Topic: Tacoma Rear Axle Options???

[TrailsLessTraveled]

I just bought a 96 4cyl/5spd Tacoma and the axle code says that it has 3.58's!!!, and a 7.5" ring gear.

I de-coded two friends TRD V6/5spd Taco's and they both have 4.10's but also only have the 7.5" ring gear diameter. What gives? I thought all the 4wd trucks used at least 8" rears. Some charts say there is an 8" version, others say only an 8.4" (Tundras, LC's?).

I need to re-gear to turn 33's and I'm thinking about using 4.56's or 4.88's. I already have a 4 pinion 8" third member with 4.56 gears in it from a 89 Toyota. Is this easily adapted? Axle spline count, bolt pattern, etc. I've heard that the factory lockers can be used in older housing without any problems, so can I assume the same in reverse?

Or should I buy a 7.5" factory locking third member with the right gears? I'm just wondering why the apparent set backwards in size and strength, or if there is some improvement made to the newer 7.5"s.

[krawlr]

Tacoma is 7.5" in front and 8.4" in the rear 8" if it has the TRD electric locker.

I'm running 5:29's with an auto but you may want to step down to 4:88 if you have a 5spd.

Don't know if the older third will fit or not. I know the TRD locked third has a funky bolt pattern but can be adapted to the non TRD housing with fab work.

[TrailsLessTraveled [OP]]

So does the non-TRD Tacoma housing use the same third member bolt pattern as the older Toyotas? Does that mean that my 8" V6 third member will bolt right in?

What about the front third member; is the 7.5" the same as in the older trucks? I'm looking for donor 4.56's.

[krawlr]

Now that I think about it, I can't remember if it was an older style housing or a Taco housing where I saw that done. Think I saw it on POR, let me dig around.

The Taco front is an oddball, will not take gears from earlier models. It will take a Lock-Rite from an earlier IFS and ARB now has a locker for it.

[krawlr]

Here's the article, doesn't answer your question though.
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/electric_locker/
With a tube of sealer and a few qts of gearlube you could find out for sure.

[TrailsLessTraveled [OP]]

The articles I have seen about the TRD locker swap were into older Toy axles. So, I'm wondering if the housing shares a pattern with the older, non-locker axles, or has the same pattern as the locking diff models. Thanks for the help and suggestions so far Krawlr.

Can ANYBODY resolve the mystery as to why 4wd trucks, especially V6, TRD models would come with the 7.5" diff?

[krawlr]

Ok, just found out the 8" thirds will not fit the newer 8.4" housings. You'll need the housing that goes with that '89 third to use it.

[79coyotefrg]

Can ANYBODY resolve the mystery as to why 4wd trucks, especially V6, TRD models would come with the 7.5" diff?

:oops:basically  its so you CAN'T do what you are wanting to do :psss:but what they dont realize :screwy:is we dont stop modifying our trucks because they make it harder to do it