Critique my build list for axle upgrades

[VSPro9]

Refreshing axles and steering on the 470 in prep for leatherwood and windrock this year.

Here is my list. The axle, diff and rack will be used, my sister runs an auto recycler and will make sure i get good low mileage parts.

What am i missing?

Edit: i have a larger buffer, but was keeping it for rock sliders.

 

[Rednexus]

I would replace the wheel bearings in the new 8.2" axle it is has more than 75K miles on it, since you'll need to pull the axles anyway to get the 3rd member out. I would also replace both axle seals in the front GX460 diff. If you do the rear wheel bearings, you should also replace the outer axle seals and wheel bearing retention clips. All of the axle seals were readily available from my local O'Reilly's, while the clips are a Toyota-only piece.

For the rear diff, I'd run the numbers on labor for installing the locker vs. having it done by ECGS. Not sure how much of your $1,500 in labor applies to the rear diff. A rebuilt diff with new gears and a Harrop elocker is $2,400 from ECGS. If they'll let you maintain the 3.91 gears it may be even cheaper.

You can also save money using basic 75W90 fluid in the t-case and diffs. No need to splurge on fancy fluid. I like Mobil Delvac 75W90 which is around $10/quart. For trans fluid I do a full exchange and use Valovline MaxLife, which is around $25 for a gallon jug.

I was able to sell my old 8" 3rd member for $500 locally to recoup some of the cost. No one wanted my 8" housing so I scrapped it.

 

[VSPro9]

hang on where are you seeing a finished 8.2 from ecgs for that price?

 

[Rednexus]

Toyota 8.2 3rd member- FJ Cruiser / 4runner

toyota 8.2 E-locker differential

eastcoastgearsupply.com

It's on a core basis, so you'd need to send your old 3rd member back. I bought a crusty junkyard 3rd online (from a salvage yard in MI actually!) for $285, cleaned it up with a needle scaler, and sent that to ECGS. I bought a brand new Toyota 8.2 housing and re-used the brakes, axle shafts, etc from my old 8", all of which slid right in. I'm non-KDSS so I did have to get a 5th gen 4Runner rear sway bar.

 

[VSPro9]

I'm also non kdss i was going to get the Apache weld on brackets..... whats the deal with the 5g 4r rear sway?

 

[Rednexus]

I'm also non kdss i was going to get the Apache weld on brackets..... whats the deal with the 5g 4r rear sway?

The bars have slightly different widths between the bushing mounts, so a 120 bar won't work on a 5th gen 4Runner rear axle. But, if you have weld-on mounts, it will be a non-issue as you can position them at the same location as the 120 bar.

 

[VSPro9]

Scored a rear axle and front diff out of a 2016 gx460 for 900 bucks.....

So now the question is, I'm gonna be well under budget, should i go front locker also and be slightly over budget which my wife will make me sleep in the garage, or save that for maintenance issues that will surely pop up with a 260,000 mile gx?

 

[Rednexus]

If you are really gonna wheel the GX, especially in rocks and mud, a front locker is awfully nice. I thought I'd never use mine but it's already helped get me out of trouble a couple of times. With all four wheels locked, the only thing that can hold you back are ground clearance and tires. IMO, it's well worth the $1,500 it cost if you are already puling diffs out.

Tell your wife that you only live once. Presumably you work hard for you family, if so you deserve a toy that brings you happiness. That's what I tell my wife anyway . But, I also pined for gears and lockers for several years before I actually got them .

 

[VSPro9]

If you are really gonna wheel the GX, especially in rocks and mud, a front locker is awfully nice. I thought I'd never use mine but it's already helped get me out of trouble a couple of times. With all four wheels locked, the only thing that can hold you back are ground clearance and tires. IMO, it's well worth the $1,500 it cost if you are already puling diffs out.

