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Rear Diamond Axle swap

6K views 23 replies 12 participants last post by  tacosupreme 
#1 ·
After grenading another rear E-locker diff that also took out an axle I decided it's time to upgrade a little. I got almost 100K miles on the stock rear, about 50K on 37's and went through 2 chunks and a couple axles. I don't spend a lot of time in boulder patches though. To me, if you can walk faster than you can drive it's not entertaining. Anywho, I ordered a Diamond axle with a 9.5" Landcruiser chunk with a detroit locker and 4.88 gears. I had problems with E-locker reliability (who doesn't) and wanted something that just worked, no buttons to mash. I know it's not the strongest thing out there, but I needed a fairly lightweight solution as I still launch this pig and don't need a RockJock 60 boat anchor back there. The other cool thing is that the 9.5 pinion is the same length as the 8", so the driveline bolted right up. I just got the brakes plumbed and all the leaks fixed last night. Flaring Stainless brake lines sucks!







 
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#2 ·
Looks like a nice upgrade. Disc brakes too...
 
#5 ·
I'm pretty excited about it too. Found out my driveline is bent to shit, new one will be here tomorrow. I've had some wonky vibrations for a while, and figured it was bent axles. Put it on jack stands and let it idle in 2nd gear and found the drive shaft is wobbly... not sure how or when it happened.
 
#7 ·
Interesting, but two questions what did you do with the VSS as at least on my truck it was picked up at the abs sensors in the rear axle. Second why the LC axle and not say a ford 9", or even an 8.4 for that matter they're all substantially stronger than the E-locker and cheaper/easier to get parts for to boot.
 
#8 ·
he didnt get the E-Locker center? just the LC 9.5" with a lockright.
 
#12 ·
After grenading another rear E-locker diff that also took out an axle I decided it's time to upgrade a little. I got almost 100K miles on the stock rear, about 50K on 37's and went through 2 chunks and a couple axles. I don't spend a lot of time in boulder patches though. To me, if you can walk faster than you can drive it's not entertaining. Anywho, I ordered a Diamond axle with a 9.5" Landcruiser chunk with a detroit locker and 4.88 gears. I had problems with E-locker reliability (who doesn't) and wanted something that just worked, no buttons to mash. I know it's not the strongest thing out there, but I needed a fairly lightweight solution as I still launch this pig and don't need a RockJock 60 boat anchor back there.
Why not a Ford 9" ?
 
#13 ·
I must admit that staying with factory Toyota parts was the biggest reason, but also the pinion length and position is different than stock on a 9", and exactly the same on a 9.5". I would have had to get a new drive shaft with the 9". Price was also a big consideration. I looked at a built Camburg full floater and it was 30% more than the diamond, with very similar quality. Also the lockers on nines are smaller where the detroit in the 9.5" is almost as big as one from a Dana 60. In the end, if the 9" was cheaper for the same strength I would have one under the truck, but I felt there was more value in the 9.5" with (hopefully) more strength to boot.
 
#17 ·
Looks good! I've been beating the hell out of my 9.5 elocker rear third under my 1st gen tacoma for about 4 years now, and it still looked brand new when I swapped it into my Diamond housing.

I've been so happy with it over 8" garbage, that I had my front diamond built to also take a 9.5 third. I've been very happy with the whole setup! Wish I would've done bigger brakes like that on mine though, I stuck with the 80 rear discs.
 
#20 ·
I have a manual transmission, so there is a speed sensor in the T-case. Just unplug the wires to the wheel speed sensors and no more ABS. There are other ways to do it of course, like cutting the power to the ABS pump, but that is the easiest. I need to get a line lock myself. Then we can burn up a set of tires even faster! :D
 
#21 ·
Killer rear axle....can't wait to see it installed and then on the trails.
Oh ...are you planning to add reinforcement stiffeners to the axle?
 
#22 ·
It is installed and on the trails! I don't think that I need to gusset anything. Those axle tubes are pretty thick. I don't know if it would be possible to bend the housing without destroying the truck it's attached to.





I'm glad I got it a couple inches wider than stock. There is so much more room for activities!


 
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