MQ Triton diff swap

Hey team.
I have just bought a complete rear differential assembly with factory diff lock for my Triton.
My truck is a GLS non rear lock model. I have checked and all the wiring and plugs are there, and it should be straight swap over. I was going to get the mechanic to do it, but it looks pretty straight forward to just swap out. Is it actually that easy? Anything I need to look out for? I will need to bleed the brakes, but everything else looks to be plug and play.
If it’s too much for a hobbyist home mechanic I’ll just get them to do it. It’s booked in for an alignment tomorrow, and might just see if they can do this too while they have the truck.

Appreciate your thoughts.

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Do you have the in cab switch? Is the truck a CANBus system - as you will need to get the control modules altered to allow it to recognise the locking diff system and then control it if it is. The basic mechanical is fairly straight forward on these, no electronic brake calipers or any of that BS to worry about so it's just a case of securely supporting the arse of the ute off the ground so you can free anything holding the diff in place (driveshaft, brake drum, handbrake and balance lines, springs, shocks and any other links or ABS/TC wiring) and then rolling the new diff into place and refitting everything at the correct torque settings. Heavy bits to work with though.

Have a good look at the rear leaf springs for signs of wear or cracking while you have everything apart if you do it yourself. To be fair though, it is one of those jobs that I can do myself and have done in the past but now I tend to send the thing to someone - working on cars is just such a pain in the arse now as the engineers that design them hate normal people. I really dislike having to take the entire body off the subframe to get to the one bolt that isn't accessible and needs to be removed to allow you to replace your $20 part...

Yep I have the switch. I have no idea if it’s a can bus system or not. I have seen mention of that. I’m on an AUS MQ fb page and have been told by people who have done it that it’s a straight swap, plug and play.

Worst case scenario I should be able to just wire it up to a switch as a manual locker

we had a 2010 triton, not canbus at that time. had the 4d56 motor in it. i figured out a way to turn off the egr electronically. makes a substantial difference

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Originally Posted by Delphus

Worst case scenario I should be able to just wire it up to a switch as a manual locker

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Is the housing different or just the diff head? If it was me and the only difference was the diff head and the housing is the same, I'd just pop the axles out enough to clear the splines, release the driveshaft and tie it up and pop the diff head off. Bung the new one in, bolt the driveshaft on, bung the axles back in and put the wheels back on and chuck some more oil into the thing. Connect the cables and you should be golden. It just depends where the cables run into the diff assembly to activate the locker - I can't see from the photo.

That way no need to fluff about with the brakes, the handbrake, the diff hanger bolts, the shocks, likely save a couple of hours cranking on spanners. You'll need to buy a diff head gasket or make one up.

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Originally Posted by No.3

Is the housing different or just the diff head? If it was me and the only difference was the diff head and the housing is the same, I'd just pop the axles out enough to clear the splines, release the driveshaft and tie it up and pop the diff head off. Bung the new one in, bolt the driveshaft on, bung the axles back in and put the wheels back on and chuck some more oil into the thing. Connect the cables and you should be golden. It just depends where the cables run into the diff assembly to activate the locker - I can't see from the photo.

That way no need to fluff about with the brakes, the handbrake, the diff hanger bolts, the shocks, likely save a couple of hours cranking on spanners. You'll need to buy a diff head gasket or make one up.

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Yeah that was the initial plan. I actually just thought I was buying the diff itself. Went to pick it up and he gave me the whole thing haha.

I think it’s a faff to remove the axles on these though, they aren’t floating so will need to remove the brakes etc anyway.

This set has also done 90k less km than what’s in there, so a bit more longevity possibly out of the axles and brakes etc.

But yeah if it’s easy to remove the axles I can just swap the diff head over

If it’s anything like a gen 2 (and gen 3-4 I think) Pajero then you’ll need the compressor, the Pajero’s had all the wiring but not the compressor when they weren’t fitted with the locker factory. Also Pajero’s have 1 short axle and 1 standard in the locking diffs, LSD and open have the same length axle each side.

