I decided I wanted to lower my crawl-ratio (coming from an FJ45 Land Cruiser with 100:1 crawl). I am now, after re-geearing, enjoying my 4Runner with 82:1 crawl.
And also help my towing (5,000lb travel trailer, in Canadian Rocky Mountains).
Thus was born my next mod: Re-Gear!
I firstly chose the pre-eminent local diff-specialist that I've known about for >45yrs. That was I.W.E. Rear Ends Only, in Burnaby BC (suburb of Vancouver). They have a Toyota-specialist mechanic.
I.W.E. recommended also changing the front-diff on one side from the Torrington roller, to a bushing. I heeded their advice.
They took a couple of days to install the Yukon Gears.
I took a couple of weeks, gently increasing the envelope of Speed / Time / Load, from 20min and <45mph, until after ~12 outings I was at 35min and 60mph. In-between these specific runs, I did gentle around-town driving only.
I allowed the removed oxides to act like toothpaste, and lap / polish the gears until I accumulated 600 total miles. After the final 30 min / 60mph run, the diff was just a bit warm (easy to hold my hand on), and I changed out the oil.
I was expecting No Chunks, and that's what I got!
I was expecting to see some glistening glitter, but there was none!
What I saw was dark-gray "paste", which did leave a small bit of silver "paste" on the drain-magnet. The perfect lapping-compound, IMHO.
I'm off to a great start so far. The rear gears are quiet. The front will wait a week or two until I can find snowy / gravel roads, and give it the same increased cyclic break-in, and oil-change.
For decades in my FJ45, I ran 4.11 gears with a 300hp Chevy V8. It was great. but I would say these 4.56 gears in the comfort of my 4Runner are putting a HUGE smile on my face already! It feels like the way Toyota ought to have built the 4Runner, and it's taken a virtual 1,000lbs off
Yes, it was a bit expensive.
Yes, I've seen Yukon's reputation ebb and flow since they first broke into the 4x4 Offroad scene nearly 30yrs ago, and I was both hopeful and wary (I bought their Y.E.S. Lifetime Warranty, just-in-case).
And also help my towing (5,000lb travel trailer, in Canadian Rocky Mountains).
Thus was born my next mod: Re-Gear!
I firstly chose the pre-eminent local diff-specialist that I've known about for >45yrs. That was I.W.E. Rear Ends Only, in Burnaby BC (suburb of Vancouver). They have a Toyota-specialist mechanic.
I.W.E. recommended also changing the front-diff on one side from the Torrington roller, to a bushing. I heeded their advice.
They took a couple of days to install the Yukon Gears.
I took a couple of weeks, gently increasing the envelope of Speed / Time / Load, from 20min and <45mph, until after ~12 outings I was at 35min and 60mph. In-between these specific runs, I did gentle around-town driving only.
I allowed the removed oxides to act like toothpaste, and lap / polish the gears until I accumulated 600 total miles. After the final 30 min / 60mph run, the diff was just a bit warm (easy to hold my hand on), and I changed out the oil.
I was expecting No Chunks, and that's what I got!
I was expecting to see some glistening glitter, but there was none!
What I saw was dark-gray "paste", which did leave a small bit of silver "paste" on the drain-magnet. The perfect lapping-compound, IMHO.
I'm off to a great start so far. The rear gears are quiet. The front will wait a week or two until I can find snowy / gravel roads, and give it the same increased cyclic break-in, and oil-change.
For decades in my FJ45, I ran 4.11 gears with a 300hp Chevy V8. It was great. but I would say these 4.56 gears in the comfort of my 4Runner are putting a HUGE smile on my face already! It feels like the way Toyota ought to have built the 4Runner, and it's taken a virtual 1,000lbs off
Yes, it was a bit expensive.
Yes, I've seen Yukon's reputation ebb and flow since they first broke into the 4x4 Offroad scene nearly 30yrs ago, and I was both hopeful and wary (I bought their Y.E.S. Lifetime Warranty, just-in-case).
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