If you are planning a trip out west with family and kids and have second thoughts about the front diff then replace it before you set out. Nothing would be more tragic than blowing your diff on the first run of the trip.
Busted front diff!! 98 Landcruiser _words of wisdom... (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter COLandCrusher
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
If you are planning a trip out west with family and kids and have second thoughts about the front diff then replace it before you set out. Nothing would be more tragic than blowing your diff on the first run of the trip.
Christo- does your shop see a variety of 2 pinion and 4 pinion broken diffs? What's the estimated ratio?
For someone in my family who is considering purchasing a 100, what extra protection does the later model 4 pinion diff provide? Do you still recomend getting those 4 pinion front diffs swapped with an ARB?
For someone in my family who is considering purchasing a 100, what extra protection does the later model 4 pinion diff provide? Do you still recomend getting those 4 pinion front diffs swapped with an ARB?
sleeoffroad
Supporting Vendor
I don't have details on the the ratio of 2 pinion vs 4 pinion. I would not just swap a 2 pinion for a 4 pinion and think that is bullet proof. In other words I would not spend money on that swap. If the 4 pinion fell in my lap, and it could be swapped for free labor, then maybe.
rusty_tlc
Dain Bramaged Member
The procedure is pretty simple, there might be a couple of errors here but you will get the idea. Probably best to look at the FSM and make sure you have all the proper size sockets and wrenches before you count on doing this in the field. A dry run might also be a good idea.
Drop the belly pan and remove the front DL.
Remove the vanity hubs and hub dust cover.
Remove the outer axle retainer snap ring, note which snap ring goes on which side. I used a plastic sandwich bag and sharpie, I keep these items in my tool bag for occasions like this.
Loosen the nuts that hold the drive flange, I like to leave them on to protect the stud threads.
With a brass drift and a hammer tap the hub studs until the cone washers pop out. You might need to use a small screw driver to spread the cone washers.
Remove the nuts, lock washers, cone washers, and drive flange.
If you have drive flanges with the splines milled out install following the reverse procedure. If not you can try to seal the now open outer axle shaft with duct tape and plastic.
Don't forget to lock the center differential, otherwise you won't be going anywhere.
I would highly suggest you have a pair of snap ring pliers it greatly simplifies removal of the retainer snap rings, other than that most of the tools other than the brass drift are common stuff.
Cone washers can be a challenge, it's worth while to understand how they work and get some practice removing them before you need to do it in the field under pressure.
I drove half way across Nevada with no drive flanges. Not sure how far it is safe to drive this way but I suspect a long ways.
Like most drive train parts, you damage them and eventually it break down on a WTF situation!!
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #47
Christos, Thanks by the way for all the info you and I discussed over the phone. I wished I had it at your shop and was able to swap for that 4 pin dif we talked about. But I towed it out of that one 4wd shop right away and over to a friend of mine who specializes in front ends. My rig should be back on the road today, I believe per Carl at JD it is a NEW 4 pin dif with the same 430 gear. minus the tow costs the total repair bill will be about $2,000.
This makes me curious, do I also have a weaker rear diff then? or will that be unlikely to ever break?
rusty_tlc
Dain Bramaged Member
The rear diff on a 100 is very robust.
Reviving an old thread here.
Has anyone tried cryogenic conditioning 4.88 gears and diff parts before installing?
I know race engine builders use it to increase the blocks durability.
http://machinedesign.com/article/cryogenic-tool-conditioning-extends-useful-life-0730
Has anyone tried cryogenic conditioning 4.88 gears and diff parts before installing?
I know race engine builders use it to increase the blocks durability.
http://machinedesign.com/article/cryogenic-tool-conditioning-extends-useful-life-0730
I actually wondered this the other day. Cryo'ing ring gears and pinions was common when a larger upgrade wasn't available and those seem to fail on the 100s.
Bumping an old thread.
