anyone retrofit OEM electronic rear diff locker on a SR5?

[Jeff_DML]

anyone retrofit electronic rear diff locker on a SR5? Search but didn't get any hits.

Guessing most people just do air lockers since they can do both front and rear. OEM rear locker seems like a nice clean option to me.

TIA
Jeff

P.S. wife car and she required a third row(yeah I know you can retrofit that)

 

[RedRunner_87]

anyone retrofit electronic rear diff locker on a SR5? Search but didn't get any hits.

Guessing most people just do air lockers since they can do both front and rear. OEM rear locker seems like a nice clean option to me.

TIA
Jeff

P.S. wife car and she required a third row(yeah I know you can retrofit that)

I've searched but couldn't find anyone who does it. There is a company that sells e-lockers for the 4Runner.

 

[Seattle206]

You can do a Harrop setup they have e-lockers for the 5th gen.

 

[RedSled]

anyone retrofit electronic rear diff locker on a SR5? Search but didn't get any hits.

Guessing most people just do air lockers since they can do both front and rear. OEM rear locker seems like a nice clean option to me.

TIA
Jeff

P.S. wife car and she required a third row(yeah I know you can retrofit that)

I have also been looking, and if i make a move for one i think i will go with the Harrop elocker.

 

[Jeff_DML]

thanks guys, I was more wondering about the Toyota one that comes in the other trims.

 

[Jeff_DML]

Harrop do look pretty nice

https://www.harrop.com.au/shop/4x4-performance/elocker/elocker-toyota-hilux-front

 

[sting555]

I researched this as well. What I found (somewhere in this forum) is that the T4Rs with a rear e-locker use a different rear axle/diff. So, the OEM e-locker requires a full diff swap. Its not as easy as just installing the locker. Based on what I've read, most folks who decide to diff lock an SR5 seem to go with the ARB air lockers.

I've done some pretty hairy stuff in my SR5 and have never gotten stuck. I have buddies who have FJs and T4rs with lockers and they have never really used them. When we wheel together, I go everywhere they go. Having a locker would be a nice piece of mind, but its an expensive mod and probably not necessary for 99% of people out there, even those that wheel their truck hard.

Good luck!!

 

[BobsTrail]

:iagree:

I have a TE with the locker, but use it rarely. 4WD and traction control seems to do the job. And you still have ATRAC.

 

[Jeff_DML]

Yeah been reading about and messing around with a-trac. My buddy got briefly stuck last weekend in his Tahoe and I think I would of gotten out of it with a-trac.

https://youtu.be/KxBGCILfRik

 

[wfo9]

The only reason to swap in an toyota e-locker (in my opinion) would be if you could get one super cheap (and you most likely wont). The 8.2 e-lockers are pretty rare. And you have to cut and tap your housing or find a full axle housing to swap in.

The ARB is a much better option as it is a better stronger carrier with 4 pinion gears in the diff vs 2 in the OEM. TJM or zip is also good if those are available for the 8.2.

If your stuck on E vs air.... the Harrop would be a decent choice although I've seen some reviews where people that are familiar with an ARB or Toyota E-locker don't like them due to some slack in the actuation when going between forward and reverse.
see this video as example:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nYZo--7Xh4

ARB is the most proven locker out there. The only downside to them is that they do occasionally need seals for the actuator (10yrs or so) and the lines can get a little oil in them and need to be cleaned out once a year or so.

 

[AB4RFan]

anyone retrofit electronic rear diff locker on a SR5? Search but didn't get any hits.

Guessing most people just do air lockers since they can do both front and rear. OEM rear locker seems like a nice clean option to me.

TIA
Jeff

P.S. wife car and she required a third row(yeah I know you can retrofit that)

In the same predicament as you. It’s my wife’s vehicle and wanted the 7 seater. So SR5 it is. But no option for an ELocker come on Toyota...

My 2017 F-150 has way more options and I got the ELocker in the fx4 package for 750$ and it’s only an XLT.

Or offer a 7 seater in the trail or pro.

Prices of aftermarket lockers are pretty expensive so I doubt I’ll do one.

 

[Jeremy556]

If by some chance you can pickup a TE rear axle complete, for a low price, it might be worthwhile. Otherwise, go aftermarket.

Fitting the e-locker 3rd and actuator will require cutting and fabrication on the SR5 axle housing that would probably exceed the price of an ARB air locker

 

[sinks88]

I get "stuck" all the time without lockers. Where I really wish I had it is when you are "teadertotting" on 1 rear wheel and 1 front wheel, Atrac is not enough in those situations, which I seem to find myself in a lot. Another reason I wish I had them is when you are stuffed against something and you need to crawl up over it...depending on how the vehicle is situated you are usually trying to push a dead wheel up over that obstacle.

I am one who very much wishes I would have just paid out that premium for the mechanical diff and the rear locker

 

[redneckcrawler]

I get "stuck" all the time without lockers. Where I really wish I had it is when you are "teadertotting" on 1 rear wheel and 1 front wheel, Atrac is not enough in those situations, which I seem to find myself in a lot. Another reason I wish I had them is when you are stuffed against something and you need to crawl up over it...depending on how the vehicle is situated you are usually trying to push a dead wheel up over that obstacle.

