Rebuilt Rear Diff for 1990 SR5 Hilux

hi Chris I'm just wondering if u cant tell us want went wrong, was it just an acco, or failure?

I'm interested as a fellow Hilux owner of similar model.

cheers & good luck.

Removing the diff is no big deal, particulairly if it is a rear one.

DO NOT FORGET ABOUT SAFETY, ensure car is well blocked up and secure before going underneath.

Also remember both diff and gearbox, when you do the clutch are very heavy, and you will have trouble getting much power out of your arms, whilst underneath. You could get considerable help using a trundle jack, particularly if you have a hard surface to do the job on.

Now being an old Sydney sider, you could do worse than to go to Grandan gears, to get the diff fixed. They may have changed their name, but they are a very well established company. One of their outlets is on Parramatta Road, where the road comes down from the racecourse at Granville.

Do not try to curtail what they want to do, for example you should have the crown wheel and pinion lapped, it will make the diff run much quiter.

They are honest people, it is not a job for the backyarder, as the diff must be set up correctly, if you want it to last. I when I lived in Sydney, took my diff out, and got it back from them the same day.

Now you can pussy foot around with clutch replacement, but stop and consider, that a good clutch company, will change the clutch in a third of the time you will, because they have all the right gear.

Hills clutch service, offer brand new clutches, at the same price as many of the rebuilts.

Remember to change the throw out bearing, the new clutch may make it noisey, and also change the spigot bearing. The last one requires a special tool, bearing is only a few dollars, but to have to pull it out again will really cheese you off, because it was not replaced.

Lastly unless the flywheel is perfect, have the clutch surface replaced, it will prolong the life of your clutch greatly.

I am sorry to say, that trying to save dollars on this effort, will not be worth it, in comparision to the risk taken. Likewise with S/H parts.

Regards

Col Tigwell

Hi Chris
Have been down this path with a 94 hilux.
A diff rebuild will cost well over a grand. A lot of mulah.
Go to a 4X4 wreakers and select a diff of a late model hilux 1996? this should cost $500-$600. You will get many km's out of it.

Likewise, I blew the diff in the '86, killing the pinion and crownwheel in the process. The Lockright guys (4WD Systems - SA) supplied a reco diff with their Lockrite system installed ($1200) and I've been abusing this ever since. It's clunky and noisy on the road but once in the bush it's a no brainer and there are far and few places the lux wont go, (so far).
My initial reaction to the increased backlash was negative and I thought the damn thing would have gone to pieces by now given the noise it makes, but it's still going strong. For the record I use the ute everyday for work and cover 500Kms a week on average, on road, so it can't be that bad!
I believe that the LR unit for the LSD diff is the better option, as it retains the LSD clutches which takes up the slack, thus promoting a smoother trasition between locked and unlocked.
I would go this option had I to do it over again and will if I eventually break the current unit.