Hi everyone thanks so much for your help & advice.



1982 Toyota 4x4 Hilux Longbed 22r Weber Carb, 31’ Tires , stock gears to best of my knowledge. Solid front axles front back.



I work 70+ hours a week, so swapping out rear diff with better one during my 1.5 days off will be my only option, hence this SOS.



My beloved ‘82 solid axle started bleeding precious gear oil in a parking lot the other day. I’ve cured this before by cleaning out the vent breathers and all leaky leaks went away. (30K miles ago). But last night I looked underneath and gear oil EVERYWHERE. Seems to be coming from the flange area, as ENTIRE diff was wet, fresh, and dripping gear oil from flange on back, including dripping gear oil from reserve gas tank and tops of axle. As I don’t have time to pull and rebuild and cross my fingers that I did everything right, I need to figure out the best option to order a replacement diff and begin the job the day it arrives.



So it’s looking like it’s leaking from where flanges meet, and partially spinning off the axle while driving, thus landing everywhere past the flange.



On my googling today, I’ve learned two things:



1) I might want to consider going to 4.56 ratio to have better performance (I know it’s off because my odo is always 1.1 miles off and when it says 65 my gps says 70-75 mph).



2) supposedly there’s a v6 more ruggedly made rear diff that will swap in.



I just don’t know how to tell what my best options are at this point in time. I’m looking at gear places online that will sell me a diff for $900 including a $200 core charge, but then I’m going to be doing the front eventually to get my 4wd back. (If I go the route of 4.56 ratio).



I don’t plan on bigger tires in the future but I would like to eventually tow a small camper and I want the best strength and performance possible on the driveline, which is making me lean to the 4.56 ratio, and upgrade the diff itself if that is actually possible with a direct swap from another year Toy.



My emergency questions are:

• What exact diffs will direct swap, ie “anything from a ‘85 to ‘95’ or ‘if you look up this year (19xx) and this axle spec or this flange type, it will work’ etc
• Is it true that there is a ‘more rugged’ (v6?) diff that will bolt right in and work?
• Will I face unforeseen problems like flanges not matching on a mail-order diff and my stock driveshaft? I.e. are there certain year model flanges that although the ‘diffs might be compatible,’ the moment I go to work I’ll discover the headache of torn down truck and no way to get to an axle shop and have a new flange mated to my rear axle?

So yea, I think that’s it. Right now I’m crossing my fingers hoping that the gallon of gear oil I just purchased yesterday lasts me whatever time necessary to order the right diff, and I appreciate any and all advice you have to offer.

 

It sounds to me like you could save yourself a ton of money and time by replacing the pinion seal.
If you do swap out the 3rd member there are a few things that are a "might as well while I'm there" items you should at least check if not replace like rear axle seals/wheel bearings, and rear brakes since most of it has to come apart to replace the diff.
As to what will replace your rear diff, most of the Toyota 8" 3rd members will bolt right in, the V-6 differentials have more webbing casted in from the factory and are a little beefier. One exception to them all being created equal is the stock 4:88 gears, I found out the hard way that they are different and no aftermarket parts will fit, like the lockers I bought for mine.
Send a PM to ZUK, his 2 cents are worth a fortune and he may already have what you need.

 

Curious as to what lockers wouldn't fit the 4.88 diff.

It is the housing and the ring and pinion that are unique.

The carrier is the same as any other Toyota 8 inch diff. by everything I have ever seen , or heard.

 

alwheeler thanks! Ok I forgot to mention cuz thread was getting long: Since I got her 50K or so ago she’s had this mild “thunk” coming from rear sometimes when reversing. Someone told me at an auto zone last year that that was a sign of a broken tooth possibly in diff and only a matter of time before failure. The thunk hasn’t gotten any worse but it’s srill there occasionally and it’s the kind of thing that, combined with this big leak appearing, plus my limited schedule, is making me think to just swap in a new or known-good diff if I’m gonna have everything apart anyway.

Oh! You’d be proud of me - I did bearings & seals in February myself! So I’m pretty confident I taught myself 90% of the diff job once I learn how to tell the best diff I can order and get in my paws.

Thanks for telling me about Zuk - I’m new here so it might take me a little while to learn how to PM but I will attempt!

