Are 4runner V6 third members much stronger?

[TWISTY]

Blew the front diff in the 4runner while up at Double Island on the weekend....I had been getting vibes from the front when I was up there on the 37's last weekend, and they were worse this weekend before the diff finally spat all its teeth......I'm pretty sure I damaged it in the Mud Drags at Rover Park for Battle of the States as I was dropping the clutch from redline in 2nd gear low range, so was kinda expecting something to break with the extra power running through the driveline.

Anyway, I'm going to regear to 4.8's to suit the 35's and stick an auto locker in the front, but I'm just not sure about the strength issues with the rear diff.

I seen this write up and it says the V6 thirds have larger bearings and a bigger third member.
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/faq/parts/

If I just swap in a 4.8 hilux third member will I be going backwards strength wise from the 4.3 V6 third I've got in there now?

Would I be better off buying new 4.8 ring and pinions and having them installed into the V6 third?

Any info would be great!

[MissDrew]

Don`t hold me to it but I think the gears are different.

4.8`s will be weaker then 4.3`s

[-Nemesis-]

I had planned on just using the 4.88 CW & P in my rear (though I have the arb), the crown wheel and shaft diameter are the same. That will work won't it? It's only the axles that are a different size.

[MissDrew]

LIke I have said I could be wrong but I think the thinkness of the crown is wider/deeper in the v6 3rds. Dia is still the same.

[bulldogy]

If you use a genuine 4.88 from a surf or hilux to swap ratios then the carrier 3rd is a diff setup like guts said the crown is skinnier.

If you buy aftermarket EG from the US they didnt come with the 4.88 carrier so they make a thicker ring gear so it fits in all the 3rds.

The V6 does have bigger bearings ad is supposed to be stronger than a standard 4cyl style also has a bit more bracing on the 3rd which apparently helps to stop it flexing under load stoping the pinion rolloing over the top or the ring gear.

You can use either V6 or 4cyl gears in both style 3rds its just a bit harder to setup because the V6 pinion is slightly longer tan a 4cyl.

Hope this helps.

Dave

PS this is just info i have found on the net for when i bring in gears etc.

[-Nemesis-]

SO the two 4.88 Lux centers I bought aren't useless?

[bulldogy]

They should be ok

[Mick_n_Sal]

The V6 third member will fit into a standard hilux housing. The carrier bearings are larger & don't quote me, but I think the genuine toyota V6 crownwheel & pinion have a wider tooth face ( more surface area to take the load )

Mick _n_Sal

[hypo]

as well as the 3rd member has mor casting ribs on it, therefore making it stronger coz if wont flex and allow the gears to destroy themselves under load.

[TWISTY]

So in summary, I should get 4.8 gears installed into my V6 third member for the strongest possible setup rather than chuck in a 4.8 hilux third.

[beebee]

I've managed to fit V6 gears into a 4cyl 3rd member. It took some time on the mill (9" grinder) and a press (big f$@%ing hammer) to get them to fit but we got there. They lasted much longer than the other 4cyl gears I had been running at the time.

We had to grind the head of the pinion down so it didn't hit the carrier

I wouldn't recommend it!

PS So I don't sound too dodgy, I should explain myself....It's midnight Sat night, been competing all day in XRCC and broken a rear diff on the last stage, just driven 2hrs home to find that the gearset you were planning on using doens't fit the 3rd member. You do what's required to get it going again. Think we might have even gone on to win that one

[TWISTY]

Thought I'd update this thread I started a phew months ago....I swapped in one of the 4.8 airlocked centres from my zooks old hilux diffs today and took some pics of the hilux centre beside the V6 Centre.

There is deffiently a noticeable difference. As others mentioned, the crown wheel is thicker, and the other noticeable difference is all the extra webbing on the V6 housing.

Hilux Centre on the Left V6 4runner on the right.





V6 4runner on the left, Hilux on the Right



I won't have the air locker hooked up for another couple of weeks, but the difference for 4.3's to 4.8's with 35's is great!!! It's drives so much better!!! Open diff is a bit of a pain in the wet but

[rixrunner]

This is good info for me as I have changed my rear centre to 4.8 (back only to see how i liked it) and I am about to do my front and fit front and rear lockers at the same time.

I need to read up more and understand all you have written