Swapping out my 4.10 thirds and putting a 4.30 v6 rear in my SFA. Was about to pick up a used spartan locker but was told it won't work because it was for a 4 cyl 3rd. I thought the v6 diffs just had bigger bearings and more ribs. Why won't a lunchbox locker swap between the 2?

 

Because a V6/Turbo 3rd has a 4-pinion differential. And a 4 cyl. 3rd has a 2-pinion differential.

 

Hymn.... Found picture of a v6 3rd and I see the difference now. What's weird is the 4.30 3rd I picked up looked like a 2 pinion but I know it came out of an 86+ automatic 4Runner

 

That would be weird...if it had a 22R-TE and a 2-pinion. Even weirder if it had V6...and was an 86-87.


Other than that...not so weird. Pretty much the norm.


22R-TE or 3VZ-E = 4-pinion


20R/22R/22R-E = 2-pinion


Though it's been said that a 2-pinion diff was used behind an odd few V6 trucks(for unknown reasons). But a 4-pinion diff was never put behind a non-Turbo 4 cyl.

 

I was told it came from a v6 IFS 4Runner with an auto which would have had a 4.30 ratio. Which was what I was looking for to match my rear ratio. So did Toyota make 2 different 3rds after 86 with the same ratio? I know this is a 4.30 as I counted the teeth but it looked just like my 4cyl 4.10, hence why I was wondering why the locker difference

 

Yes, they did. My sources tell me 86-88 4.30 were 2-pinion, 92-95 4.30 were 4-pinion, and from 89-91 there were none.

Coincidentally, I have a 2-pinion 4.30 3rd from an 87 4Runner with an auto in my 88. So I can prove they exist.

 

Ahhhh.... mystery revealed. So I guess I know I need a locker for a 4 cyl now. Thank you sir