Wow its not often i say this but, my bad. After the brutal reaction to my validation of the $900 quote. I decided to check the facts to show all you up. Much to my dismay, 4wheelparts.com has a set for under 150. I have the stock 4.88's in my 4runner, so i havent had to cross that bridge yet. However, knowing I would have to some day, I ask shops, when I get the chance, what the would charge. The little f'ers would say 800-900. And i never investigated further. You see I live just outside Chicago, as some of you may know, Four wheeling is a little neglected out here. (Now I am going to make some enemies) Sure there is the shinny f-150 on 36s covered with decals of the local HOT ROD shop who built it. BUt most people out here dont get it. You people in CA. are lucky you have competition and knowledgeable consumers out there which keep prices in check. Sorry Ill get off my soap box, believe me I can go for hours.

 

4rnr- 800-900 for labor? or labor and parts?
I had a quote here in kansas for 700 labor alone with me bringing them my 3rds and i just laughed in their face. Got my labor done for 321 with tax. Materials cost around 850 for front and rear Yukon 4.88 gears, master install kits, and a rear Detroit locker.

 

Parts and labor, giving them the whole truck.

 

LSD sounds like what you should use with your new gears. Limited slip diff 's work well on the street and off road. Lockers will work better if used mainly off road and tend to be nosiey when cornering on the street

 

A selectable locker would be real nice, that way you can turn it off (unlock it)when you don't need it. A locked diff will tend to make you slide around MORE in slick conditions (ice, snow, mud), so maybe it's not anything you need. I like to say that a locker can help you get out of the ditch, but may cause you to slide into one in the first place.

I don't know the tire size in inches you started with. But a jump from 3.909 to 4.56 (one step) is not a big jump. If you had 29 inch tires and now have 31's that one step would make up for the change in tire size and put you about where you were stock IMHO. If you had 28s or if you thought that the truck was geared too high to begin with you might want to make the jump to 4.88's if that is an option for your diff, especially with the auto tranny. You can make up for being geared too high much easier with a 5 speed manual tranny than you can with a 4 speed auto. I know my truck (auto tranny) was geared too high from the factory IMHO. The rpms at 70mph are about 2750 rpms in OD and the motor needs to be reving a little higher to hold 70mph up a hill or into a head wind. Do you have the 3.4L engine? That may not be a problem for you.

 

I definitely cannot afford a selectable locker, so I'm leaning more towards the LSD. Anyone think this is a bad idea?

Original tires were 225-75R15 (~28.5 inches, correct me if I'm wrong) and went to 31". One of the mechanics I talked to said that I can either go to 4.11 or 4.56. Randy's r&p also said that I fall between 4.11 and 4.56 so I can choose either one. Engine size is 2.7L

 

It wouldn't be worth changing the gearing just to go from 3.909 to 4.11s, that is hardly any change at all. So it sounds like 4.56s might be just right. My truck came stock with 31 inch tires and 4.88s, but it's a 93.

Sorry, I don't know enough about LSDs to comment on them specificly, but in general if you've never gotten stuck you probably don't need a locking diff. If you are hoping to prevent the slipping and sliding around, that is the wrong reason to get a locker because it will only make that worse.

 

I have a detroit soft locker, and most of the time i dont even notice it. It only engages when you nail the gas pretty much. I love it and wouldn't trade it for an lsd anyday. I think the detroit soft locker is a good choice even if you do a lot of street driving, which is what i do.

 

hey also if you need some 4.56 gears i have them
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41919

 

Someone said she may have 7.5 inch gears, but hell if I know, its a 2WD.

 

One of the mechanics I talked to said I have 8" gears. I haven't verified this with different sources yet, so I'm not sure.


yotafool, I will send you a PM.

 

Prices, Prices, Prices.
I bet I totally got ripped off, but I needed a 24 hour turnaround with 2 days notice as I was leaving for a 1k mile road trip. Bringing the vehicle in, having 4.88's, and ARB Air locker, and compressor installed came to $2500. A lot, huh? Worth it? OH YAH!

In your case, I think an LSD might be beneficial.

 

yeah, i wasnt aware that he was 2wd and had a 99 4cyl. i guess i need to start reading sigs more often. just wondering but would gears from a 95 v6 8" diff work with a 99 4cyl 8"? i almost want to say that the rearends are a little different. this was talked about before in another thread somewhere.