Toyota 'Back to the Future' pickup

[cruiseroutfit]

Sorry, your incorrect.

The 80 series differential has the diff pumpkin on "your" drivers side, being the left hand side of the vehicle, which is why it is an ideal conversion.

No, sorry, YOU are incorrect

80 Series (and SFA 100 Series) across the board are passenger side (US) aka right side drop, always have, every where, period. The diff side can and has been swapped, sorta the same procedure as a cut/turn with some added complexity at the diff.

 

[Hilux_Max]

Heres a couple pics of new Hilux's with 80 series landcruiser front diff conversions showing the diff centre of the 80 series diffs as being on the left hand side of the vehicle -

Another one -

And one more.....

All used an 80 series front differential.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Heres a couple pics of new Hilux's with 80 series landcruiser front diff conversions showing the diff centre of the 80 series diffs as being on the left hand side of the vehicle - All used an 80 series front differential.

Hmmm?

I can guarantee you that every stock 80 Series axle here in the US is a right hand differential. And I've honestly never hear of an OEM Toyota solid-axle being anything but a right hand diff, so 70-85' PU/4R, E-97' FJ40/45/55/60/62/70/80, etc. I've dealt with hundreds of them in the last 10 years, never, ever seen a factory left hand drop.

So either Toyota offered some limited left hand drops in various markets (would be the first I've heard of it) or those are custom flipped axles. At this point I'm pushing the custom flipped axles, again the procedure can and has been done on both sides of the ponds. We've done it with US spec (right hand diff housings) to flip them to left hand diff housings for Tacoma installs, no reason those guys havn't done the same.

How about you show me a picture of a stock LandCruiser 80 Series or 105 that has a left hand differential. Then I'll put my foot in my mouth

EDIT: Just spent the last few minutes browsing photos from my recent OZ trip, literally took hundreds of photos of LC's. Not a single Left Hand Drop?? All Right hand drop just like the US? Still theorizing those axles in your pics are custom.

 

[Hilux_Max]

Mate,

Just did some more searching and I think you are right....nowhere in those hilux builds did I see them mention that they fliped the 80series diff over, so I assumed that that was the way they came out.

Did a search on the toyota parts program and saw on there that they are in fact on the RHD of the vehicle, so I shall eat my own words....... :Wow1:

 

[Stealth 4x4]

Trail Gear also sells kits for that year - '85 like in the movie I mean.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

...Did a search on the toyota parts program and saw on there that they are in fact on the RHD of the vehicle, so I shall eat my own words....... :Wow1:

No worries. While I would have been shocked, I wouldn't have found it unbelievable, Toyota did some weird things in small runs. I've seen lots of neat little OEM 'gems' many of which originated from Aussie or some of the other Land Cruiser strongholds. Some will ask what 'gems', how about course spline AISIN hubs, rear split-case PTO units that bolted on the back of the t-case instead of the side. All sorts of fire engine and public service builds (like SOR's riot FJ55) and even an OEM 5speed transmission bolted to a one-piece transfer case, so rare the only one ever seen is in a photo. :victory:

There was some rumor that there was a certain vintage of late model 70 Series variant that had a LH diff axle but I could never find anything to back it up. Additionally there was the possibility of LH diff Bandeirante in South America as it seems there were some custom 'OEM' builds that took place down there too. I look forward to being corrected by anyone that has some pics of a rare gem

 

[RHINO]

ok so, hilux_max has given us something to chew on with those pics. thats obviously not a one off toyota dream truck, so, who is making those axles? and it explains why i knew i saw solid axle late model trucks in other countries and assumed it was still a factory option instead of IFS. its obviously aftermarket, but is it a company offering them or just a garage guy?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

ok so, hilux_max has given us something to chew on with those pics. thats obviously not a one off toyota dream truck, so, who is making those axles? and it explains why i knew i saw solid axle late model trucks in other countries and assumed it was still a factory option instead of IFS. its obviously aftermarket, but is it a company offering them or just a garage guy?

