Disapointed...31 10.5 15 yokahama MTs and OME 901s on the back
05-05-2009, 04:44 PM
#21
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05-05-2009, 05:20 PM
#22
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That's crazy. For me it wasn't even close. What kind of wheeling do you do? I get stuck all the time in 2WD(locked rear) where I used to never have a problem in 4WD open in those areas. I don't see how 2WD locked could ever be better than 4WD open, especially in a situation where you have to turn in soft sand/dirt.
but in the mud, I found the locker in 2wd got me through as much as my old open/open setup. With 4wd it was a new animal!!! Talk about traction..
On rocks, I found that traction wasnt an issue, but I was cosntantly lifting the tire, or through weight transfer putting very little weight on one of the rear tires, and with an open diff... you know what happens.
With the locker it just crawled right over, with the rear tire hanging about 12" off the ground
snow, it sucks till there is about 5" of snow, then its beautiful! I was blasting through 3ft snow drifts all winter!
05-05-2009, 05:47 PM
#23
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I've never driven in snow, in any vehicle so I have no idea what that's like. 
I wheel down at the beach alot and once I get down to the water where it's really soft and wet 2WD becomes useless. I always try to go as long as I can without locking the hubs, but as soon as I hit the beach the back end just sinks.
I wheel down at the beach alot and once I get down to the water where it's really soft and wet 2WD becomes useless. I always try to go as long as I can without locking the hubs, but as soon as I hit the beach the back end just sinks.
05-05-2009, 06:08 PM
#24
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It is IFS, just don't throw to much money at the suspension because it will always be rather limited.
If your daughter is going to get the 4runner I don't know if she will like a auto locker. However the differential is removable so if she does not like it you can always install a open differential at that time and sell the locked one to get some of your money back.
When your wants and your wallet both match you may want to consider the following.
Locking Rear Differential -
If you are going to lock and gear your rear axle you may want to look into a non-elocker Tacoma axle. The differential in this axle is a lot stronger than the V6 differential due to the larger pinion, bearings, and the trusses. You will also gain a little width which is good for stability.
http://home.4x4wire.com/erik/diffs/
Front Locker -
You might want to consider a SAS. They front differential in a IFS is not the same as a solid axle, and it is expensive to gear and lock them. I would hate to see anyone gear and lock one only to want to do a solid axle swap later and have to gear and lock that one as well, spending twice the money.
33" tires with proper rims -
You do not have to change your gears to run 33" tires. Your torque will be reduced a little but it is not horrible. You can find 31" tires for the street on craigslist for around $200. This will allow you to have nice offroad tires like MTRs and not waist them on the street.
new gears -
If you change your gears I would recommend 5.29 gears for 33" - 37" tires. 4.88 gears are nice too but just remember people normally end up wanting bigger tires in the future.
3.4 swap -
Great engine I had one in my old 4runner and put 200,000 miles on it. When I sold the truck it still passed smog and ran great.
Hope everything works out for you.
If your daughter is going to get the 4runner I don't know if she will like a auto locker. However the differential is removable so if she does not like it you can always install a open differential at that time and sell the locked one to get some of your money back.
Locking Rear Differential -
If you are going to lock and gear your rear axle you may want to look into a non-elocker Tacoma axle. The differential in this axle is a lot stronger than the V6 differential due to the larger pinion, bearings, and the trusses. You will also gain a little width which is good for stability.
http://home.4x4wire.com/erik/diffs/
Front Locker -
You might want to consider a SAS. They front differential in a IFS is not the same as a solid axle, and it is expensive to gear and lock them. I would hate to see anyone gear and lock one only to want to do a solid axle swap later and have to gear and lock that one as well, spending twice the money.
33" tires with proper rims -
You do not have to change your gears to run 33" tires. Your torque will be reduced a little but it is not horrible. You can find 31" tires for the street on craigslist for around $200. This will allow you to have nice offroad tires like MTRs and not waist them on the street.
new gears -
If you change your gears I would recommend 5.29 gears for 33" - 37" tires. 4.88 gears are nice too but just remember people normally end up wanting bigger tires in the future.
3.4 swap -
Great engine I had one in my old 4runner and put 200,000 miles on it. When I sold the truck it still passed smog and ran great.
Hope everything works out for you.
