Front Diff removal
- Thread starter huntha10
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StrykerT4R
Member
Hey Huntha,
Did you ever swap out your front diff? I am thinking of doing the same thing as you and was wondering if you had any tips to offer?
Thanks in advance.
Stryker
Jetboy
New member
I haven't done a writeup. But I've done it about half a dozen times.
Do you have KDSS? The KDSS lines make it a big PITA for me to get the drive flange through the opening between the oil pan and the cross member. It's just a tight fit.
The short version -
Drain the oil in the diff.
Support vehicle high as you can safely do.
Remove both front wheels and lower ball joint brackets. Remove dust caps. Remove front axle nuts and tap axles out of front hub.
Remove front axles from diff on both sides - use a drift against the landings machined into the inner CV. It's pretty easy to do and you don't need a pry bar that way and you won't damage the seals.
Then unbolt the 4wd actuator connections for the front ADD and remove the vent tube and electronics. Leave the add tube connected.
Then you can remove the drive shaft bolts at the flange, separate the flange. And unbolt the diff. It has 3 main mounting bolts. You then tip forward as you pull it forward out. If you have KDSS this is where I've had a very tight fit with the diff flange. I put a piece of cardboard or thick fabric like canvas over the lines to make sure I don't damage them. Then pull the diff out.
You'll get oily. And it's heavy. The more space you have to work the better. It's WAY easier on a lift.
Hope that helps. I'm sure there's youtube videos. I'd plan on 4 hours in and out the first time. More if you're relatively new to working on vehicles. Less if you're a pro. I think I can do it in around 1hr each way now. But the first time I had to fawk with the breather tube and fight it a lot to figure out how to wiggle it in and out.
Good luck!
Do you have KDSS? The KDSS lines make it a big PITA for me to get the drive flange through the opening between the oil pan and the cross member. It's just a tight fit.
The short version -
Drain the oil in the diff.
Support vehicle high as you can safely do.
Remove both front wheels and lower ball joint brackets. Remove dust caps. Remove front axle nuts and tap axles out of front hub.
Remove front axles from diff on both sides - use a drift against the landings machined into the inner CV. It's pretty easy to do and you don't need a pry bar that way and you won't damage the seals.
Then unbolt the 4wd actuator connections for the front ADD and remove the vent tube and electronics. Leave the add tube connected.
Then you can remove the drive shaft bolts at the flange, separate the flange. And unbolt the diff. It has 3 main mounting bolts. You then tip forward as you pull it forward out. If you have KDSS this is where I've had a very tight fit with the diff flange. I put a piece of cardboard or thick fabric like canvas over the lines to make sure I don't damage them. Then pull the diff out.
You'll get oily. And it's heavy. The more space you have to work the better. It's WAY easier on a lift.
Hope that helps. I'm sure there's youtube videos. I'd plan on 4 hours in and out the first time. More if you're relatively new to working on vehicles. Less if you're a pro. I think I can do it in around 1hr each way now. But the first time I had to fawk with the breather tube and fight it a lot to figure out how to wiggle it in and out.
Good luck!
I bought the pair of ECG units and had them installed...
I went with a pair of 4.56 units from ECGS and had them installed at a "Reputable" shop. Knowing what I know now, I wish I'd have at least done the rear myself. I don't have the space and lift needed for the front.
Here's what I know:
1. I LOVE the 4.56's and I'm very very glad I did it. I have 34's so the ratio is just about perfect.
2. The "reputable" Shop I went to (*these guys work on Porsche's and BMW's, etc. as well as hot rods and off road stuff) said: "We are so busy, we don't really need your job, but we will do it for our rate and the number of hours in the book"... So to swap out both, pack and ship the cores back to ECGS was $1600...
3. For that $1600 I expected PERFECTION. I didn't get anywhere near that. At the end of the job as I was picking up my truck, I questioned the tech on the torque specs. He HAD NO IDEA what they were he just tightened everything based on his intuition...
4. Here's a BIG ONE, when you take the rear out, if you have the Toyota E-Locker, you need to LOCK it before you remove the factory unit and leave that locked as you install the new one. Why? there is only enough room to install the rear while it is in the Locked Position. The ASE Certified Mechanic I paid up for didn't bother to look that up so the rear was out of phase with the E-locker settings and they had to rework it, which cost me an extra day of screwing around.
5. At 500 miles, I decided to do the fluid change myself. When I pulled the Front Fill/Drain, NEITHER one had a crush washer or gasket on them, the ASE Tech must have forgotten to install them.
Last, they managed to scratch one of my nearly new Method Race Wheels...
