What diff do I have? . . .Oh, and I plan to Lock to the Rear.

[cbodie]

How do I know what rear diff do I have. . .. 4.10. . .how do I know?
I have a '96 4Runner SR5 4WD, and I'd like to retrofit a E-Locker or ARB so I'm cost estimating. It appears some like to change diffs gears during this process. I gave a half-hearted forum search, but came up empty-handed.

 

[YotaZach85]

Most likely you have 4.10s. People normally re-gear when they run larger tires.

 

[attitudeofgratitud]

Gearratiosanddiffs
The e-locker swap is easy. Lots of write-up on pirate4x4 and other forums. You may be able to find a used axle(drum to drum). That would be easiest. For a 4runner of course. Check out Inchworm Gear - Toyota Rockcrawling Equipment for e-locker harnesses or make your own. ARB lockers work great also. Just a little pricey. But you can have just as much wrapped up in e-locker swap if you don't watch.

 

[brian2sun]

There's a similar thread going right now that discusses locker options and costs...
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/88460-e-locker-confusion.html

As far as checking your existing ratio, I wouldn't trust any of the online charts as they have been known to be incorrect (they were with mine). It's probably 4.10 like YotaZach said, but you can do the spin test to be sure..
Put in in "N", block the tires, then jack up one rear tire and mark the top with some whiteout or something. Then mark your driveshaft and have a buddy spin the tire slowly 20 times. Count the driveshaft revolutions while he's spinning the tire.. 39 revos - 3.90s, 41 revos = 4.10s, etc..

 

[the great him]

the price of the Elocker vs ARB is about the same, by the time you do the work to retrofit the Elocker you have as much time and $$ into it as the ARB would have cost you, even if you find a used Elocker... i got a used ARB for cheep, by the time all is said and done with the compressor and new fittings and other assorted odds and ends im in it less than $600 total install for working ARB so it just depends on how you want to go

 

[Nelsonmd]

Holy crap, how many time is this going to come up this week.

Here's the quick and dirty....
Do a search, there are tons of threads about this. I think I have explained this in 3 different threads in the last week.

To find out your gear ratio, you NEED to do the spin test. Again, a quick search will get you the answer very quickly. And since I am nice, here you go
Help figuring out Axle type & Ratio - YotaTech Forums

Gearratiosanddiffs
The e-locker swap is easy. Lots of write-up on pirate4x4 and other forums. You may be able to find a used axle(drum to drum). That would be easiest. For a 4runner of course. Check out Inchworm Gear - Toyota Rockcrawling Equipment for e-locker harnesses or make your own. ARB lockers work great also. Just a little pricey. But you can have just as much wrapped up in e-locker swap if you don't watch.

This is all kinds of wrong. No no no to the link.:nono::nono::nono: That page is either very out of date, or wrong, and has gotten many people's codes wrong. I have an A04A, so a 4.56 open diff? Nope, 4.30 locked. And you won't be able to do a full axle swap, because you have a 4.10 front diff, and the locked rear axles on 3rd gen 4runners were almost all 4.30's (see the other current thread about diff lockers, there is mention of possible 4.1 locked axles, but probably very rare).

You are talking about spending $500-1k on a retrofit. Take the 15 minutes to do the spin test and you will know for sure. You do not want to drop the cash, then find out your front and rear diffs now have different ratios.

EDIT:

There's a similar thread going right now that discusses locker options and costs...
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/88460-e-locker-confusion.html

As far as checking your existing ratio, I wouldn't trust any of the online charts as they have been known to be incorrect (they were with mine). It's probably 4.10 like YotaZach said, but you can do the spin test to be sure..
Put in in "N", block the tires, then jack up one rear tire and mark the top with some whiteout or something. Then mark your driveshaft and have a buddy spin the tire slowly 20 times. Count the driveshaft revolutions while he's spinning the tire.. 39 revos - 3.90s, 41 revos = 4.10s, etc..

OH, POOP ON A STICK!!! Brian, you beat me to it...

 

[brian2sun]

OH, POOP ON A STICK!!! Brian, you beat me to it...

Haha, Ninja'd!

