Gerdo
New member
A little off topic but...
Cut off the old clamp and use two small hose clamps and re-clamp the boot. You can also stretch the boots a little so the bellows don't touch at normal ride height.
diff drop
- Thread starter T4Rscott
- Start date
A little off topic but...
Cut off the old clamp and use two small hose clamps and re-clamp the boot. You can also stretch the boots a little so the bellows don't touch at normal ride height.
well instead of trying to cut the strap and accidently cut the boot. (which would be my luck) then on a weekend be screwed till I can get it fixed.
I did the hose clamps over the straps snug. adn only did the small end for now
will go for a drive and see how it does.
and I did look at a stock runner's CV angle. and they are pretty much evel. there is a slight drop but ever so slight.
and Gerdo, is there a reason why you used two clamps and not just one that fits around the whole thing?
I did the hose clamps over the straps snug. adn only did the small end for now
will go for a drive and see how it does.
and I did look at a stock runner's CV angle. and they are pretty much evel. there is a slight drop but ever so slight.
and Gerdo, is there a reason why you used two clamps and not just one that fits around the whole thing?
well I got the grease leak stopped with Hose clamp mod over the straps.
but singtoe. is there a fix in your opinion on diff drop or not.
there are many diff drops out there with no issues. you say its just waiting to happen.
keeping me on the fence. I have 2.5in of lift in the front. and certainly dont want create a problem.
diff drop makes sense for CV angles, but I also understand that the diff was not designed for that with oil movement.
but singtoe. is there a fix in your opinion on diff drop or not.
there are many diff drops out there with no issues. you say its just waiting to happen.
keeping me on the fence. I have 2.5in of lift in the front. and certainly dont want create a problem.
diff drop makes sense for CV angles, but I also understand that the diff was not designed for that with oil movement.
Singtoe
New member
I don't have a diff drop. The 1" drop in the front of the diff translate to 3/8" drop at the axles. Is it worth the risk of ruining the diff? Is moving the CV joint down 3/8" really going to save them?
Besides the oil starving issue, there is the other issue of changing the pinion angles. The pinion shaft has to be parallel to the transfer case output shaft. If they're off then you will have un-even velocities of the pinion shaft while in 4 wheel drive. The only fix for this is to switch from u-joints to CV joints in the front drive shaft or to some how add a double cardan joint to the shaft.
This kind of seems like a moot point. No one has had a diff failure clearly linked to a diff drop. This just seems to be all your opinion, Singtoe. And while it makes a lot of sense, so does doing the drop to keep from blowing CVs. And considering CVs fail a lot easier than diffs do, I personally feel more confident doing the diff drop rather than leaving it as is.
To each his own, and I'm not even saying I disagree with your explanation, but it almost seems like a lesser of two evils scenario to me.
To each his own, and I'm not even saying I disagree with your explanation, but it almost seems like a lesser of two evils scenario to me.
ToyTec Lifts
New member
I think that saying diff drops are garbage just because a couple people have had diff issues with no clear link to having a diff drop installed is a little ridiculous. If diff drops caused the pinion bearings to go bad on every truck that they were installed on, there would be a lot of people replacing bad pinion bearings.
Kinda reminds me of this thread
Remove the differential drop on your 05+ Tacoma - Tacoma World Forums
Kinda reminds me of this thread
Remove the differential drop on your 05+ Tacoma - Tacoma World Forums
Gerdo
New member
That is a great thread. It is totally driver error an he is blaming it on diff drops? Even without the drop, the force that caused the skid to colapse must have been huge. True, the box added to accept the drop got torn off but that is not the issue. The skid still forced the diff up into the engine. Drop or no drop, that diff was destined to go into the engine. It sounds like he was racing. In racing you must drive fast and take chances. You are either on the edge or you should be sitting at home. If he hit that rock with a wheel and it failed, what would he blame?
the great him
Elite Member
the tire lol
Mr. Leary
New member
Worrying about the slight change in angle on a front differential seems a little silly when compared to every other factor at work. Although I'm sure that you are right, the difference is probably so miniscule that it is far outweighed by the benefits.
I have about 90k on my truck since the diff drop, and I have never had an issue with the front diff.
I have also seen trucks that have run without ANY fluid in the diff for some time and we just filled it and sent them on their way... without issues. Differentials are pretty hard to booger.
I have about 90k on my truck since the diff drop, and I have never had an issue with the front diff.
I have also seen trucks that have run without ANY fluid in the diff for some time and we just filled it and sent them on their way... without issues. Differentials are pretty hard to booger.
I don't have a diff drop. The 1" drop in the front of the diff translate to 3/8" drop at the axles. Is it worth the risk of ruining the diff? Is moving the CV joint down 3/8" really going to save them?
