[Unner]

Originally Posted by derpiful

Right? A killer deal! I'm very happy I came upon it. Like I said, it's been months and months of searching. Typically I see complete thirds on Craigslist for $800 or so, which is absolutely crazy. Hopefully you can find one soon.....

Yeah I'd have been all over that for $100. $800 for one with 200k miles on it and no knowledge of history or true condition is too much.

On a side note I was actually looking through your build the other day to see if you were locked or not. I thought you weren't and was wondering how your truck did in Moab without a locker, you and I both have 01's so we both have the electronic TRAC stuff that can "simulate" a locker. Just wondering since I'm planning a trip out there for spring break maybe.

[derpiful]

Originally Posted by Unner

Yeah I'd have been all over that for $100. $800 for one with 200k miles on it and no knowledge of history or true condition is too much.

On a side note I was actually looking through your build the other day to see if you were locked or not. I thought you weren't and was wondering how your truck did in Moab without a locker, you and I both have 01's so we both have the electronic TRAC stuff that can "simulate" a locker. Just wondering since I'm planning a trip out there for spring break maybe.

It has done incredibly well without a locker. I've definitely been in a few situations where it would have been super helpful, but it still surprised me how well it did open/open.

I actually always turn off the TRAC/VSC stuff when I'm wheeling. I've only had it hinder me before so I just got rid of it.

Also... I might see you out there!!

[Unner]

Originally Posted by derpiful

It has done incredibly well without a locker. I've definitely been in a few situations where it would have been super helpful, but it still surprised me how well it did open/open.

I actually always turn off the TRAC/VSC stuff when I'm wheeling. I've only had it hinder me before so I just got rid of it.

Also... I might see you out there!!

That's good to hear. The hardest trail I would do is Top of the World. I can't get too crazy 1600 miles from home in my DD...

I don't have the andy mod where I can turn off the TRAC/VSC. Maybe I'll look into doing it, I just hate cutting stock wires.

Would be cool to see you out there! If I go it'll be the week of March 13.

[4-Ripcord]

The capability with the locker was night and day on my first truck. I am super jealous!

If you need any info, I had the wiring all explained in my original thread here: Ripcord's 2002 4Runner Sport Ed.

What is your plan for the housing? Modify or find a junkyard elocker housing?

[derpiful]

Originally Posted by 4-Ripcord

The capability with the locker was night and day on my first truck. I am super jealous!

If you need any info, I had the wiring all explained in my original thread here: Ripcord's 2002 4Runner Sport Ed.

What is your plan for the housing? Modify or find a junkyard elocker housing?

Thanks Jim! I'll definitely need that wiring, doing it that way vs. with the ECU.

The plan is to modify the housing I have now. It doesn't seem too hard, and worst case scenario I go find a junkyard housing. We'll see how it all turns out..

[Chuckles89]

You didn't have a locker?!?! dang, I figured you would have one already.... Probably the best mod you can do tbh. If you've never driven a truck with a locker before, it will blow your mind

[theesotericone]

Originally Posted by derpiful

Thanks Jim! I'll definitely need that wiring, doing it that way vs. with the ECU.

The plan is to modify the housing I have now. It doesn't seem too hard, and worst case scenario I go find a junkyard housing. We'll see how it all turns out..

You should take a look at this thread. I was gonna buy the third from him before I decided I wanted to go air for front and rear. He's in your state and has exactly what you need to make it work including the housing.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/sale-t...-colorado.html

[derpiful]

Well, I've been looking into trying to wire up the dash "RR DIFF LOCK" light, but ran into a problem today- It's not there on mine. I had always thought that every 3rd gen had it and it just wasn't wired, but I was wrong. I'm assuming 01-02 don't, but who knows.

In the picture below you can see the insert that only has ABS and the fuel light. Oh well, not a huge deal!

[Tinigunner11]

Originally Posted by derpiful

Well, I've been looking into trying to wire up the dash "RR DIFF LOCK" light, but ran into a problem today- It's not there on mine. I had always thought that every 3rd gen had it and it just wasn't wired, but I was wrong. I'm assuming 01-02 don't, but who knows.

