williemon

Assuming I did all the work myself and I had all the required tools, How much would it cost me to change the diff gears in my 90 4x4 runner? I would not install any traction devices, just the gears, both front and rear. Id change to a 4.56 or just slightly higher to run either a 31, 32 or a 33" tire.

The reason I ask is because Im talking with a local bone yard now that has a 94 with what I believe are 4.56 diffs. I will be looking at the codes and test spinning them to make sure, but Id like to have a price in mind. They already quoted 350 for the rear and 250 for the front, but I want to ask how much if I want the 3rd member for the rear only and I pulled it myself.

Robinhood150

Wait, I'm confused. Are you asking the price of just the ring and pinion or the price for the whole 3rd member?

R and Ps run about $200 for a set, new. If you're patient, you can find them cheaper in the for sale sections of forums.

There was thread a little while ago on the prices of rear V6 thirds, but I didn't read it much. Try a search.

Is the junked 4runner a 4cyl or V6. The thirds are different, the 4cyl are weaker.

mt_goat

Here is some info: http://www.offroadsolutions.com/products/drivetrain.htm
http://www.ring-pinion.com

williemon

What im trying to decide is this, what would be cheaper for me to do? Buy the whole rear and front axel asy. from the yard and install them on my runner, or just rebuild my current diffs with new gears. I figured that someone who has done this before can give me a good heads up on the total cost, gears, gaskets and such. Then I can comepare and see which costs less, and if regearing myself is cheaper, maybe I can get the axels and diffs for closer to the cost of a regear.

I would sort this all out myself only I dont have the time right now and Id like to snag the parts from the yard asap if thats the way I should go. Im looking at lowest cost.

The 4 runner is a V6 and the codes on the door jamb spell out that it has 4.56 gears. My current runner has 4.10 gears with an automatic and 30" tires.

Flamedx4

Okay, my experience. To do it yourself (and you should think carefully about it - requires special tools, good skills and it isn't something you want to screw up...) you will need 2 r&p sets and 2 master install kits. Ballpark $500 for parts. Less if you shop around. Compare that with - I just had gears done for $650. I brought them my third members and they installed gears and all the bits (bearings seals etc.) Smokin deal, but others here have found similar deals so it happens. One the other hand one local shop (the established one everyone knows) quoted me $1300. So if you really wanted 4:56s and could get those third members for say $400-500 for the pair it wouldn't be a bad deal. But if I were spending that kind of cash to re-gear for 33s I'd get 4:88s.

mt_goat

Regearing will make a big difference with your automatic. It was the best thing I did. I find it hard to figure how you have 4.10s with a 90 V6 auto though, are you sure? Mine came from the factory with 4.88s.

toy283

If you have the tools and the know-how (or above average mechanical ability), it is almost always cheaper to regear your own diffs than to buy complete third members. The exception being that complete used 4.10 thirds are dirt cheap and can often be had for a song from a private party.

williemon

Im going to hold off. The yard wont budge on the cost of theirs, and I think if I regeared I would go for gears for 33s at that time.

I do have 4.10 gears. The place card on the jamb says so, and I tested my rig this evening on the interstate. I timed the seconds between mile markers. When I was as close to 1 mile every 60 seconds as I could get, the speedo read 55. That ment I was doing 60, but speedo was showing 55. I use 30" tires, so if I had 28" tires, the speedo would show closer to 60 at that point. That goes with what the placecard says.