Brian757
New member
Amen.
Bandit Runner wants to re-gear his diffs
- Thread starter Bandit Runner
- Start date
Amen.
rideexileex
Senior Member
One thing I saw mentioned is that you need torx sockets - but what you really need are E-torx. Simple mix up, but critical. Please dont make the mistake of buying these sockets at harbor freight. I figured, oh, 4 bolts, cant be that bad... two of the four bolt heads started to strip.
Also you need a large hex key for the front diff mount, havent seen that mentioned. I believe its a 10mm hex? The write ups will confirm.
When I did my front diff, I started by using a floor jack, wood, etc to remove it. What a headache... The best way I found was to grab a friend, and man-handle it. There are just too many awkward twists and angles you need to wiggle the diff out.
Shifting the transfer case into 4wd and back to 2wd/N is easy for locking up and moving the front driveshaft.
5.29's will be great with the city, weight, and towing. I went 4.88's because of the supercharger and highway drives to the trails. If I didnt have a supercharger, I would have immediately regretted the 4.88's. But I'm happy as can be now.
Also you need a large hex key for the front diff mount, havent seen that mentioned. I believe its a 10mm hex? The write ups will confirm.
When I did my front diff, I started by using a floor jack, wood, etc to remove it. What a headache... The best way I found was to grab a friend, and man-handle it. There are just too many awkward twists and angles you need to wiggle the diff out.
Shifting the transfer case into 4wd and back to 2wd/N is easy for locking up and moving the front driveshaft.
5.29's will be great with the city, weight, and towing. I went 4.88's because of the supercharger and highway drives to the trails. If I didnt have a supercharger, I would have immediately regretted the 4.88's. But I'm happy as can be now.
rideexileex
Senior Member
+1 for engineers, ha.
aha2988
New member
thats what there called haha I just tried to describe them in my original post i couldnt remember the name.
or commonly referred to as the one damn socket you never have when you need it..
aha2988
New member
this must be one of the differences between the 3rd and 4th gen's as the 4th gens just have meteric bolts and nuts on the diff mounts.
Dirtco
New member
It seems that most of your questions have been answered, but I'll add a couple things.
First, you will love the 5:29's! If you were on the highway all the time I might steer you towards 4:88's but for around town, wheeling and towing they are great. I would rather have more gearing than not enough, my 4Runner does fine at highway speeds.
Second, if there is any way you can swing the front ARB locker now is the time to do it. It gets rid of the weak carrier adding a lot of strength, and even if you don't do a ton of rock crawling there are times that it will come in useful. There is no way I could get to the places I go snow wheeling without a front locker, and I'm sure there are other spots in your area where it would come in handy. It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. I really feel that's it's best to do it right the first time and never worry about it again. But I understand that it's also $$$!
And Toyota Orange FIPG is the best stuff around, it's all I use on the 4Runner.
First, you will love the 5:29's! If you were on the highway all the time I might steer you towards 4:88's but for around town, wheeling and towing they are great. I would rather have more gearing than not enough, my 4Runner does fine at highway speeds.
Second, if there is any way you can swing the front ARB locker now is the time to do it. It gets rid of the weak carrier adding a lot of strength, and even if you don't do a ton of rock crawling there are times that it will come in useful. There is no way I could get to the places I go snow wheeling without a front locker, and I'm sure there are other spots in your area where it would come in handy. It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. I really feel that's it's best to do it right the first time and never worry about it again. But I understand that it's also $$$!
And Toyota Orange FIPG is the best stuff around, it's all I use on the 4Runner.
smkd13
New member
Ha ha yes there are a few of us!!!
This was actually a really good read. I will end up doing a regear eventually an like all the info i can get. Sub'd and :spy: lol
Bandit Runner
Senior Member
I'll ask chase about the cryo and gear oil. Thanks.
This is the kind of advice I was after. Thanks so much!
It seems that most of your questions have been answered, but I'll add a couple things.
First, you will love the 5:29's! If you were on the highway all the time I might steer you towards 4:88's but for around town, wheeling and towing they are great. I would rather have more gearing than not enough, my 4Runner does fine at highway speeds.
