Charchee

I picked up this 2002 4Runner a couple years ago from an estate manager who was trying to liquidate some property for a client. The truck originally came from New York so it has it's share of rust under it but knowing that I offered $4000 for it and the guy threw me the keys. I haven't really wanted to dump a bunch of money into it because it's not the one I'm going to marry. I want a flawless one but you never see them anymore.

Anyway, a couple months ago I was trolling craigslist for the first time in a while and noticed a wrecked 2000 SR5 4WD that had been on there since the last time I looked at it which was more than a month before. I called on it and I could tell the guy was now in a bind to get rid of it so I offered him $200 and we settled over the phone for $225 I think. When I got there to pick it up, I couldn't believe what was there. Damage was only to the front end and radiator. It was totaled due to the frame being bent at the bumper mount. It had leather interior, moon roof, all of it's glass and best of all, a factory E-locker with 4.30 gears. I pulled out all of the parts and started to think more and more about swapping the drive train over to mine. I had 3.90 gears and would have to swap the front diff as well with that much difference.

Well the mills all shut down for the holidays so I had a couple days off and just pulled the trigger. I am posting this in the tech forum instead of the build up forum because there aren't many current threads out there right now with information on a swap like this and I'd be glad to answer any questions anyone might have about a potential swap while I'm in the process of doing it.

Step one was to remove the old axle assembly. Since I just did this to my parts truck, while on a trailer in about an hour the other day, I figured it was going to be a piece of cake. Not so. The rust on my axle complicated things a lot. I broke about half of the bolts off in the cable and brake line bracketry and completely broke off two of the brackets in the process. My rust damage was much worse than I thought it was. The control arm bolts were tough but I'm used to that kind of thing. Most days I'm working on old logging equipment and log trucks. The big lesson I learned was about the order in which you remove components. I have a 3" lift on my truck so I figured that the shocks could be removed easier after I got the load off the suspension so I saved them for last. The lower mount will absolutely not let go if everything is not in line so shocks come off first and go back on last. I ended up having to remove the top nuts which are a nightmare and not part of my plan.

I finally got everything off and slid the new one under. The brake lines are slightly different on the 2001 and 2002 models but if you use the driver's side brake line from your 01/02 and the passenger side line from your donor, it all goes pretty well. Some other threads mentioned having to drill holes for the driver's side brake line because the two sides are supplied separately in the newer ones rather than with a single supply line going to a tee on most older ones, but believe it or not, my donor axle had the slot and threaded hole already there although unused. That reminds me that I probably need to run a tap through that hole before I bolt on the bracket since it's not been used in 17 years.

I have the harness, ecu and switch from the 2000 and am in the process of building my harness. I'll go through that in a later post when I get it all sorted out.

I'm going to use the drive shafts from the 2000 because they are in much better shape. I have a question though if anyone can help me out. On my log trucks I have to time the shafts after they have been removed for maintenance. By that I mean lining them up to where the u-joints and yokes are 90 degrees different between the transmission and differential. With the double joint setup these trucks use along with the flat bolt on flanges off the transmission and differential, is there any need for such a procedure or can I just line up the bolt holes and install it?

Much more to come on this project. Any input or questions are more than welcome. Like I said, I'm posting this for the next guy that wants to try it. Here are some pics. Check out the rust on the old diff. I'm glad that thing is out of there.

KZN185W

iTrader: (1)

Good of you to provide a guide for future reference. BTW, there was a rear axle swap done on a 2001, I think, on here before.
On the front diff, is the 2000 already electrically-actuated? I know that the 2002 already has an electrically-actuated front diff. I don't know the cut-off year but some had a pneumatically-actuated front diff
About the rust, you might like to do a frame swap. You can contact @Pattycakes77 on this. He did a write-up with a lot of pics.

Charchee

My donor front diff is vacuum actuated but from what I've seen, all I'll need to do is swap the actuators.

I've had so many dumb issues over the past couple of days I can't believe it. Things like fighting with the shocks to get them off the 2002. They are like new and are 3" longer customs to account for my lift. I wanted to just unbolt the bottom ends and then attach them back to the new axle. No sir! They were stuck on the studs so bad that when I finally took the top ends loose, I couldn't even hammer or pry them of with a 4' crow bar. Finally used a few methods to ruin the bushings where the housings would come off. Metal bushing still would not come off. I bought some metal sleeves like them and used some spare factory style, two piece, rubber bushings on the way back. The one piece rubber bushing that came with my new shocks would not allow for pulling one of them out and giving the center metal bushing any play. Bad design I say. Spent over four hours on the shocks which was about as long as the whole axle swap.

Next I installed, or better yet, tried to install the good looking drive shaft from my donor. I went over it thoroughly, sanded out any imperfections, did a quality paint job and greased it well before realizing that it was two inches longer than my original. Had to start that project all over.

Finally, I've got it all installed and am fighting with my parking brake cable or maybe my drum brakes on the new axle. Not sure which just yet. My cable had broken loose of the old rusted hold downs and was just hanging all the way to the drums. It actually worked great though. Anyway, now, with it properly installed, it seems to be too short. It sure as hell is too tight. Checked at the console and it is just about as long as it will go. Just jacked it up to remove a wheel and drum to check it out. If anybody knows anything about an issue like this, please chime in. I have worked with stretched and frozen cables but never one that was too short.

