Installing NON ADD diff into ADD equipped truck?

So I'm thinking about putting a non add front diff into my 1st gen Tacoma. Reason for doing so is I want to run a Aussie locker up front and ADD is not recommended. I know there are ways to defeat the ADD on my current diff or I could just replace the passenger side tube with a non add one. I'm more interested in replacing the entire diff because I have a friend who works at a junk yard so I could get one dirt cheap.

My reasoning for wanting a complete diff is that I'll install the Aussie in that and worse case scenario if I really don't like the driving characteristics I can just swap mine back in. We have snow for half the year around here and I don't have manual hubs so I'd even be interested in putting my open diff back in for winter driving. It seems it would save a lot of hassle just having to pull and swap diff's rather than splitting mine open and removing the Aussie every winter.

So anyway on to the questions.

1. Is putting a non add diff in doable without any wiring mods, etc?
2. What do I loose by going non add? No more shift on the fly? No more engaging 4x4 with push of button? How exactly does 4x4 engage with a non add diff?
3. Did non add diffs come with 4.10 gearing?

Thanks.

 

Orrr maybe I'm way off base here. Did non add diff's only come on trucks equipped with manual hubs? If that's the case I won't be able to find a diff because I've been searching for part to do a manual hub swap for a year now with no luck.

 

I'd leave it as is and throw an ARB in there instead if you drive in the snow. Driving in the snow with an auto locker is no bueno. It could probably be done but I'm not. 100% the inner spline count is the same between add and non-add.

 

ARB would definitely be my first choice. A lot more money though and considering it's not my dd I don't think I want to drop $1500+ into a ifs front. Maybe in a few years but it'll likely be a sas than.

I know winter driving would be downright scary with a locked front which is why I said I would probably swap my open diff back in.

From what I can gather the diffs between add and non add are identical with exception of the tube which is why people say you can just swap tubes to eliminate add. I still don't fully understand how the 4x4 engages on a non add diff though... From reading about ADD deletes (either by swapping tubes or the hose clamp trick) people seem to say it leads to a simple, smoother engaging 4x4 while still keeping on the fly ability. So if this is the case than what purpose does ADD serve?

 

I have only seen non-ADD front diffs on the older, manual hub units.

 

Hmm that's kind of what I was thinking.

You had helped me on this subject before about why auto lockers and ADD are a bad thing. I'm a little confused whether when they say do not install in a ADD truck if it's because of the function of the ADD diff itself or the fact that most ADD trucks don't have manual hubs.

I know you have manual hubs and that's really the cats ass but I'm having a hell of a time finding a donor truck. The price of a conversion kit and I might as well just spend the extra $$$ and get a ARB instead.

So assuming I could get a non ADD diff or even if I were to "defeat the ADD" on mine (make it so it's always engaged) would that solve the problem we talked about before with the entire carrier spinning, always turning the front drive shaft leading to wear in the transfer case? My gut says no...and that manual hubs would be the only way to stop that from happening?

Basically the only reasoning I can see them saying ADD is not recommended is that with a ADD diff the passenger side is unlocked in 2wd and the Aussie locker would always be ratcheting no matter if you going straight, turning, or whatever causing excess wear to the locker. Does that sound right?

 

The problem with taking an ADD and having it "locked" all the time, is that if there is a locker, then you would have a lot more issues when 4WD is not engaged. If you want my opinion, I think with the ADD differential, a selectable locker is best (ARB air locker, or Grizzly air locker) because of the ability of "shift-on-the-fly". Either way, unless you have a manual hub, the front diff will turn, and this is a MUST for shift-on-the-fly operation.

 

Ok. Not the answers I was hoping for but thanks non the less. The search continues for manual hub conversion parts and I'll go from there I guess.