Anyway, Pay attention to #4, that will save you a big headache.
Best of luck.
I went with a pair of 4.56 units from ECGS and had them installed at a "Reputable" shop. Knowing what I know now, I wish I'd have at least done the rear myself. I don't have the space and lift needed for the front.
Here's what I know:
1. I LOVE the 4.56's and I'm very very glad I did it. I have 34's so the ratio is just about perfect.
2. The "reputable" Shop I went to (*these guys work on Porsche's and BMW's, etc. as well as hot rods and off road stuff) said: "We are so busy, we don't really need your job, but we will do it for our rate and the number of hours in the book"... So to swap out both, pack and ship the cores back to ECGS was $1600...
3. For that $1600 I expected PERFECTION. I didn't get anywhere near that. At the end of the job as I was picking up my truck, I questioned the tech on the torque specs. He HAD NO IDEA what they were he just tightened everything based on his intuition...
4. Here's a BIG ONE, when you take the rear out, if you have the Toyota E-Locker, you need to LOCK it before you remove the factory unit and leave that locked as you install the new one. Why? there is only enough room to install the rear while it is in the Locked Position. The ASE Certified Mechanic I paid up for didn't bother to look that up so the rear was out of phase with the E-locker settings and they had to rework it, which cost me an extra day of screwing around.
5. At 500 miles, I decided to do the fluid change myself. When I pulled the Front Fill/Drain, NEITHER one had a crush washer or gasket on them, the ASE Tech must have forgotten to install them.
Last, they managed to scratch one of my nearly new Method Race Wheels...
Anyway, Pay attention to #4, that will save you a big headache.
Best of luck.
StrykerT4R
Member
Thanks Jetboy and AWeave
Gents:
Thanks for taking the time to post. Yes, I've pretty much watched every 4runner video on youtube describing the clamshell and third member swap outs. I downloaded the Factory Service Manual from this forum. Just to close the loop, I have an SR5, no KDSS; planning to re-gear to 4.56 and have ECGS add an Eaton e-locker to the rear diff. There is an option of adding a locker to the front diff, but it's beyond my budget. I'm trying to save some money and at least do the removals and installs myself. I typically do most of my own work on the 4R and have all the necessary tools, floor jacks, etc. I plan on doing this in the next 30 days and will hit you guys up again if I have any questions. Again, thanks for your replies and have a Merry Christmas!
Weav, hope you got everything straightened out on your install!
Gents:
Thanks for taking the time to post. Yes, I've pretty much watched every 4runner video on youtube describing the clamshell and third member swap outs. I downloaded the Factory Service Manual from this forum. Just to close the loop, I have an SR5, no KDSS; planning to re-gear to 4.56 and have ECGS add an Eaton e-locker to the rear diff. There is an option of adding a locker to the front diff, but it's beyond my budget. I'm trying to save some money and at least do the removals and installs myself. I typically do most of my own work on the 4R and have all the necessary tools, floor jacks, etc. I plan on doing this in the next 30 days and will hit you guys up again if I have any questions. Again, thanks for your replies and have a Merry Christmas!
Weav, hope you got everything straightened out on your install!
Thank you!
Oh, it's ok, thanks for asking. For the most part, it's just frustrating that you can't trust even a high end shop to do good work.
Case in Point: 4WheelParts in Tulsa did my lift, wheels & tires and body mount chop... THEY DIDN'T PAINT THE INSIDE OF THE BODY MOUNTS after welding in the new metal... They are all rusty now and I've got to do something about that.
I'm coming up on around 6500 miles on the new gears and other than the issues I mentioned earlier, it's been perfectly fine. The scratches on the wheels are not really noticeable to anyone but me and I've decided to move on and just do the maintenance myself. East Coast Gear is a fantastic company and I don't think I will ever have any issues with their stuff.
Hope you had a Merry Christmas!
Oh, it's ok, thanks for asking. For the most part, it's just frustrating that you can't trust even a high end shop to do good work.
Case in Point: 4WheelParts in Tulsa did my lift, wheels & tires and body mount chop... THEY DIDN'T PAINT THE INSIDE OF THE BODY MOUNTS after welding in the new metal... They are all rusty now and I've got to do something about that.
I'm coming up on around 6500 miles on the new gears and other than the issues I mentioned earlier, it's been perfectly fine. The scratches on the wheels are not really noticeable to anyone but me and I've decided to move on and just do the maintenance myself. East Coast Gear is a fantastic company and I don't think I will ever have any issues with their stuff.
Hope you had a Merry Christmas!