100 series front diffs

Heard all the talk , but have you actually spoken to someone who has had a failure ? There is a fair bit of BS in this .
I have spoken to a few 4WD mechanics of note and they say that the only time they are weak , is if you strain them too much in reverse .

I think that it a standing order; don't reverse tow or snatch with any Toyota. They ain't Nissan's remember.....!

One member here with un-named with a 105 doing a training course drove over a rock. He can spell his name out to you and the info too if he wants, but broke teeth off.

Some Nissan proponents know of a friend of a friend of a friend who heard of someone who could have had a problem with a Toyota sometime.

However Toyota owners are very content though and I am one of them.

Bit like the bleep about cracking IFS - I chased everywhere checking this out before I got my new 100 Series TD and could not find any actual examples. Local ARB and others had not seen any and said it was a Chicken Little story.

In short, the aftermarket guys were happy to sell an aftermarket kit but it was a case of maaaate, some blokes can break anything if they really try and if it is extreme offroad you want, every vehicle has to be modified and every vehicle will break something, some way, some day.

What about the hares running around about Nissan 3.0 's that hole their pistons?

I know of a driver of a IFS 100Series who broke a few teeth on the front diff.
The vehicle was driven up a rutted hill that it should have been able to drive up, but because a wheel was lifted off the ground and then come back down with the wheel spinning, the diff went bang. The diff was fixed under warranty.

I have also seen the reinforcement part that ARB supply fitted to vehicles but as yet not seen a broken front end.

There is a lot of talk out there but I only go with what I have seen myself,that way I know that it is true.

Wayne

I look after heaps of 4by's in my workshop and have never had a problem with a toyota front diff being either a 100 800 60 or hilux.
Mind you I have to go up to Lower Portland and have a look at one this week but I think he has smashed a cv joint trying to tow a jeep with boat attached up a boat ramp that the jeep couldn't manage.
I will see as it may well be my first but I doubt it.

I love my Land Cruiser 100 but it's now the misses car and I now have a 80 Series.
1. first crown wheel was my fault 5000km (replaced by Toyota)
2. first CV was my fault (helping pull mates Triton up rocks)
3,4. Cv's who nows (lockers then put in front & rear)
5. second crown wheel lost teeth going up a steep climb (straight run, after this many breakages to scared to turn the steering wheel $$$$$$$$$$$$)
6. Just replaced the third crown wheel 3 teeth missing (now have a second hand front diff with my front locker sitting in a box in the garage)

Don't you just love all the Toyota drivers who think their cars are so much superior than the rest then put their heads in the sand when something goes wrong :-)
Yes the 100 series diffs are weak as pi$$. How do I know? Well I've blown 4 & heard of at least 60 more on the "Landcruiser owners online" chat group.
When I blew the first one I took it into the Toyota dealer & they said they had only ever repaired one other yet the apprentice told me they had done 6 that year. They didn't even look at the car, just ordered all the parts & repaired it no questions asked. The fact they didn't query the warrenty claim at all told me it was very common indeed. The diff is basically the same as used in the earlier Hilux's & even they broke them.
The most common way they break is when heavily loaded in first gear low range, you lift a wheel, it spins without traction then suddenly comes down. Result is between 2 & 10 teeth ripped off the crown wheel. The accepted reason it happens is that the diff centre housing flex's under extreme load allowing the teeth to separate just enough that they jump over & BANG. The other less likely way is when snatching in reverse. Only heard of 2 such cases personally.
A regular fix for the problem is to fit an ARB diff lock. The 2 piece diff centre is machined & bolted together (not 1 piece cast) & is said to be 10 times more rigid than standard. Also the crushable spacer is replaced by a machined spacer minimising any flex there as well.
It seems that often the first time you blow one may be after 50,000+ KM but a 2nd one may go after only another 10K. I put this down to poor fitment by the Toyota dealers who may not be diff experts. My last repair was by ATS in Geelong, one of the few workshops that seem to understand the problem. They have done almost 40 100 series diffs & only had 2 back (both who were into competition) They even machined my ARB locker which wasn't totally true to set the diff up as good as it can be. Have had no issue since (touch wood) despite a fair bit of 1st low, high country driving.
The problem is not isolated to just one model & solid or inependent axle makes little difference.
The extent of the problem can be seen by the fact that 4WD monthly ran a 3 page step by step article with photo's a while back explaining how you can swap your constant 4 wheel drive 100 series into a rear wheel drive out in the bush after you blow up the front diff. I have the proceedure down to 20 minutes & even carry two 14mm spanners to do the job:-)))
So lets not pretend the problem doesn't exhist. It's an issue Toyota no doubt hopes will just go away but seems not to be doing much about, they certainly don't want to talk to anyone who's blown one that's for sure & for the 95%+ who don't go true offroad with their 100 series it will never be an issue.
For those who have a blown diff or want more imformation on how to strengthen them for real offroad use then have a look on the
landcruiser owners online 100 series forum. (& for those in denial, stop putting your head in the sand:-)
Cheers Craig.........
HZJ105 with 4 blown front diffs. O what a feeling............
PS: Why do you ask Dieselup? What do you drive?