My regear saga continues. Looking for your insights please

Long story here that some of you know parts of.

Long and short is, after being sold two mislabeled 3.91 front diffs from 2 different junkyards now hoping that they were 4.30 ratios, I gave up and took a different route of just having my old diff rebuilt with 4.30s. @BLtheP was kind enough to sell me and quickly ship his nearly new OEM 4.30 ring and pinion gearset off of his 2021 Tacoma. Thanks again B!

Thinking that all 2005-2023 front differentials were identical other than the R&P, I took my 2014 3.73 front diff to a well-reviewed local re-gear guy last week to have him build me a 4.30 diff with B's used 4.30 R&P.

Well...the local gear guy just called telling me he tore down the diff in hopes of installing the used 4.30's today but the depth of the 4.30 ring gear is different and that it doesn't fit the 2014 carrier.

Has anyone run into this issue? Is it documented here somewhere? Any tips other than to scrap the idea and either find a 05-15 4.30 thick gear set (I believe Yukon sells a set but they're nearly $500) or just keep looking for a decent, low-mileage (and properly labeled) junkyard 4.30 front diff?

Thanks!!

 

That's a bummer. It might be that it's just a carrier break issue and that you need a 4.30 carrier out of a 2016+ front diff? Now that I think about it, I wanna say the carrier break might be between 3.90 and 3.73, so that would make sense....ring gear is probably too far away from the pinion currently.

 

That's exactly what he said, but I couldn't say it back with my limited knowledge in this aspect. Thanks for corroborating his info. It looks like Yukon's 4.30s are listed for 3.91 and up carriers but state they fit 2005-2023 Tacomas so that's a bit confusing without the insights you provided.

Bummer continues that I just returned the 2022 3.91 front diff to LKQ and I'm back to square one.

 

I think the 2nd gens had 3.90 and lower gears in some of the 4 cylinder models, that's probably why they include 2005-2015. Which would also work fine. I just said 2016+ because it's what I'm used to as a 3rd gen owner.

If you can get yourself a carrier you should be good to go. eBay probably has them.

 

This is what you need.

Factory Toyota 3.90 and Up Carrier

 

Oh man. You're awesome. Thank you again!!!