Front diff re-gear?

iwishiwasbigger

iwishiwasbigger

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Is this even possible? I searched about a hundred threads and I read about the rear end, can’t find anything referencing specifically the front diff... Pleaae Set me straight, and if you happen to have the info I’d like to have a few links to look at the parts, that helps me understand...
 
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iwishiwasbigger said:
Is this even possible? I searched about a hundred threads and I read about the rear end, can’t find anything referencing specifically the front diff... Pleaae Set me straight, and if you happen to have the info I’d like to have a few links to look at the parts, that helps me understand...
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Absolutely. It is a clamshell style diferential so it should be done by a professional who can set up the gears. My previous rig, I just had East Coast Gear supply send me some already built, and I sent them my stock ones as core exchanges. Here is the one you would need for the 4RUnner:

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-157223-tacoma-fj-4runner-8-reverse-ifs-clamshell.html


P.S. I see you live in Los Alamos....... Work there??? When I was in the AIr Force many years ago, I was an AFSC 2W2X1. I know "whats up" there :biggrin2:
 
Well, if you re-gear the rear you need to re-gear the front too... otherwise your transfer case is going to have a bad time.
 
Brandon H said:
Absolutely. It is a clamshell style diferential so it should be done by a professional who can set up the gears. My previous rig, I just had East Coast Gear supply send me some already built, and I sent them my stock ones as core exchanges. Here is the one you would need for the 4RUnner:

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-157223-tacoma-fj-4runner-8-reverse-ifs-clamshell.html


P.S. I see you live in Los Alamos....... Work there??? When I was in the AIr Force many years ago, I was an AFSC 2W2X1. I know "whats up" there :biggrin2:
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Yeah, work up here for now, been here for about 7 months now. Waiting for the snow for winter fun!! It’s a really nice town, I say to myself pretty much everyday when I walk outside “ah I love this place”

Have any links to upgraded update chrome alloy cvs? I mean if you are going to regear you may as well beef up the cvs to run higher angle stronger cv axles while your at it...
 
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Any thread that talks about re-gear is talking about both front and rear, anything else would not be possible unless you were 2wd. It is very common to re-gear the front clam shell. Two choices available 456 or 488. at least 50 threads on it.

What is not available is a way to re-gear the transfer case reduction gear. That is what many of us would love an option to do do.

Anyway,
No need to upgrade anything else with the gear change, besides the needle bearings on the drivers side of the diff to a bushing/journal bearing (but that has nothing to do with the gears, just will potentially be a problem down the road on most)

Up until recently, there were no viable options for upgrading the CVs. Within the past month or two RCV has released their Chromo CVs... They come with a lifetime warranty and are $2,500 a set. However, it will simply move the weak point to the diff. So, might be more risky to run them then not. At lest a CV is pretty easy to swap on the trail and carry a spare.
 
I just love the progression of your inquiries.. you're digging deep. If using "factory" i.e. non-chromolly cv's for spares, I reccomend OEM Toyota spares, not auto parts spares. There's a significant difference in strength.

I also wondered about Los Alamos, grandfather was at White Sands in the 40's and 50's before moving up to Lockheed and my dad returned there for college. I want a green chili burger just thinking about it.
 
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wfo9 said:
Any thread that talks about re-gear is talking about both front and rear, anything else would not be possible unless you were 2wd. It is very common to re-gear the front clam shell. Two choices available 456 or 488. at least 50 threads on it.

What is not available is a way to re-gear the transfer case reduction gear. That is what many of us would love an option to do do.

Anyway,
No need to upgrade anything else with the gear change, besides the needle bearings on the drivers side of the diff to a bushing/journal bearing (but that has nothing to do with the gears, just will potentially be a problem down the road on most)

Up until recently, there were no viable options for upgrading the CVs. Within the past month or two RCV has released their Chromo CVs... They come with a lifetime warranty and are $2,500 a set. However, it will simply move the weak point to the diff. So, might be more risky to run them then not. At lest a CV is pretty easy to swap on the trail and carry a spare.
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X2.

I had 4.56s on my Tacoma with ARB Air Locker installed also in the front diff with 35's. Ran some pretty tough trails with it (Aftershock at the hammers, Swamp Lake, ETC). I will say the stock CV's are very strong (2nd Gen Tacoma, FJ, 4runner, etc). Never broke one.
 
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To add to the chorus a bit - the front CVs are remarkably strong. When I bought my 5th gen I was thinking they were similar to the older ones that were notoriously weak. However - after seeing how hard people abuse them with very few failures - I'm sold on the durability of the OEM CVs. I do carry a trail spare on harder trails - but I've yet to break an OEM joint. I would love to see a bench test like Longfield used to do on axles to see how strong they are. I don't know if the machine still exists somewhere. I'd chip in by providing a shaft/joint for a test if anyone knows who has the machine if they'd test one. I have no basis for this other than just handling them - but I'd bet they are good for 6500 ft/lbs of torque. I'd guess they're on par with a stock dana 60, stronger than even a built dana 44. but quite a bit short of a built dana 60. I might be up in the night on this. Anyway - I wouldn't upgrade unless you have a very good reason to do so. I suspect 35's are safe to run and abuse pretty hard with the stock shafts and limited failures.
 
Jetboy said:
To add to the chorus a bit - the front CVs are remarkably strong. When I bought my 5th gen I was thinking they were similar to the older ones that were notoriously weak. However - after seeing how hard people abuse them with very few failures - I'm sold on the durability of the OEM CVs. I do carry a trail spare on harder trails - but I've yet to break an OEM joint. I would love to see a bench test like Longfield used to do on axles to see how strong they are. I don't know if the machine still exists somewhere. I'd chip in by providing a shaft/joint for a test if anyone knows who has the machine if they'd test one. I have no basis for this other than just handling them - but I'd bet they are good for 6500 ft/lbs of torque. I'd guess they're on par with a stock dana 60, stronger than even a built dana 44. but quite a bit short of a built dana 60. I might be up in the night on this. Anyway - I wouldn't upgrade unless you have a very good reason to do so. I suspect 35's are safe to run and abuse pretty hard with the stock shafts and limited failures.
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Jetboy,

Absolutely. They are very strong. I can vouch for them. I have also heard the same thing about them being as/stronger than built Dana 44's.The 1st gen Tacoma/3rd gen 4runners are notoriously weak. They break pretty easily. As for OEM, yes. The Breakdown is when people rebuild them with off the shelf aftermarket CVs (Napa, Etc.). OEM are awesome.
 
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