Front Refresh - Things to do while diff is out.

[Brandon Ryder]

Haven’t had a single one of 3 pairs (so 6 UCAs) break over the last 5 years of using and abusing them.

Also, I think it’s important to consider “other’s experiences” in context before one goes about ragging a company that they’ve had absolutely zero experience with. Toyota UCAs and LCAs break too, and Toyota sure as hell ain’t going to warranty those parts beyond 12 months. Other companies’ UCAs break too...

you can do do what you want. I'll support who i want. and I'll offer my advice from what I've seen. your experience is noted. I'm sure their product is mostly great especially when it works. most people are happy with them i admit. but I'm not willing to take my chances with them due to their customer service alone. I'm too unlucky and there are too many other good choices. what would this forum be if we didn't listen to others success and failures? I'm choosing to listen to others who had issues with the product and their lack of support.

 

[OwnerCS]

Thanks guys for the information. This helps this 100 series beginner.

I know a lot of guys in the Tacoma World who do a lot of heavy rock crawling out in Moab and CA BLM areas. They do more serious rock crawling that I ever will. Naturally, I weigh those experiences into my 100 series decisions. In my area, its more about having the horsepower to climb steep hills with wet slippery rocks or to run down rutted out logging roads, than the type of extreme rocky wheeling that I see out west. I would love to wheel like the guys out west, but I realize the limits of my location.

I try to stay opened minded when it comes to aftermarket suspension enhancements. If they don't work out, then I will switch to something that does after I get close to my final enhancement destination. I most often follow the "bog standard" in the beginning while I'm learning a "new to me" suspension.

Once thing I've learned about suspensions from the past decade of heavily modified performance work to create some extraordinarily handling cars is, suspensions are like wearing shoes or boots. You really don't know how you're going to like something until you have lived with it for a while.

Styles and people change over time. New products come along that are better than anyone could imagine -- somewhat like computer technology.
My gut instincts about products usually work out. Once in a while I may find an extraordinarily good working combination of products from unlikely sources.
My relationship with the retailer usually determines my satisfaction level over the long haul.
I love to buy homemade enhancement products from club members to add a personal touch to my build projects.

 

[OwnerCS]

I like the SPC UCA instructions for AHC ride height sensor installations. This was part of my decision to go with SPC. I can run them with AHC today and later with a standard lift configuration.

 

[mdcoa]

Broke my front diff recently--am in the process of pulling it and bringing it to East Coast Gear Supply for a new R&P and a Harrop e-locker.

While it's out, I'm planning on repacking my CVs, replacing axle oil seals, and replacing the front diff bushing (the one that's pressed into the arm on the diff cover). Here's my parts list--what am I missing?

(numbers in parentheses are the partsouq prices--where I was looking up the part numbers. May order from them or elsewhere. . . )

Axle Oil seals:
9031147012 (RH) (5)
9031147027 (LH) (8)

Dust cover for CV:
4133635020 x2 ($3 ea)

New CV boot clamps:
4234560050 for outboard cv large clamp (6)
4234560060 small clamp outboard cv (3)
4234560070 large clamp inboard cv (3.50)

New Diff bushings
4165160010 cushion for the diff cover mount thingmo at the front of the diff (21)
4165460010 stopper, differential mount, lower (5)
4165460010 stopper, differential mont, upper ($18)

Inner CV snap rings:
9052134003 x 2 (1.24 ea)

FAWB9807KIT outer snap ring kit from cruiser teq--also order new hub oil seals and

 

[OwnerCS]

Broke my front diff recently--am in the process of pulling it and bringing it to East Coast Gear Supply for a new R&P and a Harrop e-locker.

While it's out, I'm planning on repacking my CVs, replacing axle oil seals, and replacing the front diff bushing (the one that's pressed into the arm on the diff cover). Here's my parts list--what am I missing?