 

[attitudeofgratitud]

Sorry for the bad link!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And 4.10 locked 4runner aren't rare!!!!
Maybe to a junk yard. But they're out there. Even if he was to find an axle with the wrong ratio, it would save from having to grind and drill on his. If he goes the elocker route.
For the OP. I'll probably have a 4.10 e-locked diff with the short harness in the next few weeks for sale. PM me if interested.

 

[brian2sun]

Sorry for the bad link!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And 4.10 locked 4runner aren't rare!!!!
Maybe to a junk yard. But they're out there. Even if he was to find an axle with the wrong ratio, it would save from having to grind and drill on his. If he goes the elocker route.
For the OP. I'll probably have a 4.10 e-locked diff with the short harness in the next few weeks for sale. PM me if interested.

4.10 elocked Tacos are common, but not 4runners. The vast majority are 4.30s. In fact I've never seen a 4.10 elocked 4runner personally - only heard about them on the interwebs. I've been looking for elockers on ebay and CL for years just for fun and I have seen probably 60+ 4.30 elockers out of 4runners for sale, but NEVER a 4.10 - only if it was out of a Taco. If you read the towards the end of the thread I linked to earlier, it discusses someone who has an elocked 4.10 4runner. It's a '97 5 spd, 3.4 from Utah. It's one of a few that I actually heard of that is 4.10 and the source is reliable. You could be looking for a very very long time to find a 4.10 elocked 4runner axle.

 

[MTDewX8]

from my research and dealer and wreaking yards charts info
the 5spds have 410 auto's have 430's locked or not. (2000)
Mine is Locked with a 5spd. not sure about other years

luckly when I bought my replacement axle with out the turn the axle test got a 410 and all is good now. I think I got lucky on my shopping I presume.

i am still a noob so dont take it as gosple

 

[brian2sun]

from my research and dealer and wreaking yards charts info
the 5spds have 410 auto's have 430's locked or not. (2000)
Mine is Locked with a 5spd. not sure about other years

luckly when I bought my replacement axle with out the turn the axle test got a 410 and all is good now. I think I got lucky on my shopping I presume.

i am still a noob so dont take it as gosple

Auto's don't have 4.30s "locked or not". All the locked autos have 4.30s as far as I have seen and heard, but I've never heard of a 4.30 unlocked auto. My auto was 4.10s (I have my old gears still) and everyone I know with an unlocked auto has either 3.90s or 4.10s. Not saying that there aren't oddballs out there, but I've yet to see one.

It seems that there are a few rare 4.10 elocked V6 5pds out there, but I know there are also 4.30 elocked V6 5 spds out there (and that is all I've seen personally).

Also, are you absolutely sure your gear ratios match? You can run 4.10s in the rear and 4.30s in the front (or vise-versa) and it'll work. On the dirt, you probably wouldn't even know the difference. I know people over on ttora that never did change their ratio in their front diff after an elocker install and just run with 4.10s/4.30s (not that that's a good idea though).

 

[J-money$$$]

best way to tell your gearing (without the spin test) is by the brakes up front. I have been told/researched and almost all 4runner with the 16" brakes up front will have 4.10's It was a package from the dealer. Your door stickers are almost always wrong. My door stickers say i should have 15" wheels and therefore the 15" brakes, but It has the 16's....

so long story short. E-locked 4.30, 16" disks 4.10's, 15"disks/wheels 3.90's

 

[cbodie]

You guys are awesome! Ok. :

-Spin test to confirm ratios.

-Read forums and get all information.

-ARB and E-Lockers could cost the same, educate and estimate costs.

-If I plan on running bigger tires, I might need a different diff.

-If I plan on running bigger tires, I'll need to lift the vehicle.

-If I plan on running bigger tires, I'll need bigger tires.

- Bigger tires will place me into the point of diminishing returns. . .

Little humor there, but seriously, one needs to consider what you're doing with the vehicle. I also think it's worth considering the differential I currently have, and whether or not I expect it to live a long time. 193K already, though most of it was probably commuter street stuff.

