1st gen rear diff question

Are all 1st gen rear diff housings the same?
Are all 1st gen rear axle shafts the same?
My truck is a 4:56 gear ratio 2.7 4x4 1998 no abs. I’m having a hard time finding the whole thing. But there is a guy in the forum that has housings and axels. I know they are side bias but I only need a driver rear axel shaft. Also need a brake booster. Wondering if I should buy a remanufactured or a used one? Suggestions are appreciated.

 

Just what is wrong with your axle ??

That you want to get the whole housing

 

Got into a crash about 12 years ago, got it straightened out as good as possible. Not sure if housing was bent but for sure the axel is bent because when I drive you can see the tire wobble. No record of any thing because the truck was supposed to be totaled out but friends of my fam fixed it back up for me. But it wears out the bearings and sounds like it’s going to fall apart. I guess maybe I could just replace the axel shaft first to see if that works.

 

1st gen (rear) axle housings have 2 different sizes.

8 inch = Locker
8.4 inch = nonLocker

And a bunch of different gear ratios 4.10 and 4.30 probably being the most common.

 

Ok so I want to put the guts of my diff into a new housing so I’m wondering if the housing are a universal part so that different gearing is not relevant.

 

The first thing he told you in his post was that there are 2 housings...an 8" one for the locker rear ends and an 8.4" one for the non locker rears

 

Housing is not a universal part. 8.4 parts work with 8.4 rear ends. 8 inch parts work with 8 inch rear ends.

If you have 4.56 gears, you have a nonLocking rear end. As far as I know, all locking rear ends have 4.10 gears.

 

Cool do the locking and non locking apply to the axels too, or do the gear ratios have an effect on that?

 

Yeah no I don’t have lockers on my truck

 

Then you have an 8.4 inch rear end.

You need axles for an 8.4 inch rear end.

8 inch axles will not work with an 8.4 inch rear end.

 

You said you can see the wheel wobble, that means just a bent axle. Unbolt the bearing plate, slide out the bent one and slide in a used one. Lots easier that changing the whole axle assembly.

 

Off the subject but... anyone know how hard it is to swap a non-locker rear end out and put a locker rear end in?

 

Has to be those axles floating around Texas!!

 

Just the grunt work and match the gears.

Hook up the electrical for the solenoid

Not sure if the flange is different been to long since I worked on one

 

Why are you bogarting this thread? You can start your own thread and get this info.

Edit: I think I need a Snickers...

 

Are you talking about retro fitting a Toyota E-Locker into a 8.4" housing? Cause you'd be way way better off putting in the aftermarket locker of your choice, i.e., ARB, Detroit, etc. Those are all relatively easy if you've worked on differentials before. The removable third makes it a lot easier to set up.

 

I've seen a write up on it on yotatech I think, or maybe it was TTORA. Involves some fab work thats all I remember lol. Consensus generally is that it's a lot easier to just swap in an elocker axle instead.

 

No... I mean pulling the entire 8.4 rear end out and putting in an entire 8 inch locker rear end.

I know, mechanically, it wouldn't be much of a problem, but what about switch, wiring etc?

 

Read up on the conversion before going head first into it. The wiring isn't very complicated, and wouldn't be surprised if Toyota pre-wired the trucks for it anyway, but converting an 8.4" housing to accept an e-locker third requires some good fab work. Also, just curious, any reason you want an OEM E-Locker over an aftermarket? To each his own, just curious

 

There is a mechanical cable kit that will replace the electronic version switches. You pull a knob similar to a throttle knob on a semi. The cable slides the spline that locks the axles together to make your rear end posi or vise/versa. No wiring and very reliable, even though the locking rear end is weaker than the open dif version.