Axle - Gears - Lockers GX470 Upgrade Thread (2 Viewers)

[Rednexus]

I've been looking for them locally and have found prices ranging from $1500 to $2000 for a non-elocked axle. Elocked axles in this area are usually $3000+.

Since I plan to regear anyway I plan to bite the bullet sometime next year and buy a used, complete non-elocked 8.2 then do a 4.56 regear with front and rear Harrop elockers. It's not drastically more than keeping the OEM elocker, and the Harrop should be more reliable with better engagement.

Another option, as NJGX mentioned, is to get a new Toyota 8.2 housing (~$1K from my local dealer) and a new elocker 3rd member (~$2K-3K but seems variable - Partsoq has them), then re-use your existing axles shafts and brakes. However this option means you can't sell your 8" as a complete unit, which I would like to do to recover some of the cost of the upgrade.

Any way you slice it the 8.2 is a $$$$$$ upgrade.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Yeah…I’m working with a local gear/diff shop and they are saying the same in terms of an elocked 8.2”…it’s $2500 to $3000 in good shape

But the Eaton rear locker is almost $1600 with taxes plus a 8.2” unlocked axle at $2000 and you are at $3600 just in parts plus wiring harness

Spendy

 

[Rednexus]

Yeah…I’m working with a local gear/diff shop and they are saying the same in terms of an elocked 8.2”…it’s $2500 to $3000 in good shape

But the Eaton rear locker is almost $1600 with taxes plus a 8.2” unlocked axle at $2000 and you are at $3600 just in parts plus wiring harness

Spendy

If you can get $700 out of your complete 8", you're then down to $2,900 for a better locker . Given the number of 8" blowing up, it seems plausible to easily sell the 8".

I'm estimating $5,500-6,000 for the total 8.2/4.56/F&R Harrop upgrade for my GX. It ain't cheap but I plan to keep the rig forever.

If you aren't doing a regear and can't easily find a complete elocked 8.2, I'd just do the new OEM housing and new OEM elocker 3rd so you don't have to mess around with finding a used 8.2.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Does a limited slip diff in the front make sense at all instead of a front locker?

Im having the while in there mentality, i want to upgrade to a factory elocked 8.2 axle, 4.56 gears and wondering if ATRAC for the front is enough.

wondering what’s the right thing to do for the front (leave it alone with atrac, lsd, or Eaton elocker)….

Any thoughts on this?

Oh and I hadn’t heard that Toyota factory elocker was less reliable/capable than Eaton elocker.

 

[Rednexus]

I asked regarding the LSD and heard it can make handling weird in a AWD vehicle like a GX. My understanding is that the Harrop engagement is quicker and simpler than the OEM elocker (no actuator motor, simpler wiring, and quicker engagement). The Harrop just has 2 wires and runs of a basic relay. I'm planning from a "buy once, cry once" perspective, and want to just do everything all at once so I don't have to change anything later.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

I asked regarding the LSD and heard it can make handling weird in a AWD vehicle like a GX. My understanding is that the Harrop engagement is quicker and simpler than the OEM elocker (no actuator motor, simpler wiring, and quicker engagement). The Harrop just has 2 wires and runs of a basic relay. I'm planning from a "buy once, cry once" perspective, and want to just do everything all at once so I don't have to change anything later.

Basically go all in or don’t go in!

I’ve seen videos where the Eaton/Harrop elocker takes some wheel movement to engage and disengages if you reverse.

I’ve heard that can be a disadvantage. Some Australian YouTube videos on this. Extensive review on how it disengages

 

[Jstawgn]

LSD up front makes steering heavy.

16+ tacoma, 15+ Hilux, GX550 and new LC elocker are very similar to Harrop.

The original elocker use electric motor to move dog clutch to lock side gear to the case. They can be really slow to respond. The motor are also notorious to get seized when water get inside.

The Harrop does unlock when changing direction but you would not notice it for general off roading. Very technical rock crawling when you need precise forward and backward ARB would be better.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

LSD up front makes steering heavy.

16+ tacoma, 15+ Hilux, GX550 and new LC elocker are very similar to Harrop.