Besides the oil starving issue, there is the other issue of changing the pinion angles. The pinion shaft has to be parallel to the transfer case output shaft. If they're off then you will have un-even velocities of the pinion shaft while in 4 wheel drive. The only fix for this is to switch from u-joints to CV joints in the front drive shaft or to some how add a double cardan joint to the shaft.
im not sure where you get your information but u joints are designed to always operate at an angle. the drive and the driven shaft should never be parallel. normally there is a minimum of 1 deg. this is why the output of a transmission or transfer case and the rear diff for an example or not perfectly in line with each other.
Drive Shaft Harmonics
Singtoe
New member
The ring gear does slosh the oil around but the snout of the diff is encapsulated so only the pinion gear and the big bearing get oil though.
The easiest way to describe it would be using a 10 speed bicycle. If you look at the rear wheel where the sprocket is. You have the chain sprocket, then you have a wheel bearing, then the wheel hub,and finally the other wheel bearing. Imagine trying to oil the wheel bearings buy sloshing oil on the sprocket. The bearing closest to the sprocket will get some oil but the bearing on the other side of the hub will stay bone dry.
Here is a picture of a rear diff and its provisions to lube the small pinion bearing.
Here is a picture of the inside and you can see that the two bearing surfaces are seperated from one another. But if you look closely, you can see an opening where the ring gear can slosh oil to the small bearing. (the diff is upside down in this picture)
Here is a picture of the front diff. Notice how there is no cavity above the pinion. Notice that the oil level screw is even with the bottom row of the pinion bearings.
For what it is worth, I never called the diff drop garbage. I just said the i wouldn't buy one or recommend it.
From what I read, race car drivers keep a 1 to 4 degree difference on the pinion angle to accommodate axle torque. The rear axles will torque upwards during acceleration thus creating a parallel pinion-output shaft angles.
As far as pinion angles are concerned. I am sure the Toyota Engineers have designed the pinion angles to be in perfect unison for the drive train, and I am pretty sure that altering that angle is not beneficial to the 4runner.
CanukRunner
New member
You people are really discouraging!!!
I was all set to buy a 3 inch lift.... CV joints failing, diff drops not curing problems but creating them... blah blah..
Maybe i'll stick with buying the stock 99 coils...
I thought these forums were supposed to make me want to spend money of fun stuff..lol
The people at Sonoran Steel even say that the OME suspension wont work without there $280 intallation kit with panhard rod and front adjustable something or others....
I was all set to buy a 3 inch lift.... CV joints failing, diff drops not curing problems but creating them... blah blah..
Maybe i'll stick with buying the stock 99 coils...
I thought these forums were supposed to make me want to spend money of fun stuff..lol
The people at Sonoran Steel even say that the OME suspension wont work without there $280 intallation kit with panhard rod and front adjustable something or others....
1985taylor1925
Senior Member
Well I just found this thread to help gain some instruction on properly installing my diff drop. And now . . . to install or not to install??
I honestly dont think I need it with my lift being right around 2". But on the other hand, both of my inner boots have recently cracked, throwing clean grease all over the lower a arms. I installed my initial 2" lift less than a year ago, so I am %100 postive that it was the lift that caused them to blow.
I honestly dont think I need it with my lift being right around 2". But on the other hand, both of my inner boots have recently cracked, throwing clean grease all over the lower a arms. I installed my initial 2" lift less than a year ago, so I am %100 postive that it was the lift that caused them to blow.
SCRunner12
New member
I've been lifted ~2.5" for 6 months and no diff drop for me. I have it sitting in my garage, but I never got around to putting it on. I don't think it's absolutely necessary for lifts 2.5" and under.
1985taylor1925
Senior Member
Ya for the cv's themselves I dont think so either. And my lift is more like 2". The angle on the cv's doesnt look bad at all. Im just concerned about getting a new set of boots and tearing them within 6 months
SCRunner12
New member
Even the boots. Mine are still doing fine after 6 months. You could always stretch the boots like Gerdo and that will help keep them from breaking. Or just install the diff drop as it takes 30 minutes and hasn't proven to cause problems. I'll probably just throw mine on at some point when I'm working under there.
1985taylor1925
Senior Member
Ya I had my skid plate off and was just about to loosten the two mounting bolts for the diff, and then I looked at the gap between the bottom of the diff and the crossmember and it really didnt look like there was room to drop it an inch. Must just be an illusion.
How do you even the boot? never heard of this
brian2sun
Elite Member
The drop doesn't actually drop the whole diff 1", it just tilts it. Still seems to help though.