LINY4Runner
New member
FRONT springs from a Land Cruiser fit the BACK of the 4Runners
Photo Timeline of my 4Runner {LOTS OF PICS}
- Thread starter LINY4Runner
- Start date
FRONT springs from a Land Cruiser fit the BACK of the 4Runners
fightman80
New member
Cool thanks guys!
eric_simo99
New member
your runner is definitely one of my favorites on here
JohnsD90
New member
Its even cooler in person.
LINY4Runner
New member
LINY4Runner
New member
THE UPDATE WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!! (Part 1 of 2)
Toyota incorrectly set backlash on the rear differentials in a good amount of FJ Cruisers. This causes the differentials to howl. What does someone do with a brand new car that makes noise? Warranty. The dealership will replace the 3rd member under warranty. Many of these 3rds are the coveted e-Locker. On most warranties, Toyota Motor Company will call back the old parts for inspection. The 3rd members cost too much for Toyota to ship, so they don't get called back. Instead the dealerships are told to throw them away, many get sold to a scrap guy.
Enter my friend Mike. If you've seen some of my picture threads from wheeling trips, you'll see a white and black fully locked and SAS'd 1st Gen. That's Mike. He's a technician at a local Toyota dealership. He replaced e-locker 3rds in two consecutive FJs. He had the parts manager hold both of them, as he was gonna swap out his LockRight lockers for a pair of e-lockers. Mike was nice enough to give me one of them and buy an ARB instead.
So with new locker in hand, I logged onto East Coast Gear Supply, located in one of the Carolinas (not sure which). If you are in need of any gears, lockers, t-case parts or really anything Toyota or Suzuki, these guys are top notch. Highly Recommended! Anyways, I ordered from them a Ring and Pinion set by Precision Gears in the 4.88 ratio, along with the triple drilled flange, solid spacer and e-locker gasket*. I got a call from them an hour later, they didn't have the Precision gears in stock, but they'd give me Nitro Gears instead for the same price! That's a $255 gearset for $159!!
Upon reciept of the parts (super fast shipping) I ran down to East End Transmissions in Westhampton Beach, Long Island (also highly recommended!) and they tossed the diff together with the new gears for a mere $150.
My next problem was wiring. I have a 2001 so it never came equipped with the locker harness/ECU or anything. So I looked towards 12voltguy.com for a standalone wiring/switch setup. The only ties to the vehicle on this kit were power and ground. The rest of the wiring was independent and ran from the switch all the way to the differential.
I'm so lucky to have had so many cool people help me get everything together and also with the install. There were hiccups and my Runner ended up sitting at my friends house for about 3 weeks, and in between running around like crazy and muscling through the CO Police Academy, he helped out a ton.
Okay enough of the sappy love story, you want the writeup! Here's the writeup I was following throughout my build:
Retrofit Electric Locker
The only thing we did different was leaving the housing installed in the truck, and we drilled the holes unsing the 3rd member itself, not the gasket.
In the garage and sittin' on jackstands
Jacked up, pulled axle shafts out
before...
Driveshaft dropped and fluid drained...say goodbye to this silly open diff with 3.90 gears pfft!
it's about time I did this...
and the part numbers for anyone looking to buy the seals from the dealer
A diff doesn't get much more "open" than this
Who wants an open differential with 3.90 gears?...<crickets>...yeah me neither
Marking out the notch for the cut...scariest part of the build- cutting into a perfectly good housing :cry2:
Toyota incorrectly set backlash on the rear differentials in a good amount of FJ Cruisers. This causes the differentials to howl. What does someone do with a brand new car that makes noise? Warranty. The dealership will replace the 3rd member under warranty. Many of these 3rds are the coveted e-Locker. On most warranties, Toyota Motor Company will call back the old parts for inspection. The 3rd members cost too much for Toyota to ship, so they don't get called back. Instead the dealerships are told to throw them away, many get sold to a scrap guy.
Enter my friend Mike. If you've seen some of my picture threads from wheeling trips, you'll see a white and black fully locked and SAS'd 1st Gen. That's Mike. He's a technician at a local Toyota dealership. He replaced e-locker 3rds in two consecutive FJs. He had the parts manager hold both of them, as he was gonna swap out his LockRight lockers for a pair of e-lockers. Mike was nice enough to give me one of them and buy an ARB instead.
