Swapping rear diffs

[Crazychopstick]

I may have a chance to purchase a used complete rear end from a'99 with e-locker. I want to drop my current rear axle and just bolt this one on. But I just had a few questions before buying it.

1) Should all 3rd gen 4Runners have the same mounting points? No installation drama or driveshaft mounting issues?

2) Will my '97 axle shafts fit in to the locking diff? I just had new wheel bearings pressed in while the '99 looks to have bad ones.

Any other things to consider?

[4x4mike]

1)Yes and shouldn't be an issue

2)Should fit

Do you have ABS on the '97? If so everything should be a direct swap. If you don't have ABS is an entire different ball of wax.

Here is my write up for my swap. The housing needs to be modified to fit the locking 3rd member. Other than that, my swap was just that, a swap.

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

[4x4mike]

Actually my write up is a little janky. Reference Bob's as well. His old housing is now under my '99 and my housing is now in Slomatt's garage (I think).

http://www.4runners.org/writeups/elocker/

[Crazychopstick]

Cool, yeah I do have ABS.

I was going to just change out the entire rear end so I wouldn't have to modify my stock one even.

[04 Rocko Taco]

If it were me (which its not, of course) I would just modify the stock housing and drop the e-locker in. It'd be more work to swap over bearings and all of that into the 99 axle which appears to be bad.

[Crazychopstick]

Well, if the axle shafts swap over between all rear ends (which I am assuming), it wouldn't take long to pull and swap over.

[4x4mike]

If you have the elocker housing use it. The mod on a stock housing isn't hard bit it can be a PITA and is best done with the housing out of the vehicle 9unless you're hardcore like Corax). The bearings and inner axle seal is on your shafts you'll be swapping over. The outer axle seal is pressed into the housing but you should replace those since you have the shafts out. Two from the dealer should be around 10 bucks. Slap it all together, bolt it up, fill it, wire it and you're good.

[slomatt]

Actually my write up is a little janky. Reference Bob's as well. His old housing is now under my '99 and my housing is now in Slomatt's garage (I think).

http://www.4runners.org/writeups/elocker/


Sadly it is still in the garage and not under the truck, still haven't run across a good price on a clean e-locker.

- Matt