Charchee

Pulled a wheel off and then tried the drub. It was stuck bad and the adjuster sprocket would not turn either direction. Fought with it hard using bolts, hammers, The Force, etc. Finally got it off and found some broken linkage and a leaking cylinder. Not sure if I did one or both of those things getting it off but I doubt it. I didn't get stupid with it. Oh, and the drum was worn in deep. Guess I'll get one of those too and see if any of that will help my cable problem. I'm just ready to drive the thing. I checked it out as good as can be done but who knows how it might act on the road.

KZN185W

iTrader: (1)

the parking brake cable shouldn't be shorter because the part number is the same for both years. However, since you have a 3" lift then you need to have an extension bracket on the driver side of the pumpkin of the rear diff. maybe you forgot to move/transfer the bracket?

Charchee

I thought about the cable mount but that's only going to affect you during suspension travel. The straight line across the back is what does the braking and it was short. Believe it or not, the 2000 axle had unused bolt holes and slots that allowed me to mount the brackets from the 2002. Both of them were actually identical other than the diff lock. The 02 even had the bracket for the diff lock wiring but it was already in use holding down the driver side brake supply line. I can just drill a hole beside in and share it.

I'm finally calling it a Christmas break on this thing. I have her buttoned up enough for a test drive.

Update on the brake cable. I pulled the p side drum off and found some incorrect brake work. The PO had installed a couple components incorrectly and the brakes were way out of adjustment. It wasn't actually the park brake that was holding the brakes on. I did pull off one of the p brake cable hold downs to relieve some pressure. It's still tight. I need to really set the brakes up right and then look at again. If I have more room then, I'll tie that cable back down. If not, I'll just extend the bracket about an inch and call it good.

I can't wait to take it for a spin in the morning before we head to grandmaw's. I just want to know that it's solid and I didn't waste my time.

KZN185W

iTrader: (1)

When I did the rear brake job on mine, I forgot to install the bracket and had difficulty in reinstalling the cable back. after reinstalling the bracket, connecting the cable was a breeze

aowRS

Ambitious project! Yes, the vacuum-operated and electrical front diff actuators can be swapped without an issue.




Andreas

Charchee

Well, I've made a milestone. I now have the axle installed and have put 200 miles on it. It is a world different than my old 3.90 axle. Lots more low end power and lot's less engine noise. It outperforms the old axle all the way up to past 60mph. The old axle used to cruise at about 65. This one likes it around 55.

I got the brakes adjusted and cleaned them out real well. This gave me a little more slack in my parking brake cable and resolved that issue.

Today I finished the electrical end of the project. I took a brake from the project and really researched the wiring and found some great resources. I found a thread detailing a project like this that had multiple links to others' retrofit projects and wiring diagrams. After looking at four or five of them, I decided to use a DPDT relay to shift the locker. Today after realizing that all of the Radio Shacks in this part of the world had gone out of business, I got impatient and decided to go with a different diagram which used the factory diff lock ecu. I took my time and followed the schematic. A few hours later I had my harnesses built and had it working. Actually got it the first time. This was the diagram I used. http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-ge...ml#post1038490

I am not much of a solderer so I used deutsche connectors and built a harness to run down the door jam which included five wires. I tied my two ground wires from the locker together and grounded them in the rear of the vehicle. I then made a pigtail off of the ecu connector with two 6 pin connectors. I put the five wires from the back in one of them and put my three grounded wires and two power wires in the other for a total of 10 wires.

For the switch, I used an inline safety switch that will require me to turn it on before pressing the factory button. This safety switch has a bright blue light in it that requires a ground wire to light it up. I ran the diff lock indicator light wire (which is a ground signal) to the ground pin on the safety switch. Now, when I shift the locker, i see the blue light in the safety switch blink until it's locked and then a solid light until I turn it off.

All in all, it was a pretty tough project but I'd say it went pretty well for me. Not I've got to swap out my front diff and I'll be done. I think I'll take a break for a week or so. I'm about burned out. I've also got to find me a new 4WD button/knob. I almost forgot that mine was bad and I had been using the diff lock switch in it's place. If anybody has one laying around, please let me know.

Here are a few pics.

Charchee

Well, I was burned out after all the work on the rear but couldn't stand it. I went ahead and tackled the front diff. I figured I'd split it up into two nights work. Night one, I loosened all of the mounting bolts and removed the breather lines and electrical pigtail. I also went ahead and jacked the truck up and removed both CV axles.

I knew the diff was going to be trouble so tonight I asked a mechanic buddy of mine to come and give me a hand. The diff put up a fight but with two folks handling it, it was manageable. I was able to slip it out without having to unbolt any other components under there. I swapped out the actuators and stabbed it back under there after installing the upper breather. Everything else I was able to reinstall with it in place just as I had removed it.

Put it all back together and filled her up with oil. I guess my project is now complete. I'm glad I did it but sure hope I never have to do it again. If anybody out there is thinking about attempting a swap like this, please shoot me any questions you have. I took real good notes on everything I did for that very purpose.

Thanks for the moral support.

aowRS

^ Congrats! I know all too well how unmanageable that front diff is. I few years ago I thought my front diff had a bad bearing (not the case), so I removed it. That was challenging enough alone. Reinstalling it alone damn near killed me.




Andreas