Centre Diff

[Greebo]

Does anyone know how practical/easy/expensive it would be to fit a central diff to a 2nd gen surf?

I realy like the 2nd gen model over the 3rd gen but would like to be able to drive in 4wd anytime i want.
mainly for times when driving in slush and patchy snow, things like that when you need 4wd but with sections that are dry and risk winding up the trans.
If anyone has done this already i would love some info.

[rich]

It would not be easy or cheap I dont think!

[Elvz]

To make a 2nd generation Surf full-time 4WD you just need the transfer box from a '96 onwards Prado or Colorado. It has the centre diff in the case and it just bolts on in place of the Surf one. The only other thing you need to do is remove the vacuum pipes from the ADD actuator so 4WD stays engaged all the time

....been there, done that, so I can say from experience that there is absolutely no advantage to this modification. The only differences you are likely to notice will be negative ones...

Your fuel consumption will increase, your front tyres will wear out twice as quick, and it is quite likely that the front diff will fail because it isnt very tough - the actual diff inside the casing is the same one that the 80's 1200cc toyota starlet used.

[TonyN]

I agree with Elvz, its not worth the effort, (apart from the bit about the diffs, not heard of any blown ones at all, although 3rd gens are stronger as they are reverse cut, high pinion versions of the 2nd gen ones. apart for landcruiser ones when towing heavy loads in reverse (well acually we were recovering a stuck pickup, up a steep hill in reverse and giving it some), but these are different front IFS diffs anyway. If it did come from a Starlet, it was way over engineered! )

I would'nt run a 3rd gen in 4wd anyway unless it was snowy/icey.

[Greebo]

Thanks for the replys
wasn't thinking of making it full time 4wd just the same as it is only with the option of running it in 4wd on tarmac if ness just like the 3rd gen can.

So would it realy be that easy just to bolt on a 3rd gen transfer box in place of the one on it now?

I note what you say about the front diff but would it be strong enough to manage the few and probably short amount of time it would be used?

one other thing do you know if the selector stick from a 3rd gen would fit in to a 2nd gen or would it need some modifacation? cos as i said i would not want full time 4wd so would need to be able to lock it when off road. and so would need the 4high & 4high locked ect ect options.

[Morr]

...............one other thing do you know if the selector stick from a 3rd gen would fit in to a 2nd gen or would it need some modifacation? cos as i said i would not want full time 4wd so would need to be able to lock it when off road. and so would need the 4high & 4high locked ect ect options.

Not too sure on this, the linkages on the transfer boxes are somewhat different whilst the tx box lever is on the passinger side of the gear lever in a 3rd gen whilst if memory serves me correctly its on the drivers side in a 2nd gen (both refering to Auto models)

[Elvz]

"I note what you say about the front diff but would it be strong enough to manage the few and probably short amount of time it would be used?

one other thing do you know if the selector stick from a 3rd gen would fit in to a 2nd gen or would it need some modifacation? cos as i said i would not want full time 4wd so would need to be able to lock it when off road. and so would need the 4high & 4high locked ect ect options."


The 2nd gen diff is ok for what Toyota intended it to do, which is ocassional light off-road use.

When I had this modification done I used a V6 Prado engine gearbox and transfer box as one unit. After a few weeks high speed off-road use the Surf front diff unit became very noisy and I had it replaced with something a lot better.

I've never owned an auto transmission toyota and i have no interest in them but on manual cars the 2nd generation Surf and '96 on Prado boxes are exactly the same shape, size and the transmission levers are in the same positions inside the car but you would need all or some of the linkage and the selection levers so that you would have the locked settings.