Hey ya'll,
I have a 1998 4x4 tacoma with 5 speed manual, 3.4 4wd, 3.91 gear ratio, no abs WITH diff lock turning 33x12.50r15s. Unfortunately, my gears in the rear went so now I am replacing the whole rear diff, "hub to hub". I've found a rear with 130k miles, 3.91 gears, no abs with diff lock same as mine but it's from a year 2000 model... I called the Toyota Parts department at my local dealer with my VIN number and the VIN from the parts truck but they weren't much help... Trying to figure out what I need to match up to make sure these differentials are compatible. Thanks

 

With both not having ABS and if both rigs are V6 models, it should be a direct swap, plug and play install.

 

Awesome! I was able to see that the Donor Vehicle was a 6 cylinder, same as mine with 4wd based off the VIN number. The only difference I've been able to find is the donor vehicle was automatic while my truck is a 5 speed...

 

Sounds like it should bolt right in. Are you located in RVA? Are you planning to sell your old diff?

 

The guy at the Parts department of Toyota dealership told me the 2000 Tacoma will have 4.10 gears if it has a Diff Lock so it sounds like the Diff I located will not work I am in fact located right outside Richmond and have no problems selling it if you are looking for one. It has a royal PITA locating a diff with 3.91s, without ABS and with Diff Locker

 

If you know your axle is original, the axle code is on the vin tag in the door jamb. You can look that up and see what axle you have. You can also jack up one wheel and spin it while counting the number of turns of the driveshaft. Keep in mind if you only spin one wheel with the other on the ground, it will half the number of driveshaft rotations due to the action of the differential. So with a 3.9 gear ratio, one wheel on the floor the other in the air, 1 full tire rotation will be 1.95 rotations of the driveshaft. 2 full tire rotations will be 3.9 rotations of the driveshaft.

I have a set of used OEM 4.10 gears in good shape for an e-locker axle. I could install them in your new axle and take your broken axle as payment. I'm down in Suffolk.

Or if you get it figured out as all bolt in for you, let me know what you want for the broken parts.

 

I believe autos have a different ratio than M'T because the trans has a different final drive ratio. I have a 3rd in Frederick, MD that you could borrow if you want to rebuild yours. It's 39x10 RxP so that should be your 3.91. It has the plug for ABS, but as you can see in the picture it's cut off and worked just fine in my 4R. This is my spare, it doesn't match my front ratio, in case my rear goes and I need to keep driving while I service my original.

 

Does this have the locker? I have been searching and searching with no luck for a replacement diff with locker, no ABS and 3.91s; might be forced to rebuild the diff that I have

 

my spare does NOT have the elocker. It has the ABS sensor, but as you can see in the picture it is cut and worked just fine like that. My 4Runner uses sensors on the axle shafts near the hubs.

You’re welcome to borrow it. I go to Kings Dominion regularly so we could possibly meet up.

Your ring and pinion should be 43x11 or 3.909 (3.91). Mine is 39x10 so 3.9. You would get a very slight bark in 4wd if you used it on pavement, on dirt I think you would have enough slip.

 

The E-locker housings use a different mounting pattern. Two stud locations are different. That differential will not bolt in. The gears are the same between E-locker and other V6 diffs though.

 

Trying to locate a 3rd member locally that I can swap into my current rear... I will also pull the 3rd member off my current rear and take into a local 4wd shop to see what they would charge me for a rebuild on the gears. Depending on the price they give me, I may just drive to east coast gear supply and pickup a 3rd member from them. Hopefully I will have a little more luck with this route as it's been sitting since late December

 

Got the 3rd member dropped over the weekend. Much to my surprise, the gears looked fine. As if I had gotten new gears installed lol. Due to my confusion, I brought the 3rd back over to my mechanic to ask him if he could further diagnose what might be causing all the noise in my rear end. After taking it apart, he was able to find that the "Housing assembly for the ring gear" was the issue. If I can locate a housing for the ring gear, I will be back 100%. Just trying to figure out what exactly the housing is?? My google searches have come up empty so far for "First gen tacoma ring gear housing" Thanks guys

 

Well, if it's for the ring gear......the ring gear bolts to the center case. Sometimes just called a case. Inside the case are the side gears and spiders. The mechanic really was not very specific what the bad component was......

 

 

Case ====== Also commonly known as the differential carrier.