Retro fit Locking Diff to Non Locked Housing (2 Viewers)

[8KCABDriver]

thanks that's what it looks like,does it just fit into the body grommet and vent to the cabin? Does it hook to something?

No, the vent line ends where the axle harness plugs into the sub harness at the left quarter panel. There should be a small rubber cap on the end of the vent tube. The cap has small slit in it to keep dirt and **** out. It would not hurt to extend the vent line to higher grounds.

In the above picture I show a 5 wire plug,is this the one that should be Prewired inLX models? If so then both plugs in the picture should have mates waiting for them Correct? Any LX experts?

On the LX you need the complete axle harness which has the wiring for the locker and ABS (which looks like the one you have in your pic.). You will need to add the locker wiring to the sub harness in the left rear quarter (Only the ABS plug is present non-locked LX's). In your picture the smaller rectangular pigtail with the 6 wires is what you will need to add/extend to connect to the main floor 20 pin plug. The main floor plug is inside the left rear quarter behind the jack and runs forward over the wheel arch. You will need 5 female pins to insert into the sub harness side of the 20 pin plug. The 6th wire on your pigtail with the white and black strip is a ground wire and can be ground to the body or jumped to a ground wire on the main floor harness.
For the proper pin-out into the 20 pin plug see post #25 here:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/381992-lx450-rear-locker-wiring-2.html
and post #21
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/113251-retro-fitting-oem-lockers-wiring-harness-2.html

Hope this helps

 

[Jamison Workshop]

I see no one mentions which plug at the driver kick panel you will be plugging your 5 wires into.

I do only see one plug that seems to have space remaining. upper right side square one. Do the colors correspond on the other side of the connector?

 

[Offroads4x4]

This covers how to convert a non-locker housing to a locker housing and how to wire it up with out the controller ECU and all the wire mess. Its a KISS thread on it.

Outdoor Recreation Network - Off-Highway, Jeep, & 4x4 Fun

 

[Kief]

Do the display panels in the dash of NON-locker rigs need light bulbs installed??

I found some of the insulation on the E-locker harness pretty cooked but was functioning in the donor rig, has anyone else encountered this?

 

[LINUS]

Do the display panels in the dash of NON-locker rigs need light bulbs installed??

I found some of the insulation on the E-locker harness pretty cooked but was functioning in the donor rig, has anyone else encountered this?

Yes - you can either scavenge the bulbs & bulb holders from a wrecked 80 (all the bulb/holders in bottom row are the same) - or feed Dan's dogs or pay for a few Keystones (Still your brand, Dan?) -- if you call him for new bulbs & holders.

The wire sections are about $45 & 70 between the axle & intermediary harness respectively, so you decide if yours are toast & want to tape & heatshrink tube yours, or just buy new ones. I did my swap with mainly all new parts as I wanted the body clips all there & present for use so I didn't have a rattling hoopty of an 80 - and using all the OE parts means if I was injured for whatever reason I could theoretically have a dealer fix any isses as all wires jive with the EWD book.

Also, I can verify my LX450 has a LOCKER floor harness despite NO locker package (PO installed ARB's) - YMMV, but here's proof of 1 LX450 with a locker floor harness despite no other locker package parts.

 

[Zoverlander]

The front non-lock housing must be heavily modified to fit the diff. The sealing area is an issue as well as the fact that new holes need to be drilled and tapped to accept additional mounting studs and some existing holes need to be filled. Two of these additional studs are over 5 inches long and if the new threaded holes are not absolutely perpendicular to the diff mounting surface you will never get the diff in the housing.

I retro-fitted OEM locks into mine utilizing the correct, new, front axle housing.

Hello! Do you happen to know if a rear unlocked housing needs to be similarly modified (as the front) to accept a locking 3rd member?

 

[slow95z]

It does and you need the short side shaft from a locked axle

 

[cruiserdan]

Holy thread revival

Modifying the rear housing is simple compared to the front. All it needs is a notch ground out to clear the shift fork. You can use a new differential gasket as a template.

 

[landtank]

Hello! Do you happen to know if a rear unlocked housing needs to be similarly modified (as the front) to accept a locking 3rd member?

no where as much work, just have to grind a little notch in the hole to make room for the actuator. I basically buy the gasket for the locking diff and use it to trace out that area.

 

[cruiserdan]

Holy thread revival

Modifying the rear housing is simple compared to the front. All it needs is a notch ground out to clear the shift fork. You can use a new differential gasket as a template.

no where as much work, just have to grind a little notch in the hole to make room for the actuator. I basically buy the gasket for the locking diff and use it to trace out that area.

Great minds think alike.

Rick and I also think alike

 

[Zoverlander]

no where as much work, just have to grind a little notch in the hole to make room for the actuator. I basically buy the gasket for the locking diff and use it to trace out that area.

awesome thanks!!

 

[Zoverlander]

Holy thread revival

Modifying the rear housing is simple compared to the front. All it needs is a notch ground out to clear the shift fork. You can use a new differential gasket as a template.

superb! thank you so much!

 

[landtank]

Great minds think alike.

Rick and I also think alike

I gave what you wrote the same amount of time as I give my wife when she starts talking. I got as far as "Holy tread revival" and then moved on.

Sorry

 

[cruiserdan]

 

[LINUS]

It does and you need the short side shaft from a locked axle

Are the rear 3rds offset? - (Haha, I totally forget even though I’ve done this) - either way, the RH side shaft.
Because the splines are cut longer.

 

[RobE30]

I have access to a 97 40th edition with 386k on it, locked etc with a bad head. Is it worth it to pull everything to swap my 94 to factory lockers or just retrofit an ARB or similar locker? Having it all factory would make my pants tight but, is it worth the effort? The interior of the 97 has been subject to rodents for a few winters hence the fact that I haven't drug it out of the woods and put it back on the road. Two toned silver

 

[LINUS]

I have access to a 97 40th edition with 386k on it, locked etc with a bad head. Is it worth it to pull everything to swap my 94 to factory lockers or just retrofit an ARB or similar locker? Having it all factory would make my pants tight but, is it worth the effort? The interior of the 97 has been subject to rodents for a few winters hence the fact that I haven't drug it out of the woods and put it back on the road. Two toned silver

Sure. If the $$$ is right then just keep in mind you will need to refresh seals & prob make a mashup of your good axle guts up FR like taking your birfs to that axle shell, etc.

If it’s the 2-tone silver it’s prob a desert dune/ moonglow CE, because Sage 40th AE’s were really Bronzit (and we both know Bronzit....ugh.)

Both had the smoked badges, 40th were either that dark green or Bronzit / Sage.

As long as the lockers act like they might work with a bump box hooked up, it’s not unreasonable. Keep in mind locker actuators may/will need cleaning & a rebuild, and new ones are some ~$300 each axle.

I forget what year FF rear axles were 100% standard, but that’s something too if you have a SF still in your ‘94.