(numbers in parentheses are the partsouq prices--where I was looking up the part numbers. May order from them or elsewhere. . . )

Axle Oil seals:
9031147012 (RH) (5)
9031147027 (LH) (8)

Dust cover for CV:
4133635020 x2 ($3 ea)

New CV boot clamps:
4234560050 for outboard cv large clamp (6)
4234560060 small clamp outboard cv (3)
4234560070 large clamp inboard cv (3.50)

New Diff bushings
4165160010 cushion for the diff cover mount thingmo at the front of the diff (21)
4165460010 stopper, differential mount, lower (5)
4165460010 stopper, differential mont, upper ($18)

Inner CV snap rings:
9052134003 x 2 (1.24 ea)

FAWB9807KIT outer snap ring kit from cruiser teq--also order new hub oil seals and

Looks like you've got it. Oh.. A tube of RED FIPG to reseal the 3rd member cover and axle tube to the 3rd.

 

[Skidoo]

I think it was Nitro that included in my last couple of gear kits this, Permatex 81182 Gear Oil RTV Gasket Maker, so if you don't have the red stuff you might want this.
It is designed for diff and t-cases and resistant to friction modifiers used in limited slip gear oils, which some RTVs may not be. Since most of us are running open or lockers we can run LS gear oil, but don't need it, however it is getting hard to find non-LS oil. Only the 98-99 LX rear diff came with limited slip so they need LS gear oil.

 

[OwnerCS]

I think it was Nitro that included in my last couple of gear kits this, Permatex 81182 Gear Oil RTV Gasket Maker, so if you don't have the red stuff you might want this.
It is designed for diff and t-cases and resistant to friction modifiers used in limited slip gear oils, which some RTVs may not be. Since most of us are running open or lockers we can run it, but don't need LS gear oil, however it is getting hard to find non-LS oil. The only the 98-99 LX rear diff came with limited slip so they need LS gear oil.

Looks good..

 

[OwnerCS]

Not to forget the switch if you don't have one already.

 

[mdcoa]

Not to forget the switch if you don't have one already.

View attachment 2317137

good catch—I hadn’t even thought about that part of the process.
Possible heresy alert—I wonder if an individual rocker Switch might not be better, as it would allow completely independent operation of the locker if I someday put a rear one in....
Looks like I’ve got the real estate for the factory one so maybe should just do that. Any situations in the distant future in which it’d be nice to be able to lock the front but not rear diff?

 

[OwnerCS]

good catch—I hadn’t even thought about that part of the process.
Possible heresy alert—I wonder if an individual rocker Switch might not be better, as it would allow completely independent operation of the locker if I someday put a rear one in....
Looks like I’ve got the real estate for the factory one so maybe should just do that. Any situations in the distant future in which it’d be nice to be able to lock the front but not rear diff?

View attachment 2317254

I think I've seen some individual switches. I went down the road of thinking I would want to lock the front before and independently from the rear. In talking to people online from Australia and here I've since learned that it is better to lock the rear before the front.

I will start off with the switch factory switch and just use it to lock the front.

Eventually, my goal is to go for another Harrop eLocker to replace the LSD rear 3rd.

 

[kevin2i]

Unless you are pulling the cover, I would consider it easier to replace the cover bushing rather than remove, scrap off sealant, reseal. And a lot cheaper.
Removing bushings took about 15 min each (used air hammer and sawzall). Installing took a bit more - used clamp (ball joint clamp free loaner) and a 2" PVC coupler.

Got my stuff from Febest, but the front/left bushing out of stock (TAB-331).

OEM -- As for "best prices" print out the best (dealer) prices you can find, and take to your local dealer. Saves on shipping, and usually a day or 2 service.

Doing #2 myself. Mcgeorge toyota had the best prices I found on oem replacement parts.

I didn't want to mess around with pressing in new bushings

View attachment 2258742

View attachment 2258744

 

[mdcoa]

I think I've seen some individual switches. I went down the road of thinking I would want to lock the front before and independently from the rear. In talking to people online from Australia and here I've since learned that it is better to lock the rear before the front.

I will start off with the switch factory switch and just use it to lock the front.

