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How It Works: Dropout Vs. Carrier-Type Differentials
A pumpkin is a pumpkin, right? We’re talking about differential housings not jack-o’-lanterns; and hold your horses all are not created equal in the eyes of the drivetrain gods. While diff housings all do the same basic thing: house the gears that make forward motion possible, there are two different designs at work here. Dropout Differentials Dropout differentials, also known as third members, can be readily identified by their removable front center section. The ring and pinion gear set in a dropout diff is contained within a carrier assembly that can be removed or dropped out for easy access. The iconic Ford 9-inch is a dropout or third member type of differential and GM, Toyota, and Chrysler also offer dropout diffs. The ribbed housing is a quick giveaway that this is a Ford 9-inch. Along with the OE Ford 9-inch, there are tons of custom aftermarket Ford 9-inch configurations. The General has dropouts but many of them date back to the 1950s and are not relevant today. Toyota dropout-style diffs consist of the 7.5” rear, 8” rear, 8” high pinion, 8” clamshell, 7.5”, 8.5”, T100 IFS, and numerous 9”, 9.5”, and 10” offerings. In the Mopar world dropout differentials are called banjo-style diffs because someone thought the assembly, when pictured with an axle shaft, had the look of the infamous stringed musical instrument. The Chrysler 8.75” is the automaker’s most popular dropout-style diff. Of course, Dana manufactures a number of dropout style diffs that appear in vehicles across numerous brands. In some circles a front-loading dropout-type diff is known as a pig-style diff. While on the subject of slang, our friends across the pond call the ring gear a “crown wheel” … hey, as long as we’re on the same page it’s all good. Perhaps the main inherent advantage of a dropout diff is easy gear swaps. The gear swap advantage boils down to where you do the work. Since the gear case center section can be unbolted and removed, all the ring and pinion gear installation and tedious setup can be done away from the vehicle on a workbench. It’s more comfortable and access to, and applying leverage on, the key components is much easier. Carrier Differentials Carrier differentials have a cover on the backside of the pumpkin that is unbolted to gain access to the ring and pinion gears and other internal workings of the diff. GM’s 10-bolt and 12-bolt differentials are common examples of carrier-style diffs, which may be referred to as Salisbury differentials by those who speak the Queen’s English. The fact that the gears are visible on the backside of the housing is a telltale sign this is a carrier-type differential. Carrier-type differentials are more popular and they have some strengths when compared to a dropout diff. Troubleshooting is one. Looking for broken or worn parts in a carrier diff is as easy as removing the back cover where in a dropout you have to commit to a full gear case removal to see what’s going on. It should be noted that some custom aftermarket dropout diffs have rear inspection covers to address this concern. There is a less common concern for carrier diff drivers who wheel on the weekends; the diff cover. Traversing craggy terrain can result in the stock diff cover being peeled back like a can of sardines. A protruding rock or tree stump can also spell doom by way of impact damage. The answer: Yukon Hardcore Performance Diff Covers. They look great and are constructed from thick-walled high strength nodular steel to protect lockers, gears, and axles from extreme impacts as well as deflection caused by flex in the housing. Hardcore Performance Diff Covers come with a durable powder coat finish, magnetic drain plug, quality gasket, and high-strength steel fasteners for easy bolt-on installation. Knowing what dropout and carrier-type differentials are and a general idea how they work will help you make more informed installation decisions as you have the knowledge and vocabulary to talk straight with your mechanic. Shop Re-Gear Kits
Introducing Yukon Stage 2 Re-Gear Kits For Jeeps
Yukon Gear & Axle® Stage 2 Re-Gear Kits consists of front and rear Yukon ring and pinion gear sets, installation kits, and front and rear Yukon Hardcore Diff Covers. The kits can be ordered in gear ratios ranging from 3.73, 4.11, 4.56, 4.88, 5.13, and 5.38. They are available in a variety of Rubicon and non-Rubicon applications for JK, JL, and JT Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators. A big benefit of these kits is how they allow the savvy Jeep owner to move to a more aggressive gear ratio if they choose. Whether you’re optimizing the performance of your current setup or dialing in a big-tire upgrade, Yukon has all the bases covered. The kits are application-matched so you get all the right small parts needed for a complete installation with one easy-to-order part number. Stay tuned as Yukon will be expanding this kit program to include versions that bundle additional components for enthusiasts who want even more of that go-anywhere capability when the trail calls. Shop Yukon Gear & Axle Staged Re-Gear Kit For Jeeps Yukon Gear & Axle Stage 2 Re-Gear Kit Delivers Yukon front and rear ring and pinion gear sets Front and rear installation kits Front and rear Yukon Hardcore Diff Covers
Choosing The Right Gear Ratio - Video
There are three main reasons to re-gear your ride. The first is to recapture the lost drivability and fuel efficiency of a daily driven vehicle that has been upgraded with larger wheels and tires. The second is to fine tune the performance characteristics of a vehicle that is a dedicated off-roader, tow rig, or drag racer where the focus is more on low-end grunt and acceleration. The third is to improve fuel efficiency. The accompanying video outlines the reasoning and consid3rations that should go into finding the right gear ratio for your ride. Shop Re-Gear Kits
Upgrade Your Toyota’s Drivetrain With Top-Quality Yukon Parts
