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Yota gurus: Elocker questions!!

Printed From: Rocket City Rock Crawlers
Category: General
Forum Name: General 4x4 Discussion
Forum Description: Tech Talk
URL: http://www.rocketcityrockcrawlers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12311
Printed Date: 29 March 2024 at 1:11am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: Yota gurus: Elocker questions!!
Posted By: alabamatoy
Subject: Yota gurus: Elocker questions!!
Date Posted: 27 January 2018 at 8:47am
So I have a e-locker from the 2000 Taco donor truck.  I am surprised at the low price of gears for the thing (Marlin has them for > $280), so I am thinking seriously of putting it in the old 4Runner.  I believe I need a stronger diff than the 4cyl setup that's in there now anyway, so having the selectable locker would be a really nice upgrade..

I have not tested the motor on the e-diff, but its from a W.VA truck, so its probably pretty rusted if not locked up.  See https://youtu.be/GAWd18Uado4" rel="nofollow - https://youtu.be/GAWd18Uado4 for a quick look at the frame of the donor truck.  The lowrange offroad cable conversion looks nice but geeze they are proud of it.

When we removed the rear axle last weekend from the Taco, we just cut the axle housing on either side of the diff.  I think John wants to make a template from the center housing for modifying a non-e locker housing to fit an e-locker, so that would be very useful.  We also are going to make a press-puller tool from the outboard housing pieces to make pulling an axle bearing infinitely easier than the painful slam-it-on-the-concrete method.

Any lessons learned, dos or donts for this?




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"If you didnt buy your 1st gen 4Runner new, then YOU are a newbie!!"

BRC Life Member



Replies:
Posted By: Toydawg
Date Posted: 29 January 2018 at 6:43pm
I'd run it, but I doubt it's much stronger than the 4cyl third.  There are reports of them shearing at the case where the splined collar slips to lock the axles together.  There are plenty of threads on Pirate, etc. about installing and wiring the elockers.  I put in a safety switch in mine, circumventing the 'must be in 4WD/Low range to engage' switch.  Others do the 'grey wire mod'.  There is a spot on the axle housing you have to hammer out for clearance for one of the bearing cap bolts; and speaking of housings, there are at least three rear axle lengths, the narrow ~55" ('79-'85) rears, the "IFS" ~58.5" ('86-'95) rears and the Tacoma ('96-??) ~60" rears.  So you have to keep your axle shafts matched to the housing.  I've heard of some of the '96 and up Tacos/4Runners having an oddball width, causing insufficient axle spline engagement when used with an elocker housing.


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1984 Toyota pickup, locked 5.29s, dual cases, Longfields, 22R with low range cam and header.


Posted By: alabamatoy
Date Posted: 01 February 2018 at 4:59pm
Thanks Randy.  I was planning to use my existing housing, and modify it to accept the e-locker.  The Taco housing was far too rusted especially out at the ends. (But it should work OK for a bearing puller fixture).

Is there a problem with modding my housing to accept the elocker?

I also dont want to go with the Taco housing because I have expensive chrome-moly axles in my older one.


-------------
"If you didnt buy your 1st gen 4Runner new, then YOU are a newbie!!"

BRC Life Member


Posted By: Toydawg
Date Posted: 02 February 2018 at 4:52pm
You can use your housing, just have to re-drill and tap for four or so bolts, cut a notch for the shift fork, and hammer one spot out for clearance.  Easiest way to get the holes indexed is to use the third housing without gears and use center punches.  The gasket is a good template for cutting the notch, but not the bolt holes.  Unfortunately when you cut out the notch you will have to build up the mating surface of the housing with your welder in one spot, and of course one of the new bolt holes goes into the newly welded (now hardened) area.  Link below has a good writeup.  http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/electric_locker/" rel="nofollow - http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/electric_locker/


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1984 Toyota pickup, locked 5.29s, dual cases, Longfields, 22R with low range cam and header.


Posted By: alabamatoy
Date Posted: 04 February 2018 at 9:01am
Originally posted by Toydawg Toydawg wrote:

Easiest way to get the holes indexed is to use the third housing without gears and use center punches. 


I think that's what John was talking about using the hacked-up Tacoma diff-housing for.  I think we should be able to cut the mounting plate off the housing, then use a few of the matched-up bolt holes for exact alignment, mark the new ones and the cutout etc.

Thanks for the link!


-------------
"If you didnt buy your 1st gen 4Runner new, then YOU are a newbie!!"

BRC Life Member


Posted By: 83K10
Date Posted: 04 February 2018 at 9:45am
Yep. That was my plan. Cut it all off then drill out a couple of the threaded holes so we could bolt the taco housing piece to a regular housing. Figured it would be easier than dealing with a third member under a truck. Plus we'd always have it even though we might not have an e locker third right at the moment we want to modify a housing.


Posted By: Toydawg
Date Posted: 04 February 2018 at 12:12pm
Using it as a face-plate/template should be a good idea.  I would take the housing from under the truck before I tried to make the mod; it's too hard to keep the new holes square/true trying to free hand it under a vehicle.


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1984 Toyota pickup, locked 5.29s, dual cases, Longfields, 22R with low range cam and header.



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