05-06-2009, 12:48 AM
#25
I'm just saying, I have no sway bars and I don't experience any of these negative effects. For an IFS setup it works about as good as it gets with stock components. I can back over and up rocks and the front uses the small amount of travel it has regardless of how many sway bars I have or don't have.
I agree that a locker helps in a huge way, but in no way shape or form does MY 2wd locked rear out-perform my old 4wd open setup. Not even remotely close and I don't wheel in any ice.
I agree that a locker helps in a huge way, but in no way shape or form does MY 2wd locked rear out-perform my old 4wd open setup. Not even remotely close and I don't wheel in any ice.
This is why you're 4wd is much better for you than locked 2wd young Grasshopper.
For me, where most of my 4wd time is on old rough FSRs with water bars etc, the locker does as much or more than 4wd because I'm bound to lift a tire or two when crossing.
05-06-2009, 12:14 PM
#26
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On sand as with flat ice, you're wheels already have near the same traction- sands usually relatively flat, and the same grip- the locker won't help much in this case. Lockers do the most good when one wheel has all the traction in the world and the other is hanging in mid air or in mud. Open diffs would send all the power to the slipping wheel. On sand/ ice, both tires are using up most of their traction anyways, one just happens to slip first.
This is why you're 4wd is much better for you than locked 2wd young Grasshopper.
For me, where most of my 4wd time is on old rough FSRs with water bars etc, the locker does as much or more than 4wd because I'm bound to lift a tire or two when crossing.
This is why you're 4wd is much better for you than locked 2wd young Grasshopper.
For me, where most of my 4wd time is on old rough FSRs with water bars etc, the locker does as much or more than 4wd because I'm bound to lift a tire or two when crossing.
Maybe if you were in a situation where you had one rear tire and one front tire in the air you would be better off with 2wd locked. 
I'm not just talking about that one particular situation. Climbing hills, cruising at the beach, out in the middle of the dry rocky desert, pretty much everywhere I have off-roaded in the past couple weeks compared to what I could do in open 4wd before the locker. My buddy has a T100 and in 2wd with a locked rear I can't even come close to climbing what he can climb in 4wd(open diff's of course).
Last edited by Justinlhc; 05-06-2009 at 12:54 PM.
05-06-2009, 02:29 PM
#27
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In climbing I found the locker really showed a value. With all the added weight on the rear end, it was great (in all of my experiances)
Lets agree to disagree...
Lets agree to disagree...
05-06-2009, 02:51 PM
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I never said the locker wasn't a great value.
The discussion was comparing a locked 2wd rear to an open 4wd setup. At this point I'm sure the OP gets the picture and plans to purchase a locker in the near future. 
Mission accomplished.
05-06-2009, 06:01 PM
#30
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Thanks everyone! Next question... Which lockrite locker? I have a 3.0 with an auto trans and 4.88 gears. I think I need the 1620 for the rear, is that correct???
05-07-2009, 04:55 PM
#32
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I am learning all kinds of stuff over the last few days. Now I have to ask two other questions, one, have any of you tried an Aussie locker? Kind of figure those chaps from down under build some pretty rugged stuff, plus the price is right (around $230). Next and this is a big next, I have seen that some folks are putting the 1UZ Lexus motor in their rigs. That really intreagues me as it definately has the HP, supposedly is very reliable and finally, is much cheaper (at least for the engine) than the 3.4. Even if I spend another grand more for the parts (over that of the engine) and it takes me a weeks worth of garage work i think it would be worth it.
What do you think?
What do you think?
05-07-2009, 05:16 PM
#33
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Aussie doesn't make a locker for our V6 rigs.......yet. They've been saying that they've "been working on 1" for like 3 years now.....
05-07-2009, 09:20 PM
#34
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I am learning all kinds of stuff over the last few days. Now I have to ask two other questions, one, have any of you tried an Aussie locker? Kind of figure those chaps from down under build some pretty rugged stuff, plus the price is right (around $230). Next and this is a big next, I have seen that some folks are putting the 1UZ Lexus motor in their rigs. That really intreagues me as it definately has the HP, supposedly is very reliable and finally, is much cheaper (at least for the engine) than the 3.4. Even if I spend another grand more for the parts (over that of the engine) and it takes me a weeks worth of garage work i think it would be worth it.
What do you think?
