Rear locker won’t unlock - HELP

[Tatonka]

Finally got my rear locker to engage with some coaxing ( be careful what you wish for I guess) and now it won’t disengage. Have tried the usual tricks ( s turns etc) but no joy. So...

Can I safely drive it locked up on local roads ( up to say 35mph)?

And

Any other tricks to get it to let go beyond s turns, backing up, etc?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tatonka]

Anybody?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Plastics guy]

Finally got my rear locker to engage with some coaxing ( be careful what you wish for I guess) and now it won’t disengage. Have tried the usual tricks ( s turns etc) but no joy. So...

Can I safely drive it locked up on local roads ( up to say 35mph)?

And

Any other tricks to get it to let go beyond s turns, backing up, etc?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Have you tried S turns in reverse?

I had a similar problem with an old e locker I had. I would also put the truck in neutral while rolling to try to reduce any drag on the e locker.

good luck

 

[Tatonka]

Have you tried S turns in reverse?



I had a similar problem with an old e locker I had. I would also put the truck in neutral while rolling to try to reduce any drag on the e locker.



good luck

Thanks! Went right out and tried those - still no luck yet though.

I need to do some more homework on exactly how these things work. In my garage with the engine off and the transfer case in neutral I can hit the button and it sure sounds like the locker is engaging and disengaging smoothly. As I understand it there is a fork of some sort that comes into play? Can the electric locker work but that fork stays in place / jammed in the locked position?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DLM_2002]

Its a gear and a slide. If you take the motor off you can disengage the locked with a flat screwdriver. Its easier if a tire is in the air. You can also test the locker motor while is it out to make sure it turns the gear. Good luck. The motor is shot in mine and they are not cheap to replace.
Dan

Thanks! Went right out and tried those - still no luck yet though.

I need to do some more homework on exactly how these things work. In my garage with the engine off and the transfer case in neutral I can hit the button and it sure sounds like the locker is engaging and disengaging smoothly. As I understand it there is a fork of some sort that comes into play? Can the electric locker work but that fork stays in place / jammed in the locked position?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tatonka]

Thanks Dan! Ill give that a go tomorrow. Since you seem to know your way around these things maybe you can tell me...

I did try to pull the motor off a couple weeks ago but it seemed to be stuck firmly in place and I did not want to do any more damage since I have not messed with one of these before. With all of the bolts off I still could not get it to budge. I gave a couple lite apps with a hammer- but didn't know if it would be okay to give it a good smack or not. I stopped fighting it when some metal broke off near the corner of a mounting surface when I was trying to pry it loose. Are these things mounted with RTV or some such at the factory? Or is it maybe typical that they kind of fuse in place after 20 years? Maybe they are always hard to remove the first time? Any tips you have for what is safe to do in the removal process would be appreciated.

Its a gear and a slide. If you take the motor off you can disengage the locked with a flat screwdriver. Its easier if a tire is in the air. You can also test the locker motor while is it out to make sure it turns the gear. Good luck. The motor is shot in mine and they are not cheap to replace.
Dan

 

[Plastics guy]

Try lifting both wheels off the ground with a floor jack and mess around with forward and reverse.

If that doesn't do it. Pull the motor and move it manually. there's plenty of write ups on it.

 

[habanero]

Here's the back of the actuator.

the long upper bolt on mine was seized up:

(ignore the half-pulled third member, it's the bolt that is of interest)

 

[DLM_2002]

Anything is hard to remove after 20 years. There is a Oring on the shaft that is most likely what is giving you trouble. That Oring may be destroyed when you pull it if its that dried out.
Dan

Thanks Dan! Ill give that a go tomorrow. Since you seem to know your way around these things maybe you can tell me...

I did try to pull the motor off a couple weeks ago but it seemed to be stuck firmly in place and I did not want to do any more damage since I have not messed with one of these before. With all of the bolts off I still could not get it to budge. I gave a couple lite apps with a hammer- but didn't know if it would be okay to give it a good smack or not. I stopped fighting it when some metal broke off near the corner of a mounting surface when I was trying to pry it loose. Are these things mounted with RTV or some such at the factory? Or is it maybe typical that they kind of fuse in place after 20 years? Maybe they are always hard to remove the first time? Any tips you have for what is safe to do in the removal process would be appreciated.

