98 back end ratio help

[nij_p]

Ok I have a 4 pot 5spd mid 98 $runner. The back end whines a bit (been told needs new back end) and I can find any (helpful) info on ratios.
The door sicker says its got 15" wheels but its running 16's which I think are from new as they are steelies and even has the cr*py 16 Steel spare (thats different from the rest of the wheels, previous owner an older family so not been modded. The rear diff could be 4.1 or 4.55 (I think these are the sizes doing this from memory in the airport lounge) Either could be on the car. Went to Stealership and they said only way to tell is book it in with them at current hourly rate and they will take it apart to count the teeth! REALLY is that the only way? I know people have said about spining wheel and counting d-shaft rotations but as I cant be certain the wheels are original that answer may be of. The door plate is no help as stated earlier it points to either ratio.
If this is really the only way anyone interested in counting teeth?

 

[gannonrt]

You should be able to run the VIN. Call another dealership and ask for the replacement parts for the rear end. One of those would be the gears. You probably have a 4.10 not a 4.56. The e-lockers have 4.30. I've don't think the 4.56 was offered from the factory. Check the sticky on basic info for 3rd gens which covers this.

 

[nij_p]

Good News !!!!!

The problem I had was that the door plate has the following info
RZN185L-GKMSKA

and in other threads I found a link showing what this translated to

RZN185L-GKMSKA 4.100
RZN185L-GKMSKA 4.556 With P265/70R16

Also my door plate shows

A05A Axle code

&

225/75 r15 door jamb label

However the wheels are 16's and look like they were original.
265/70 r 16

So took your advice and phoned another Toyota dealership up in the (frozen and often mistakenly thought of as unfriendly) North East. The parts Guy couldnt have been more helpful (restoring my faith in mankind - til the next "cant be bothered" customer service rep at XYZ co.) He did some checking and his info was that the axle code A05A indicated a 4.7.......WHAT :nono: he went away and rechecked and said yep thats what my system is telling me, :moping: I explained that whilst relatively new to T4R I was pretty sure that wasnt correct, and he went away and re-rechecked and said "youre right" :frog: give me the VIN. So I did and he went and check some more and actualy managed to find the original (scanned) Build Sheet :wow2:, which he confirmed the the rear is a 4.556. He then asked if I wanted the build sheet fax'd to me. Hell Yeah. So I now have a slightly hard to read but copy of the original build sheet showing all options on my Yota.
:trophy:

 

[KidVermicious]

Jack up one rear tire. Leave the other on the ground. Put chalkmarks on the side of the axle shaft and the side of the tire. Turn the tire forward 2 revolutions, and count the number of times the driveshaft spins. Poof, there's your axle ratio.

Screw that dealership, don't ever go back there again.

 

[nij_p]

Thanks, normally thats how I would feel especially after the first stealership but the second one was very helpful. Out of curiosity would different wheel sizes give different results on the same axle due to the overall circumfrance being different. If so the chalk mark would help as I was unsure (prior to the build sheet) if the t4R had 15's or 16's when new.

 

[KidVermicious]

No, your wheel size wouldn't make any difference, a rotation is a rotation.

 

[Nelsonmd]

Did you read the many other threads that cover this in excruciating detail? For a manual it is probably 4.10, but you need to check anyway. the 4.56's weren't very common, so definitely be 100% sure via the spin test before buying a 4.56 replacement.

 

[gannonrt]

You should be able to run the VIN. Call another dealership and ask for the replacement parts for the rear end. One of those would be the gears. You probably have a 4.10 not a 4.56. The e-lockers have 4.30. I've don't think the 4.56 was offered from the factory. Check the sticky on basic info for 3rd gens which covers this.

My incorrect answer shows why I should always thoroughly research....

 

[nij_p]

Did you read the many other threads that cover this in excruciating detail? For a manual it is probably 4.10, but you need to check anyway. the 4.56's weren't very common, so definitely be 100% sure via the spin test before buying a 4.56 replacement.

I tried to read the many threads but my search skills do not seem to be that well honed on this forum. Type Axle ratios in the search for 3rd gens and then after the fourth or fifeenth post have a "Squirrel" moment and get caught up on something far more fun. I will re-search but if some kind soul wants to spend time writing in this post and and point me at the thread that show if you turn the wheel twice and the driveshaft turns n times multiple by the number of days in the week and take away the colour you first thought of I would be appreciative.