In the picture below you can see the insert that only has ABS and the fuel light. Oh well, not a huge deal!

Yup 01-02's were never offered with a diff lock so they scratched the light from the clusters. Depending on the switch you got you can run power to a lighted switch the show when it's engaged. Just won't look as factory.

[JBurt]

I would imagine you could get just that little piece of plastic from an older cluster in the classifieds.

[habanero]

Around here there's sometimes a damaged cluster to borrow parts from and, judging from the pic of the 96's cluster, seems JBurt's idea is a good one. If you go for it grab a few bulbs too.


(this one is busy being in the 96)

[Cadaverous]

I had a 97 with a e locker. The truck got totaled, a mate is swapping the locker and such into a 1st gen, but I can probably grab the cluster for you if you'd like it.

[derpiful]

Originally Posted by Tinigunner11

Yup 01-02's were never offered with a diff lock so they scratched the light from the clusters. Depending on the switch you got you can run power to a lighted switch the show when it's engaged. Just won't look as factory.

Yeah, that's what the backup plan is. That was actually the plan to begin with before I even realized I could somehow splice into the factory light (....if it had one).

Originally Posted by JBurt

I would imagine you could get just that little piece of plastic from an older cluster in the classifieds.

That's the next step, to look around for just that piece and see if it would work.

Originally Posted by habanero

Around here there's sometimes a damaged cluster to borrow parts from and, judging from the pic of the 96's cluster, seems JBurt's idea is a good one. If you go for it grab a few bulbs too.
(this one is busy being in the 96)

The only thing I'm worried about is how it seems that the 4wd light is where the fuel light is on mine. I'll be looking into it a bit more to see if they had any other variations of it.

Originally Posted by Cadaverous

I had a 97 with a e locker. The truck got totaled, a mate is swapping the locker and such into a 1st gen, but I can probably grab the cluster for you if you'd like it.

Thanks for the offer, I'll try and figure this out and let you know!

[habanero]

Originally Posted by derpiful

The only thing I'm worried about is how it seems that the 4wd light is where the fuel light is on mine. I'll be looking into it a bit more to see if they had any other variations of it.

You're correct, the 4wd light in the 96 is where your fuel light is,

I'll be happy to check the 99 when it comes home from work.

You could be the only kid on the block with a 4wd low fuel indicator- or find a way to modify a version like yours so you get a light, like remove a small circle of the black light blocker and use something like red fingernail polish on the back so it shines through red....or whatever color. Definitely I would try something like that on a spare! You wouldn't have the picture, but you'd have the light....

If you do nab a panel and a bulb also get a pin with length of wire from the connector too, to add the needed wire for the locker light. They are available new too, but since you're in there anyway....

[derpiful]

Locked!

Spent the past 2 weekends getting the locker and new bearings in, and it is finally done! Took quite a bit of time- setting up the gears took much longer than I thought it would. A few pictures:

First step was pulling the axle and painting it. It wasn't too terrible to pull, and most of the bolts gave up pretty easily (used plenty of PB Blaster, though). I bed-lined the axle, as I've found that to hold up best to constant road abuse, mag chorlide, etc.



Made a few custom tools to make this all work. For example, here's the simple clamp we made to hold the flange while the pinion nut got torqued on.


Setting the backlash:


Here's the final pattern I could get after playing with it for a while. Not too happy with it, and seems to be running deep, but for used gears with 200k+ on them it'll do. The pinion had a decent pattern though. Even after trying a few different setups for it, this is the closest I could get. We'll see how it works...


Backlash measurements, along with preload measurements.



Another one of the custom tools we made. This one has different bolts at both ends of the steel piece, each which were spaced differently to tighten both side adjustment rings.


Housing cut, drilled, and tapped. Worked well.


Mounted the third member up, wired it, and tested the locker! It works!


Done and installed!


I wasn't able to reinstall my rear sway bar, as it hit the locker motor. Haven't looked into it much, but something interesting to note. Wiring all the way into the cabin and to my switch will happen soon, I just haven't gotten around to it.

I've driven about 150 miles on this since I installed it, and so far I have no weird noises, vibrations, etc. Curious to see how it holds up in the long run.