Questions about Putting factory E-Locker in 4 cyl. Reg Cab

Okay, I have a 2011 4 cylinder regular cab 4X4 Tacoma, with 4.11 gearing, and I'm wondering how to put a factory e-locker 3rd member into my factory housing, if it can be done.
I've heard for other models this requires grinding the housing and doing some other things, but I never found a clear answer if it were the same for the 4 cylinder models. I can weld in studs and grind, but that doesn't work so well if my differential is completely different or the carrier won't fit in the housing to start with. So, will it work?

 

You have to change the entire rear.

 

So what does that mean, different size ring gear, axle spline count different, smaller axle housing, what?
Cuz if the only dinference is the hole where the third member goes in, a couple studs, and the gasket it wouldn't be hard to notch the housing and add the studs to fit the gasket and new carrier.
That's what people have done to the previous generation Tacomas.

 

Probably cheaper to go ARB

 

Unless the 4 cylinders are using the 8" rear end it won't work. The newer tacos have a larger (I think 8.3") rear with the exception of the TRD OR & Pro's which have the 8" rear end. If you have the larger rear you need to go with an ARB or such, or else try to source a complete rear end from a TRD OR from a wrecker or such. You might look on the Forum at Marlin Crawler as the thirds and sometimes full rears show up fairly often.

 

Best explained answer yet, thank you. I didnt know the differences between the two rearends. I'll keep my eye out for an ARB.
If the TRD have a smaller diameter ring gear, doesn't that make them slightly weaker?

 

Yes....the rear end used in the newer Tacos and the TRD Sport is a stronger rear end than the 8"....but Toyota never developed a locker for the newer rear end so kept the old style for all the OR's with a locker. Still a good rear, but the newer one is about 10-15% stronger so will handle bigger tires that much better. There was a write up in 4wd Toyota Owner magazine a couple of issues back that explained all of the different Toy axles. Passed my copy on to a friend so don't have the exact specs, but that is where I found out about the differences.