In the meantime, if this were your Toy , 1982, 31” tires - What year & diff ratio would you get? Can you tell me specifically? So I can look some things up online and get myself in the ballpark of price & shipment time etc? And if something has “ABS” attached will it still work I just won’t connect it to anything?

 

If you are satisfied with how your rig drives, stick with the ratio you've got. It's probably 4.10 stock, but you've got to verify that.

I like my 22re powered 'runner with 4,10's and 10.50- 31s just fine.

A 3rd member with the 2 wheel ABS sensor will work, no problem.

It is possible to cork that sensor hole with an easily available welsh plug, if you wish, or you can leave the unplugged sensor there.

 

Lmgtfy...

http://www.off-road.com/trucks-4x4/t...ion-18588.html

https://www.lcengineering.com/LCTech...OYOTATECH.html

HTTPS://gearinstalls.com

Read the first two web pages then talk to ZUK on his website (the third one)

..
If you run into the kid at Autozone again go slap his mother, and then go inspect your U-joints. The bad floppy ujoint is probably what ruined your pinion seal, well that and your plugged diff breather. You can perma-cure the diff breather by extending it into the cab or atleast out of the dirt, plenty of threads and info on diff breather extension.

 

Thanks for the info and links!

(Edited post): I just clicked on the link to Zuk’s site and it took me to a maintenance page so apparently his site is down?

Ok to clarify: Every spring I do a thorough maintenance on my vehicles, this year doing the second cleaning of my diff breathers both front & rear. The night I spotted the leak was the third time I checked my breather on the rear diff, first thing. I removed it and could easily blow air out of it in the correct direction. Sorry for not making sure that was clear.

Also, I forgot to mention that when I did my rear axle seals and brakes this spring, (2019), I rolled the diff with my hand on the flange and confirmed a 5 degree or so “play” before the rear wheels caught and began rolling. That’s what actually brought up the convo with the customer at autozone about the condition and general road worthiness of my girl.

So, in everyone’s opinion, what would be the exact year and key words you would use to locate a direct bolt in rear diff, if you only had one day of the week to fix your problem, if you had to order the part today? On your lunch break?

THANK you ALL for the advice links and tips - I cannot tell you how much I appreciate.

 

Thank you millball! Well that’s the thing - Do I like the way she rides? I say it that way because I don’t know if she’d drive better (more pep from start, better gas mileage, and stronger gear power transfer should I tow a small tear drop trailer eventually). I keep reading on the importance of proper gear ratios, so I’m really trying to figure out if I should try a 4.56 while I have the day ahead of me to pull everything apart and do this job.

Shes got plenty of power, but there is noticeable lug if I’m on the slightest incline at all, nothing I can’t hold steady with the throttle, or just drop to 4th, but something that’s made me wonder, “hmmmmmm, COULD all these guys with 1000x more experience than I, be telling me something? 😂😂😂&#128514.

Do you think with a trailer attached, our rigs would still be uncompromised or not noticeably affected by the 31/4.10 gear setup?

Thanks for your previous reply & tips!

 

4.56s will help when pulling a load, A Little. Your revs at crusing speeds will go up some.

A 22re only makes 110 horsepower, or so, and it's ability to tow is limited.

 

If it were my Toy I would be asking myself "Self, do I intend to lift this truck in the future?, Self, do I plan to change tire sizes? Self, do I just need a road vehicle or am I heading for the mud pit? Self, do I need to tow stuff often? Self, is it worth it to me to spend big money just to change gear ratios?"
Only YOU can decide if you want or need limited slip, open diffs, lockers, or spools. It sounds like you need a daily driver more than anything else and for that I would recommend either an open diff or a limited slip in the rear and an open diff in the front.
Re-gearing will get you better acceleration and better towing performance but will reduce your top speed and increase the RPMs required to maintain highway speed.

