Rear diff vent relocation

Why would they put one on the front and not the back?

 

Maybe the hope that 80 percent of Tacoma owners will never see more than 18inches of water? If so, may not be worth the added parts to justify this for the rear from a business perspective? The more I mod my truck, the more I notice how cheap Toyota is about anything "off-roadable" about it. Strictly just a guess on my part though.

Also, maybe they think it might look "not clean" having a hose come up from the rear diff in regards to advertising purposes?

Coot

 

Some boat ramps are shallow enough that by the time you get your boat in deep enough water your rear diff will be submerged. Consider that there are a lot of wealthy people who have made it big by selling unnecessary stuff.

 

Ah good point. Would be curious to see if ARB has any perspective/testimonials in regards to this as they have a product in regards to this. I would think for them to invest in any tooling, they would of had to have had some sort of experience in realizing the need for it. Either way though, I plan to do this mod hopefully soon. I can always disconnect the hose if I need to.

Coot

 

I googled around and it seems to be a mod most popular with the Toyota community. I did not see it as prevalent for other manufacturers. I saw only a couple of mentions toward the Titan and Frontier in the first couple of search pages.

 

Thanks for reposting your mod and pics Dave. Did you ever clean up the breather install? Looks a bit incomplete

 

About to do this relocation this weekend

Thanks for the help guys

 

Like Smitty, I've been going through deep water in 4x4s for over 30 years. The only time I ever had a problem was in a Chevy that I had put a pair of flowmasters on. When they rerouted the exhaust, it ran above the breather hose. I pulled a car hauler cross country with a heavy tongue weight causing the truck to squat a bit and burn the breather hose. It sucked in a little water, but I rerouted the hose and changed out the gear oil. Put another 100K miles on it without issue.

 

You lost me. Clean up what?

 

Thanks for all the info, Im planning on doing this as my next mod!

 

Well, if you end up getting a Ford and submerge your axle, guess what they require you to do.
Got to keep that warranty inact.

 

It's popular in the jeep community as well

 

The jeeps already come with two way breathers installed on both diffs. All the jeep community does raise it to a higher point, the breather sits just above the wheelwell stock.

 

Dont you think it has to do with other trucks HAVING breather hoses that vent to a place less likely to be submerged than the top of the axle housing? Think the fact your chevy already had one would be an indication they can serve a purpose.

 

Remember, that 'thing' Toyota put on the rear differential is NOT a breather. Do not put IT on the end of a hose, higher. Water does NOT get in through that anywhere it is located.

That thing is a spring-loaded exhaust vent (lets expanded gasses out of the differential). It does not let water or air into the diff., no matter where it is located.

The water gets in via the axle WHEN there is a vacuum created in the diff.

A true breather breaks the vacuum by letting air into the diff. No vacuum means no water being drawn into the diff. The vacuum condition occurs when your hot differential suddenly drops into cool water.

Is that clear, now?

 

It'd be cool to put a dip stick in one of these breather mods so you could check the fluid level/quality.

My older truck used to weep oil/grease out of the front axle seals until I replaced them.

 

Great information guys, really helped a lot. Time to get this mod done sometime next week.

 

Or just check /change your fluid after a crossing .. Fresh fluid never hurt .

 

I used a pvc valve after I ordered a quoted part # in another thread and turned out was only a one way

Also chalked to limit dust/water above

 

I've moved mine from the rear to the passenger left side using a BRC 6 port breather. Then 2 from the battery location over to the passenger side. But there are 2 more above transmission right below the firewall. I don't know how to get those 2 connected.