After weeks and weeks of the same problem (a sudden winding up of RPM, and then a clunk and jolt, like gears unmeshing and remeshing), I decided to do something about it. A friend with an undergrad in Historical Automotive Technologies mentioned that it could be a clutch or u-joint problem, and I guess my mind works differently than his, because I thought about the physical operation of a clutch and u-joints, and ruled out those possibilities before I had even looked at either one. Another friend with a degree from WyoTech said to check the fluid levels in the clutch master cylinder, and I thought about that for a while, then decided that it might be something wrong with the diff. I pulled the rear d-shaft off, locked the hubs, and went for a front-wheel powered spin, and the truck drove strangely (FWD trucks handle WEIRD), but normally, no clunks or anything.

SO. I had successfully narrowed it down to the rear axle/diff area. I turned onto my street to park my FWD truck, and as i turned, I heard a loud popping sound coming from the rear axle (the windows were down). I said, "Man, I don't know about this..." to my friend Chris (getitdone).

We decided to pull the third and take a look. As we drained the fluid, the silver metal flake sheen of the oil wasn't inspiring. When we pulled the third all the way out, what we found would make even the gnarliest of gearheads lose their lunch:








I had somehow shaved the idlers clean on half of the gear, and was working on the rest. I was able to recover these pieces from the housing (the finger is for size comparison):








So, I was wondering if anyone knows of any one who is getting rid of a Tacoma 8" rear diff, and maybe ring-and-pinions?


The Fingerman.

Ps. The finger in the pics is the one that got me my nickname. If you look close enough, you can see the scar, right at the joint.

 

Would have to say you could have gotten a couple more miles out of those spider gears. Check the carrier. If there isnt any play or damge. Just get a set of spider gears and shims for it. Doesnt look like the ring an pinion are hurt.

 

OR better yet WELD THAT BUGGER YEEEEE HAW.........

 

....you have a weird looking finger.......


hehe.

 

Spool time!!!

 

 

Where do you suppose I could get a set from? The surest thing I've found is the stealership, and they want $1300 (not a typo) for a diff alone.

The thought did cross my mind... Although, when I am at work, the wife drives the Taco, and that MIGHT not be the best idea for her on snowy/icy CO winter streets.

Uhhh... Thanks?


Seriously, bump back to the top, though. If anyone knows anyone who is locking a rear, or has already done it, and has a spare diff, I will gladly buy it off of them, just send them my way. Unless they want to give it to me... LOL.

Wheeling season is coming up real fast in CO, and I can't miss it.

Finger

 

Lincoln Locker time!!!!!!

 

Install a locker or a Truetrac.

 

Locker or Truetrac = Money

Fingerman = Broke

Here's what I got right now.






Anyone put in a locker recently?

Finger

 

I locked my rear last summer and have a 4.30 8" diff ... what gear ratio do you need?

 

4.10 r&p is what I have now, but I've been told all i need is a set of spider gears. Is your Runner a 4Cyl?

Finger

 

No, I just realized yours was a 4Cyl so I'm not sure if my diff would work anyways ... good luck gettin it fixed

 

Thanks, man. I hope to have it fixed in a month or so.

 

You do realize your tacoma does not have a standard pickup/4Runner 8" diff right? Ring and pinion is different, not 100 percent sure about the spider gears though.

 

talk to a differential shop. spider gears alone are pretty cheap.

 

i got a full r/p rebuilt and locker rebuild for 5oo at my local gear shop. sry i dont have the spider gears for it po does and the truck is gone now

 

Yep, I do. The Taco diffs use 17mm bearing bracket bolts, and the actual bearing cap is one piece, without the carrier bearing preload mechanism that Runner/pre-Taco trucks have (Tacos use shims). The studs for the third are also 10mm with 14mm bolts (Runner/pre-Taco uses 8mm studs I believe), and the pinion is different as well. And I believe you are right about the spider gears as well, I think the Taco's are 30 spline as opposed to 27 spline for Runner/pre-Taco.

 

I have a the whole set up carrier (no ring and pinion) for an 8" diff.

Came out of a 97 runner with 95k miles on it, replaced with an arb.

the only problem is that i am in TX and its in TN

but i think you have the 8.4" r&p

 

.............