I am one who very much wishes I would have just paid out that premium for the mechanical diff and the rear locker

Have nothing to add other than I love the old school graphics on your truck.
Carry on.

 

[Jetboy]

I think the price is still high on used ones because the early FJ Cruisers had a lot of issues with the rear diffs and the 4runner rear axles are a bolt in swap for them too. Looks like 1650 is the going rate from LKQ for a complete elocker rear.

The advantage over an ARB or Harrop is that it's a bolt in swap you can do yourself pretty easily. Not many home mechanics are doing their own ring and pinion setup, although and ARB should be really easy if you're keeping your same gearing. The pinion stays put. All you adjust is backlash and it's a screw type carrier. So it's something many of us can do at home.

Also I *think* the toyota elocker is also a 4 pinion carrier. The other toyota elockers are, so I assume it also is. But I haven't seen one in person to know. And I can't even find a picture online of a differential that's good enough to see. The old 8" was 4 pinion and the Tacoma 8.75 is a 4 pinion. I'd guess that the 8.2 is as well. Either way they've proven to be a very durable differential. So is the ARB.

My experience around ARB lockers isn't great. When I lived in Montana snow use was a notorious ARB killer. Start with a hot wet engine bay full of humid air. Then compress it into air lines/arbs that are in sub zero temperature and it's a recipe for disaster. Especially if you had a small leak in the ARB seals so you keep pushing more and more moisture into the lines. Keeping the air dry in cold weather means you need a compressor somewhere other than the engine bay or need the intake from somewhere as dry as possible. Of the organized trail runs I did last year with larger groups (cruise moab and Rubithon) About 10% of ARBs in each group were not functional by the end of each trip. One vehicle lost both in Moab. Two vehicles lost use in California - but one had a detroit rear/ARB front so it was only 1 of 2 axles. None of the failures were the differential unit its self. All were something upstream with air supply, solenoids, etc. That doesn't mean they're bad. It DOES mean you need to make sure you're keeping everything in good condition - air lines, solenoids, compressor, electrical system, etc. Basically - it's a lot like vacuum actuated parts on older vehicles. They can work well and reliably, but they need to be maintained to do so. Probably the most important thing is to make sure your installer does it right. I'd guess more than half of the issues are related to poor installs, poor air line routing, electrical system problems, and compressors.

I still might put an ARB in the front of mine at some point. Don't hate them. Just trying to give you a picture from what I've personally seen. The elocker may have it's own issues down the road too. The oldest 8.2 is only about 9 years old. We could find out the solenoid goes bad every 10 years, but we wouldn't know that yet.

 

[Scott4runner]

The only reason to swap in an toyota e-locker (in my opinion) would be if you could get one super cheap (and you most likely wont). The 8.2 e-lockers are pretty rare. And you have to cut and tap your housing or find a full axle housing to swap in.

The ARB is a much better option as it is a better stronger carrier with 4 pinion gears in the diff vs 2 in the OEM. TJM or zip is also good if those are available for the 8.2.

If your stuck on E vs air.... the Harrop would be a decent choice although I've seen some reviews where people that are familiar with an ARB or Toyota E-locker don't like them due to some slack in the actuation when going between forward and reverse.
see this video as example:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nYZo--7Xh4


ARB is the most proven locker out there. The only downside to them is that they do occasionally need seals for the actuator (10yrs or so) and the lines can get a little oil in them and need to be cleaned out once a year or so.

would u rather get an sr5 and build it or get a trd pro and be happy with that? just curious your response. and one posters had just said that arb has its problems if installed incorrectly.... what should i look out for when getting installed?

 

[jmanderson]

I know this is an old thread, but I'm working with a 3rd party to do a full rear axle swap for the factory locker. Get it I can do aftermarket but I spent the effort to build my version of what the TRD Pro should've been. Just wish they offered the damn 3rd row so my wife would've been happy with the purchase. Haha...only to have her sell our 4th gen V8 4Rnr for a 2019 200 series LC. Oh well...

 

[Jake.e]

I researched this as well. What I found (somewhere in this forum) is that the T4Rs with a rear e-locker use a different rear axle/diff. So, the OEM e-locker requires a full diff swap. Its not as easy as just installing the locker. Based on what I've read, most folks who decide to diff lock an SR5 seem to go with the ARB air lockers.

I've done some pretty hairy stuff in my SR5 and have never gotten stuck. I have buddies who have FJs and T4rs with lockers and they have never really used them. When we wheel together, I go everywhere they go. Having a locker would be a nice piece of mind, but its an expensive mod and probably not necessary for 99% of people out there, even those that wheel their truck hard.

Good luck!!

Thanks i needed to hear this, i was looking so hard to find a 3rd gen with 4x4 and a locker, found one, the guy backed out of the deal. I found another 3rd gen sr5 with 4x4 and no locker and got it, and i was concerned if i should have waited to find one with a locker, but with my 2wd sr5 i did some pretty decent off roading so i think 4x4 should carry me fine