Smoking diff from low fluid

The diff on my dad’s auto ‘06 PreRunner 2WD leaked the diff fluid to the point it started making noise and smoking. He found this one on https://www.ebay.com/itm/375181288152 but it doesn’t have the e-locker his has, what’s the difference in that? Is that something that could be added later or will he just be without it from now on? It’s strictly a work truck, he doesn’t do any offroading. Can we swap the guts from this new rear end and make it work with his? We’re both even thinking of just refilling it with new fluid and seeing how it behaves in the meantime. Thanks in advance guys.

 

If it’s the entire rear axle, yes, you can use it. If it’s just the diff, non elocker and elocker diffs have different housings and are not interchangeable.

 

How can I figure out what gearing he needs? Is the 3.73 the correct ratio for auto 2wd? Or is 3.58 the ratio?

 

vin plate on the door jam will have the diff code

 

if its a v6 6 lug truck its 3.73 regardless of any options.

 

Some 05-08 trucks had a LSD differential, others did not.
Either one will work. If your father’s was LSD and the other isn’t. You’d be down grading.

Again, it will work either way.

 

I thought stick shift had 4.10s. I have no clue but thought I read that somewhere here, which may be why op was asking about gearing


I would top it off and run it. At least to hear it and know for sure it’s toast before shelling out the cash

 

Smoking differential. Damn that was hot. Ruined seals and cooked bearings at a minimum.

OP was it howling?

Never mind I went back and reread your post:

"The diff on my dad’s auto ‘06 PreRunner 2WD leaked the diff fluid to the point it started making noise and smoking."

Making noise and smoking. Its done.

 

Nope. Only 6 lug trucks that came with 4.10s were the inline 4 engined models.

If the diff was smoking and making noise... It's 100% done, every bearing, gear set and seal is done in that thing.

 

Little question while we are on the topic of diffs,

I can swap my v6 4x4 auto diffs for 4 cylinder 4x4 diffs, correct?

and am I right the locker didn’t come on the 4 cylinder taco

 

you can also go the ECGS route to get a diff. Send yours in as a core. V6 has 3.73 and I4 has 4.10