A buddy of mine has a set of 4.56 3rd's lying around his garage that he took out of his 88 4runner when he did a SAS about a month ago. The 4runner has a v6 with an auto tranny, and I would be putting them into my 98 Tacoma v6 manual tranny. Is there any reason that this wouldnt work? If it is possible, is there anything in particular that needs to be done to ensure a succesful swap?

 

if yours is not a TRD then both wont fit, the housing isn't the same on the front, and if you do not have the TRD package then the rear wont fit, different housing, but if you do, then the rear will fit

 

Damn. I was expecting it to be the other way around. If figured that if I did have the TRD package, they wouldnt fit. I definitely didnt expcet the front to be any different at all. Ive got a few other questions then that will help me track down some 3rd's that will work. I know that there is a 4runner that came stock with 4.56 gears, and that many people swap out the 3rd's from those instead of regearing. What year 4runner is that? Will that only work if my truck were TRD? Is it possible to swap 3rd's from a vehicle with an auto tranny to one with a manual tranny? Will a 3rd member from a 4 cylinder work on a v6? Anyting else you guys can come up with that will help me with this process would be greatly appreciated.

 

the 3rd gen runners come with the same style front diff, so if you can find one of those with 4.56's, your set for the front, but the rear is another case, you will have to find a 3rd member with 4.56's out of a taco, t100, or tundra, because those have the same style diff in the rear, or regear the one thats in your truck right now

 

So, your saying that the rear end of a 4runner is completely different than what is in a Tacoma? In order to swap 3rd's from one vehicle to another, do you need to take into consideration the transmission of both vehicles? Thats probably a stupid question, but Im trying to get all this straight.

 

the rear end on a 4runner is the v6/turbo style housing, the taco style has larger 3rd member mounting bolts, and a larger bolt pattern, the trd taco has the same rear end of the 4runners, there is no difference between a auto or manual diff except for the ratio Toyota put in it

 

If they wont fit your, I would be willing to buy them off you and then you could use that money towards 3rds that will fit correctly.

 

Send me a PM so I can have a reminder that you are interested if the diff's if they wont work for me.

 

All open diffed Tacos are 8.4"

All e-locked Tacos are 8"

All 3rd Gen Runners are 8"

A stock 8" diff will not bolt into an 8.4" housing or an e-locked housing.

The fronts are completely different.