CroMo axles wont fit elocker retrofit?

[Scotty_h]

Greetings, in the middle of installing/ retrofitting an e-locker onto my truck. http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/155115-ode-my-truck.html


Hung the housing back on the truck with 3rd member and went to install rear axles.


Passenger side slid in flush and was bolted to spec, Driver side slides in but bottoms out 3mm or so from flush such that I can see the gasket. The splines are engaged on it so that the pinion actuates the axle appropriately.



What have I done here? important information is that these are Yukon CroMoly axles to stock non locker length, new Yukon 4.88's and bearing kits. Retrofitted housing...

Anyone heard of this?

 

[Xinirgi]

I'm willing to bet you didn't press your ABS ring and lock ring down far enough down the shaft, and what is happening is the ABS ring is making contact with the inner axle seal. Mine did the same on my test fit.

 

[Scotty_h]

Interesting, no changes have occured from where I've been running this same setup for 15K miles. Only difference is the 3rd member. I will take a look.

 

[Xinirgi]

Ah, I was under the impression you had done everything at once. I don't have experience with the E-Locker, but I have an idea/question. The stock carrier as well as the ARB carrier allows the axle shaft to slide all the way through the side gears. As in, even if your axles were say 1" too long, they'd still slide through the gear (and maybe bind in the middle or hit the other shaft on the other side, irrelevant, keep reading). The E-Locker has the actuator on the drivers side, and what I'm wondering is if the axle can still slide all the way through the gear or not, or if the actuator causes the axle shaft "dead end" and produce the problem you're having. Sorry if it sounds confusing, just thinking out loud here.

 

[Scotty_h]

Looks like everything is tight, but I will keep looking at that.

 

[Scotty_h]

The E-Locker has the actuator on the drivers side, and what I'm wondering is if the axle can still slide all the way through the gear or not, or if the actuator causes the axle shaft "dead end" and produce the problem you're having. Sorry if it sounds confusing, just thinking out loud here.

My exact question,
Since my CroMo's were left at stock length for non e-locker axles, I would think that other people would have had to have trimmed down their axles to make them fit. No one has ever mentioned a different length axle for the elocker retrofit.

 

[Xinirgi]

A quick check for the depth measurement is to grease the lock ring and install the axle, spin the axle a bit then remove and check to see where the seal lip is riding on the lock ring. I don't think this is the problem anymore as you mentioned you've already had those axles installed with the other diff.

 

[NateMob]

From what i can find, Yukon lists the same axles and part number for both elocked 3rds and open diffs. Its got to be something just not seating completely.

 

[Xinirgi]

My chromo's were actually a little shorter than my stock length (open carrier) axles, I used an ARB though so I had no issues. Though I also had to use the '96-'99 spec wheel bearings on mine as the '00-'02 ones wouldn't fit the shaft properly. Looks like you managed to use the '00-'02 ones - I wonder if we have the same axle part numbers.

 

[kernel.panik]

If you haven't thought of this already, you could pull the 3rd member and check how the axles seat outside of the axle.

 

[nevada]

use a dowel, or tape measure into the axle and see how much length you have available.

or grab a stock axle and see how it works out.


question, why are you running aftermarket axles?

 

[JWaldz]

axle shafts are universal as far as elocker vs non elocker goes. I have two rear assemblies that came out of a non elocker truck that work just fine in my elocker housing. Why you're having issues with yours is probably irrelevant to that subject. Like mentioned above, have you compared the lengths between stock vs your cromo axles? I didn't think you could run abs with the cromo axles. Maybe it's changed since the last time I looked at them.

 

[Scotty_h]

use a dowel, or tape measure into the axle and see how much length you have available.

or grab a stock axle and see how it works out.


question, why are you running aftermarket axles?

Will do... I need to mess with it today but have been working this morning. I have a stock axle, but i'm not sure that I will be able to differentiate bewtween the ~3mm of lack of clearance. We will see.

I snapped an axle at work several months ago. it was an extra $60 for Yukon CroMo's than stock replacements. Why not with a lifetime warranty?

 

[Scotty_h]

have you compared the lengths between stock vs your cromo axles? I didn't think you could run abs with the cromo axles. Maybe it's changed since the last time I looked at them.

When I did the initial installation, we compared the two lengths between stock and non prior to installation as the CroMo axles were ordered as "cut to fit". no alterations were made and the slide straight into the open carrier diff. Drove for 6-7 months. 15K miles...

now have changed out the 3rd member and am having clearance issues. Running the abs rings no problem, but it sounds like the locker should have no bearing... I might do the grease contact spot check and go with it from there.

 

[nevada]

Will do... I need to mess with it today but have been working this morning. I have a stock axle, but i'm not sure that I will be able to differentiate bewtween the ~3mm of lack of clearance. We will see.

I snapped an axle at work several months ago. it was an extra $60 for Yukon CroMo's than stock replacements. Why not with a lifetime warranty?

interesting. yes for the warranty and price difference it might not be so bad.

maybe things have changed, but I remember not too long ago, the chromo axles were only VERY slightly stronger than the OE axles. and the general consensus was they were weren't the price, and to just run stock axles.
they are cheap and easy to find also.

 

[Scotty_h]

Nevermind, the splines to the stock axel are beat all to hell...:doh:

 

[Scotty_h]

So, the dark circle very center is the dimple of the passenger side axle. as seen below,



I greased with the marker grease on the tip of the axle, lock ring and abs ring. looking for contact.



Ran the axle in and slapped it a couple times against the bottom out. Should have displaced grease in all directions if we are bottoming out in diff.



The grease indicates to me that I'm not hitting the bottom out in the diff. No trace of grease when I look in the housing. except for my bad aim. NO grease moved on abs ring or lockring. INTERESTING huh?

 

[txbonds]

Could the dark spots seen here be some sort of debris or burr stopping the last 3mm of space? Just a thought that maybe its being stopped by something small even though it's not bottoming out.

 

[nevada]

did you try putting the nuts on there, and pulling it in?

you would want to be very careful, incase something is holding it up.
but I think I had to use the nuts to pull the axle in the last time I swapped diffs.

 

[Scotty_h]

Could the dark spots seen here be some sort of debris or burr stopping the last 3mm of space? Just a thought that maybe its being stopped by something small even though it's not bottoming out.

I've been running my little magnet and pulling out little chunks of stuff last night and again this morning. It looks pretty clean. and the bottom out is real and solid. Good thought though,

did you try putting the nuts on there, and pulling it in?

you would want to be very careful, incase something is holding it up.
but I think I had to use the nuts to pull the axle in the last time I swapped diffs.

No, I have not. I may give it a go. The lack of grease on the inside of my diff has made me agree that maybe I'm being a wuss and that I should just put some nuts on it.

the only scary thing is that I wouldn't want to strain my diff, but if there is not grease, then i should have some space there...