200 series front Diff Drop

[ballsbygm]

Diff Drop done!!!!!!

Very happy with the results, have lost 5-7 degrees on the CV's

Pre drop
WOW (weight on wheels) 6.5-8.5 degrees (slight side to side difference due floor and KDSS??), full ext 26-28.5 degrees.

Post drop
WOW 1-2.5 degrees, full ext 19-21 degrees.

All up cost $60, full mod could be done in 2-3 hours (with parts pre made/organised). I spent 2-3 hours spacing and measuring for best/full drop and organising parts/sizes once known.

You will need, should you want same:

2x 14mm x 150mm (1.5 thread) and nylock (fwd mounts) ($6-$18 each, most expensive item)
1x 14mm x 80mm (1.5 thread) (aft mount, O/B)
6 x 10mm x 50mm (1.25 thread) (fwd mount bash plates).
3x spacers (2x fwd mounts and 1x bash panel aft backbone support). I used 65mm x 30mm Ali Bar. $4 each inc cut
6x spacers (3x each fwd mount bash cover). 25mm x 20mm high, Ali bar. Not shown below (had not cut them yet (worst part of the job!!)
1x spacer O/B aft mount attach (25-30mm x 18mm high).



I got longer bolts for the bash panels, but they were not required, the backbone spacer and mount covers (which have attach points for panels integeral on them) works perfectly.



Above both fwd mount spacers with centre back bone spacer (for lack of the correct term??). Solid enough to still allow me to jack the front off it.



Aft mount (O/B attach point) spacer. When the fwd spacers are fitted the diff "twists" giving more clearance for the drive shaft and allowing the back to be dropped also (for a real drop).



Mount bash cover spaced out also



This is the aft mount I/B side, pre drop there was about 10-15mm between the top of stud in the bracket on the chassis and the Diff. I took this bracket off and ground the stud to what you see now (half it's size) and due to the O/B spacer this has dropped 15+mm (still giving clearance for shock mount movement and Drive shaft).

Test drive and all as it should be, steering feels slightly different bit lighter(could be just my sore hands?), but the CV's are at a lesser angle/load???

The angle on the Diff is almost not noticable (helped by the aft drop also), another 200ml of Oil might be the ticket. After some further research, guys run them at extreme angles without issue (some adjust levels, add anti foaming agent/auto trans fluid) I don't think this will need anything.

If you need any further detail, please let me know.
Cheers
_________________
Steve

 

[matt60/80]

How? I was under the impression that a diff drop was not possible due to the diff being mounted to the front cross member which was welded in place.

 

[ballsbygm]

How? I was under the impression that a diff drop was not possible due to the diff being mounted to the front cross member which was welded in place.

It is mounted to the front cross member (with underslung brackets) these were spaced down (see photo's). The percieved issue was the Pinion flange and drive shaft run over another cross member (and very close to).

The drop at the back (or front of the car) gives greater clearance here (due geometry of mount points) allowing for a 15+mm drop here also.

This is the max you can go (without cutting this cross member or dropping the front further, you could get another 10-20mm on the front but it would load things too much).

All a compromise, but now at least very close to standard CV angles and some piece of mind.

 

[ballsbygm]

Here is a pic pre drop of CV angle (other side was 2 degrees more, due floor, KDSS lean???). Post diff drop this is at 19 degrees and near zero weight on wheels (was 6-7 degrees pre).


[URL="http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa335/ballsbygm/Dogs%20200%20on%2035s%20build%20up/IMG_5528.jpg"][/URL]

 

[sbly]

Steve,

The diff drop looks great. This might have to be next on my list of things to do. By the way, what size lift did you go with in order to clear the 35's?

sbly

 

[ballsbygm]

Steve,

The diff drop looks great. This might have to be next on my list of things to do. By the way, what size lift did you go with in order to clear the 35's?

sbly

Nothing huge, about 70mm front and 50mm back (OME), no more than most have done. This alone would not clear the 35's, Flares and cutting did that.

Could go up another 1-2" now with the diff drop and fit 37's. Will resist this though, that angle again and bigger rubber would equal bang!!

 

[mark71]

great info. thanx for pioneering (again) and sharing. your experience is an asset to our community.

slee, what do you think? if this seems like a reasonable approach, i certainly would then pull the trigger on the lift.

 

[sbly]

The reason I asked about your lift is that I had to run about a 3" ICON lift in order to fit my 34" tires. Once again thanks for the T&E on this.

Slee, I second mark71 on pulling the trigger on this.

sbly

 

[Skrewball]

After talking to Sbly on the phone about this, i looked at a diff drop kit we had on the shelf for a 07+ tundra. The kit is similar to the one posted here, but missing the little spacer. The tundra diff drop is advertised as a 1" drop which is real close to the 30mm.

I no longer have Sbly's truck to use for reference, so i can't do much more here.

The kit i am referencing is Front Differential Drop Kit for 07UP 4x4 Tundra & 08 UP Sequ - Toytec Lifts: Toyota Lift Kits: FJ Cruiser Lift Kits, Tacoma Lift Kits, Tundra Lift Kits, 4 Runner Lift Kits, Sequoia Lift Kits, Toyota Truck Lift Kits

Maybe someone with one or both types of truck could compare the differences.

EDIT: earlier today i had compared the diff brackets on the toyota epc and noted that they are all the same for 200 series vehicles.