Tell your wife that you only live once. Presumably you work hard for you family, if so you deserve a toy that brings you happiness. That's what I tell my wife anyway . But, I also pined for gears and lockers for several years before I actually got them .

i think im going to hold off for now. i have a feeling im gonna get the front end apart and find lots of worn out bushing and mounts. question on master rebuild kit..... im looking at the 8.2 from ecgs and they have two options: locked and open. the axles are open but ill be adding a locker. which one should i buy?

 

[Rednexus]

i think im going to hold off for now. i have a feeling im gonna get the front end apart and find lots of worn out bushing and mounts. question on master rebuild kit..... im looking at the 8.2 from ecgs and they have two options: locked and open. the axles are open but ill be adding a locker. which one should i buy?

"Locked" probably means the 8.2 with a factory e-locker from a 4Runner or FJ, which has a different carrier and many other parts than the non-locked 8.2 GX460 e-locker. So, you'll want to order everything for the "open/non-locked", but you can also call/email ECGS just to confirm.

 

[VSPro9]

"Locked" probably means the 8.2 with a factory e-locker from a 4Runner or FJ, which has a different carrier and many other parts than the non-locked 8.2 GX460 e-locker. So, you'll want to order everything for the "open/non-locked", but you can also call/email ECGS just to confirm.

makes sense. i emailed them this morning. im going to replace the body mounts on the truck, and wanted to order extra bolts in case we have to cut any out. any idea if theres a kit for them out there or just piece together off whatever lexus dealer is having a sale?

 

[Rednexus]

makes sense. i emailed them this morning. im going to replace the body mounts on the truck, and wanted to order extra bolts in case we have to cut any out. any idea if theres a kit for them out there or just piece together off whatever lexus dealer is having a sale?

Not sure on the body mounts. Mine are actually still in pretty good shape, so I haven't done them. I did to through the suspension in 2021 and replaced all of the control arms, sway bar end links, bushings, etc, which made the rig drive quite a bit better.

 

[VSPro9]

Not sure on the body mounts. Mine are actually still in pretty good shape, so I haven't done them. I did to through the suspension in 2021 and replaced all of the control arms, sway bar end links, bushings, etc, which made the rig drive quite a bit better.

ok ill figure that out and ill probably post part numbers here for those once i figure it out. im going to drop the transmission oil pan and do a fluid exchange, i saw your write up from a while ago on this. just want to make sure im ordering the necessary parts outside of fluid. ill need a gasket, and then the filter. should i put a new drainplug in?

appreciate your help!!!

 

[Rednexus]

ok ill figure that out and ill probably post part numbers here for those once i figure it out. im going to drop the transmission oil pan and do a fluid exchange, i saw your write up from a while ago on this. just want to make sure im ordering the necessary parts outside of fluid. ill need a gasket, and then the filter. should i put a new drainplug in?

appreciate your help!!!

Gasket and a filter are usually in-stock at most auto parts stores, or on somewhere like Rock Auto, for around $30. There should be no need to replace the drain plug unless it's heavily rusted. I also re-use the crush washers on the drain plug and fill level plugs and have never had an issue.

 

[VSPro9]

Gasket and a filter are usually in-stock at most auto parts stores, or on somewhere like Rock Auto, for around $30. There should be no need to replace the drain plug unless it's heavily rusted. I also re-use the crush washers on the drain plug and fill level plugs and have never had an issue.

sounds good. nothing magical with the toyota parts that requires buying them over a good parts store item?

 

[Rednexus]

sounds good. nothing magical with the toyota parts that requires buying them over a good parts store item?

Not for the trans pan gasket. It's a basic rubber gasket. Both aftermarket filters I've used have been identical to OEM. I'd just get it though legit (NAPA, O'Reilly, Autozone, Rock Auto, etc) and not a Amazon knockoff .

If you do want to replace crush washers they are pretty cheap on Amazon. One area where it is fine to use a Chinese knockoff . I did replace mine all of mine about 5 years ago when I baselined the rig, but in retrospect i could have kept the OEM washers. The Chinese washers have been fine for the past 5 years.

