BigSky04

I currently have a 1987 Toyota 4Runner 22RE that I understand to be the stock 7.5 IFS Front with 4.10 and the stock 8 inch rear with 4.10

My goal is to have the truck stay IFS, run 4.88 front and rear, and have an E-Locker from a newer donor vehicle in the rear.

The front seems simple enough, I just need to change the 4.10 to 4.88, and that's it, right?

For the rear, this is where I am becoming confused. These are my options, as I understand them:

a) buy an E-Locker used, retrofit it into my current axle housing, change the R&P to 4.88

b) buy the entire axle wheel to wheel, and swap it out, only changing the R&P to 4.88 (I noticed some say it is 3 inches longer, how does this affect this option?)

My confusion is based in what people say about this situation. I have read that there are High and Low pinion versions. Some people consider them very different, some seem to consider them interchangeable.

Also, if I find a V6 axle can I fit it on my 4cyl. 4runner? Can the front be a low pinion and the rear be a high? How does that work?

The bottom line is, what do I need to look for? What is the prefect donor for my situation? Should I be looking for a 4Runner rear as opposed to a Tacoma?

Can I please get some knowledge, advice, and recommendations from people familiar with the concept? If someone could spell out EXACTLY what I need to be looking for, it would help me move the process along.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

ErikBs differential page

Drop your existing chunk. Regear and add a lunchbox locker and save $500

I don't know one single person who has retrofitted an elocker who has not gotten rid of it, and then been stuck with a useless housing.

:wabbit2:

xxxtreme22r

why are those people getting rid of the elockers wabbit?

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

These are folks I know personally, not to mention others online. They just seem to not hold up and have issues whether motor, electrical, breakage etc. It's just too much trouble to do up front IMO when you can drop in a lunchbox or an ARB for the same price almost with no axle housing mods needed.

Never been a fan of the OEM elocker personally either. For a dder, sure. Trail rig, much better options.

Once you've hacked the housing it's useless if you need to change or even a normal open trail spare diff is useless.

Too many cons IMO comparatively.
:wabbit2:

badattitude

I agree, I've thought about the same mod for my 4runner. I've read a lot and done research. I've decided to put a Detroit locker in my rear third. I'll have a chance to put new carrier bearings in at the same time. This is the simplest way to get the locking rear. I also like the idea of not having the wires and switch that can sometimes not work. Even the guy I know with a factory elocker has trouble getting it to engage when he wants all the time. I can easily imagine that a retro fitted one e locker would have issues working correctly every time. To me, the most reliable option is to keep as many original parts as possible and that means just buying an auto locker and putting in your existing third. You have options like a lunchbox (cheap easy and works off-road) or a Detroit locker, detroit soft locker or a Detroit truetrack. The detroits are more money and a more sophisticated install. The soft locker and tru trac are suppose to have better on-road manners that a lunchbox. I also think you can buy built thrirds with a locker already set up from inchworm for about $1000?

http://www.inchwormgear.com/store/in...14a377e4010cfb

Tofer

if you go selectable go ARB, otherwise go aussie..

that being said i LOVE my ARBs in the big runner...

BigSky04

I forgot to mention that I am interested in being able to switch from free to spool. And I am only doing the REAR. That leaves me it ARB or an E-locker, right? My truck is a DD for the most part. I like to off-road it from time to time, but the locker is really just for me if I get stuck or have to face the harsh realities of a Montana winter (with trips to Utah, Wyo, and Idaho frequently) I also plan on driving it on the highway for about 2,500 miles next summer. This being said, I think anything Detroit has to offer isn't what I would want, unless I am missing a specific type of locker they offer.

I see your point about not ruining my existing axle housing, I can see that being a problem in certain situations down the road, but I feel like I am less likely to have issues.

However, I do have an extra Axle, drum to drum, with the same 4.10 gear.

I guess my next question is, instead of modifying my axle housing to fit the e-locker, why not just swap in the entire newer 4Runner axle, with the e-locker already in place, but just swapping to 4.88 before the install. I am aware the shock mounts are going to be different, but that isn't a big deal is it? (easily changed?)

I can see people swapping to the e-locker and then not wanting it, but only in vehicles used heavily off road. Considering this e-locker is stock on many many daily drivers, I feel like it would be the prefect thing for me, to have and use lightly, only when really needed. Like I said, I don't really consider this a trail rig, more of an expedition vehicle.

Let's pretend that I have a free TRD E-Locker or need to pay $800 for an ARB, what would you do?

Sorry this is long, but if someone can help me decide exactly which way to go, please let me know.

MudHippy

If the E-Locker is free, then that's a no-brainer. Take it!

Moving on...

First, how will you be addressing the suspension issue if this is for an 87 4Runner? You have leafs in the rear, 90 and later 4Runners have coil springs in the rear. That's going to be a much bigger deal than just the shock mounts. So a direct rear axle swap from a 90 or later 4Runner just isn't going to happen.

Another thing to take note of is the 4.88 gear issue. You can swap some aftermarket 4.88s into an E-locker that didn't come with them from the factory. But if you get an E-Locker with 4.88s installed by Toyota then those will be the ONLY gears that will fit it. Toyota's 4.88s are of a different design than aftermarket and only fit in the 3rd members designed to accept them.

Next is the track width of the axle if you were to swap an entire axle in from a newer 4Runner. It's going to be anywhere from .5"(90-95) to 1.5"(96+) wider than one from an 86-89. Also the pinion gear will have 30 splines if it's from a 96 or later, making the companion flange incompatible with earlier 27 spline Toyota pinions and all aftermarket pinions. So if you'd need to regear it, you'd also need a 27 spline companion flange for those gears too.

Did you ever find Erik's Toyota differential page? If not here it is.

http://home.4x4wire.com/erik/diffs/

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

As long as we are pretending I want all the Toyotas in the world to be mine.
At least all pre IFS and select newer models.

A new diff with gears and locker installed will be cheapest by the time you add buying parts and install labor. Look on my website.

:wabbit2:

BigSky04

So, I wasn't really pretending, I did have a free TRD E-Locker offered to me, but I have decided that I am going to go with the ARB, at least 99% sure. Thanks for all of the input, at the end of the day I just don't want to modify my axle housing and potentially ruin it for future applications.

Junkers88

If the TRD rear is free take it, sell it, and use that money to purchase the ARB.

jeetS

If I get a 4runner parts truck equipped with a factory elocker, what should I grab off of it for swapping the elocker into my dd.

and where the heck is the elocker ecu?

will I need any other parts or can i make it all work using the parts truck?

thanks!