 

[ballsbygm]

This picture shows how the front diff is attached to the vehicle:




Obviously (well almost from my poor shots) C and D got the 65mm x 30mm spacers, B got the 18mm spacer (it also has a chassis mounted nut), the "nut" holds the other side of the stud I ground. E, F (and the other 2x bolts holding bracket at D) were all removed to locktight (just to be sure). I fully removed the Bracket around C to check top composition and best size for spacer (also pulled it apart to look over Rubber internal shock mount).

These mounts bolt solidly to and form part of the "diff", full diff weights about 40-50kg's, each mount takes very little load, more shock/vibration mounting only in the attach points (where they are spaced). Using the below shot again, it does look like the bracket leverages off the mount, it in fact only imparts a load directly down and absorbs lateral loads and vibration (note the rubber top and bottom of the cast bracket)


_________________

 

[ballsbygm]

I found the below pic (pre drop aft mount with diff height in relation to fixed bracket and pre worked stud height) as reference, guess about 20mm, forgot to measure this, so aft drop close to 20mm (I ground 5mm from the stud not yet done here). See other related shot for final drop and clearance here with reworked stud.

 

[Tucan viajero]

Thank you very much for providing this valuable information so clearly and taking the time to do it with good photos.

In relation to our test drive, I'd like to know if you were paying attention to any humming or booming noise, as well as nay vibration that wasn't there before the diff drop? How fast didi you go during your tests?

My concern here is that the change in the front propeller shaft working angles that result from dropping the differential, may cause any unwanted vibration. This is particularly important due to the high speeds we usually reach when traveling down here, where speed limits are not enforced and gasoline is practically free.

One last thing, Would you recommend the installation of an aftermarket skid plate (those offered by ARB, TJM, etc., come to mind) to increase the protection of the lowered parts? My guess is that the installation of the skid plate would not be impaired by the diff drop mod, and it should provide someneeded additiona protection to those who wheel their 200 series as if they were 70 series.

Again, thank you for this thread.

 

[ballsbygm]

Thank you very much for providing this valuable information so clearly and taking the time to do it with good photos.

In relation to our test drive, I'd like to know if you were paying attention to any humming or booming noise, as well as nay vibration that wasn't there before the diff drop? How fast didi you go during your tests?

My concern here is that the change in the front propeller shaft working angles that result from dropping the differential, may cause any unwanted vibration. This is particularly important due to the high speeds we usually reach when traveling down here, where speed limits are not enforced and gasoline is practically free.

One last thing, Would you recommend the installation of an aftermarket skid plate (those offered by ARB, TJM, etc., come to mind) to increase the protection of the lowered parts? My guess is that the installation of the skid plate would not be impaired by the diff drop mod, and it should provide someneeded additiona protection to those who wheel their 200 series as if they were 70 series.

Again, thank you for this thread.

Tucan,

The only disadvantage of this mod, a day later and you forget you have done anything and the untrained eye would never know

The front drive shaft has only come down from almost horizontal about 20mm (1 degree or so), the slight diff tilt would null any change to the Diff uni end, Transfer case only slight change (still half the angle of the rear drive shaft). I have done about 150km post mod to a max speed of 130km/h (most at 90-110km/h), ZERO change in noise, vibration etc. Like I said, I can not tell any change at all (1st couple of corners I thought steering was slightly different feel, must have been in my head or I'm used to it now??).

I think the OEM skid plates are not too bad, I have lots of scratches on mine, although don't go chasing Mountain Goats either. After market ones should still fit (may need a little tweek), I'm considering bolting some plate (300 x 500mm) directly over the aft plastic guard (L/H side, diff cnt area), this will punture proof it, the plastic ribbed sections will take the shock/crush. Most other components sit with adequate clearance, all depends just how hard you want to go??

 

[mark71]

i am most concerned with the substantially increased leverage force on these attachment points. bending or sheering under load would be a bad thing.

 

[ballsbygm]

i am most concerned with the substantially increased leverage force on these attachment points. bending or sheering under load would be a bad thing.

The Diff almost drops square, only slightly lower towards the front of the Vehicle. This slight "twist" (or "leverage force") is taken up within the Rubber in the mounts. No additional load is taken by the Diff, it's a non issue.

Will post some better flowing instruction (or link to) in the next day or so. May help clear any concern?

 

[Tucan viajero]

Tucan,

The only disadvantage of this mod, a day later and you forget you have done anything and the untrained eye would never know

Thanks for the reply. I will do this very soon. I think CV joint useful life will be greatly increased and also that they might be able to handle the loads I usually have them endure during hard offroading.

 

[ballsbygm]

Guys,

As my Photo's/detail are a little disjointed, I knocked up a word doc on subject (link to it below) to assist stepping through the process.

http://www.mediafire.com/?l6ruc4m90rvc6ra

It's only the rough steps I took (from memory), I would have taken better photo's if I thought about doing an instruction sheet at the time. Anything to add, correct, query or improve on, please feel free.


Cheers

 

[dtt255]

Awesome mod and GREAT instructions. Thanks for posting this!

With my Eliza (yes I named her and don't pretend you all don't) approaching 80k, I have been starting to watch the CV boots and the angle carefully.

I will be attempting this soon!

 

[DallasCrzr]

Do any of yall know if the clamp sizes are the same for 200 CVs as the 100s?

 

[Nospell]

I have a guy in Houston that is putting this kit together for me (Thanks Ballsbygm)(great piece of at home engineering).

Two questions:
- Who is immediately interested, and
- How much is this kit worth to you?

I may be having the kit installed on mine this weekend.