this is what is on the door jam tag of my 96 2.7L 4cyl 5spd 4x4 and on a couple of gearing pages it broke down what those numbers meant but I wanted to check with the gurus here because those pages noted that some of their info could be wrong and some was unkown.

So far it appears as though my rear is 7.5" with 4.10 and 2 pinion open diff

is 7.5" weaker than 8"?
I know I need to change the 4.10's.
what does 2 pinion open diff mean?

Thnx for any solid info, suggestions are fine but I really want factual info.
T

I am currently running 31/10.5/15's and want to run 33/9.5/15's possibly.

 

This is the site I've always used.

I'm assuming yours is a North American built rig?
Starting with "4Txxxx..."?

If that's the case then you're right, 7.5", 4.10, 2-pinion open.

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this is the site I used:

http://www.brian894x4.com/Gearratiosanddiffs.html

is 7.5" weaker than 8"?
can I go from 7.5" to 8" if needed?
what does 2 pinion open diff mean?

 

IIRC the 7.5" is weaker than the 8".
2-pinion open diff, I'm assuming means you have 2-pinion gears and it's open (no locker or LSD).

I know 4-pinion diffs are generally beefier than 2-pinion diffs.
Not sure about going from 7.5" to 8".

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ok, so i"m looking for some 7.5" 4.88's and I'm thinking that I'll get a locker while I'm at it, ausie locker or lock right? Is locking the front diff basically the same process as the rear diff and same equip.?

what brand of gear are quality?
any good sites to go through?

 

I would go with a Detroits if it were me - I've got 'em front and rear in my '85 and I love them.

No experience with Aussie's but I've heard they're reliable as hell.

I personally wouldn't go with a Lockright, they just seem like they'd be like be a PITA and they pop like crazy.

As far as good brands for gears I'd just do a search on here, it's been discussed a ton.
Maybe do an advanced search in the "Off-Road Tech" section(s).

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I hear that driving with a detroit locker takes a bit of getting use to and the price is at least double over the aussie locker so I'm not sure that I'd buy one detroit if I could get two aussie lockers and a gear set. I'll have to do the math. Thanks for the info!

 

Doesn't take much getting used to honestly.
Just don't punch it in the corners and you're fine.

The price is definitely another thing to consider and I understand your reasoning 100%.
Fact is - the Detroits were in the rig before I bought it.

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please check out randys ring and pinion .com or ringandpinion.com and read the f s m
im about to do a limited slip diff eaton tru track on mine if you want to drive it on any street if not use a detroit locker or arb ...
tru track are for folk that drive to thier trail then drive home ... i would buy the shop manual study it then do it

 

I'm having a hard time understanding what advice you're giving.

Which one are you recommending for a mix of on and off road driving?

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Travis, The 7.5 is your front diff, Unless you REALLY wheel it just buy a rear locker and get it over with. You lock the front and dont know what your doing youll probably start tearing crap up.
EDIT AGAIN : The 7.5 front is notoriously weak, Mainly due to the fact its reverse rotation and the gears are running on the coast side (the weak side). I doubt you need a front locker dude. Lock the rear and then if you need a front locker put an ARB in the front.



Please shut up, Your advice isnt right nor helping. What will reading the FSM do for him ?

Travis, For what its worth I have a Lockright in The rear of my truck and I love it !
I have a buddy that has one in his 96 Runner and he loves it too...

 

Good point about the 7.5" - I was assuming it was a given.

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THE EATON tru track is a limited slip it allows you to turn a tight corner on the street
with out clunking or chirping the tire which detroit lockers do to me . which is why im buying the tru track the FSM will explain what it is composed of in case you want to do it your self
that is why im getting rid of the detroit locker as i drive on the street and it makes noise turning corners if i gas it it tries to lock the wheels and is a strange feeling

 

A limited slip isnt a true locker, Have fun if/when you get a tire in the air....At the mall..
EDIT: Uhh Mick, How will reading the FSM tell him about an aftermarket part ??


Oh and edited my above post about the lockright I have..

 

I would check the diff before believing any tables. I have A02A on my door sticker on a 2001 4Runner which the table says is a 7.5", 3,58 ratio 2 pinion, but I actually have, or had until I replaced the axle, a 8", 3.91 ratio 4 pinion. You can check the ratio by spinning one tire 2 turns and counting the turns the drive shaft makes.

 

Rear Diff "ALL '96+ 4Runners use the Toyota 8" 4-pinion differential in the rear. This diff is known as the "V6/Turbo diff."

Front Diff

 

thanks guys, now it seems that I'll have to just tear it down and see what I have which is no big deal since it doesn't seem as though it has 4.88s which I want to put in it anyways and since I want to put a locker in it too. Anyone in socal want to help a newbie in this project, I don't want another newbie though since it will be like the blind leading the blind.

 

ok, so I verified that I have 4.10 gears by placing the air valve on rear drivers side tire at 6 o'clock position and then taping a piece of thread with a weight at the other end to the drive shaft and then rolling the 4runner forward until the valve was again at the 6 o'clock position and then counting the number of rotations of the drive shaft which I measured by how many times the thread wrapped around the shaft.

now to find someone who has done a swap like this, to 4.56's or 4.88's and also to install an aussie locker in the rear. From my understanding I need to swap out my front diff gears too so that they match the rears.

should be fun!

 

called aussie locker and they said that they don't have a locker for a 96 rear end only for the front diff ($240). If thats right, then it looks like I'll be leaning toward a lock right in the rear (I can't afford a detroit) with the 4.88s f & r.

anyone here installed a lock right locker in their rear diff?

I've called some salvage yards about getting the e-locker rear diff and seeing if I can swap that for my rear diff, anyone know?

 

Search man, there are a TON of threads out there.
Most recent one I can think of is scuba.

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