Diff drop...do I need it?

[Pavement Tested]

Backstory: bought my '16 Trail a month or so ago. Through exploratory research I have determined some things about its history. It came from Mississippi to Washington. It had some aftermarket things on it that were removed and some that are still on it. 2 of those are a diff drop kit and a small spacer lift. I haven't measured it yet but it can't be more than 1.5", maybe 2". There are spacers between the front coil overs and upper perches and what I believe are spacers on the top of the rear springs. I realized there is a diff drop installed when I tried to replace the OEM non-TRD skid plate with a knockoff TRD plate from Amazon. The OEM plate was hanging off due to a bunch of missing, broken and mismatched hardware. Due to the diff drop, I cannot install the new plate because I don't have the required spacers which I've been working on sourcing.

Through some reading, namely on an article about installing a Dobinsons kit and some returns on Google searching, it seems a diff drop is only needed with 2.5"+ lifts. I'd like to go that high in the future but have some other things to do first. I will also get a proper lift, not just spacers.

I'm going to take some measurements and pictures to post for reference but I'd like to know if it is best to just remove the diff drop and source OEM bolts until I go bigger?

 

[djdaves]

I've installed the eibach stage 1 kit. front stating 2.75'' of lift. i have not installed the diff drop even though i bought it. been running this lift for about 2 months ish. no issues that i'm aware of.

that being said i don't see why you would have to remove it before you move forward. it doesn't play that much of a difference in my mind with OE spec.

my .02

 

[baldrik78]

You probably don't need it. It just depends on what your axle angles look like once you take it off. As long as they look pretty flat, then you don't need it. The down side is, you might need to replace the bolts that hold you diff in. the ones that come with the diff drop kit are like 1" longer. They may or may not fit once you remove the diff drop spacers.

 

[Whippersnapper02]

It's never needed.

 

[Bumbo]

I haven't used it and have about 2.75'' of lift

 

[Pavement Tested]

... i don't see why you would have to remove it...

...Due to the diff drop, I cannot install the new (skid) plate...

....

This is what I'm working with. The front is 1.5" as measured with my machinist's scale. I know discerning a brand will most likely be impossible and is irrelevant anyway. I would like to know if the rear is lifted or stock height and that's just the factory rubber insulator above the spring.

Additionally, are the tube braces that run fore and aft from the core support to the axle really necessary? I've seen some rigs with them removed permanently.

 

[CSM4runner]

I have a '16 trail with Dobinson Lift and didnt need a diff drop.

 

[Pavement Tested]

As a follow up to this, I removed the dif drop spacers and installed OEM dif brace bolts. Had an almost imperceptible difference on the front end with my set up as I expected. But the skid plate fits now...yay.

 

[mrblah]

it doesnt hurt to have it. Now i wouldn't go out of my way to buy it. If it came as part of a kit, it doesnt hurt to have it.

 

[matoolie]

You should be fine without it. I have 3/2 Dobinson lift on my ‘14 Limited with diff drop kit. The downward angle of my cv’s is 7 degrees. I have a Wescott spacer lift on my ‘21 Pro without diff drop. The downward angle of cv’s is 5 degrees. There is about 1/2” lift difference between the two trucks. So honestly I do not think the drop kit does much.