Can’t speak for the triton diff but that’s what I know about the Pajero’s and can’t be too much different I wouldn’t think. But maybe they have gone to an electric locker not air.

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Originally Posted by dvk-kp

If it’s anything like a gen 2 (and gen 3-4 I think) Pajero then you’ll need the compressor, the Pajero’s had all the wiring but not the compressor when they weren’t fitted with the locker factory. Also Pajero’s have 1 short axle and 1 standard in the locking diffs, LSD and open have the same length axle each side.

Can’t speak for the triton diff but that’s what I know about the Pajero’s and can’t be too much different I wouldn’t think. But maybe they have gone to an electric locker not air.

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Na it’s definitely electric not air. I have seen mention a couple of times about the different axle lengths, but as far as I know I can just swap the locking diff head out on this model. Though that is another reason to just swap the whole lot over.

I think it’s probably a bit much to do by myself in the back yard though. Might need to just book a mechanic.

Nah, where's the kiwi No8 wire spirit there? It isn't actually that bad, but you do need decent supports as you are swinging on some fairly substantial hardware while the thing is up by the arse and hanging in mid air.

A possible solution is disconnect the brakes, wiring and shocks which is fairly easy then undo the springs at front and rear. Roll the entire axle and spring assembly out and swap the springs over onto the new diff and replace the shackle and bush bolts. Much less work under the wagon that way.

Yeah it all looks pretty straight forward. The only thin gf I don’t really know how to do is disconnect the brake lines. I would assume I need to bleed the brakes once done? I don’t have any jack stands either so would need to get some of them too. I suppose that’s something I should have anyway.

Ah no my bad what I thought was the brake line are the handbrake cables :)
The brakes are screwed on. Will def need to be less the brakes afterwards.
I reckon I can give it a solid nudge. Will give it a crack on my next day off. Which will now be next Thursday.

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Originally Posted by Delphus

Yeah it all looks pretty straight forward. The only thin gf I don’t really know how to do is disconnect the brake lines. I would assume I need to bleed the brakes once done? I don’t have any jack stands either so would need to get some of them too. I suppose that’s something I should have anyway.

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Normally there is a compression union at the place where the steel brake pipe meets the rubber hose which is between the chassis pipe and the diff to allow the diff to articulate. Grab each hex and carefully unscrew. If you get a plastic hose clamp you can prevent fluid loss and air getting into the system... There is a bleeder nipple at each wheel, you can get a cheap and cheerful "one man" bleeder kit from the auto parts outfits, or a length of surgical tubing pushed onto the nipple and looped up then into a plastic bottle. When bleeding, start furthest away from the booster and master cylinder (usually left rear) and push fluid through until no bubbles in the surgical tubing (don't let the reservoir get empty or you have to start again). Repeat for each corner getting closer to the front right and when you get all the bubbles out of the front right you should be all bled. Jack stands are the ideal, but a solid section of good tree trunk (50 or 60cm diameter or so and two the same height and high enough to hold everything off the ground) will be fine with a pad for the chassis to sit on. They need to be flat and straight up and down. Concrete blocks are a no-go, steel drums are a dumb idea too.

I have an MQ GLX 4x4 auto and that is factory with the electric diff lock, i assumed the GLS would be the same?

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Originally Posted by Sika 8

I have an MQ GLX 4x4 auto and that is factory with the electric diff lock, i assumed the GLS would be the same?

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Na the GLX all do. GLS has nicer everything else so chose to forgo the rear lock. Some models do have them but I think it’s a factory add on at the time of purchase.

The ranger and equivalent Mazda have gone for the electronic locking using the ABS system to limit wheel slip. It is surprisingly effective - I have not felt the lack of the diff locker on mine even though it's on road tyres for towing. Some rangers still come with the rear locker, but it would only be useful in really hard core 4wd situations over the electronic ABS locking setup - and in reality the Ranger really isn't the best choice of vehicle for that work.