2010 Tacoma - Swapping to Locking Diff - Experts please help

[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!

[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

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?