Front and rear diffs interchangable in '72 FJ40? real time please

[BrianSanDiego]

Hey guys, did a search and it looks like I can swap a front 3rd member into the rear of my '72 FJ40, but I want to be completely certain.

Ordered a used, guaranteed, 3rd member from an online used parts dealer. They sent me a 3rd with loads of play in the pinion bearings. Called them up and explained the pinion bearings were shot.

They said they didn't have any good rear 3rd members available, but they could replace it with a good front 3rd, that will work, for 50 bucks more Lame, but I said OK because I want to get my cruiser fixed and I hate bickering about this type of cr@p....

Anyway, question is, Will a front third member work fine in the rear axle of my FJ? No issues with gear wear, or reverse cut teeth or anything like that?

I want to get back to them today about sending it out, or trying to get my money back. Thats why the "real time" title.

Thanks a LOT!!
Brian.

 

[Poser]

Hey guys, did a search and it looks like I can swap a front 3rd member into the rear of my '72 FJ40, but I want to be completely certain.

Ordered a used, guaranteed, 3rd member from an online used parts dealer. They sent me a 3rd with loads of play in the pinion bearings. Called them up and explained the pinion bearings were shot.

They said they didn't have any good rear 3rd members available, but they could replace it with a good front 3rd, that will work, for 50 bucks more Lame, but I said OK because I want to get my cruiser fixed and I hate bickering about this type of cr@p....

Anyway, question is, Will a front third member work fine in the rear axle of my FJ? No issues with gear wear, or reverse cut teeth or anything like that?

I want to get back to them today about sending it out, or trying to get my money back. Thats why the "real time" title.

Thanks a LOT!!
Brian.

First- Swap away.



Second-

Please name the vendor selling garbage so others will hopefully not have to suffer this same fate.

 

[BrianSanDiego]

Thanks a lot POSER! 'preciate it




Well, I was going to wait until this all pans out to give my review of this vendor. But I guess there is no harm in discussing it as long as I am honest and unbiased about whats going on with them. www.cruiserparts.net Please let me know if this is too much of a rant or inflammatory and I will correct it.

I ordered a complete, 3rd member with 90 day warranty for 200 bucks. Free shipping and paid an extra 20 bucks for 1 year warranty.
Received the 3rd about a week later. First thing I did was reach in the box and wiggle the pinion flange. Ummm, loads of play. At least 1mm, maybe 2mm of lateral play. Could even feel some play front to back or in and out of the third. Could see the pinion gear wiggle when I moved the driveshaft flange horizontally. Looks like the pinion nut has the original divot in it, so apparently the nut hasn't just backed off.

I called 'em up and explained situation. The phone dude was very nice and cooperative, but said it was late in the day (which it was) and that his parts guy had left. I called him back the next morning, then he got back to me about an 1/2 later with info.

He offered to send me new bearings. I declined due to setup costs. They said because of the age of the vehicle that they don't have any good rear 3rds, but do have a good front one and it will cost me $50 more for the front. But it will work fine using a front diff on the rear they said. So, I posted here asking if the front will work on the rear....

Also, they offered to pay shipping for the old and new parts.



Here is my personal opinion.
This vendor is wrong on a couple accounts.

1st. Selling me a bad part. Either they didn't check that was bad, or they tried to slip me a bad part.

2nd, they are overcharging me. On their website price list they don't have a listing for a "front 3rd member" at 50 bucks more. just 3rd member for $200.
Even if they did have good fronts listed for $250, the right thing to do would be replace my "rear" 3rd for a "front" 3rd for the same price.
http://www.cruiserparts.net/parts/fj40.htm


I am particularly bummed because I talked to these guys before I ordered and they reassured me that they check out the parts before they ship them, and that they have few returns. They either didn't not check it out, or tried to sell me a bad one. I don't know which it is.