 

[kolelt]

It’s 3 bolts to remove the elocker motor. Tap it with a rubber hammer. And remove it. Slightly jack up the rear just enough so the tires are of the ground. And move the pitch fork to unlock it.

 

[Tatonka]

It’s 3 bolts to remove the elocker motor. Tap it with a rubber hammer. And remove it. Slightly jack up the rear just enough so the tires are of the ground. And move the pitch fork to unlock it.

I have the rear end jacked up and on jackstands. The bolts are all out. And I have graduated from tapping with rubber mallet to regular hammer to some light taps with the BFH. When none of that worked I soaked it with PB blaster and left it to soak. It’ll have another go at it tonight.

Next Question is… How hard do I dare whale on this with the BFH? With it locked am I likely to do any damage to any of the internals if I do that? If I mess up the actuator motor I’ll replace it but I want to make sure that I don’t do any damage beyond that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kolelt]

I have the rear end jacked up and on jackstands. The bolts are all out. And I have graduated from tapping with rubber mallet to regular hammer to some light taps with the BFH. When none of that worked I soaked it with PB blaster and left it to soak. It’ll have another go at it tonight.

Next Question is… How hard do I dare whale on this with the BFH? With it locked am I likely to do any damage to any of the internals if I do that? If I mess up the actuator motor I’ll replace it but I want to make sure that I don’t do any damage beyond that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This myear got help you a little

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...d-installation-of-e-locker-3rd-member.193828/

But taping it with rubber hammer is best idea. Don’t want to damage anything with regular hammer. At the same time try sticking a thin pry bar or flat head screw driver. Your probably fighting the o-ring on the actuator.

 

[Tyler James Inc]

Are you trying to remove the actuator with the locker engaged or disengaged? It's important that it is removed in whichever position the locker is in. Since yours is stuck locked, you need to make sure the button is pressed and you have power to it.
It winds up a spring that holds tension on the shift fork until it lines up, then it springs closed. If it's stuck locked- and the button is in the unlocked position- the spring will be wound up, putting lots of pressure on the gear. That would make it very tough to pull the actuator out.

Driving it around won't hurt anything in your rear end- regardless of speed.

 

[Tatonka]

Are you trying to remove the actuator with the locker engaged or disengaged? It's important that it is removed in whichever position the locker is in. Since yours is stuck locked, you need to make sure the button is pressed and you have power to it.
It winds up a spring that holds tension on the shift fork until it lines up, then it springs closed. If it's stuck locked- and the button is in the unlocked position- the spring will be wound up, putting lots of pressure on the gear. That would make it very tough to pull the actuator out.

Driving it around won't hurt anything in your rear end- regardless of speed.

Good to know! Do just to make sure I do this right...
1. Power on, tranny in neutral, transfer case to low, and push the rear diff switch.
2. Pull the actuator motor (if I can).
3. RR switch back to off, TC back to 2wd, power down.
4. Pull the plugs on the actuator motor.
5. Manually unlock the slide in the 3rd member.
6. Reinstall repaired (if fixable)or replaced locker in the unlocked position.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tyler James Inc]

Good to know! Do just to make sure I do this right.

Yup! That should work just fine [emoji1360]

 

[Tatonka]

Woot! Got it to unlock. After hours of tapping, pounding, running her back and forth between drive and reverse, etc... it unlocked.

I still can’t get the motor off but I’m going to call it quits for now. Sprayed a ton of PB blaster wherever I had achieved a little separation, put the bolts back in, and lowered her down.

I’m getting the feeling that getting the actuator motor off will involve damaging it more (and it might already be internally corroded enough to be toast anyhow) so I’m going to go ahead and look for a replacement unit to have on hand before I tackle it again. Heck if the one I have is salvageable I’ll just clean it up and keep it on hand as a spare.

Thanks to all of you who gave advise on this - I really appreciate it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk