Re-gearing HELP with Ring and Pinion!!

Hi, my Tacoma is a 2006 TRD off road (4WD w/electric locker on the rear)
I want to re-gear to 4.88 but have found very difficult to determine which ring and pinion type do I need

I've contacted Richmond (Motive) and they replied the correct part numbers would be Rear- T488V6, Front- TAC488IFSL
The rear kit says it have a RG diameter of 7.8", and pinion diameter of 1.3785" 27 splines
The front kit says it have a RG 7.5” diameter and a pinion diameter of 1.378” 23 splines

On the yukon website per selected options looks like I need YG TV6-488 for the front which specifies 8.125" ring gear diameter, 27 spline pinion (no diameter measurement), and for the front yukon have two kits YG TLCF-488R-CS and YG TLCF-488R-CS-T, the last one with the T in the catalog string says to have a thick gear for 3.73 and down carrier (I believe we have 3.73 stock) these kits specify 8" ring gear diameter, 29 spline pinion

I've also contacted eastcoastgearsupply but they just responded with a link to the front/rear gear package, it doesn't give any specifications at all so I don't know which ring and pinion will be selected with these, plus being a lot more expensive (almost $1200) than just getting ring and pinion without all the bearings and seals...

How can these two brands have such a different kits and say these fit our vehicles, what ring and pinion diameter do we have from factory? how many splines is our pinions? this is getting very frustrating

 

Anyone

 

I wouldn't worry too much about exact dimensions and spline counts. I'd worry about ordering the right part number.

For a 2006 - that's getting pretty long of tooth - I'd replace the bearings and seals as well anyway.

 

E-locker versus non E-Locker. Different size diffs.

 

So what size should I be looking for my e-locker differential?
Also front ring and pinion sizes doesn't match between brands and those should be the same no matter if you have locker on the rear or not right?

 

I asked eastcoastgearsupply.com for the kit technical details on their kit and this is what they replied back

"The ring gears are both 7.8”, the pinions both have 29 splines and are the same as stock on 05+ Tacomas."

Now I'm more confused...

 

Most folks order based on part number, desired ratio, and the characteristics of the diff they're swapping it into (i.e. e-locker vs. non-elocker)

Not sure why you're insisting on trying to figure out the finer details of spline counts and diameter as measured on the ruler vs "nominal" diameter. Are you planning on looking for replacements from wrecking yard trucks?

 

no, I'm just trying to order the correct parts, I have looked into 3 different brands as I have described in the initial post and each one of them have offered me a much different parts kit

 

I get the OP's confusion. If two companies return part #'s with different specs, and a third provides no specs, then how can you have confidence that what you drop over a grand on is right?

Sub'd for what you wind up with.

 

Exactly, I was reading an interesting article on toyota's differentials
http://home.4x4wire.com/erik/diffs/
On the e-lock differentials they state the following "30 spline pinion on OEM gears, swap pinion flange to 27 spline to use aftermarket gears", so that's why numbers didn't matched I think, the nitro package (sold by eastcoastgearsupply.com) seems to include the pinion flange so no worries there, but what if I have bought the motive ring and pinion sets by separate? shouldn't they advice "you will have to buy or fabricate a new pinion flange in order to use our aftermarket gears", also what about the front differential? am I OK just with ring an pinion set?

 

More to this than meets the eye. I'm all about DIY, but maybe 3rd member exchange makes more sense.

I'm in Raleigh , maybe I can drop by east coast and ask questions.

 

Yup nitro is the only brand that uses 29 spline pinion as stock (supposed to be stronger than 27 spline pinions previously used) all the rest of the aftermarket brands haven't wanted to update the design so they force you to buy a pinion flange (27 spline) in order to use their gears, so I think I will buy their front and rear gearing packages with the respective install kits
Thank you all for your support I had no idea changing gears in a tacoma where going to be this difficult

 

Lol isn't this the easy part? You still gotta start the work. I patiently await the pics of your actual progress!