Now I have an incoming 3rd member and can only hope that it is in good condition.
Maybe I should try to cancel the order and get my money back? I don't think it has actually shipped yet.
I really should have bought the 3rd from one of you guys. But, I thought cruiserparts.net had good prices and I trusted them when they said they check their parts.

So thats my Novel about crusierparts.net Sorry for the rant but I wanted to tell the whole story.
B.

Oh yea, order a cigarette lighter from them at the same time. They put it in the same box as the diff, and it got crushed during transit. But they offered to replace it.

 

[35inchoverdrive]

I have ordered several things from them in the past, and they have always been great to deal with. They've taken care of parts that the shipping company damaged at no cost to me...

...but...

That whole, "You can have a diff that isn't junk for an extra $50," thing is just crap! Especially when you paid more for a warranty! If I where you, I would cancel my order with them and get my money back. They did the right thing by offering to pay shipping both ways, but the rest of that transaction is not good buisness. Don't give them your hard-earned dollars if that's the best they have to offer. It should be an easy call for you, since you can pick up a diff pretty easily from someone on MUD.

To keep it tech...The diff swap(front to rear) is pretty straight forward. The hardest part is wrestling the diffs into position under the truck. Those suckers are heavy.

 

[Jetboy]

I have no experience or affiliation with cruiserparts.net, but $200 is a premium price for a stock third. Not outrageous, but it's what I'd consider full retail. I'd expect a very good condition unit for that price. I'm unsure why they charge more for a front diff. Maybe because they usually see less wear?

 

[amaurer]

I've used them a few times, once for a bumper and brackets, worked great, good condition, good price.

Second was for a non-US drivers seat, which after sending them photos they assured me they had... they sent me a plain old US seat and then told me that my NZ-style buckets must be aftermarket. I kept the seat they sold me, and even though its wrong, it works fine...

The vibe I get from them is more clueless than malicious, honestly.

"Never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence."
-- Napoleon Bonaparte

 

[Poser]

The vibe I get from them is more clueless than malicious, honestly.

"Never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence."
-- Napoleon Bonaparte

I think you are being amazingly generous with your assessment/opinion of this company.....




Do they not specialize in Land Cruiser parts?






If they are willing to ship what amounts to unusable garbage to a customer, and then, have the balls to tell the customer that they need to pony up MORE cash to get a ‘special’ part that is not listed, but they know GOD DAMN WELL that it is a preferred component, by the ADDITIONAL COST they are imposing, then I have a hard time buying into the idea that they are clueless about this specific part or are operating their business with the customers best interest in mind.








In the end, this will only go on as long as people are foolish enough to continue supporting a supplier that ‘takes care of their customers’ in this fashion.








Brian-


Thank you for the heads-up about this company. I will not purchase anything from them, ever.

 

[Clutchee]

Brian I have a couple of thirds out of my dads rig we are removing.....PM if this will help you in your situation.

Rear is a 72, front is out of a late model but still same ratio.......

Let me know.....we have new 3:73's ready to go in ao we don't need these.


PS......I tried to get Cruiserparts to take picture of a part before I purchased.....to the tune of 600.00 so I could verify the condition......

THEM------"Nope, pictures are on the web,"
ME----------"yea but they are from a old sales add of the product....."
THEM-------"sorry but no........."

ME---------"ok, guess you don't need my 600.00 dollars then."

 

[Mr. Toad]

I have no experience or affiliation with cruiserparts.net, but $200 is a premium price for a stock third. Not outrageous, but it's what I'd consider full retail. I'd expect a very good condition unit for that price. I'm unsure why they charge more for a front diff. Maybe because they usually see less wear?

Correct on the reduced wear fronts commanding more than rears.

People need to use the search function in the ih8mud classifieds. I just sold a matched set of complete '75 diffs for half that. No shot bearings, ~60K of wear. One of them was posted since Feb or March.

 

[BrianSanDiego]

Thanks for all the responses guys

Yea, I definitely had the feeling that the way they were handling this was $hitty. It was right for them to offer up the cost of all the shipping, but to charge me more for the part I originally ordered is BS. Thanks for confirming my pissed-off-ness.

