I want to change my diffs out to 4.88's, add another Air Locker to the front (currently occupied by an Auburn), and have the rear ARB fixed (blown o-ring). I don't have a good local shop (that I can trust), and I don't feel comfortable doing this myself, so I was thinking of farming my diffs out to someone to get the work done. Has anyone done this over the mail, and can you recommend a reliable shop with realistic prices?

My search of the archives yielded conflicting results, most people talk about doing it themselves or taking the diffs in to a local shop. I don't have either privilege, reason #489 that I hate living in Virginia.

I would check with Sean (Gearman on P4x4) or I had min einstalled at a chop in Orange called T&J Off Road 714-633-0991. I got tired of no one wanting to do the ARBs on a Toyota so I called ARB and they recommended the guys at T&J. Hope this helps.:)

I have a guy in Louisiana that only charges $150 for the setup and it should not bee too bad on the ARB fix/install.

When you do the gear change you should do it on an old course spline 3rd member so you can sell the fine spline 4.11's and recoup the $$ you spend on gears.

I have one and I cna get you another easily.

Let me know

You're not the first person to suggest that, Nolen! I can probably source a couple of course spline diffs locally, that shouldn't be a problem. My only doubts are:
1. Should I buy new pinion flanges to fit my t-case?
2. How much do you think the existing diffs would be worth? The front one has the OEM 4.11 R&P with an Auburn LSD installed about 50K miles ago, the rear has aftermarket 4.11 R&P and an ARB Air Locker with a blown o-ring, installed about 30K miles ago. I can't see much of a market for *either* differential, so I might just get these two built, the Princess can sit for a while sans differentials and I will probably get a set of Longfields at the same time. 37's, here I come! :)

Henry,

Let's talk before you do anything. The market is good for the fine spline diffs. I see them go for $250 all the time. Add $300 for the ARB and $200 for the Auburn and I see you getting $1000 for the lot, or at least close. You also save the person a bunch of $$ on setup.

Next, you buy one ARB for the front with Longfields and just use a Lock Right in the rear. No need for an ARB in a LWB Cruiser, especially a 90% trail rig ( ;) )

I may be able to help out on the ARB too....

I'll call you, Nolen! Lockrite in the rear is *out of the question*, I didn't like the way a 60 drives with one, and while there is a growing possibility that the Princess will cease to be a primary driver for me, she'll never be a full-on trail rig, I need my Cruiser to be ready to drive to Alaska and back if I want to. It will be ARB front and rear...

The more I think about a dedicated trail rig, the more I want to build an FJ40! :)

I might still sell the front diff, though, that is not a bad idea. The rear, we'll see...

Henry- shoot tyke an email if you are getting rid of the auburn- he is looking for a spare. Gears dont matter as he is 4:88's, and he can help with getting course splined diffs if you need em. Maybe you two can work something out.

his email is farmboy@sover.net

You could get a new 3rd member with OEM cable locker for around $2000 in Sweden.

Henry: I am seriously considering doing the same on my diffs. I friggin' HATE the way my '62 dogs on the highway on 33's, I've actually got 31's on it now just to get it back to drivable. Looks stooopid on OMEs. I also want to have my ARB's gone over, make sure they're OK. I talked to Paul at Randy's R&P just to get an estimate, this is what I was quoted:

Gears: $214 (4.88's)
Bearings: $119 (Toyota OEM)
Labor: $280

Depending on my diffs, he said it might also require a "bolt kit" that is $45 extra. This doesn't include shipping, which would be about $45 each diff, each way. Really SUCKS not having anybody around here that knows ARBs and Cruiser diffs.

My idea was to pull the front axles and diff, stick a piece of plywood over the hole in the axle so I can still drive the truck in 2WD. Ship it out, then when it comes back, install it in the rear axle with all new gaskets and bearings. Then ship the rear one out, when it comes back put it in the front with a complete rebuild on the knuckles.