Toyota’s have earned a long-running cult-like reputation for off-road tenacity for absorbing abuse and overcoming obstacles on the trail. We get it. And we’ve developed hundreds of part numbers dedicated to the illustrious sombrero badge. If you own a Toyota and want to run with the bear we have Grizzly Lockers, Spartan Lockers, Dura Grip limited slip units, Master Overhaul Gear Kits, complete ring and pinion sets, and more. Read this article in Espanol Going Big-Tire On Your Toyota? Upgrading to bigger wheels and tires is a rite of passage in many off-road circles. Whether you like the look or plan to step up your wheeling game, it’s wise to recognize your 35-, 37-, or 40-inch tires need to do more than merely fit. Getting the larger rolling stock under your rig is the beginning of the process, not the end. The larger-than-stock circumference of big tires change your truck’s final drive ratio and can negatively alter its performance. This change can impact acceleration, freeway cruising, and many aspects of off-road performance. It can also put undo load and wear on your driveline. Changing the gear ratio in your Toyota’s front and rear diffs can turn back the clock and recapture your vehicle’s driving characteristics. Yukon’s Toyota re-gear offerings cover 1996-and-up 4Runners, ’95-and-up Tacomas, and 2000-and-up Tundras. Yukon’s re-gear ring and pinion gear set kits encompass many popular Toyota differentials like the 8.75” rear, 8” clamshell front, and the venerable 8” rear that is featured on countless V6-powered Toyota 4x4s. Jump-start your re-gear kit product search here by listing your Toyota’s specs in the part finder here. In The Mood For More Traction? We can steer you to three great traction options: the Yukon Dura Grip positraction LSD, the Yukon Grizzly Locker and the Spartan Locker. Where an open diff will freewheel the tire that lacks traction, the Dura Grip limited slip differential uses clutch packs to funnel traction to the tire that has the best grip. In its static state the unit is pre-loaded and provides traction to both wheels. When it’s further loaded… under acceleration, in a fast corner, or when wheel slippage occurs off-road… the clutch packs will apply more torque to the wheel that has the best traction and reduce the transfer of power to the wheel that’s slipping, giving you the balanced traction you need when you need it. All Toyota Dura Grips are heavy duty four-pinion-gear designs built with a high-strength nodular iron case, forged 4320 chromoly spider gears, and top-quality composite clutches. It should be noted that the clutch packs can be rebuilt to bring the unit back to its original performance level or different clutches can be used to fine tune the Dura Grip’s performance to better match your style of driving. Lockers are the big hitter in the off-roader’s arsenal, providing game changing traction on the trail while retaining near-stock drivability on the road. The Yukon Grizzly Locker is a mechanical locker or automatic locker that requires no pneumatic or electronic activation. It replaces the entire carrier assembly and provides incredible clamping force, forged internals, and a forged 8620 low-nickel alloy steel case that is much more robust than the OE carrier it replaces. During on-throttle driving conditions, load is applied to the differential which induces locking, sending 100 percent of the power to both drive tires equally. The Spartan Locker generates reliable, full-lock-up traction at a low cost. The Spartan Locker is not a singular component you swap in but a collection of parts that converts an open differential carrier (and only an open differential carrier) into a mechanical locker. A typical Spartan Locker consist of a pair of drivers, two side couplers, four alignment pins, four pre-load springs, a hardened cross-pin shaft, a roll pin, and installation wires. These lockers feature heat-treated 9310 steel drivers and couplers for enhanced durability. The advantages of utilizing a Spartan Locker are its 100% lock up and its value. They cost less than half the price of an air-operated locker, and remember this is before factoring in the cost of a pneumatic operating system. Further, Spartan Lockers are about a third the price of a large-frame mechanical locker. Going with a Spartan Locker also pays off when it comes to installation. Since it’s less labor intensive than a large-frame locker, installing a Spartan Locker costs less. The savings can be even more substantial if you handle the install yourself. Got A Tired Drivetrain? When it comes to differential maintenance, Yukon Master Overhaul kits deliver all the high-quality small parts you need to do the job right. Each kit consists of carrier bearings and races, pinion bearings and races, a pinion seal, complete shim kit, ring gear bolts, pinion nut, crush sleeve (if applicable), oil baffles and slingers (if applicable), thread locking compound, marking compound with brush, and a gasket. Yukon Master Overhaul kits are the most comprehensive and complete kits on the market because we do all the research to ensure that every kit is specially tailored to the proper Toyota application. Pre-built Toyota Dropouts Make re-gearing your Toyota easy by ordering a complete assembled dropout. Taking this route delivers a pre-built diff with the ratio you want installed while also saving you the hassle of resetting pre-load and backlash if you were to re-build your existing housing. Yukon heavy-duty dropouts feature upgraded materials and an improved design versus OEM to provide heavy-duty strength, ensuring they are ready to stand up to any abuse you can throw their way. You can elect to upgrade your dropout with double or triple drilled pinion flanges, solid pinion spacers and shims in place of crush sleeves (to better maintain gear setup preload), and you can add a locker or positraction limited slip differential to your build. An added benefit of this approach is installation cost. Going with a rebuilt dropout reduces downtime and saves money on the labor. Further, those comfortable with swapping out the housing can handle the install themselves, saving even more money. Check out our Toyota dropouts for Toyota’s with V6 engines (YP DOTV6) and Toyota’s running the 8" diff (YP DOT8). Yukon also offers Toyota-specific spider gears, yokes, knuckle kits, axles, and small parts like, bearings, u-joints, seals, shims, cross pins, washers, and nuts. The bottom-line message here is hardcore Toyota owners who expect their rides to meet the challenge of the trail or Everyday Joes who primarily drive on the street have found their one-stop shopping destination.
