i'll go through that and see what his experience is.

Originally Posted by y=mx+b

@Inv4drZm is going to be the best resource for this. I'd check out his build thread and hopefully he can chime in with some knowledge and experience with the ECGS Dana 60

[little_joe]

Not going to critique your plan (nice choices!), but I have to ask - where will the fuse be?

By fuse, I mean: what will break?

A full-floating rear with those axle shafts likely won't break. The IFS front diff rebuilt with a locker may not break. The cv's are super stout and should hold up fine.

So then, when you have to get on it, or hop it, or other scenarios that might break stock components - is the fuse now your transfer case? transmission? driveshafts/ujoints? or ???

I hope you never have to find out, but with the new components under the 4R and your desire to do other trails, it's something worth considering. Perhaps you're going all in for reliability and don't plan to hammer it, in which case I'd say - enjoy the hell out of it!

[Inv4drZm]

If you wanted to cut some costs skip the rcv's and find a set of used CV's that need rebooted or something, they are fairly easy to swap on the trail so just bring them with you, but I've never broken one and I would say it's fairly uncommon a stock Toyota CV breaks, I even have 37" tires. But RCV's are good too.

If you are worried about it, I would say the weak link in the drivetrain is the t-case, and steering rack/ tie rods are still weak.

If you extend the Dana 60 3" each side like me, beware that the lower shock mounts are that much further from the tire, I hit mine on rocks all the time now and am planning to refabricate them up higher.

Let me know of any other questions. Page 38 on my build thread is when it gets installed.

The biggest problem with the Dana 60 is that you'll be trying to figure out how to run 37's.

[montijo505]

Originally Posted by Inv4drZm

The biggest FIRST WORLD PROBLEM with the Dana 60 is that you'll be trying to figure out how to run 37's.

fixed it for you....... Lol

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

[Jayson44]

35's on a d60 is gonna lose you some ground clearance. the pumpkin on that thing is YUGE and you'll be scraping a lot more than you are now with such "small" tires.

just something to think about. I'd be looking to run 37s (or bigger) if I was putting up the cash for a d60.

J.

[awhitney1]

Good question, I think the fuse that is going to pop, would probably be the steering rack. With the front locker, i'm hoping to get the marlin crawler rack whenever that comes out

Originally Posted by little_joe

Not going to critique your plan (nice choices!), but I have to ask - where will the fuse be?

By fuse, I mean: what will break?

A full-floating rear with those axle shafts likely won't break. The IFS front diff rebuilt with a locker may not break. The cv's are super stout and should hold up fine.

So then, when you have to get on it, or hop it, or other scenarios that might break stock components - is the fuse now your transfer case? transmission? driveshafts/ujoints? or ???

I hope you never have to find out, but with the new components under the 4R and your desire to do other trails, it's something worth considering. Perhaps you're going all in for reliability and don't plan to hammer it, in which case I'd say - enjoy the hell out of it!

[awhitney1]

Thanks for your experience and input on this, your build got me curious about getting dana 60s on my 4runner lol. I may stick with the OEM axles for the front, but still have a front locker. I eventually want to go with the marlin crawler kit that has the beefier front axles, control arms, tie rods and steering rack.

Not too concerned with the t-case, i'm not doing anything extreme here, just want to make this 4runner more bullet proof for some easy trails on moab.

Not sure why I would need to extend the dana60 axles, I think stock length for me with 35x13.5 tires seems wide enough.

Originally Posted by Inv4drZm

If you wanted to cut some costs skip the rcv's and find a set of used CV's that need rebooted or something, they are fairly easy to swap on the trail so just bring them with you, but I've never broken one and I would say it's fairly uncommon a stock Toyota CV breaks, I even have 37" tires. But RCV's are good too.

If you are worried about it, I would say the weak link in the drivetrain is the t-case, and steering rack/ tie rods are still weak.

If you extend the Dana 60 3" each side like me, beware that the lower shock mounts are that much further from the tire, I hit mine on rocks all the time now and am planning to refabricate them up higher.

Let me know of any other questions. Page 38 on my build thread is when it gets installed.

The biggest problem with the Dana 60 is that you'll be trying to figure out how to run 37's.

[Inv4drZm]

Originally Posted by awhitney1

Thanks for your experience and input on this, your build got me curious about getting dana 60s on my 4runner lol. I may stick with the OEM axles for the front, but still have a front locker. I eventually want to go with the marlin crawler kit that has the beefier front axles, control arms, tie rods and steering rack.

Not too concerned with the t-case, i'm not doing anything extreme here, just want to make this 4runner more bullet proof for some easy trails on moab.

Not sure why I would need to extend the dana60 axles, I think stock length for me with 35x13.5 tires seems wide enough.

Same, either Marlin or the JD Fab parts, there's a Tacomaworld thread on them, cool stuff. Haven't checked on the Marlin stuff recently.

With the rear axle, if you can stuff your tires up inside the wheel wells (I did it with 12.5" tires) it makes sense to stay stock width. With the wider 37's I figured I wouldn't even try, and now it matches the front long travel width. That and the tires and wheels act like a slider now on some of the real hard obstacles to push your body away from rocks or trees. Of course though the tires and wheels get scraped up more. Just my 2 cents.

[awhitney1]

I'll have to check on JD fab and see what I find.

What about a Diamond 9.5 axle? Any reason to chose one or the other? They seem pretty much the same as far as beefy-ness goes. Looks like the with the Diamond, I can fit 32 spline rear axle shaft compared to a 35 spline rear axle shaft on the dana 60.

Originally Posted by Inv4drZm

Same, either Marlin or the JD Fab parts, there's a Tacomaworld thread on them, cool stuff. Haven't checked on the Marlin stuff recently.

With the rear axle, if you can stuff your tires up inside the wheel wells (I did it with 12.5" tires) it makes sense to stay stock width. With the wider 37's I figured I wouldn't even try, and now it matches the front long travel width. That and the tires and wheels act like a slider now on some of the real hard obstacles to push your body away from rocks or trees. Of course though the tires and wheels get scraped up more. Just my 2 cents.

[Inv4drZm]

Originally Posted by awhitney1

I'll have to check on JD fab and see what I find.

What about a Diamond 9.5 axle? Any reason to chose one or the other? They seem pretty much the same as far as beefy-ness goes. Looks like the with the Diamond, I can fit 32 spline rear axle shaft compared to a 35 spline rear axle shaft on the dana 60.

I thought the Diamond uses stock sized axle shafts which are 30 spline. If they do use stock sized axles then IMO they aren't much or any stronger than the 8.2 axle as I've heard rumor of a couple of those breaking axle shafts and not the gears.

[awhitney1]

I was talking with Just Differentials and the guy said these 32 spline axle shafts will work:

Nitro Pro Series Chromoly 32 spline Upgrade Axle Kit

Originally Posted by Inv4drZm

I thought the Diamond uses stock sized axle shafts which are 30 spline. If they do use stock sized axles then IMO they aren't much or any stronger than the 8.2 axle as I've heard rumor of a couple of those breaking axle shafts and not the gears.