PreRunner 4x4 Conversion Journey Thread

Finished up the front diff today! I'm super stoked on how it came out, the flat black really makes it look factory fresh. New OEM hardware & seals all around, plus lexus drain & fill plugs. The only thing I didn't touch were the mounting arm bushings. I know Durobumps sells a replacement, but I couldn't bring myself to drop $140 on them when the originals seem fine. Also assembled the second CV axle, which makes these the first pieces I've fully finished for the build. Another big parts pickup too, with the main highlight being brand spanking new OEM manual hubs. With the current 25% off sale for Toyota online I got both for just over $300. Starting to feel real after all the resto work.

 

looking good brother

 

Good progress on the transfer case today, I've given up on trying to clean up the case any further, it's not as good as the other parts I've restored but it's good enough. I ended up 3D printing several custom seal setting tools to make my life a bit easier for some of the trickier placed seals, and they've been working great. Got the front driveshaft flange back on (peep the custom "special service tool" I made to be able to torque the flange nut lol), installed the marlin crawler shifter seat (the OEM seat was totally disintegrated, seems to be common), and popped in most of the seals. Also started to restore/paint the rear driveshaft, I never want to remove a u-joint again in my life, I fought this one particularly hard.

 

Tcase cleaned up pretty good. Careful with them small keys where the shifter goes. I've heard if those fall out it's a mission getting them back in

 

Clean build. I appreciate the detail, not just painting over everything. Letting the hardware show off as well.

 

Actually, around the shifter is fine.

Those "keys" you mentioned typically fall out when you split the case open and don't pay attention to how you monkey about with the shift rails/clutch sleeves. Ask me how I know .

 

Oof yeah I am really hoping to avoid splitting the case open at all loll. That said I didn't notice any free movement of the keys while I had the shifter out, so good to know that is a fairly safe procedure!

 

Thank you! It's been a grind but I know I'll be glad I took my time for the details in the end. And yes haha I love getting that new hardware, the parts guys are about sick of me at the dealership

 

Shoutout to @6P4 for hooking me up with this discontinued nut for the rear mount on the front diff! Has the community found an alternative for this now that it's defunct? I know everyone hates the big allen driven hardware anyway.

Also, my first big dummy move of the build, I grabbed the box for my brand new Koyo wheel bearing upside down and it fell about two feet onto the concrete floor...inner race popped right out, and now after I put it back in there is a ton of slop. About $70 down the drain unless I'm missing something with all the free play, the other new one I got doesn't have that much play. Is what it is, at the very least I guess I will have a nice exact fit press sleeve for getting my old bearings out.

 

Having just done this conversion, that rear nut is so strange and seemingly unnecessary. A normal flange nut would work just fine. GL on getting it seated though and tightening all the mounting points - honestly the worst experience in the conversion.

 

Sorry to inform you, but you can’t use it as a press sleeve either to remove your old bearings.

 

Oof, any advice on getting it seated? I assume you mean getting the entire diff into position underside? I saw timmy's video with him struggling and a few other threads saying the same

 

Haha yeah that's true I guess it would be counter productive, I think I was thinking of using it to insert your new one, but at that point you'd already have the old bearing out of the spindle anyway. Ok fine, it's a total $70 loss then, maybe I'll find some use for it somewhere lol

 

I know it sucks. Trust me. I have ruined more than I care to admit. These are part of all the things that don’t appear in the sweet YouTube videos.

 

hopefully your koyo bearing is legitimate. Last I check, the color wasn’t black like yours, it was chrome. Unless Koyo recently changed.

 

Hmm it might just be the pic but it is chrome, I ordered it from YotaShop so I would hope it's legit

 

looks black. Is it stamp Koyo / Japan?

 

It is black on one side that gets protected under the hub. It is polished on the other side exposed to the CV. KOYO no longer exists, it is now JTEKT.

 

I used the transmission jack to help maneuver the diff into position. Having those little adjusters made it quite a bit easier.

 

I struggled with this at first trying to get the diff under there. Best thing to do is really almost bench pressing the diff up and over the that area. At first I tried getting it on there with a jack but it made it much more difficult to do. After trying to approach other ways I finally decided to lay on the floor and kinda put the diff on my chest and pretty much bench pressed it and it honestly didnt take much time to get it on there. Maybe having 2 people would help but I did it on my own. Good luck