2010 Tacoma - Swapping to Locking Diff - Experts please help

[2010TacomaBC]

Hi Guys,
I would appreciate any advice or help you can offer.

I just bought a 2010 Tacoma TRD. And I am really disappointed, because even though the sales person told me it had the rear locker, it didn't!
Now I am screwed with a street version of the tacoma when I wanted the off road (I ordered it and didn't pick it off the lot. Long story I won't bore you with)

Anyways I want to be able to swap the 3rd member from the 2010 Double cab, manual trans, to the one that comes with the locker.

I called different dealers and got different answers, so I thought I would ask the real pros :-)

One Toy parts counter told me the 3rd member on the 2 diffs were interchangeable, and I could have them swap in the locker with out any problems or mods. (It might need to run a wire to the dash and add a switch)

Does anyone know if this will work? Can it be done without major mods?

Thanks again for any help.
I am so pissed and disappointed.
Scott

[2010TacomaBC]

I'm not sure why this was moved to this board, I originally posted it in 05+ Tacomas, 03+ 4Runners / GX470's and 07+ FJ Cruisers

The vehicle in question is a 2010, why did the mods move it to 95.5-04 Tacomas and 96-02 4Runners?

[Scuba]

I believe the two diffs are still not interchangeable. There isn't much Diff info with the newer gen trucks either..

I think you'd be best waiting to try and find a whole donor axle from a bone yard. Start calling all the junk yards in your area.. At the same time, grab the wiring harness and all associated parts.

Or.. You could just throw in an ARB. Which would be a stronger option.

[2010TacomaBC]

Hey Scuba,
Thanks for your reply

Its a brand new truck, I am trying to get the dealer to fix the issue with new factory parts. Their people assured me it came with a locker, and I want a Locker at their cost.
I am no mechanic, but I heard that all that had to be done was swap the 3rd member not the whole differential.

[04 Rocko Taco]

Forget thier cost. Get the locker for free. You ordered this truck, correct? There is no way I would have taken delivery first off. But now that you have it.... I would keep harassing the dealer you bought it from and tell them that you were assured you were getting a locker, and you understand that things happen, but now they are expecting you to make payments on a truck that is NOT what you signed up for.

[04 Rocko Taco]

and just by the way.... When people say "3rd member" they usually are referring to the whole differential. Some people call it a diff, some a 3rd, some a chunk. Usually all of these terms refer to the axle gearset (consisting of a ring and pinion, and spider gears), and all associated bearings and seals, inside of a housing (this would be the diff housing) that will bolt into the axle.

Here is a picture of what I (and I think most others here) call a diff, or a 3rd. (you rarely hear chunk around here - no offense - but you hear it alot more with rednecks)
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k112/04RockoTaco/Tracy/8.jpg

and here it is complete - in the axle.
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k112/04RockoTaco/Tracy/4-1.jpg

[4x4mike]

Correct me if I'm worng but don't the new Tacomas have a larger rear axle with larger diameter gears? Where as the locker equipped models have the 8" rear with locking third? If this is the case you ain't swapping anything into the housing you have. In that case you're looking at something like an ARB. Plus, depending on what wiring you have already, there is more than running a wire and switch to the cab.

Here is my swap.
http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=8443.0

[2010TacomaBC]

Thanks for all the replies

04 Rocko Taco
I ordered the truck, when it came in, I didn't notice the locker switch wasn't there, and never occurred to me it wouldn't be.
I only noticed it a few days later when going through my manual and familiarizing with the functions. I brought it to their attention a few days after taking delivery, the manager said "I will make this right" and the sales personal phoned and said don't worry we will get it straight.
I have been emailing with them for the last couple of months and they make promises and do nothing.
My next step with them will be to contact Toyota directly, file a small claims suit and post a blog on this BS. I am a search engine optimizer and know I can have my blog show up when people search anything related to them.
I won't be taking this lightly.

When I talked about the third member I was referring to the guts inside the differential housing, not the whole differential.

4x4mike
I am not a mechanic and am not sure of sizes. One thing I do know is that my truck is the double cab and has 17" wheels instead of the 16" that come on the access cab version if that makes a difference.

Thanks for all your advice
Scott

[04 Rocko Taco]

I see how you can overlook something like that, I also would just assume it is there.

Unfortunately, I think Mike is right in this case, and the "guts" and/or differential is a different size between the two trucks. Which means no swap, other than an entire rear axle, and a wiring harness for the locker, which is, also as mike said, MUCH more complicated than running a wire and a switch.
I do know a guy (he's in europe currently or I would have him chime in) who makes e-locker wiring harnesses. Let me know if you think he can help in anyway, although I know you are trying to get the dealership to handle this. I would give the dealer one last chance and let them know that you have everything documented (which I HOPE you do) and you are going to contact Toyota corporate about this issue, and file a complaint with the BBB on this dealership, and all of that junk. If you can't get a satisfactory result then, I would go for Toyota.