To just fix your problem you can get a pre-built V-6 3rd member for ANY 8 inch Toyota axle. I personally went with Trail Gear with zip lockers, High pinion pre-built in the front and all the components to build the rear myself with 5.29 gears, but I was doing a SAS lift with big tires. See my signature for a link to my build thread. There are pictures there of the differentials side by side, one is the stock 4.88 gears and the other is the 5.29 zip locker for the rear. After finding the difference I had to source a housing to put the new parts in since the 4.88 setup from the factory has a different pinion offset.
By the time you finish swapping out the rear diff you probably won't have time to do the front end in one weekend, so be aware. Just don't drive it in 4x4 without matching gear ratios, on ice it will be COMPLETELY uncontrollable and on bare ground you WILL damage drivetrain components, possibly transfer case, differentials, driveshafts, or axles, whatever the weakest link happens to be.
This "I know it’s off because my odo is always 1.1 miles off" doesn't tell us anything. 1.1 miles off per 100 miles, per 50 miles, every mile driven equals 1.1 miles on the odometer?
I don't have time to check what your stock tire size was originally but according to your speedo vs. gps comment I would say someone put larger tires on it and re-gearing may be a good idea.
It is still your best bet to contact ZUK as he is a fountain of knowledge on what will bolt to what, but you should be able to get any 8 inch differentials from any Toy truck up to about 1995 and bolt them in with no problem.

 

First...take your finger off the panic button! You have two, make that three problems.

Fix the leaky pinion seal.

Ditch the stock breather.

Now forget about what the stupid knob at autozone said...IF there was a tooth broken off or even a piece of one that diff would be growling like an angry bear self destructing. Just envision a piece of tooth whirling around inside the diff and the havoc its causing, what do you think the life expectancy of the remains would be? My guess maybe 100 miles. (Remove finger from panic button!) Check for bits and pieces on the magnet on the drain plug, then make an assessment of the diff. Your backlash might be a tad high, but 5 degrees is about right.

Towing...if I recall right the towing capacity is no more than 2500lbs for 81 thru 83's. In the owners manual it says when towing a heavy load select a lower gear, problem solved. Now if you're towing a trailer across the continent you may want lower gears, 4.38:1 would be a good compromise, if you're towing 50 - 100 miles, 2 or 3 times a year stick with the 4.10:1's. If you still want to swap ratios, yes the rear is a relative snap to do but the front is a bit more involved and time consuming, possibly more then your time allows. If you ever replaced the front brake rotors you'll know that those cone washers holding the manual hubs on can be pigs to remove.

4.38:1 gears are the stock ratios from 20R powered trucks, 79 and 80's, so you might be able to get used third members, but they would probably need some TLC.

The speedo being out 10% (slow) is about right. (If your speedo says 50, you're really going 55; watch your speed or you'll get an expensive reminder) The stock tire was a H78 - 15 which was about 28.5" in diameter and your 10.50 x 15 x 31's are, not surprising about 10% bigger in diameter. Thousands of guys did this tire swap upgrade and didn't change gears, myself included and the truck worked just fine.

Fix the leak, replace the vent (rear and front) and drive it.

 

Thank you old83 & akwheeler!



1.1 was what I meant I have to multiply my odo gas receipt readings in order to get correct results, whether I’m going to get eggs down the street or cactus in Arizona.



I did my front wheel seals in February also so you actually beat me to another reason I was asking - Thanks for the reminder on no 4wd , yes I read up on that and know I need to match diffs with whatever I put on rear or I’ll damage my gal.



I was figuring a swap was best because I also read that if the diff’s aren’t torqued and tightened correctly when the seal is replaced, that it would lead to catastrophic failure of the diff itself.



So so you might be getting the picture so far - I’ve been learning how to do “removal” & “attachment” jobs so far, including even dropping & replacing the tranny last month! And main seal! By myself!



But I’m by no means confident to pop the seal off my pinion and consider the job done, if I don’t have a spare diff if something goes wrong from my lack of knowledge with the method of repair etc.



Oh, there’s also the “thunk” it makes - Is that a normal rear diff sound when reversing and sometimes coming off the gas abruptly? If I smooth slow down I never feel or hear it - If suddenly, I’ll hear / feel it probably 25% of the time. That sound/feeling was what started me asking knowledgeable folk such as the “knob” at auto zone. I should have clarified, he was a customer who repaired race cars, retired both as a mechanic and pilot. I didn’t have any reason to doubt his advice since he wasn’t bragging or selling, just saying what he knew if potential causes.



Will all the flange yolks in all those years mate up as well? That’s another headache I want to avoid ~ getting it torn into and realizing the things won’t even work with my ‘82 axle flange yolk.