The original elocker use electric motor to move dog clutch to lock side gear to the case. They can be really slow to respond. The motor are also notorious to get seized when water get inside.

The Harrop does unlock when changing direction but you would not notice it for general off roading. Very technical rock crawling when you need precise forward and backward ARB would be better.

Thanks for chiming in. Makes sense.

I hate it when there’s no clear cut winner.

Triple locked seems to be the answer for cry once…just need to figure out which lockers are more cost effective with the 8.2” rear diff

@Jstawgn Oh you didn’t mention any 4Runner elocked s as being as good as the Harrop. Was that in purpose?

 

[Jstawgn]

The Harrop would be more reliable and stronger. Some Nitro Gear rep was telling me the factory elocker are only marginally stronger than the 8". Non elocker 8.2 have much stiffer carrier that would maintain preload much better than the elocker version.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

The Harrop would be more reliable and stronger. Some Nitro Gear rep was telling me the factory elocker are only marginally stronger than the 8". Non elocker 8.2 have much stiffer carrier that would maintain preload much better than the elocker version.

Wow…that’s huge information right there!

 

[NJGX]

Factory locked 8.2 came in yesterday. This thing is cleaner than 2023 axles driving around NJ despite it being nearly 10 years old. For $2.2k-500ish (or whatever the old 8" 3rd can sell for), I am super satisfied. Planning to swap it all over this weekend.

Bonus pic of the abuse my trusty 8" had to endure last weekend. It never failed, but I think it earned its retirement lol.

 

[Rednexus]

Great deal for a clean elocked axle! Where did you find it?

 

[NJGX]

Great deal for a clean elocked axle! Where did you find it?

Ebay from a scrap yard out in Washington. Shipping took about 2 weeks to get across the country, but I can't complain since it got here undamaged and dropped off right at my house.

 

[Rednexus]

Ebay from a scrap yard out in Washington. Shipping took about 2 weeks to get across the country, but I can't complain since it got here undamaged and dropped off right at my house.

Awesome. Will keep eBay searching. Hoping to pull the trigger next spring. They are very expensive in my local yards for whatever reason.

 

[NJGX]

Got the new to me axle in. The old one was WAY crustier than I thought. Luckily no bolts broke or rounded off. It looks brand new under there now.

 

[DRANGED]

That looks great!!
That's exactly the setup id Like!
Has the KDSS mounts and all!

You say a JY in Wa state?
$2kish plus $500ish shippimg. . . .
Nice

 

[Rednexus]

Did the rear sway bar etc bolt up for the KDSS rear end, since you appear to have a non-KDSS rig? If so that would broaden my search a bit beyond just non-KDSS 8.2s.

 

[DRANGED]

Did the rear sway bar etc bolt up for the KDSS rear end, since you appear to have a non-KDSS rig? If so that would broaden my search a bit beyond just non-KDSS 8.2s.

That's my understanding. The 5thbhen (150 platform) 4r kdss sport bolts up to our 120 platform with kdss.

 

[NJGX]

Did the rear sway bar etc bolt up for the KDSS rear end, since you appear to have a non-KDSS rig? If so that would broaden my search a bit beyond just non-KDSS 8.2s.

Standard rear sway bar mounts are not included on the 8.2 KDSS housing. I was going to harvest the mounts from my old 8" housing, but they were too rusted for my liking (my welder would probably blow through them if i set it up hot enough for good penetration). I'll probably end up welding on some generic mounts that fit the tube eventually. No sway bars for now though.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Standard rear sway bar mounts are not included on the 8.2 KDSS housing. I was going to harvest the mounts from my old 8" housing, but they were too rusted for my liking (my welder would probably blow through them if i set it up hot enough for good penetration). I'll probably end up welding on some generic mounts that fit the tube eventually. No sway bars for now though.

Just to clarify…

You have a GX470 non-KDSS

Upgraded to 8.2” elocked rear axle from a 5th Gen with KDSS

The only thing that didn’t bolt up was the GX470 rear sway bar due to missing mount points

Did I get that wrong?