Front Range Off-Road Fabrication's full-floater kit includes a number of upgrades in one package, including disc brakes and chrome-moly axleshafts.
Rear Disc Brakes
Larger-than-stock tires can lead to increased braking distances due to the added leverage and weight of the bigger meats. All-Pro Off-Road has a bolt-on rear disc-brake kit that provides shorter stopping distances, easier maintenance, and less unsprung weight.
Full Floater
Several of the above ideas have been integrated into one comprehensive package from Front Range Off-Road Fabrication. The kit converts the rear semifloating axle to a full floater using custom-machined and factory Toyota components. In addition to the increased load-bearing capacity and safety, the FROR full-floater kit also incorporates chrome-moly axleshafts and disc brakes for even greater strength and performance.
Axle Truss
Adding an axle truss can strengthen your axlehousing and resist bending the tubes - particularly if you like to jump your truck. Downey Off-Road offers a weld-on truss that incorporates a polyurethane bushing in the middle to accommodate a traction bar as well.
Upgrades for Front and Rear Axles
Solid SpacerMost aftermarket gearsets come with a crush sleeve that fits between the pinion bearings and is collapsed during the installation process to set preload.
A solid spacer is available from All-Pro Off-Road that eliminates the possibility of excess backlash and the need to retighten the pinion nut.
Electric lockers were a factory option on TRD Tacomas and some 4Runners. Inchworm Gear stocks new electric lockers and can equip them with gears far lower than ever offered from the factory.
Electric Lockers
Toyota used an 8-inch centersection with a factory electric locker in TRD Tacomas and some 4Runners. With minor housing modifications, this third member can be retrofitted into any 8-inch housing for an open differential on the road with the traction of a spool at the flip of a switch. FZJ80s even came with an optional high-pinion electric locker in the frontend. Factory ratios were 4.10, 4.30, and 4.56, but Inchworm Gear can set you up with an electric locker and the related wiring in any gear ratio you desire.
Low-profile drain plugs from BudBuilt are less likely to be damaged on the trail than traditional hex-head plugs.
Low-Profile Drain Plugs
The factory drain plug on Toyota housings is a hex-head plug that we have seen get knocked loose on more than one trail ride. BudBuilt stocks low-profile drain plugs that use an Allen wrench for removal, so they will stay put on the trail and you can still remove them when necessary.