Thanks for your help! I’m still trying to figure out this PM’ing Zuk thing since his site is down.

 

@ZUK there ya go sir I've summoned the zuk..

Wouldn't put it past me to of screwed up the link but the site was fine when I posted the link for sure cause I copied it out of my browser..

 

I grant you 3 wishes.......👽

 

Oohh I got it in writing quick disable the edit button

 

So, find your build plate (probably on the fire wall)

Here is mine.


And look at the axel code. This one is G292. Consult the table in the first link and decode it.

G=8" housing
29=4.10 ratio
2= common (actually looking at the chart, why isn't this the 4 since its an RTE turbo I digress..) Not totally relevant..

I've got a 8" housing and can fit well an 8" carrier..

So I head to the local pull your own parts salvage and start popping hoods till I find an 8" carrier and a 4.10 gear ratio. I unbolt the drive shaft from the carrier and try shaking the pinion/input. Does it wiggle? Do I see signs of moisture? No, all right time to yank that sob out and pay. Will it last mylife time, who knows but it beats buying a bunch of tools (wait I can buy new tools, ahh drool, oh no sorry pay check rent ah ˟˟˟˟..) OK, pull the axles and take that sob home..

Yea you're correct trying to reuse your crush sleeve and just slap a new seal in and guess at the pinion preload might not be the best way to go if you can find a decent salvaged unit assembled by the old Yota grey beards.. But it's definitely been done, slapping a new seal in and going with "yeah that seems tight enough" by plenty of people.

So yeah if you want it done right, you need some specific tools and prior experience goes a long way, but it's not persay something you couldn't do in the shed if you were inclined and asked the right questions from the right people.


And for what it's worth my unicorn/holy-grail would be a g293 which probably doesn't exist , and its been awhile since I've browsed the yard for an LSD but when I was I had the common celica axle code written on my forearm in sharpie.. And the last time I went you couldn't find a single celica with its 3rd in place much less the LSD.

 

So this crush sleeve...while I cant comment on every truck, my 83 has a solid sleeve and the bearing pre-load is adjusted using shim washers. According to the FSM's for 1981 and 1983, the ones I have, the 8" diff in the 4x4 trucks are all like this with a solid sleeve. The crush sleeves were used in the 2WD's, 3/4 tons, and in later years. You cant re-use the crush sleeve but you can the solid sleeve. If you have the solid sleeve replacing the seal is simply remove the flange and replace the seal, torque the nut (a new one) check the bearing preload and you're done. (This procedure is as per FSM...look it up yourself!)

I did my seals like that (and vents) oh about 175000KM's ago and everything is just fine.

Now maybe someone before you has switched to a crush sleeve, why they would is beyond me. I see most of the 'new' parts suppliers/experts give a crush sleeve with their gear install kits.

As far as the thunk...people always assume the worse. This could be (short list) U joints, slip joint ,a broken spring, not enough oil, wrong grade of oil, even a loose spare tire, etc. As far as this guy at autozone...there are mechanics and then there are mechanics, some are wizards and some are gnomes. Take some time and properly troubleshoot this.

 

 

Took me a minute to notice that was mine

 

THANK YOU guys!

Wow! Ok my finger’s off the SOS 🆘 button!!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂

I’ve got a bit of photographing when I clock out tonight and sending you here so we can determine what my ratios are “supposed to be” assuming no previous mods occurred. Also - I totally thought changing a seal was a surgical procedure - Like if I did it wrong I’d risk blowing up my rear axles in between Texss and Arizona on the 40 somewhere!

But this guy’s not even using a torque wrench or counting turns!?!?!??? Is this really how easy it would be to do mine? Until I save up the extra $600 for a Zuk Diff?


I think Autozone should have the seal and I’m pretty sure I have a 30mm somewhere since I did the transfer case rear seal in 2017. I wanted to do my rear diff but just feared catastrophe on the road if I didn’t fully understand “rolling torque” or whatever it’s called that sets the preload.

Btw - I WOULD use a breaker bar, and mark it and count turns on the nut, assuming you all feel like this method won’t put me at risk of damaging the bearings or worse. And thank you for talking me off that tree branch - My girl does nothing but show me how hard she is to keep from starting and playing on the highway.