Diff Drop Question

Here’s a good question. I have the sway bar installed with my lift still. Will the diff drop affect that at all or limit the install? Or does it not matter/not affected?

 

Doesn't matter/not affected

 

I picked it up at a local shop. Don't recall whom made it. Looking on web, they are all the same.

 

Thanks. So if I had to guess, ground-clearance wise... does the diff drop essentially bring it back down to stock levels? Essentially negating the lift. How much does it drop?

 

You lose a pretty negligible amount of clearance, and there are other lower hanging parts like frame cross members anyways. Use it as an excuse to pick up an aftermarket skid. The mobtown ones are designed to work with or without a diff drop

 

Awesome, thanks for all your continued help. To be honest, my main concern is getting the most life out of those boots and not having the fins touch. If a diff drop WON'T really help this, I won't do it. If it will help, I may do it. Guess I'm wondering if I try the diff drop first, or the boot slip mod. I can not do anything and just keep an eye out on it but sounds like it will eventually wear through.

 

It will but they'll eventually wear through anyways. sliding the boot down would be the most effective IMO. Just snip off the factory clamp, and put a small hose clamp on it. Slide it down a tiny bit and that's it. Just don't slide it down too much, or when you hit full droop you may stretch the boot too much and tear it. Just slid it down like 3/8"

 

Thanks man. Are you saying even if the fins aren't rubbing they will wear anyways?

I just read another poster here said that they had the diff drop and then removed it because it hardly did anything to the cv angles and the fins were still touching. And lost a little ground clearance as well.

 

You are really over thinking it (beating yourself up) You are going to drive yourself crazy, reading every little post/info on this. Install it, if it helps great. If not take it back off. It's only $30 and an hour of your time. I have done the same thing to myself. life's to short.

 

I think it was more necessary for 2nd Gen.

Not as much for 3rd.

You could always install and see if it does much to help. From what I've seen on 3rd Gen the diff drop dose very limited to the CV angle

 

Thanks guys. I might just try the boot mod for now since it seems easier to do.

 

Just to help and hopefully not confuse more...
I had 4Wheel Auto install a 2.25" front level kit for my 2018 4x4 which included the diff. drop. That's how they do them for the local Toyota dealers who have there new trucks lifted. I trusted in them for their experience and I've had no issues now with over 7,000 miles since the lift.

 

About 2.5”

 

That's weird because when I installed my TRD skid after having a lift with the diff drop done, I removed the spacers used for the drop on the stock skids as well as most of the stock bolts and the TRD skid fit right on without them. If I remember the TRD skid had longer risers and bolts that seemed to negate the use for the spacers... Regardless it's mounted without them and has been problem free...

 

All you guys with diff drops... do you off-road the truck at all? How many trouble free miles do you have with lift and drop installed?

 

I second that you’re overthinking it. Not to be a jerk . I do it too!

Negs to drop that I know of are increased angle on front driveshaft, decrease in clearance, skid plate mounting considerations. All are very minor.

If your boots are rubbing, it is a definite problem and is worthy of consideration before the many conflicting opinions regarding drop and boot slide, and should be remedied. This is your priority.

You have the options being discussed here as to how to do it:

A) diff drop
B) boot slide
C) if needed, both A and B

Diff drop imo is easier than boot slide, ymmv, so start there. It is easily reversed anyway if you keep the stock parts. Then, if needed, do boot slide. If you are still ruminating on the drop pros and cons, just pull the drop and see if the boots are rubbing. If they aren’t, you are good to go. If they are, you only have one option: keep both mods.

To reiterate: I did both. I am not concerned about the clearance issue because that may or may not be an issue at all, and it is hardly any loss at all. The angle increase on cv axles as well as boots are both steps toward increased wear and that was something I wanted to address without question.

 

Dude! You are talking about like 3/8” of clearance loss. Someone correct if I’m wrong.

Read my previous post again!

Now: just



Edit: ok, I think drop was more like 1”. But still...

 

Dude your truck is fine. You're just mallcrawling anyways, just drive it. The boots may or may not wear after 1XX,XXX mile, if they do, replace them.

 

You are running the exact lift I'm looking for, how much did it cost if I may ask? What notch did you set the coilovers at?

 

I was at 3" when that happened. I think it's become pretty common knowledge to check the boots when doing a lift so most people make sure they don't exceed the safe height when installing their lift. Also a lot of people have 2wd trucks and don't have to worry about it.

I have just over 2.25" of lift now and no more cv boot issues...knock on wood. Been about a year since I last noticed it anyway.