Not another E-Locker Question!? Yup. Sorry. (I did search, A LOT)

[Troybylt]

Hey 3rd's! I need help with a E-Locker question. I have used search but I can't seem to find what I'm really looking for, there's just an overload of info.

My 4Runner is a V6 Manual 4x4 that came, partially pre-wired for the E-Locker but not fully wired. It currently has 4.10 Gears. (I know what your thinking but hang on for a minute.). There are no leaks from either diff or the axle seals on the truck currently.

I currently have the E-Locker Switch and ECU installed, When I start the truck I see the RRLocker light come on and go off signalling all is well with the ECU.

I have in my possession an E-Locker Rear end out of a 97 Limited with roughly 120k miles it. It was from a junkyard and looked female owned and as if it had never been off road. The Gearing is in 4.30 Gear AND I have the front clam shell out of the same truck, also in 4.30. I also pulled the pig tail and wiring that goes from the ECU to the locker just to make sure I had everything. (Plus everything only cost me $210 what a steal!)

If what I have read is too be believed that the front and rear gearing is always the same and I have everything I need to make a drivable truck with a locker correct?

In theory I could just slap those bad boys in and lock and roll right?

I want to know a few things first:

Will my current axles and CV's fit right in the new diffs with no issues? I.E. Is the spline count the same?

What should I replace before I go hog wild? Axle seals, Bearings? Gaskets etc? I REALLY only want to have the diffs out once and as this is my DD reliability is key. Would much rather spend the money doing some seal or something now while the axle is in my living room than on the truck in two months after the install.

Will I need to set backlash? (I believe the answer to this one is no?)

If I pull the 3rd member out of the pumpkin will I need to set backlash?

If I pull it out and change bearings (Are there bearings in the 3rd member?) Will I need to set backlash?

I probably wont have time to do the front and rear in the same weekend, I know as the truck is 4wheel shift on the fly I cannot run with the 4.10 up front and 4.30 in the back. Can I just pull the front drive shaft and roll with the 4.10 up front for a week without issues?

Really appreciate the help and promise to document and update with pictures as I make progress.

Sorry for the text wall, this project is at the far end of my mechanical confidence and I'm afraid of grenadeing my new(ish) diff but I REALLY want to do the work on this myself.

Here's the diff as they sit behind my couch begging me to put them in!

I spy with my little eye something satoshi.

 

[Kryptoroxx]

I am doing the same thing here in a month or two only I'm tossing disc conversion in with it.

You're going to have to modify your axle housing to fit the elocker and while you are in there I would rebuild the rear end that way you have all new seals/bearings for the rear. Yes your cvs are the same spline count. You could just pick up new cvs and wheel bearings but

Iirc if you separate the gears from the pumpkin you will have to reset backlash.

You can just do a new set of cv axles in the front but unless they are giving you problems I wouldn't bother. Those are easily replaced.

Remember to budget for your oil. I'm going the amsoil route with the severe 75/90. It's easy to get carried away but I would grease your driveline and if it is time for your xfer/tranny fluid I would do that as well. Good time to replace or inspect your drums as you will have those off and take a look at your discs up front too. Wheel bearings are also up there but unless you are having issues with any of those items I would just take a look and leave them be.

Don't know about the shift on the fly but if you drop your front driveshaft you can do the different gearsets

 

[Troybylt]

I am doing the same thing here in a month or two only I'm tossing disc conversion in with it.

You're going to have to modify your axle housing to fit the elocker and while you are in there I would rebuild the rear end that way you have all new seals/bearings for the rear. Yes your cvs are the same spline count. You could just pick up new cvs and wheel bearings but

Iirc if you separate the gears from the pumpkin you will have to reset backlash.

You can just do a new set of cv axles in the front but unless they are giving you problems I wouldn't bother. Those are easily replaced.

Remember to budget for your oil. I'm going the amsoil route with the severe 75/90. It's easy to get carried away but I would grease your driveline and if it is time for your xfer/tranny fluid I would do that as well. Good time to replace or inspect your drums as you will have those off and take a look at your discs up front too. Wheel bearings are also up there but unless you are having issues with any of those items I would just take a look and leave them be.

Don't know about the shift on the fly but if you drop your front driveshaft you can do the different gearsets

I do have the E-Locker Axle, can I use that or will I be forced to modify my current axle for the 3rd member for some reason?

 

[Kryptoroxx]

Make sure that you and the axle are ABS. My 4runner was not so I am modifying my axle vs trying to make an abs axle work. Plus my axle is easier to mount disc mounts to.

 

[Doc2012]

First off, good question about the ABS. If you're axle is ABS, and the other isn't, you need to modify your axle housing, unless you don't mind loosing your ABS. Problem with that is, depending on your year (can't see, on tapatalk), the speedo works off the ABS. Your speedo will still rock off the front ABS sensors(iirc), but it'll be wacky. Hit a big bump and it'll shut off on ya.

Secondly, when was the last time your seals and bearings were changed? You're gonna have it apart, might as well add those in there. Inchworm, or marlin, can't remember, offers a kit for a really reasonable price. I'll include the link below.

Thirdly, you're not taking apart the ring and pinion, just swapping the diff. No need to set the backlash or anything like that. Just bolt and go. If you take the ring and pinion apart, you will need to set the backlash and all that. If it sounds smooth, leave it be.

Fourth, swapping a whole axle is easier than you think.

Lift up the ass end, put jack stands on the frame in front of the frame horns, where the links attach. CHOCK THE FRONT WHEELS. Disconnect the drive shaft. Place the jack under the axle, and take some of the tension off the components. Remove the bottom bolt of the panhard. Disconnect the brake line. Remove the shocks. Unbolt the links from the frame. Disconnect e-brake cable. (Been awhile since I've taken a 4Runner stock axle out. Mine is sitting on leafs, so I can't really remember it all.) That should be it. The axle is now loose and ready to be pulled out. Put the new one in, just opposite.

Fifth, the front diff is tricky. You have to find a way to get the flange between the bell housing, and the steering shaft. When I did my conversion, this took me about an hour to do. Easier now, because I've got an engine lift, but I remember laying under that ***** for at least an hour trying to wiggle it in there.

Sixth, taking the front shaft off will be fine. As long as you don't run with no CVs. You're obviously going to lose your 4wd, but it'll be fine to run with no front shaft.

Just DO NOT take your CVs out and drive it. You'll destroy your bearings.

If you have any questions about anything, I'm sure someone in FL would be willing to help ya out. If I were down there, I would. But NC is a good little drive from FL.

Marlin Crawler is the company that has the rear axle service kit. Plan on having to find someone with a press(20ton plus) to get the bearings off and back on.

http://www.marlincrawler.com/axle/rear-axle-parts/rear-axle-service-kit-1979-99

 

[Kryptoroxx]

Damn forgot about the press lol. Good catch doc. I would look for a machine shop. If you remove the shafts and take them in they should not charge much for the pressing.

You can't make a non ABS housing an ABS housing but unless Toyota did something really funky there are NO non-ABS elocker housings. You can run an ABS on non-abs because it doesn't matter...but if you have ABS doc is right. It will mess you up.

 

[TheeMikeB]

If you aren't running 4wd you don't need to disconnect the drive shaft with different ratios in front/back.