But I'm confused on this "coarse spline diff" idea. :confused:

One of you guys just need to buy my 4.88 diffs. New gears and install kits, fine spline, professionally setup, never ran 'em. $700. You can even recover some of the costs by selling your complete 3rds... c'mon! :D

I appreciate the offer, CruiserKen, but it's not a good deal for me because I want to put ARB's in there, so I'll have to pay to have them reinstalled anyway.

KLF, when I mentioned getting a pair of cheap coarse-spline differentials, I was referring to the fact that if I'm going to replace the carrier with an ARB, put new ring and pinion gears and all new bearings, then all I need is the housing, the shell. It can be from a coarse spline differential, which I have a better chance of finding real cheap. Does this make sense?

Looks like my best deal is finding a decent shop somewhere within driving distance, taking them the two diffs from under the Princess and buying another ARB, two bearing kits, and two sets of 4.88's, then having the shop build me the two axles. I've crunched numbers for all options and this is the best one, plus it leaves just enough money for some Newfields or Longfields (still undecided on that, too, but leaning towards Longfields).

Originally posted by Cruiser Ken
One of you guys just need to buy my 4.88 diffs. New gears and install kits, fine spline, professionally setup, never ran 'em. $700. You can even recover some of the costs by selling your complete 3rds... c'mon! :D

Yeah, what Henry said. I already have ARBs in both of my diffs, wouldn't make sense to pull yours all apart just to get my lockers swapped in. Sorry. But that's a great price!

KLF, When you say your 62 was a dog with the stock gears and 33's how bad was it. I'm thinking of selling my built 40 to build the 62 into a trail rig and I'm still doing my research on it. With the 33's could you run in O.D. or not?

Henry, Why would you run the ARB's and not Factory cable lockers? Is there a problem with them besides being make of platnum :D

Thanks for the input guy's.

Michael

I think the reason more folks don't go with the cable lockers is because you need a Full Floater rearend which wasn't available on 60s/62s in the US. Even in 40s it is pretty rare. That and the expense. Personally, I'd love to have them, but I went with an ARB because of price.

lcsixty, I know about the full floater aspect, but since Henry's 62 is a non us model I assume, and I could be very wrong, that it came with a full floter rear so I'm curious about strength issues and useablity. Price for me would put the ARB first, but a full floter can be found and so can factory lockers. They just cost mucho $$$$$. Thanks for your reply :beer: to you.

Michael

My Venezuelan-spec FJ62 came stock with a Dana 60, an oddbird semi-floater hybrid with the pumpkin offset like a Land Cruiser axle and everything Toyota from the backing plates out. It was a PITA, I used to clear rocks with the front axle, then smack into them with the rear Dana 60, usually peeling the bottom inch or so of the cover plate and thus suffering from a constant slow leak of 90 weight.

I replaced it with a Cruiser semi-floater axle out of an FJ60 a few years ago.

A full-floater would be fantastic, but the question of reliability is open for debate. Since almost all of the 60 series full floaters in the US come from Australia, and are available from only two sources, it's really like playing the lottery. On one hand it could have come from an HJ60 driven by a retired accountant in a Sidney suburb, or it could have come out of the HJ60 owned by the expedition outffiter that was used to cross the Simpson desert 100 times and just collapsed from abuse. I know of several people that have pretty much ended up with the later and had lots of problems, and that's something I don't want to deal with.

Thanks Henry I learn something everday about Cruisers. That hybrid LC/Dana 60 axle does sound like a PITA. So the ff axle and cable locker becomes not only expensive but a gamble on how abused it is before you put it in and if you R & R ed first then your talking :eek: money.

My concern with setting up my fj62 as then new trail rig and do almost any task I ask it vehicle is the 3fe motor. Do you think it has the hp and torque to turn 33's with the stock 4.11 and the auto tranny with out becoming a complete dog on the slights incline? On trail I'm sure it would do fine, but I still have to get there. In your opinon how close to stock rocket speed :) can I get back to with say 4.56's and 33's?

I am interested in your opinon as you wheel a 3fe motor but I know you have the non us 5 speed. I did run 33's with the 2f motor still in my 75 fj40 until it died and the 350 fell in.

Thanks for the input.

Michael