So with new locker in hand, I logged onto East Coast Gear Supply, located in one of the Carolinas (not sure which). If you are in need of any gears, lockers, t-case parts or really anything Toyota or Suzuki, these guys are top notch. Highly Recommended! Anyways, I ordered from them a Ring and Pinion set by Precision Gears in the 4.88 ratio, along with the triple drilled flange, solid spacer and e-locker gasket*. I got a call from them an hour later, they didn't have the Precision gears in stock, but they'd give me Nitro Gears instead for the same price! That's a $255 gearset for $159!!
Upon reciept of the parts (super fast shipping) I ran down to East End Transmissions in Westhampton Beach, Long Island (also highly recommended!) and they tossed the diff together with the new gears for a mere $150.
My next problem was wiring. I have a 2001 so it never came equipped with the locker harness/ECU or anything. So I looked towards 12voltguy.com for a standalone wiring/switch setup. The only ties to the vehicle on this kit were power and ground. The rest of the wiring was independent and ran from the switch all the way to the differential.
I'm so lucky to have had so many cool people help me get everything together and also with the install. There were hiccups and my Runner ended up sitting at my friends house for about 3 weeks, and in between running around like crazy and muscling through the CO Police Academy, he helped out a ton.
Okay enough of the sappy love story, you want the writeup! Here's the writeup I was following throughout my build:
Retrofit Electric Locker
The only thing we did different was leaving the housing installed in the truck, and we drilled the holes unsing the 3rd member itself, not the gasket.
In the garage and sittin' on jackstands
Jacked up, pulled axle shafts out
before...
Driveshaft dropped and fluid drained...say goodbye to this silly open diff with 3.90 gears pfft!
it's about time I did this...
and the part numbers for anyone looking to buy the seals from the dealer
A diff doesn't get much more "open" than this
Who wants an open differential with 3.90 gears?...<crickets>...yeah me neither
Marking out the notch for the cut...scariest part of the build- cutting into a perfectly good housing :cry2:
Last edited:
LINY4Runner
New member
ahhh! starting the cut...
whew! Notch cut out!
My buddy Wade making the weld spots
the spots we had to build up
I don't have any pics of the drill-tap-stud process because we broke countless taps, drilled holes in wrong spots, welded them shut, re-drilled and tapped way too many times and it was way too frustrating to take pictures
what's this? an e-locker diff? In an '01 4Runner? You're a long way from home, pal!
*If you do this swap, DO NOT USE THE GASKET AS A TEMPLATE TO DRILL THE HOLES!! Install the diff in the housing and drill through the bolt holes in the 3rd!
As many of you know, three months ago I chunked my front ring and pinion. Well I am excited to tell you that I have ordered my assembled clamshell (also from East Coast Gear Supply). I ordered it fully assembled with 4.88 gears and...drumroll please...Detroit Tru-Trac Limited Slip Differential! The Tru-Trac is known in the industry for being a "tight" LSD; closer to positive lock than most LSDs. The desire to lock it completely can be achieved by applying a light brake pedal, which as anyone who really wheels(with an automatic) will tell you, they two-foot anyways. Although tight, it still retains road manners as well, which I wanted because I use 4Hi in the snow. I've been told that it feels as if your front tires are aired down. Build time is 4-6 days, shipping time is about 7-10 and install should take 2 hours, meaning I should be able to use 4WD again by the end of October! :guitar2:
This will be Part 2 of 2 in THE UPDATE WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!!
whew! Notch cut out!
My buddy Wade making the weld spots
the spots we had to build up
I don't have any pics of the drill-tap-stud process because we broke countless taps, drilled holes in wrong spots, welded them shut, re-drilled and tapped way too many times and it was way too frustrating to take pictures
what's this? an e-locker diff? In an '01 4Runner? You're a long way from home, pal!
*If you do this swap, DO NOT USE THE GASKET AS A TEMPLATE TO DRILL THE HOLES!! Install the diff in the housing and drill through the bolt holes in the 3rd!
As many of you know, three months ago I chunked my front ring and pinion. Well I am excited to tell you that I have ordered my assembled clamshell (also from East Coast Gear Supply). I ordered it fully assembled with 4.88 gears and...drumroll please...Detroit Tru-Trac Limited Slip Differential! The Tru-Trac is known in the industry for being a "tight" LSD; closer to positive lock than most LSDs. The desire to lock it completely can be achieved by applying a light brake pedal, which as anyone who really wheels(with an automatic) will tell you, they two-foot anyways. Although tight, it still retains road manners as well, which I wanted because I use 4Hi in the snow. I've been told that it feels as if your front tires are aired down. Build time is 4-6 days, shipping time is about 7-10 and install should take 2 hours, meaning I should be able to use 4WD again by the end of October! :guitar2:
This will be Part 2 of 2 in THE UPDATE WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!!