 

[Singtoe]

the price of the Elocker vs ARB is about the same, by the time you do the work to retrofit the Elocker you have as much time and $$ into it as the ARB would have cost you, even if you find a used Elocker... i got a used ARB for cheep, by the time all is said and done with the compressor and new fittings and other assorted odds and ends im in it less than $600 total install for working ARB so it just depends on how you want to go

Arb is much more expensive then an e-locker. I just added an e-locker to Limited and it cost me right at $500.

locker was $450 including shipping (30 day warranty)
ecu was $25 (ebay)
Switch was $14 (ebay)
bolts, and wires $11 (local hardware)

I got my locker in 4.10 from car-part.com

 

[MTDewX8]

Auto's don't have 4.30s "locked or not". All the locked autos have 4.30s as far as I have seen and heard, but I've never heard of a 4.30 unlocked auto. My auto was 4.10s (I have my old gears still) and everyone I know with an unlocked auto has either 3.90s or 4.10s. Not saying that there aren't oddballs out there, but I've yet to see one.

It seems that there are a few rare 4.10 elocked V6 5pds out there, but I know there are also 4.30 elocked V6 5 spds out there (and that is all I've seen personally).

Also, are you absolutely sure your gear ratios match? You can run 4.10s in the rear and 4.30s in the front (or vise-versa) and it'll work. On the dirt, you probably wouldn't even know the difference. I know people over on ttora that never did change their ratio in their front diff after an elocker install and just run with 4.10s/4.30s (not that that's a good idea though).

like i said, I am a noob. but if could have 410 and 430, would I tell a difference when in 4 wheel drive? I would think there is enough difference in ratio to make the tires do funny things in 4 wheel drive.

now you got me worried. would try turn the wheel test, but we just got like 4 inches of snow and I dont feel like rolling around on the ground at the moment.

 

[sportscarfan]

4.10 elocked Tacos are common, but not 4runners. The vast majority are 4.30s. In fact I've never seen a 4.10 elocked 4runner personally - only heard about them on the interwebs. I've been looking for elockers on ebay and CL for years just for fun and I have seen probably 60+ 4.30 elockers out of 4runners for sale, but NEVER a 4.10 - only if it was out of a Taco. If you read the towards the end of the thread I linked to earlier, it discusses someone who has an elocked 4.10 4runner. It's a '97 5 spd, 3.4 from Utah. It's one of a few that I actually heard of that is 4.10 and the source is reliable. You could be looking for a very very long time to find a 4.10 elocked 4runner axle.

I just confirmed yesterday via the spin check - I've got an e-locked 4.10, so now that makes 2 of us!

 

[brian2sun]

like i said, I am a noob. but if could have 410 and 430, would I tell a difference when in 4 wheel drive? I would think there is enough difference in ratio to make the tires do funny things in 4 wheel drive.

now you got me worried. would try turn the wheel test, but we just got like 4 inches of snow and I dont feel like rolling around on the ground at the moment.

Didn't mean to scare you, but it is a possibility - especially with the abundance of 4.30 elockers. You probably wouldn't feel a difference on the dirt if you have 4.10/4.30. The wheel slip would be minimal. But you can check it on a flat, dry road just driving in a straight line in 4x4. It would feel like the truck has to roll through a little "rough spot" every few feet. Then it will free up and hit the rough spot again. It could make the axle sorta jump slightly.

I just confirmed yesterday via the spin check - I've got an e-locked 4.10, so now that makes 2 of us!

I have to wonder since so many people have done elocker retrofits now, and they most often use 4.10s, are you sure yours is an original factory installed elocker? Or could someone have done the retrofit before you bought it? Being in Colorado, it would make sense that lower geared 4runners would originally be sent to high elevation states like CO and UTAH, so I'm not saying yours aren't factory. But I looked for an elocked 4.10 4runner axle for years on ebay, CL, and junkyards and I never found one. I saw dozens of 4.30 elocked axles though - and lots of 4.10 Taco axles.

 

[cbodie]

Spin test conducted this evening. Easy and repeatable, both tests 1 and 2 resulted in a 4.10 gearing. Third test was not completed, due to repeatability of first two.
I'll go from here with a 4.10 locker. I don't plan on "big wheeling" this ride, just stay with around standard sized tires.