[2010TacomaBC]

04 Rocko Taco
Missing it really P1$$e$ me off, I was so looking forward to having that extra when I needed it.
Good point about the BBB, I will make a complaint to them as well.
I did exactly as you had said, was nice said I realize mistakes happen, but the difference between a reputable Toyota dealer and a used car shyster is whether they stand behind their word.
I am tired of being polite and nice, now is time to get nasty.

As far as the wiring harness from Europe, I doubt I would be going that route.
Thanks again
Scott

[Good Times]

The likelihood that you'd get anything free from Toyota is slim at best. Since you didn't verify what you were ordering and after taking delivery you didn't notice it I think this is going to weigh heavily on your failure to notice it and refuse delivery on the order that was not ordered correctly. At this point I think its a moot point so you're only course of action is to swap or just get an aftermarket locker.

I personally recommend the ARB locker if you can afford it. The one you'll want to get is the RD129 which applies to all 8" ring gear (12 bolt) application. I'm not sure how much it'll set you back but it will set you back a pretty penny.

I'd say depending on what your ultimate goals are I'd hold off on the rear locker until you decide on larger tires/wheels that'll then require regearing (if that's the route you want to take). If and only if you plan to regear, should you do your rear locker at the same time to save a bit of $$ on the labor/installation since they'll be working on the same part.

Bummer on the whole buying experience :(

Btw, welcome to UltimateYota! :D

[slosurfer]

What does your contract say that you bought/were buying?

[2010TacomaBC]

Hey Good Times, Thanks for your input. Right now I am going to see what I can get them to do for me.

Slosurfer - Contract says I got what I ordered. It was my fault for believing what a sales person says. I was told this model had it, I bought based on what I was told.

[slosurfer]

Slosurfer - Contract says I got what I ordered. It was my fault for believing what a sales person says. I was told this model had it, I bought based on what I was told.




:( That sucks! Good luck with Toyota, but I think you might be fighting a loseing battle if your contract doesn't say you should have it.

My salesman told me that mine had the 6 disc changer and I didn't check until later, so I didn't do anything about it, but when it said "Snugtop" on my contract and they got me a "Leer", I raised some hell down there. In the end, I kept the Leer and got a bunch of free oil changes from Toyota and a couple hundred bucks from the camper shell dealer. Basically, I think you only have a chance if your contract supports your claim.

[4x4mike]

I personally recommend the ARB locker if you can afford it. The one you'll want to get is the RD129 which applies to all 8" ring gear (12 bolt) application. I'm not sure how much it'll set you back but it will set you back a pretty penny.

He doesn't have an 8" ring gear though, right? If it's not locker isn't 8.5" or something similar.

Either way, sucks man.

[Robinhood4x4]

I say you call up All Pro off road and ask them. They've worked a lot with the newer tacomas and probably know. http://allprooffroad.com/

Report back, I think we'd all like to know if newer axles are retrofit-able.

Keep in mind that the older toyotas, like 3rd gen 4runners and older needed a little welding, drilling and grinding to get an elocker into a non-elocker axle housing. The axle shafts are the same, however.

[Flexus]

An open dif taco has an 8.25" ring gear. The elocked one is an 8". The parts are not swapable into the same housing. Holes simply wont line up. Swapping an slick into an open 8" housing requires housing mods but can be done. A friend of mine was the original person to design an aftermarket harness about ten years ago.

[Crinale]

actually, the different sized ring gears are a myth. Both axles use an 8" ring gear, (still not interchangeable tho).. The difference is the casing on the 3rd member, bearings, and pinion shaft are beefier on the non elocker model. Just to clear up the myth. Doesnt make it any less interchangeable however :flipoff:

here is one source, i cant remember the first place i actually read it though:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=228681

[Scuba]

An open dif taco has an 8.25" ring gear. The elocked one is an 8". The parts are not swapable into the same housing. Holes simply wont line up. Swapping an slick into an open 8" housing requires housing mods but can be done. A friend of mine was the original person to design an aftermarket harness about ten years ago.


05+'s actually all have an "8.4" rear end. Locker or no locker.

[Crinale]

05+'s actually all have an "8.4" rear end. Locker or no locker.


good to know.. they finally made the e-locker stronger..

so does that mean the 3rds are swappable now scub?

[slosurfer]

Scuba are you sure about that? I'm almost positive that the elocker on 05+ is regular 8", which is why they are relatively easy to swap into older 8" axles