What do you think?
any engine you will find out of a lexus will be damn reliable, considering it is made by toyota
05-07-2009, 09:41 PM
#35
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- Buy a rear locker. Aussie Locker's are good and cheap. 2wd locked is as capable as 4wd open/open.
- Install BJ spacers then RELAX the torsion bars so that you gain NO lift. This allows the front suspension to flex much better. They're easy to make, cheaper and faster to use than anything you can buy https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f129...onnects-75746/
- Make quick disconnects for the front sway bar. You'll want it on road if you give a crap how the truck handles (this applies to 2nd gen 4Runners). Take the rear off with OME 901s and you the truck will be VERY tippy. I flopped mine with the rear off, so just don't do it. The rear swaybar doesn't inhibit flex at all, because the rear is all ready very flex to start with relative to the fron. Remove the rear and the fron IFS won't flex at all.
- deflate you're tires to 20psi- they grip much better offroad.
NOTE: You pretty much need to buy the OME rear shocks now. The spring rate is much different than stock and so putting on other shocks will make for a very harsh ride. Procomps ES3000 and OME 901's made driving over manhole covers feel like dropping off a 6" drop with the OME Nitrocharger shocks.
05-08-2009, 05:14 PM
#36
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My brother is building a 86 toyota pickup with a 1uz/fe
http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=54482.0
This engine is great I would love to have one in my truck it has great power/gas mileage and it weighs in around a 22re due to the aluminum block, and they are real cheap in junk yards.
The bad part is lots of work, and it is a really tight fit. I decided to rebuild my 22re.
If you made it past the link and picture.......
I would leave the rear sway bar on it does not affect off road performance, and helps on road performance.
I took off my front sway bar on my 1997 4runner and never put it back on. I had OME springs on it at that time and it handled better than stock in every aspect including emergency turning at high speed, I think this was mainly due to the heavy duty rear springs providing the support that 4runners should have come with stock instead of a sloppy sagged rear end.
http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=54482.0
This engine is great I would love to have one in my truck it has great power/gas mileage and it weighs in around a 22re due to the aluminum block, and they are real cheap in junk yards.
The bad part is lots of work, and it is a really tight fit. I decided to rebuild my 22re.
If you made it past the link and picture.......
I would leave the rear sway bar on it does not affect off road performance, and helps on road performance.
I took off my front sway bar on my 1997 4runner and never put it back on. I had OME springs on it at that time and it handled better than stock in every aspect including emergency turning at high speed, I think this was mainly due to the heavy duty rear springs providing the support that 4runners should have come with stock instead of a sloppy sagged rear end.
05-08-2009, 05:38 PM
#37
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get a rear locker.
Your other truck had more traction due to the limited slip in the rear.
air down your tires to ~12psi.
When I had my 90 4Runner with a rear locker, I went where (open diff) jeeps feared to tread.
05-10-2009, 06:02 AM
#38
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Just put on some new shocks and a steering stabilizer. What a difference! Better ride, much better in the dirt and more wheel travel. gained about 2" in the rear. On top of it the old stabilizer was completely shot. New one makes a huge difference.
I will be ordering the locker this week, can't wait to try it. Also realling thinking about one in the front. I know I need hubs to do this, any recomendations? How about the warn? Asin? Do I need some special kit to adapt?
I will be ordering the locker this week, can't wait to try it. Also realling thinking about one in the front. I know I need hubs to do this, any recomendations? How about the warn? Asin? Do I need some special kit to adapt?
05-10-2009, 07:29 AM
#39
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Just put on some new shocks and a steering stabilizer. What a difference! Better ride, much better in the dirt and more wheel travel. gained about 2" in the rear. On top of it the old stabilizer was completely shot. New one makes a huge difference.
I will be ordering the locker this week, can't wait to try it. Also realling thinking about one in the front. I know I need hubs to do this, any recomendations? How about the warn? Asin? Do I need some special kit to adapt?
I will be ordering the locker this week, can't wait to try it. Also realling thinking about one in the front. I know I need hubs to do this, any recomendations? How about the warn? Asin? Do I need some special kit to adapt?
Most people use the Aisin hubs. I did and have no complaints. They do the job. They will bolt right up once you remove the old ones. Nothing special needed at all.
I'd get the locker in the rear first though.