I would seriously question the quality of anything they send me now, plus I don't want to give a company like that any of my hard-earned money!!!

Stupid business practices for sure. For fifty bucks they lost a prospective loyal customer and possibly many of those that read this thread. Stupid....

So, I'll try to cancel my order Monday. If its already shipped I'll think about sending it back, on my dime if need be, and eating the cost of shipping. So that they won't be getting my business.

Thanks CLUTCHEE, I may be talking to you soon
You guys rule
Brian.

 

[cruiserlad]

I've done business with the firm. I talked to Merl the owner about a month and half ago. Seemed pleasant to do bidness with. I think he has some shop and part monkeys that screw things up. They messed up my order too, but the fix wasn't worth the hassle. I had a fairly long conversation with Merl. He is trying to sell the business and retire so if you love Land Cruisers and like the wide open spaces there's opportunity knocking. Beautifu Colorado! I think he told me he wanted to move to Idaho... go figger!

 

[green40]

I've done business with the firm. I talked to Merl the owner about a month and half ago. Seemed pleasant to do bidness with. I think he has some shop and part monkeys that screw things up. They messed up my order too, but the fix wasn't worth the hassle. I had a fairly long conversation with Merl. He is trying to sell the business and retire so if you love Land Cruisers and like the wide open spaces there's opportunity knocking. Beautifu Colorado! I think he told me he wanted to move to Idaho... go figger!

He's in beautiful New Hampshire, about 30 minutes north of me.
The place is just a typical junk yard.

 

[kyot4x4]

Hey Brian I have 2 spare 3rds i would trade one for your old one or I would rebuild your old one if you get the parts.no charge for labor.just like to help. I am a heavy equipment mechanic and have done hundreds of ring and pinion changes. in all types of axles. let me know if you need any help.

 

[Clutchee]

Hey Brian I have 2 spare 3rds i would trade one for your old one or I would rebuild your old one if you get the parts.no charge for labor.just like to help. I am a heavy equipment mechanic and have done hundreds of ring and pinion changes. in all types of axles. let me know if you need any help.

Cruiser karma rules

 

[BrianSanDiego]

Hey Brian I have 2 spare 3rds i would trade one for your old one or I would rebuild your old one if you get the parts.no charge for labor.just like to help. I am a heavy equipment mechanic and have done hundreds of ring and pinion changes. in all types of axles. let me know if you need any help.

Dude, that is so friggin cool! thank you.

What a great bunch of guys and gals here.


Brian.

 

[Poser]

I've done business with the firm. I talked to Merl the owner about a month and half ago. Seemed pleasant to do bidness with. I think he has some shop and part monkeys that screw things up. They messed up my order too, but the fix wasn't worth the hassle. I had a fairly long conversation with Merl. He is trying to sell the business and retire so if you love Land Cruisers and like the wide open spaces there's opportunity knocking. Beautifu Colorado! I think he told me he wanted to move to Idaho... go figger!

Wrong Land Cruiser parts shop bud...

 

[BigRed40]

I was about to buy something from them the other day... Guess its good I postponed that purchase, cause I won't be purchasing now.

 

[BrianSanDiego]

Just an update.
I called cruiserparts this morning to cancel my order. They were agreeable about canceling the order, refunding my money, and paying shipping for the old part.
So, they were fair in the end.
Thanks all,
B.

 

[Poser]

Just an update.
I called cruiserparts this morning to cancel my order. They were agreeable about canceling the order, refunding my money, and paying shipping for the old part.
So, they were fair in the end.
Thanks all,
B.

That is good to know.



Still, I will not spend a penny with them.



Again, thank you for the heads-up about this outfit.

 

[BrianSanDiego]

That is good to know.



Still, I will not spend a penny with them.

Yep, me neither.

Thanks for your help Poser. Much appreciated

Brian.