Thanks in advance

 

[nij_p]

Lots of people mention car-parts which is a good resource so i went there to see my options. I have
4x4, no diff lock, ABS, 16" whl from the factory and the build sheet says 4.556 (4.56) yet its not an option.......:ybrick:.....so pick the 15" whl option I suppose

4x2, ABS, 3.73 ratio
4x2, ABS, 3.91 ratio
4x2, ABS, 4.10 ratio
4x2, w/o ABS; 3.73 ratio
4x2, w/o ABS; 3.91 ratio
4x2, w/o ABS; 4.10 ratio
4x4, diff lock, ABS, 4.10 ratio
4x4, diff lock, ABS, 4.30 ratio
4x4, diff lock, ABS, 4.56 ratio
4x4, diff lock, w/o ABS; 4.10 ratio
4x4, diff lock, w/o ABS; 4.30 ratio
4x4, diff lock, w/o ABS; 4.56 ratio
4x4, w/o diff lock; 15" whl, ABS, 3.91 ratio
4x4, w/o diff lock; 15" whl, ABS, 4.10 ratio
4x4, w/o diff lock; 15" whl, ABS, 4.30 ratio
4x4, w/o diff lock; 15" whl, ABS, 4.56 ratio
4x4, w/o diff lock; 15" whl, w/o ABS; 3.91 ratio
4x4, w/o diff lock; 15" whl, w/o ABS; 4.10 ratio
4x4, w/o diff lock; 15" whl, w/o ABS; 4.30 ratio
4x4, w/o diff lock; 15" whl, w/o ABS; 4.56 ratio
4x4, w/o diff lock; 16" whl, ABS, 4.10 ratio
4x4, w/o diff lock; 16" whl, ABS, 4.30 ratio
4x4, w/o diff lock; 16" whl, w/o ABS; 4.10 ratio
4x4, w/o diff lock; 16" whl, w/o ABS; 4.30 ratio

 

[nij_p]

Spin Test

1) Put your vehicle in 2WD mode and tranny in N.
2) Jack up 1 rear tire off the ground (leave parking brake off)
3) Crawl under the vehicle and put a mark on the driveshaft (tape, paint, marker, etc.) so that you can see and count the rotations of the driveshaft
4) Do the same to the lifted tire and have a friend slowly spin the lifted tire 20 times while you count the number of revelations of the drive shaft.
Take the number of DS revolutions and divide by 10, this is your gear ratio.

 

[rjaudi]

I am pretty sure you have 4.56 gears.

A03A=4.10
A04A=4.3
A05A=4.56

I would do the spin test though because 4.56 is rare and I would make sure first.

 

[Nelsonmd]

1) Put your vehicle in 2WD mode and tranny in N.
2) Jack up 1 rear tire off the ground (leave parking brake off)
3) Crawl under the vehicle and put a mark on the driveshaft (tape, paint, marker, etc.) so that you can see and count the rotations of the driveshaft
4) Do the same to the lifted tire and have a friend slowly spin the lifted tire 20 times while you count the number of revelations of the drive shaft.
Take the number of DS revolutions and divide by 10, this is your gear ratio.

Bingo

This way you are actually measuring the gear ratio, so you know there is no question of it being wrong. Much better to know for sure before you drop a bunch of money on new rear end components.

 

[nij_p]

Just because I dont think I finished off the thought....

My ratio was 4.56

Thanks for all the help. As stated earlier in my thread by a couple of people the spin test is best. But trying to find "spin test" in the search without getting lost in so much else wasnt easy.:sobbing::violin:

 

[Nelsonmd]

Just because I dont think I finished off the thought....

My ratio was 4.56

Thanks for all the help. As stated earlier in my thread by a couple of people the spin test is best. But trying to find "spin test" in the search without getting lost in so much else wasnt easy.:sobbing::violin:

Ah, so you have the rare one. Good thing you checked first. All the guides kept telling me I had the 4.56 too, but It's a 4.3. Always better to check for reals before you drop a couple hundies for a new diff and labor.

Glad to have another spin test believer...

 

[KidVermicious]

Ah, so you have the rare one. Good thing you checked first. All the guides kept telling me I had the 4.56 too, but It's a 4.3. Always better to check for reals before you drop a couple hundies for a new diff and labor.

Glad to have another spin test believer...

Absolutely 100% this. I accidentally replaced a roasted 4.30 front diff with a 4.10 instead of what I thought I'd bought, and spent another several months trying to figure out why it felt so pushy in 4wd.

Oops. Always check the gears.

 

[shinyblackdeer]

I tried to read the many threads but my search skills do not seem to be that well honed on this forum. Type Axle ratios in the search for 3rd gens and then after the fourth or fifeenth post have a "Squirrel" moment and get caught up on something far more fun. I will re-search but if some kind soul wants to spend time writing in this post and and point me at the thread that show if you turn the wheel twice and the driveshaft turns n times multiple by the number of days in the week and take away the colour you first thought of I would be appreciative.

Thanks in advance

Amen to this.