Newbie: Need rear differential info, compatibility

[bmwcalsurf]

Hey guys, newbie here, thanks for your help!

I just traded for a 1997 4runner 4x4 SR5 5spd with less than 90K!

Seller told me it needed a wheel bearing and that was the annoying noise when under power.

My mechanic proceeded to replace the rear bearings, brakes and axils....says it is the differential! He believes it must have been run dry once...

My Question:
What year(s) and models are compatible with my set-up when I go looking for the part....mechanic says it is all one piece....obviously I would prefer to avoid the stealer.

Is there any best year for replacement part?

Any other light you can shed is great!

Thanks and best Regards,

Steven in Los Angeles

 

[Baja Runner]

Do you have a diff lock? If so you need a diff lock diff from a 96-02 4Runner or 95.5 to 2004 Tacoma. I'm not sure but I think they came in 4.10 and 4.30 gears...even though I've really only seen the 4runners w/ diff locks come with 4.30 gears.

Most of the non e-lock diffs are 4.10's, and will work from the same trucks. They should be easy to find at a yard.

 

[Nelsonmd]

Lots and lots (and lots) of threads on the rear diff. Search on it so you can get the background on 3rd gen diffs.

Here's some free advice though:
Hit up salvage yards
Troll the classifieds here, on yotatech, pirate, ih8mud, etc. These things go for sale relatively frequently. Look for part outs.
If you call a salvage yard, have them tell you what 4runners they have on the lot, don't just let them tell you that they have the right diff ratio and take them at their word. Toyota was notoriously inconsistent in what they spec via the axle code/vin versus what is actually on there (or perhaps the cross references for axle code to ratio are all wrong, either way, axle code and vin have not shown to be very accurate). You will NEED to check the ratio yourself to make sure it is the right one. That said...

If no locker, then it's probably 4.10. If it's an automatic tranny with locker, probably 4.30, manual tranny with locker, probably 4.10. But again, don't trust this blindly, count the teeth or do a spin test on it to make sure.

If you are talking just the diff and not the axle housing as well, you can get it from a tacoma, most of those are 4.10 as well.

BTW, why did he replace the axles? He should be able to pull the axle and visually inspect it, no need to replace it (unless it was visibly damaged). It he charged you for new axles, then you got ripped off.

 

[JohnsD90]

Literally the only way to 100% Verify that its the right gearing is to pull out and count the teeth, it doesn't take too long to take out, I have a 97 SR5 4x4 3.4l 5 Speed with no E-locker and has factory 265/70/R16's and i 100% have 4.10 gearing, but i also changed my Rear diff already. Mine had a whining while driving. If you have a locked last i checker the 4Runners didnt have a 4.10 locker only the taco's had those so even if its a 5 speed you have 4.30's if you have a locker.

It is probably 4.10 gearing if it has no locker and 265/70's but no one can tell you for sure unless they count the teeth or do the "spin test".

 

[02SE]

Literally the only way to 100% Verify that its the right gearing is to pull out and count the teeth, it doesn't take too long to take out, I have a 97 SR5 4x4 3.4l 5 Speed with no E-locker and has factory 265/70/R16's and i 100% have 4.10 gearing, but i also changed my Rear diff already. Mine had a whining while driving. If you have a locked last i checker the 4Runners didnt have a 4.10 locker only the taco's had those so even if its a 5 speed you have 4.30's if you have a locker.

It is probably 4.10 gearing if it has no locker and 265/70's but no one can tell you for sure unless they count the teeth or do the "spin test".

This comes up periodically, and it's still incorrect. I have a '97 SR5, 4x4, V6, 5speed, with the factory E-locker, which I bought new.

It has 4:10 gears, as specified on the monroney sticker, the door jam sticker, and verified by me with the spin test, and when I pulled the third member so there was no doubt, because I kept seeing that false statement posted here and at Yotatech.

At least in '97 this is how the 4Runners with the E-locker that were new on the Dealer lot were equipped.

V6 auto trans 4:30 gears
V6 manual trans 4:10 gears
I4 4:56 gears

 

[JohnsD90]

This comes up periodically, and it's still incorrect. I have a '97 SR5, 4x4, V6, 5speed, with the factory E-locker, which I bought new.

It has 4:10 gears, as specified on the monroney sticker, the door jam sticker, and verified by me with the spin test, and when I pulled the third member so there was no doubt, because I kept seeing that false statement posted here and at Yotatech.

At least in '97 this is how the 4Runners with the E-locker that were new on the Dealer lot were equipped.

V6 auto trans 4:30 gears
V6 manual trans 4:10 gears
I4 4:56 gears

As long as you counted the teeth then it is valid, but if you are correct that just makes it even harder for others to figure it out, now there is another possiblilty. And i did not claim that it was fact, it was the last i checked, but i have not pulled apart every locker equipped 4runner to check their gearing. Can't count the sticker as fact, and your post doesnt say that you counted teeth, just that you removed the rear diff.

 

[02SE]

How else would I verify the overall gearing of the differential after removing the 3rd member, unless I counted the ring gear teeth, and the pinion gear teeth?

Come on, don't be ridiculous.

This is not new information. It's just that for some reason, the incorrect statement that all 4Runners with an E-locker have 4:30 gearing, continues to persist. Maybe it's because most of those people have the auto trans, and just assume all 4Runners regardless of transmission or engine, are the same.

As I've said repeatedly when this has come up over the years. I trusted that Toyota knew what they were building, when they made their vehicles. So far in my experience what they have said a vehicle was equipped with at the time of manufacture, has been accurate.

 

[Nelsonmd]

How else would I verify the overall gearing of the differential after removing the 3rd member, unless I counted the ring gear teeth, and the pinion gear teeth?

Come on, don't be ridiculous.

This is not new information. It's just that for some reason, the incorrect statement that all 4Runners with an E-locker have 4:30 gearing, continues to persist. Maybe it's because most of those people have the auto trans, and just assume all 4Runners regardless of transmission or engine, are the same.

As I've said repeatedly when this has come up over the years. I trusted that Toyota knew what they were building, when they made their vehicles. So far in my experience what they have said a vehicle was equipped with at the time of manufacture, has been accurate.

So basically what I said...

OP, all 3 of us are basically making the same point. Check the ratio of your diff and the one you are going to buy by actually verifying (spin test or counting teeth). We can give generalizations, but that is all they are, yours could be different and it isn't worth risking that kind of coin when it is easy enough to count teeth. Don't believe what you read on the internets, verify for yourself.

Anyway, you really should search here for the many other threads on this. It'll help you wrap your head around the diff in general so you'll be more confident in what you are really looking for.

 

[LittleCaesar]

To put on my flame suit here, and this is just me searching over 1.5 years:
I have found 4:10 lockers (only a few)to come out of 96 and 97s (the whole axle from a 97 I put in my 99).
At a pic n pull in TN 3 years ago I think I found a 4:10 that came out of a 98, but can't be 100% sure, so I am going to say no, just 4:30 for that year.
I never found a 99 or 00 with a 4:10 E locker, just 4:30s.

To 100% verify, pull it and perform the spin test if possible. Or just regear the front.

 

[ryanpavelchik]

97 limited elocker auto trans 4:56 locker install on 99 5spd 4:10s

My 97 limited auto trans has 4:56s and I just bought a 99 5spd with 4:10s. Can I pull my 97 axle and tcase and swap them to the 99 eventhough it's a 5spd? Has anyone seen a write up on wiring this? Thanks for your time and input.