 

[VSPro9]

Well heres how i am currently doing on the budget for anyone following along. my BIL manages petes auto parts here in michigan and was able to find a straight 100,000 mile 460 axle out of a 2016 for a great price. Apparently they are part of team prp, which allows them to ship a part to the nearest participating location for free. TRE 4x4 we agreed to a social media partnership to help document the locker install and use for the toyota/lexus crowd as their primary customers right now are nissan and suzuki owners so i got that at cost. i have a very very comfortable buffer at this point for anything that pops up.

someone on gxor facebook had recommended a bridge reamer for the steering rack swap so i got that.

i plan to also purchase new bolts for the body mounts, if any are siezed i can just cut them to save labor time. if anyone is aware of a kit for that please let me know!

with such a large surplus is there anything else i should think about doing while the whole front end is torn apart? i have new timing belt and water pump, new radiator, all new suspension and upper control arms and gx460 driveshafts front and rear installed about 20k miles ago. i have a spare cv axle already so i can replace that if needed. i was thinking of picking up a skf wheel bearing and hub assembly just in case.

 

[Rednexus]

Front wheel bearings are a good idea and are cheap enough. Very little extra effort to do those if the front end is already apart.

If you are already pulling the rear apart to put in the locker, I'd also suggest doing the rear bearings. They usually last about 150-200K, tops. They do require a press and a special tool to press the bearing into and out off of the axle shaft, but a press will probably already be in use a locker is getting installed. I put SKFs in the rear of mine (about $100 each on Rock Auto), and was surprised to see they had Japanese-made bearings in them (I think they were NSK but I don't recall).

I didn't see axle seals in your list. I'd replace the front CV axle seals (the seals that goes into the steering knuckle and seals that goes into the front axle). You can easily find them locally at just about any parts store. I'd also do the rear axle seals (easy to find at the parts store). If you do the rear wheel bearings you'll also need to replace the clips that retain the bearing onto the axle shaft (Toyota-only part but a few dollars). It's probably $100-120 for all the seals.

When installing my 8.2" 3rd, I used a $35 aftermarket stud eliminator kit (says it's for an 8.4" but it fit my 8.2 diff), and used pink Toyota seal packing RTV sealant between the 3rd member and housing. The Toyota RTV was kind of expensive but is good stuff.

 

[VSPro9]

Front wheel bearings are a good idea and are cheap enough. Very little extra effort to do those if the front end is already apart.

If you are already pulling the rear apart to put in the locker, I'd also suggest doing the rear bearings. They usually last about 150-200K, tops. They do require a press and a special tool to press the bearing into and out off of the axle shaft, but a press will probably already be in use a locker is getting installed. I put SKFs in the rear of mine (about $100 each on Rock Auto), and was surprised to see they had Japanese-made bearings in them (I think they were NSK but I don't recall).

I didn't see axle seals in your list. I'd replace the front CV axle seals (the seals that goes into the steering knuckle and seals that goes into the front axle). You can easily find them locally at just about any parts store. I'd also do the rear axle seals (easy to find at the parts store). If you do the rear wheel bearings you'll also need to replace the clips that retain the bearing onto the axle shaft (Toyota-only part but a few dollars). It's probably $100-120 for all the seals.

When installing my 8.2" 3rd, I used a $35 aftermarket stud eliminator kit (says it's for an 8.4" but it fit my 8.2 diff), and used pink Toyota seal packing RTV sealant between the 3rd member and housing. The Toyota RTV was kind of expensive but is good stuff.

good catches ill add those on there!

 

[M3GX]

makes sense. i emailed them this morning. im going to replace the body mounts on the truck, and wanted to order extra bolts in case we have to cut any out. any idea if theres a kit for them out there or just piece together off whatever lexus dealer is having a sale?

I'd love some sort of exterior bolt replacement kit. I've snapped several off. So far I just go to Ace and buy the grade 8 zinc coated bolts as needed