Yukon Gear & Axle Dana 30 Performance Options
The Dana 30 differential has been pulling the front of Jeeps around since the CJ-5s of the early 1970s. Available in high- and low-pinion versions as well as standard and reverse rotation versions, the Dana 30 can be found in Wranglers, Cherokees, Grand Cherokees, and Comanche MJs to name a few. They are also in early Ford Broncos and various AMC applications. Too often the capabilities of this mighty-mite diff are overlooked and enthusiasts swap them out. But the D30 has a huge aftermarket behind it and there are plenty of spares waiting for rescue in junkyards across the country… the D30 is begging to be built! Thrive Don’t Just Survive If you’re rolling a Dana 30 why not take advantage of its extensive modification potential? It’s a great landing spot for drop-in lockersockers like our Spartan Locker, large-frame lockers like our Yukon Zip and Grizzly units, and positraction limited slip differentials like our Spartan Helical LSD. Spartan Locker Spartan Locker The Spartan Locker is known as a drop-in or lunchbox locker. This product is not a single unit that is swapped into your pumpkin, it is a collection of components that transform an open differential carrier into a locker. Typically, a Spartan Locker consist of a pair of drivers, two side couplers, four alignment pins, four pre-load springs, a hardened cross-pin shaft, a roll pin, and installation wires. Yukon Grizzly Locker and Yukon Zip Locker Large-frame lockers, like the Yukon Grizzly and Zip, replace the carrier as a single unit and their case is constructed from a muchstronger alloy steel compared to the factory carrier. The main difference between these units is operational… the Zip Locker is an air locker that is operated by a pneumatic system and the Grizzly is a mechanical unit. Yukon Grizzly Locker Mechanical lockers like the Yukon Grizzly Locker, sometimes referred to as automatic lockers, are always engaged. During normal mild-throttle situations where load is applied to the differential, the unit is locked. When the vehicle is turning, the locker produces a clicking sound as the square-cut side gears move over and past one another. This ratcheting sound can be loud and is why mechanical units may not be best suited for vehicles that spend a lot of time on the street… it all depends on how sensitive your ears are. The air-operated Yukon Zip Locker behaves like an open differential until it’s turned on by the driver. When activated, a locking collar slides forward and locks the gears together, transferring equal amounts of traction to both tires. The air locker’s on-off selectability makes them ideal for street-driven vehicles. USA Standard Gear Spartan Helical LSD The gear-type USA Standard Gear Spartan Helical LSD features floating helical-cut worm gears that operate in pockets and mesh together. Under normal driving conditions this type of LSD acts like an open diff. While under acceleration or when wheel slippage occurs, axial and radial thrust is applied to the helical gear pinions transferring more torque to the tire with the best traction progressively as torque is withheld from the tire that is slipping. The Spartan Helical LSD’s advanced 10-pinion design has a strength advantage over an equivalently sized 6-pinion or 8-pinion units because it has more points of contact and a greater surface contact area to deliver optimal load distribution. USA Standard Gear uses forged 8620 grade steel in the case and internals for superior durability. Yukon Re-Gear Kits You can also step up to the plate and upgrade your gears with one of our all-encompassing Yukon Re-Gear Kits. There are two key reasons to change the ring and pinion gears in your vehicle. The first is to regain the lost performance and fuel efficiency of a daily driven vehicle that has been upgraded with larger wheels and tires. The second is to optimize the performance of a rig that is a dedicated off-roader where low-end tenacity and low-speed acceleration are of more importance than operating efficiently at freeway speeds. Yukon’s convenient ring and pinion Re-Gear Kits bundle everything you need to upgrade both the front and rear differentials in one simple part number, saving you tons of time and hassle. These kits feature premium Yukon ring and pinion gears, Master Install Kits with high-quality Timken/Koyo bearings, and all the small parts you’ll need to get the swap done right. End Of The Trail The Dana 30 can be a primetime performer. The key is to know where your going with your truck… literally. Consider how much time it will spend on the street, how much time on the trail, and how intense your trail activity is going to be. Also factor in whether or not you’ll be upgrading to larger tires in the future. Then weigh the pros and cons of swapping your diff. Could be a properly prepped Dana 30 will get you where you need to go and save you money that can be invested elsewhere in your rig… chromoly axles, some bumper and body mods, or perhaps a bitchin’ Yukon Hardcore Diff Cover so it looks the part!. Happy Wheeling. contact us at 866-631-0196