I have a 99 LC. Had it for 3 years. At 235k miles now. It’s basically in stock condition. I live in the Sierra foothills. The truck is used to haul the family around on FS roads to lakes and rivers, dirt roads, camping/road trips, skiing/snow play. We live on a dirt/gravel road. Sometimes it gets used for hauling and firewood gathering. I lock the center diff often and use 4lo when it makes sense. Rarely have I been in a situation where I need to lock the rear diff. I don’t drive it particularly hard.
I’m pretty sure the previous owner didn’t swap out the 2 pinion diff, but can’t be sure. He didn’t keep all records, had a personal mechanic, was very proactive in his maintenance, but rarely drove off pavement.
Am I often driving at risk of the front diff breaking? What are my options? 4 pinion or arb front locking diff?
I have a 99 LC. Had it for 3 years. At 235k miles now. It’s basically in stock condition. I live in the Sierra foothills. The truck is used to haul the family around on FS roads to lakes and rivers, dirt roads, camping/road trips, skiing/snow play. We live on a dirt/gravel road. Sometimes it gets used for hauling and firewood gathering. I lock the center diff often and use 4lo when it makes sense. Rarely have I been in a situation where I need to lock the rear diff. I don’t drive it particularly hard.
I’m pretty sure the previous owner didn’t swap out the 2 pinion diff, but can’t be sure. He didn’t keep all records, had a personal mechanic, was very proactive in his maintenance, but rarely drove off pavement.
Am I often driving at risk of the front diff breaking? What are my options? 4 pinion or arb front locking diff?
Well....the first thing to consider is that through this entire thread everyone failed to note that the OP broke his Ring Gear NOT the spiders or the pin. Then as often happens...the thread takes a tangent about 2 pin vs. 4 pin diffs.
The problem with the OP's diff was that he put a big strain on it in REVERSE. (spinning tires, turning wheels back and forth and finally got some traction).
IF he had broken a spider gear or the pin...then the 2 pin vs. 4 pin argument would be valid.
But a 4 pin (cross shaft) will do NOTHING to prevent breaking either the ring or pinion gear.
If you want ultimate strength....get a closed carrier 4 pin diff (most lockers are of this design). It won't prevent ring gear or pinion gear failure (though the carrier does flex less) but it pretty much insures you won't have cross pin failure, spider gear failure or side gear failure.
Last edited:
Started out as a horror story, then you got to the -25º part. Godspeed man, that sounds like hell on earth to me.
I keep wheeling my 98 LX with the front end purportedly made of grated cheese. Ever since I added a rear locker I am super paranoid about it.
I keep dreaming of installing a Harrops e-locker to the front but its a bit rich for my blood
Yep these threads make me paraniod too. But seems IF you go into 4LOW and have to Reverse- be very light on throttle and mindful of wheelspin. I am saving for a front locker so I can just be done with it and move on.
Yes, judicious use of the throttle and attention paid to the possibility of suddenly gaining traction (shock loads) will keep you out of trouble most of the time. Especially important while in 'reverse' since you will be running on the coast side of your ring gear (weaker).
Still, it's the first vehicle I've ever owned that I wasn't able to rock back and forth to get out of a snowbank. That's pretty discouraging.(Growing up and living in Canada for most of my life has given me plenty of snowbank experience lol) The fix is easy of course, just awfully expensive. I've taken it off the road until I can find a used front diff from a 2000 or newer unit, or a used ARB one would be even nicer. Guess adding the front lockers would be kind of cool too, but I'm not really into four wheeling. I just live in the boonies.
I put my 2000 tundra on the road again, with 471K kilometers on the clock. She's getting me up and down the mountain to the ski hill where I work every day, but I miss the added clearance that the Lexus has available at the flick of a switch. We got a couple feet of snow over the last two weeks, and the Tundra is bottoming out where it hasn't been plowed. (Like my driveway lol)
I put my 2000 tundra on the road again, with 471K kilometers on the clock. She's getting me up and down the mountain to the ski hill where I work every day, but I miss the added clearance that the Lexus has available at the flick of a switch. We got a couple feet of snow over the last two weeks, and the Tundra is bottoming out where it hasn't been plowed. (Like my driveway lol)
