I'm glad that you guys are getting something out of my threads... It's nice to be able to contribue to the knowledge base.
May the retinas of inattentive drivers beware! :wow:
So I had high hopes of getting the E-Locker axle under the truck this week, but as I got to thinking about it, I started considering what the CBI is going to do to my rear lift height.
I've come to the conclusion that it's better for me to wait until the CBI is installed before I put the axle under the truck. That way I can determine how much it sags my LC coils. I picked up a set of 1.5" rear spacers from trailhead98. I'm going to measure the sag from the CBI, then cut the spacers down to the exact same height, then put them in on top of the LC coils to maintain my current height.
I had my uncle (who weighs 190lbs) stand on my two hitch and it sagged the rear end about an inch. The CBI should only add 70-80lbs, so I'm thinking I won't need much on the spacer.
In the meantime, I got everything else ready to go. First I pulled the 3rd member out of the Tacoma axle...
Taco axles out
About to pull the 3rd
Ta Da!
I spent some time inspecting the 3rd and it's in great shape... here's some pics of the more crucial parts...
Second to the wiring, the hardest part of this job has been getting the old gasket off the sealing surfaces of the diff and housing.... Eeeesh... what a pain in the arse. A sharp chisel, some 3M abrasive pads, and some WD40 got it done.
Finally got it all cleaned up. The 3rd is now ready for install.
I took a little video of the 3rd as I inspected it. The video is below if you're interested. It's definitely worth watching if you've never seen the insides of an E-Locker, or any differential for that matter.
In the video I'm checking for chipped teeth & wear on the ring & pinion, play in the pinion bearing, general health of the diff, and checking that there is some pre-load on the pinion & carrier bearings.
It all felt/looked pretty much like it should according to the hours of reading I did on Zuk's Gear Installs page the other night.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-WTsPgI1v_0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Last but not least, I put a few coats of Rubberized Undercoating on the housing, installed the long E-Locker studs, and the rear diff breather fitting. The rear housing is now ready for install.
All that's left is to put the 3rd into the housing, put some new axle seals in it, and swap it with the existing axle housing....
COME ON C.B.I.!!!!