toyota diff inter-changeability

[J_Dub]

right, i know nothing about diffs, diffs and gearbox,s ive just avoided getting to know anything about...
BUT I want to know about hilux diffs..
Im running 4.5s, ive purchased a lockright to suit a 4 pinion..
Im going to look at a 4 pinion diff tomorrow to buy.... How do i visually determine the difference between a 2 or 4 pinion???
I know often the external fins is a giveaway but its not always the case... this diff is out of the axle housing so I can veiw the diff itself.
Doing research, rule a thumb seems to be after 90s hiluxs with a v6 or turbo had a 4 pinion, but my dirty ol 4cyl 3y 85 lux came out with a 4 pinion, so whats up with that??

[Sadam_Husain]

visually a 2 pinion will have 2 spider gears in the centre and a 4 pinion will have 4 spider gears unless its an lsd then you wont be able to see inside the centre it'll look like a closed up hub


wait for the hilux gurus and they will probably tell you all about the differences, compatabilities and traps with hilux diffs, I remember bulletproof posted up a whole of lot pics and stuff when he was mucking around with some of them a year or so ago?

[meatc]

Pretty much as above but there is a 4 spider that is closed and looks a lot like a LSD centre. If you look closley at the spaces in the sides of the LSD one you can see the plates. 2 spider are obvious.