Eventually, my goal is to go for another Harrop eLocker to replace the LSD rear 3rd.

Ha, not to totally derail the thread but after admittedly very little research I just came to the opposite conclusion about lockers— Sounds like there are a lot of situations in which having only the front locked is good, and I was thinking I could set that switch up backwards and change the first R to an F...so it’d be FR and FR RR...but, yeah no need to cross this bridge now as I’ve only got one locker on the horizon....

 

[mdcoa]

Unless you are pulling the cover, I would consider it easier to replace the cover bushing rather than remove, scrap off sealant, reseal. And a lot cheaper.
Removing bushings took about 15 min each (used air hammer and sawzall). Installing took a bit more - used clamp (ball joint clamp free loaner) and a 2" PVC coupler.

Got my stuff from Febest, but the front/left bushing out of stock (TAB-331).

OEM -- As for "best prices" print out the best (dealer) prices you can find, and take to your local dealer. Saves on shipping, and usually a day or 2 service.
View attachment 2317275View attachment 2317276View attachment 2317277

For that bushing I’m actually planning to take it to ECGS with me and see if they’d mind popping it in while they are rebuilding the diff. I’ll still need the sealing stuff since I’m going to pull the DS axle tube before I bring the diff to Raleigh, mainly to make it easier for them to ship it back to me.

 

[OwnerCS]

Ha, not to totally derail the thread but after admittedly very little research I just came to the opposite conclusion about lockers— Sounds like there are a lot of situations in which having only the front locked is good, and I was thinking I could set that switch up backwards and change the first R to an F...so it’d be FR and FR RR...but, yeah no need to cross this bridge now as I’ve only got one locker on the horizon....

I'm following your lead on this one. I'm sure you will be running yours before I finish the project and go off road.

Gearinstalls posts a story about each build if the customer likes. Check it out to see the process.

Craig 1999 LX470 Gear Install Toyota

ZUK shares many close-up good pics of Toyota gear installs

gearinstalls.com

 

[mdcoa]

PS—anyone have the part number for the plug that goes into that switch, or is there perhaps already one hanging out behind my dash?
Tracking gearinstalls very cool documentation. Texted him the other day and didn’t hear back, and am scared of shipping costs to AZ anyway, so decided to go with ECGS who gave me a slot on June 4 as soon as I called em.

 

[OwnerCS]

PS—anyone have the part number for the plug that goes into that switch, or is there perhaps already one hanging out behind my dash?
Tracking gearinstalls very cool documentation. Texted him the other day and didn’t hear back, and am scared of shipping costs to AZ anyway, so decided to go with ECGS who gave me a slot on June 4 as soon as I called em.

Check out this post. Additional wiring harness may not be needed. After reading this post, I may want to wire mine so the front engages before the rear. Ha!

Reno's LX470 Build Thread

 

[mdcoa]

Check out this post. Additional wiring harness may not be needed. After reading this post, I may want to wire mine so the front engages before the rear. Ha!

Reno's LX470 Build Thread

OK, two resources--one from an 80 series install Arb air locker – factory switch integration

And one from tlcfaq, with part numbers for EVERYTHING--he's installing a compressor switch at the same time, which I won't be doing. . . lemme go see if I can see a locker switch pigtail up behind my dash.

EDIT: Plus this pdf, specifically on setting up harrop lockers with the factory switch.

 

[OwnerCS]

WAIT before you buy anything. That Harrop kit comes with everything but the kitchen sink. Let me make a picture. It comes with a switch.

 

[mdcoa]

WAIT before you buy anything. That Harrop kit comes with everything but the kitchen sink. Let me make a picture. It comes with a switch.

I know, and thanks, but I do think I might just buy the factory switch--it's a whopping $25 from partsouq and would fit so nicely into that blank space on the instrument panel . . .

 

[OwnerCS]

I know, and thanks, but I do think I might just buy the factory switch--it's a whopping $25 from partsouq and would fit so nicely into that blank space on the instrument panel . . .

And it looks factory.. This came in a bag with the 3rd member.