Rav4 Rear Differential Compatibility

MonkeyWrench

New member
Has anyone installed either a Rav4 rear differential assembly w/housing in their AT or a Rav4 differential unit in an AT rear differetial housing?

I'm looking to do the opposite. All Trac helical rear differential (w stub axles) in a 97 Rav4 differential housing in a 97 Rav4. I have researched the part #s and they don't interchange but they're off by quite a few model years so that doesn't necessarily mean anything. I don't want to buy and ship the all trac diff if it won't fit.

To be clear, I won't be changing the gears. Just the differential unit.
 

CMS-GT4

Active member
From what I read trd made a rear lsd for the rav4. I remember the part numbers being the same as the gtfour. I would look into those part numbers as your guide.
 

MonkeyWrench

New member
CMS-GT4":2p46i3sa said:
From what I read trd made a rear lsd for the rav4. I remember the part numbers being the same as the gtfour. I would look into those part numbers as your guide.

Great tip. Discontinued but they both come up as 41301-ST000.

My inside rear tire thanks you.
 

MonkeyWrench

New member
The new rear diff (LSD from ST205) is installed in the Rav4 diff housing, no problem.

The stubs that came with the ST205 diff fit in the diff and work with the Rav4 diff housing but do not mate up to the Rav4 rear axles. Bolt pattern and centering protrusion are slightly larger on the ST205 parts. Any ideas? I could order Rav4 LSD stubs and know for sure they'd bolt to my axles but I don't know if they'd work with this differential. I have a feeling they would, but I need the car up and running for an event this Saturday.
 

CMS-GT4

Active member
At this point I would likely look for some rear 185 axles. Check the forums like rav4world that have done gtfour swaps. I know that the splines of the front spindles are the same for the celica and rav4. I am swapping rav4 spindles from a rav4 to my 185 to get 5x114 bolt pattern. I am unsure about the rears.

If all else fails, you might be able to machine an adapter to go between the two.
 

MonkeyWrench

New member
Very few others have done the engine swap and none that I can find have done the rear LSD swap. I tried getting a stock LSD from a Rav4 but they're impossible to find. The VIN lookup with the junkyards does not work and they always end up being non-LSD.

I'm going to try the Rav4 stubs. Alltrac axles may work but I don't know if length and outer spline would be right. That'll be plan B.
 

MonkeyWrench

New member
For the record:

96-04 Rav4 and AllTrac differentials are 100% interchangeable

Rav4 output shafts have a smaller 4-bolt pattern than the AllTrac but the rest of the output shaft (splines, seal area) is the same. Spline diameter and length is different for LSD vs non-LSD.

Bottom line: I installed an ST205 helical differential to the stock non-LSD differential carrier in my 97 Rav4. Reused the same ring gear. Did not require reshim. I did have to buy 97 Rav4 LSD output shafts (~$145/ea) because the ST205 LSD output shafts would not bolt to the flanges of my 97 Rav4 rear halfshafts.
 

CMS-GT4

Active member
From what I have read, the rear torsen was a TRD upgrade item in the US, so most likely do not have it.
 
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