Any competent custom fab/axle shop should be able to handle the axle work. While it a fair amount of work, its all been done before. Like I said we've done them with 60/62 housings for Tacoma solid axle swaps. Basically you cut the knuckles off (same procedure as a cut & turn), and then re-work the differential cover (rotate it 180*) and notch the diff side to allow mating with the ring gear. If your running or plan to run an OE e-lock additional mods would be needed, but no different really than adding a e-locker to a non locker housing.

Here in the states we have Diamond axle at our fingertips, left hand diff Toyota axles are a common thing for them:

 

[Larry]

:lurk: While this is interesting watching the back and forth banter all I can say is….Man, I dunno. I am not a diehard fan of IFS but in a little truck with modest HP and torque like a Tacoma it seems to work very well especially now that Toyota has been running front coil springs vs. torsion bars since 1996 here in the states. Torsion bars were the main contributing factor to the lack of front suspension articulation and poor ride. Heck, I swear my torsion bar IFS 1990 Hilux road just as bad as any SFA yota that came before it. Again, I am often impressed with the IFS performance on later model Toyotas that is not to say that I still don’t prefer a SFA but there again, I own all heavy full size trucks. If I had a little yota, I would probably settle on IFS.

On the flip side of that, you just can’t get that later model Toyota kind of IFS performance out of a heavy full-size truck such as a GM product with torsion bars. GM IFS on their HD trucks is probably the cream of the crap with lack luster performance with the only true solution is to cut it out and replace it all with a nice Dana 60 sprung by leaf springs or coilovers…take your pick.

What I like best about the Back to the Future Tacoma is the manual transfercase. Now, that is what Tacoma’s really need. Throw the control head, encoder motor, transfer case control module and 8 lbs of wiring in the trash! That is just more crap to go wrong. :sombrero:

 

[Martinjmpr]

What I like best about the Back to the Future Tacoma is the manual transfercase. Now, that is what Tacoma’s really need. Throw the control head, encoder motor, transfer case control module and 8 lbs of wiring in the trash! That is just more crap to go wrong. :sombrero:

Agree with you 100% there.

Don't know if you've seen it but apparently some of the spy pics of the 2010 4runner show what may be a manual T-case lever (like the one in the FJC.) No confirmation, though. I would expect if the 4runner has it, the Taco will get it when it is redesigned for 2013.

 

[Larry]

Agree with you 100% there.

Don't know if you've seen it but apparently some of the spy pics of the 2010 4runner show what may be a manual T-case lever (like the one in the FJC.) No confirmation, though. I would expect if the 4runner has it, the Taco will get it when it is redesigned for 2013.

Yeah, that was the first thing I noticed when I saw that picture. I about fell out of my chair in shock. A good kind of shock.

 

[RHINO]

Kurt, i was mostly thinking out loud to the coincidence? that the BTTF truck is running the same axle in the above aftermarket pics because its not the only one i've seen. kinda chicken or the egg.


I agree Larry, I only really prefer the solid axle for its simple ruggedness, and i'd prefer leaves to coils on that solid axle. has nothing to do with handling or ride, just simple rugged build.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Kurt, i was mostly thinking out loud to the coincidence? that the BTTF truck is running the same axle in the above aftermarket pics because its not the only one i've seen. kinda chicken or the egg...

Your confusing me here. They are not the same axle. The BTTF truck is running a right-hand diff axle, just like every other Land Cruiser and Toyota SFA truck on the road for the last 50+ years. The aftermarkets above are using left-hand diff axles which likely started life as right-hand diffs and were rotated as I outlined above. They did this to be able to use the left hand drop t-cases that Toyota used in the Tacoma/4Runner platforms.

I stand by my theory... Toyota has never mass-produced a a left hand drop axle, nor have I even seen a prototype one but fab shops can and have built LH drop axles using RH drop OE axles as the core... so they will look EXACTLY the same albeit a LHD. Confusing enough

 

[RHINO]

i think i confused myself.. your right i dunno what i was thinkin, must be this jury duty thing.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

i think i confused myself.. your right i dunno what i was thinkin, must be this jury duty thing.

I think we've all been confused at one time or other in this thread :victory: