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5.29 Gears / ARB Air Locker Install from ECGS install and thoughts

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Classytacos

Classytacos

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I just wrapped up my install for the front and rear gears & lockers from East Coast Gear Supply. Wanted to start this thread for anyone considering the same thing.

Let me start by saying back when I was considering the Tacoma for a vehicle I came across a decent amount of folks complaining over the shift points and gearing. That is what lead me to purchase a used Sport model as I came into this fully intending to re-gear and add lockers. I did not want to purchase an Off Road or a Pro as I am not a fan of the restrictions on the factory e-locker just to remove it. I am a believer of any time you open a diff on a vehicle that you take off road/trails, you throw in a locker no matter what. Just do it the first time. Even If it means saving up longer, so be it. I could care less about the usual arguments of sport vs off road. Hoods and fenders are a cheap and easy change and I was going to upgrade the suspension to fit my needs anyway. So really none of the standard arguments of sport vs off road matter to me at all. I understand my path my be some what different then most, but it was laid out for me rather early in my decision making process. Let me know if you have any questions or have any input for me. Thanks. I will continue to add to this thread as I'm in the middle of the break in period.

Here is the install video for the rear 3rd member. I will have the front diff install up soon.


Original link: https://youtu.be/l7761dWsBtY
 
Your video content is really well done. Very detailed and methodical with a bit of subtle humor. A pleasure to view. Thank you!
 
Just hit the 500 mile break in and changed the fluid on the rear
IMG_3943.webp
IMG_3944.webp
drain plug.webp
. I will have a follow up video on how the driving experience has changed.
 
I should have bit the bullet and did what you did getting fully assembled diffs from ECGS and then returning my cores. Every shop within an hour of me has a 3 to 4 week wait. Cars and trucks just sitting on racks waiting for parts. Then there was the one guy who walked out and saw the truck and asked me if the toyota front diff was hard to work on 🤣. I ran after that. I dont get it. I have every part needed and none of these shops even want to clear a rack to do a 3 day job and make money while they wait for parts to come in.
 
Berserker__taco said:
I should have bit the bullet and did what you did getting fully assembled diffs from ECGS and then returning my cores. Every shop within an hour of me has a 3 to 4 week wait. Cars and trucks just sitting on racks waiting for parts. Then there was the one guy who walked out and saw the truck and asked me if the toyota front diff was hard to work on 🤣. I ran after that. I dont get it. I have every part needed and none of these shops even want to clear a rack to do a 3 day job and make money while they wait for parts to come in.
Click to expand...
I would have ran too, that is freaking terrible. Sometimes I feel like no one wants to work. I really hope it works our for you and find a decent shop. Good luck.
 
Classytacos said:
I just wrapped up my install for the front and rear gears & lockers from East Coast Gear Supply. Wanted to start this thread for anyone considering the same thing.

Let me start by saying back when I was considering the Tacoma for a vehicle I came across a decent amount of folks complaining over the shift points and gearing. That is what lead me to purchase a used Sport model as I came into this fully intending to re-gear and add lockers. I did not want to purchase an Off Road or a Pro as I am not a fan of the restrictions on the factory e-locker just to remove it. I am a believer of any time you open a diff on a vehicle that you take off road/trails, you throw in a locker no matter what. Just do it the first time. Even If it means saving up longer, so be it. I could care less about the usual arguments of sport vs off road. Hoods and fenders are a cheap and easy change and I was going to upgrade the suspension to fit my needs anyway. So really none of the standard arguments of sport vs off road matter to me at all. I understand my path my be some what different then most, but it was laid out for me rather early in my decision making process. Let me know if you have any questions or have any input for me. Thanks. I will continue to add to this thread as I'm in the middle of the break in period.

Here is the install video for the rear 3rd member. I will have the front diff install up soon.


Original link: https://youtu.be/l7761dWsBtY
Click to expand...


Awesome work, great job on the video.

Curious on your thoughts of the (strength?) difference of the 8.75 rear end of the O/R vs the 8" rear on the sport. I know the ring gear is larger, and allegedly stronger, how much does it actually matter? Are the axle shafts stronger or have more splines?

S/F brother!
 
Front & rear lockers …the ultimate system…. Air or electronic…. Especially for rock crawlers…
They say learning to drive with both lockers on takes some learning too..
Better then any crawl control systems…!
Aloha,
 
taco.hog said:
Awesome work, great job on the video.

Curious on your thoughts of the (strength?) difference of the 8.75 rear end of the O/R vs the 8" rear on the sport. I know the ring gear is larger, and allegedly stronger, how much does it actually matter? Are the axle shafts stronger or have more splines?

S/F brother!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the kind words. I really do not have much knowledge in strength comparisons between the 2 diffs. If there is a strength difference I assume its marginal. For any real strength gains an axle swap is the way. That said, the large majority of what we do will be handled just fine by either diff. As for the shafts, again assuming here, as I have not had them both taken apart in my hands so I can count myself, but I'm confident the shafts are the same in terms of length, strength and spline count.
 
There's a lot of good info in this video we did for Driving Line on axles and tire sizes relative to the Dana 44, which is roughly comparable to the Toyota 8.75.


Original link: https://youtu.be/H5q8x6pCorE


The take home message is that if you don't roast your tires and let it bounce you should be fins with the 8.75 up to 35" tires. Even then I would think that shafts, not rings will fail first.

And then, if you have seen the itty bitty front clamshell then you will be MUCH more worried about that...

-M
 
OR and Pro….the factory locker is really limited…recommended for under 5 miles per hour & only use it to free one self and turn it off …I find this kinda of useless?
There will be times you will want it for longer periods, and higher speed runs..?
Plowing thru deep ,soft sands…?
Does the Sport model allow this?

Will Toyota ever offer Front & rear lockers ?
Aloha,
 
Lava road said:
OR and Pro….the factory locker is really limited…recommended for under 5 miles per hour & only use it to free one self and turn it off …I find this kinda of useless?
There will be times you will want it for longer periods, and higher speed runs..?
Plowing thru deep ,soft sands…?
Does the Sport model allow this?

Will Toyota ever offer Front & rear lockers ?
Aloha,
Click to expand...
I would argue that you don't need a locker for higher speed or plowing through sand. The locker only comes into play when you are going slow and one tire can spin freely while the other is bound up with traction. If you're going faster the locker will cause tracking and steering issues. With an OR, the traction control is much better at speed.
 
Classy, I have looked at about every video you have on your you tube site, your videos are very informative and helpful, I have done the rear locker and 5.29 gearing and am tackling the front this week when it stops raining, with the front apart, I will be doing new Koyo hubs, AP spindle support mod, alignment gusset upgrade and DirtKing LCA's with superbump bump stops, I am also doing the cab mount relocation mod, since I am a decent welder, I don't think it will be bad, just getting the stock mount off the frame will be a pain, but looked at a ton of videos on how to get it off, slow but sure will be the ticket. I did the ubolt flip with superbumps and new RC Leaf's also and that made a big difference, ride id a lot better.
Keep up the great videos, very inspiring!
 
Lava road said:
Front & rear lockers …the ultimate system…. Air or electronic…. Especially for rock crawlers…
They say learning to drive with both lockers on takes some learning too..
Better then any crawl control systems…!
Aloha,
Click to expand...
I agree, I live in the desert and it is nothing but rocks and sand, the dirt roads at high speed you don't need the lockers, but when you get to the rocks, you will need them, and you will get to the rocks out here! I am not a rock crawler, but you will be doing some out here if you want to get anywhere.
 
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