Second, if there is any way you can swing the front ARB locker now is the time to do it. It gets rid of the weak carrier adding a lot of strength, and even if you don't do a ton of rock crawling there are times that it will come in useful. There is no way I could get to the places I go snow wheeling without a front locker, and I'm sure there are other spots in your area where it would come in handy. It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. I really feel that's it's best to do it right the first time and never worry about it again. But I understand that it's also $$$!
And Toyota Orange FIPG is the best stuff around, it's all I use on the 4Runner.
Thanks for chiming in. All excellent points!
Good to know the front diff comes with new OEM seals. What exactly is a LubeLocker?
Dous
New member
The LubeLocker is a preformed gasket that will simply slide over the studs. As for the gear oil that we recommend, it is Lucas Non-synthetic after the break in period has been completed. You can run cheapish stuff for the first 500 miles. You will get a sheet of instructions for the break in period and recommended gear oils when we ship you the 3rd's
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if getting cryod gears is cheap enough, i'd do it. at 7.5 those gears are kinda on the small end of the spectrum.
Bandit Runner
Senior Member
Can you provide me with the actual cost of the LubeLocker for the rear third member? That's the only one I would need, correct? There isn't anything that needs to be sealed on the front diff?
Is there any way you could email me a copy of the instruction sheet ahead of time? I'd love to see it as soon as possible.
What do you know about getting the front gears cryoed? Is this an option that ECGS provides?
Someone mentioned purchasing a case of gear oil directly from ECGS. I didn't see anything on the website about this. Is that true, do you sell the gear oils that you recommend?
Thanks again.
Dous
New member
1.) I will be happy to get you the price today. Yep that is the only one you will need, although you will need a small amount of FIPG to conjoin the ADD tube to the front 3rd.
2.) I will see what I can do about the instruction sheet
3.) As far as I know we don't do it, but talk to Chase about it he may know where it can be done.
4.) Yep, we sell the Lucas gear oil that we recommend, either single, or by the case (6 bottles) It is definitely cheaper than the parts house prices, I can get that price today as well.
Bandit Runner
Senior Member
Awesome, Much appreciated!
aha2988
New member
I thought you worked in the shipping department you trying to work your way up to sales now!?! haha whad up casey! you comin down with tyler to the jamboree at the end of the month?
Dous
New member
LOL I may come down for the Jamboree, if not I will be there the weekend after....I am itching to try out the air locker
aha2988
New member
cool deal I'll likely be there both of those weekends
Dark Lord
New member
The 4runner I currently own, I bought with 4.88's already installed. The guy who owned it last also had a Cherry Bomb muffler tucked up into the truck so it doesn't get banged up on trails. This thing is loud on the highway, but I've gotten used to it. Around 65-70mph I'm at 2500RPM. It makes me wish there were 5 gears on the highway. It is a hell of a lot quicker than a stock geared 4runner though, and mine is fully armored.
Bandit Runner
Senior Member
Update
Update:
I finally bit the bullet and ordered my new diffs. 5.29 gears and ARB air lockers front and rear. I also upgraded to the ARB dual high output air compressor, because ECGS provided quite a discount on it when purchasing 2 ARB lockers.
Man, I just spent a lot of money! Exciting, but nerve racking at the same time.
Thanks to everyone who posted in this thread. I really appreciate it. And a special thanks to Chase at ECGS for answering my numerous idiotic and annoying questions. I'm sure he's plenty sick of hearing from me.
Update:
I finally bit the bullet and ordered my new diffs. 5.29 gears and ARB air lockers front and rear. I also upgraded to the ARB dual high output air compressor, because ECGS provided quite a discount on it when purchasing 2 ARB lockers.
Man, I just spent a lot of money! Exciting, but nerve racking at the same time.
Thanks to everyone who posted in this thread. I really appreciate it. And a special thanks to Chase at ECGS for answering my numerous idiotic and annoying questions. I'm sure he's plenty sick of hearing from me.
