What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

Doggie platform over rear seats. Also gives great storage for gear on top and underneath platform. Can still pull it easily and use rear seats.

 

So is BAMF the only option for an e-locker rear diff skid for our trucks? Last couple of times I've been out I've tagged my rear diff pretty good, last time I dragged the drain plug across a rock and I'm 99% sure it's still going to function properly but next time I might not be so lucky.

Only other option I've been able to find is the $60 weld-on Trail Gear plates but they specify that they won't fit the e-locker diffs. Wonder if maybe I can have a local fabricator do a custom weld-on plate. But I do like the appeal of the BAMF one that can come on/off. But $400....ouch

 

for a bolt on skid. Yes.

BTF makes a weld on rear plate too i think. they did at one point

 

that's what I was afraid of...and I remember reading that he only makes them in batches once in a blue moon so if I miss out now I might have to wait a long time. Bah.

 

Anyone know where you can get these rubber bushing from?
Can you just replace the upper and lower bushings?
Toyota is sold out of these

 

Doesn't necessarily need to be uniball. SPC has enough travel in there sealed ball joint and supposedly JBA has more than a uniball.

 

hmm not sure you can buy just those..

That is true!

 

Those things are pretty stout anyways. You'd be losing some precious ground clearance too

 

BAMF claims in the product description that the updated design doesn't affect clearance other than the thickness of the material...I dunno I'm going to have to think about it some. Hard to justify the price tag for me right now but I'll feel even worse if I damage my rear end without one.

 

meh. I don't care. I like splitting rocks with mine haha

 

Nice, I forgot to check Low Range...that looks like a good deal. I still want something (maybe just a basic weld on plate like what TG sells) to protect the bottom of the diff since that seems to be a magnet area for rocks for me, but I can probably get something custom made...one good thing about being in SoCal is that there are a lot of good fabricators around me.

 

that is not the point of the diff diaper. Though a nice part of it.

The back part of any our of axles is super soft. If you back into something you'll crush the rear metal into the ring gear. That is the main weak point. The bottom of the axle itself is beef a hell. The diff diaper also helps protect the pinion but that more of an additional plus.

Thats why there are weld on options to just protect the rear part. Allpro made one too for a while.

 

The diaper itself seems kinda pointless to me, the cast iron 3rd casing is strong as hell so is the bottom and top of the axle. The elocker is well out of the way of things but i guess the little skid for that is cheap anyway so why the hell not, then you can experience the fun of having studs ripped out when it snags on something. The only part of the axle that needs some protection is the back cover, so get a weld on plate and call it a day.

 

It's a $400 solution to a $1 problem.

I've drug my diff over so many rocks, I had ground down the ring and was starting to loosen the plug. I welded a short section of 1/2" solid stock on the bottom, and welded around the ring a bit to build it up. Hasn't been a problem in a couple years.

 

no thanks.

Family 4th Camping-73.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

My lcas are good. So are stock ones.



You can keep you just a silly elocker "skid" though

yeah. I got mine for free. So not complaining!

 

Unicorn....

 

I was looking at the lca skids and just thinking thats 20lbs extra for each lca that my front end is carying around and more stress on the bushings possibly, maybe im wrong. They look cool, but my rig is already a fatso

 

The LCA skids are like having Hulk Hogan protect Randy Savage, it really isn't going to help anything but at least it looks neat.... BROTHER!

 

Agreed even though I wasnt thinking in terms of classic wwf but well said

 

https://youtu.be/1wYoWdprfD0