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So who else has trouble with rear diff ring and pinion gears?

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Old 04-01-2011, 02:14 PM
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So who else has trouble with rear diff ring and pinion gears?

I sure do.

They're busted again...this is the third time it's happened.
Right now, I'm blaming the VSC for putting too much stress on them.
Old 04-01-2011, 03:35 PM
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I noted today's date and moved on.


Andreas
Old 04-01-2011, 05:36 PM
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Haha this actually isn't a joke thread.
Old 04-01-2011, 05:55 PM
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stop doing reverse burnouts lol . and have them setup by ZUK or soemone else who knows what theyre doing
Old 04-01-2011, 06:06 PM
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i haven't even offroaded in like 3 years. just normal driving.
then recently after vsc kicked in and all that jerkiness, i noticed a little hole in the diff housing and oil leaking out. i drained the oil, plugged it up, and sorta hoped for the best.

today, a week or so after that, the diff went to hell.

the gears were setup by a pretty good shop last time, and every time really. i research this stuff. i'm just curious if anyone else has gone through this on an 01 or 02.
Old 04-02-2011, 04:48 AM
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Nope. I had my diffs built by Inchworm (Precision Gear 4.88s and ARB lockers) and haven't had a problem since the initial install almost 8 years ago. Prior to that I had blown out the stock 4.10 rear.
Old 04-02-2011, 05:42 AM
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Originally Posted by calrockx
i haven't even offroaded in like 3 years. just normal driving.
then recently after vsc kicked in and all that jerkiness, i noticed a little hole in the diff housing and oil leaking out. i drained the oil, plugged it up, and sorta hoped for the best.

today, a week or so after that, the diff went to hell.

the gears were setup by a pretty good shop last time, and every time really. i research this stuff. i'm just curious if anyone else has gone through this on an 01 or 02.
If you have a hole in the rear diff hosing, then I bet you have some rust back there right? That's a pretty well known problem with these things. I ended up replacing my entire rear axle because the hosing had rusted through by the diff. I got really lucky and drove it a long way with oil leaking out (before I realized what was going on), but didn't blow my diff. In fact, I took the diff off the old axle, and it looks perfect inside. You might not have been so lucky though. Did you see any chunks of metal in the oil you drained?

Originally Posted by Bighead
Nope. I had my diffs built by Inchworm (Precision Gear 4.88s and ARB lockers) and haven't had a problem since the initial install almost 8 years ago. Prior to that I had blown out the stock 4.10 rear.
I think that is the shop that Badattitude used, and they had a really hard time setting his up. I think he ended up blowing a new set of gears in about a week after they installed them. Not trying to bash them outright, badattitude seems to think they are a good shop, but it seemed suspicious.

I don't think the VSC could put that much stress on them. Granted I don't have VSC, but it would have to be pretty jerky to wreck your diff.
Old 04-02-2011, 07:46 AM
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Nelsonmd...no visible rust. And what's interesting is that the hole came from the inside out. Something pierced the housing. After draining the diff oil the. I didn't notice any significant metal pieces.
Old 04-02-2011, 08:35 AM
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Originally Posted by Nelsonmd
I think that is the shop that Badattitude used, and they had a really hard time setting his up. I think he ended up blowing a new set of gears in about a week after they installed them. Not trying to bash them outright, badattitude seems to think they are a good shop, but it seemed suspicious.
Maybe they have changed since my diffs were built...don't know. Just passing on how my Inchworm-built diffs have fared over the 8-years I have run them.

FWIW...I went with new OEM housings instead of the ones I had on the 4Runner.
Old 04-02-2011, 11:26 AM
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Originally Posted by sebastianholmes
. . . have them setup by ZUK
Zuk retired from setting up gears
http://www.gearinstalls.com/
This site is for informational purposes. I'm sorry that I have to turn away all you good folks but I now will be devoting more time to camping and exploring and even some travel. This webpage is on a 10 year lease so it shouldn't go down anytime soon. ZUK
Old 04-02-2011, 02:24 PM
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Originally Posted by calrockx
Nelsonmd...no visible rust. And what's interesting is that the hole came from the inside out. Something pierced the housing. After draining the diff oil the. I didn't notice any significant metal pieces.
Check your ring gear bolts, I've seen them loosen up, fall out and punch through the housing before. It's possible just one or two of them fell out, they get caught by the ring gear and punch through the housing from the inside. Did you notice some play or clunking in the rear diff at the same time?

Last edited by DIRTCO; 04-02-2011 at 05:26 PM.
Old 04-15-2011, 08:04 AM
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I think that is the shop that Badattitude used, and they had a really hard time setting his up. I think he ended up blowing a new set of gears in about a week after they installed them. Not trying to bash them outright, badattitude seems to think they are a good shop, but it seemed suspicious.

Hey there,

Just clarifying, I did not use Inchworm, I wish I did. I used a local shop in Madison, WI.

My local shop did have trouble setting up the aftermarket 9 tooth pinion. We decided to use the oringinal 4.10 RP (it has 10 teeth) and it's all good now.

Last edited by badattitude; 04-15-2011 at 08:06 AM.
Old 04-15-2011, 10:26 AM
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from what I can tell, if the gears are set up right, you'll break many other things first. Has the same shop set up all three? if so, they don't know what they are doing. I think this is the case at a lot of shops and they get away with it because anyone that has gears put in also goes wheeling and probably has bigger tires so they can always blame it on those factors. But it was really a crappy gear install that caused it.
Old 04-19-2011, 04:51 AM
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So who else has trouble with rear diff and pinion gears ?

Not trying to jack this thread !! Why bother putting an axle code sticker on a 96 4 runner ??? Called up my local dealer, could be one of three ratios, what gives ??? 1996, 3.4l Auto , stock 16s ?????
Old 04-19-2011, 05:43 AM
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Originally Posted by Many Toyotas
Not trying to jack this thread !! Why bother putting an axle code sticker on a 96 4 runner ??? Called up my local dealer, could be one of three ratios, what gives ??? 1996, 3.4l Auto , stock 16s ?????
I think most 4runners had equipment added "at the dock" when they were shipped from Japan. For example, my VIN sticker says I have 15" wheels but my dealer sticker says 16" wheels. So, it is hard to trust the codes on the door jam.

I'm pretty sure you have 4.10 gears, It's too bad the dealer can't tell you over the phone.
Old 04-19-2011, 05:56 AM
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So who else has trouble with rear diff and pinion gears ?

Thanks, I was sure they could help with the tag code, but no such luck, guess it is back to the drive line and rear wheel old school method ? You should not have to do this on an original rig !!!
Old 04-19-2011, 07:19 AM
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Originally Posted by Many Toyotas
Thanks, I was sure they could help with the tag code, but no such luck, guess it is back to the drive line and rear wheel old school method ? You should not have to do this on an original rig !!!
Changing wheels is no big deal, but I don't see them doing diff swaps at the port of entry - read this: http://www.brian894x4.com/Gearratiosanddiffs.html
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