LINY4Runner
New member
oh, and the 4.88 gears are AMAZING with 33's compared to the 3.90's that were in there...AMAZING.
:girl:
:girl:
LINY4Runner
New member
E-locker shakedown run!
I'm still in 2wd, but inspired by CoB and his 2wd wheelstands, I went out, locked the rear diff and had some fun!
(had to...)
It is insane how much more capable the truck gets just at the flip of a switch. Makes me wonder why I haven't done this sooner...
I'm still in 2wd, but inspired by CoB and his 2wd wheelstands, I went out, locked the rear diff and had some fun!
(had to...)
It is insane how much more capable the truck gets just at the flip of a switch. Makes me wonder why I haven't done this sooner...
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
like like like like like!
fightman80
New member
Ha ha Cob.....this isn't facebook! JK! NIce pics Liny!
driffter33
New member
Nice addition to a great runner it is amazing how much of a difference the added locker makes looks like you and your girl had a fun time :bigok:
:
t4r4life
Elite Member
you lucky bas**** hate you so much rite now why do you get all the good stuff lol jk but no really :uzi:(had to...)
It is insane how much more capable the truck gets just at the flip of a switch. Makes me wonder why I haven't done this sooner...
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LINY4Runner
New member
THE UPDATE WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!! (Part 2 of 2)
Summer and I no longer have open differentials.
Purchased an assembled clamshell differentail from East Coast Gear Supply complete with 4.88 gears and...drumroll please...Detroit Tru-Trac LSD!! :boxer:
Front Diff removed, transferring over mounts & axle tube
Opened up old diff for inspection; Chunked quite a few spider gears!
I love carnage :snacker:
This is the magnetic drain plug...there was actually so much metal and so much heat buildup that most of this metal fused itself to the threads of the plug, forcing us to completely ruin the drain plug during removal...so I can't drive the truck until Tuesday when the special order plug comes in
:shrug:
Summer and I no longer have open differentials.
Purchased an assembled clamshell differentail from East Coast Gear Supply complete with 4.88 gears and...drumroll please...Detroit Tru-Trac LSD!! :boxer:
Front Diff removed, transferring over mounts & axle tube
Opened up old diff for inspection; Chunked quite a few spider gears!
I love carnage :snacker:
This is the magnetic drain plug...there was actually so much metal and so much heat buildup that most of this metal fused itself to the threads of the plug, forcing us to completely ruin the drain plug during removal...so I can't drive the truck until Tuesday when the special order plug comes in
:shrug:
LINY4Runner
New member
The effed up drain plug...
Installed!
Test run on tuesday! Stay tuned...
Installed!
Test run on tuesday! Stay tuned...
driffter33
New member
Thats great let us know how you like that LSD up font. Looks like your old one just broke the spider gears, should have just welded them up and rolled with the Lincoln locker:jk:
LINY4Runner
New member
There's not enough CV shafts on Long Island to even get me to work with a Lincoln Locker lol
LINY4Runner
New member
I've missed this little guy...
Finally got the drain plug in and filled the diff...took it a few times around the block in 4HI- The Tru-Trac feels GREAT! You can definitely feel it in the steering wheel, but it's not like a front locker. It's absolutely bearable on dry pavement (if need be), I'd compare the feel to driving with the front tires aired down to 10-15 psi. I'll be keeping it in 4HI for the next 500-1000 miles for break-in...shakedown run is November 20 & 21 so I'll have some REAL news on the capability on my traction situation.
Also ordered a set of Tokico Trekmasters from an FJZ80 (like brian2sun) to replace my blown out (and flex-hindering) Skyjackers.
Finally got the drain plug in and filled the diff...took it a few times around the block in 4HI- The Tru-Trac feels GREAT! You can definitely feel it in the steering wheel, but it's not like a front locker. It's absolutely bearable on dry pavement (if need be), I'd compare the feel to driving with the front tires aired down to 10-15 psi. I'll be keeping it in 4HI for the next 500-1000 miles for break-in...shakedown run is November 20 & 21 so I'll have some REAL news on the capability on my traction situation.
Also ordered a set of Tokico Trekmasters from an FJZ80 (like brian2sun) to replace my blown out (and flex-hindering) Skyjackers.
