OEM Locked Axle Swap (1 Viewer)

[mxvet354]

I have the opportunity to do a full (hub to hub) axle swap from a locked '96 LC to my '96 LC. I have searched every thread I could find and PM'ed several senoir members asking advice and looking for any insight from them. The owner of the locked LC is a family friend and will never use her truck off road and told me she has never touched the "round thing" by the steering wheel, she said her truck will "never be in the grass". I offered her a fair price for the axles as well as re-built front end and new brakes and to look after her truck for a year after the swap. She also has seat issues, AC issues and sun roof drain issues I am going to help her with.

As stated this will be a full axle swap (hub to hub), I will take the axles, wiring harness, switch and ECU from the donor truck and swap my complete axles back under it. I do have a couple of very experienced "helpers" for this swap. They know much more about front end re-builds and electrical stuff than I do. The mechanical portion I am very comfortable with, the electrical side I am confused about. 7-5 pin harnesess, ECU, etc - they do not think it will be a big deal but I want to be assured I do not mess up her truck #1 and that we do an OEM looking and functioning job on mine as well. I figure we can get both trucks on jack stands right beside each other, take a million pictures, document everything and then start un-bolting/un-wiring and do the swap. Both trucks are almost entirely rust free and I do not expect any hurdles in that department. PB can and will be appplied to both vehicles for several days in advance of the "work weekend". I do have an FSM.....for all torque specs and anything else we run into.

If anyone has done this and there is a thread somewhere I have missed, please let me know. I have been searching and reading for 3-4 weeks. I would be curious to know if it would be possible to get the "donor" truck done over a weekend and get it aligned first thing Monday morning for her. Is there anything I am missing? Are there any "tricks" to this or just a lot of (expected) work? I know the ARB vs OEM standpoint but I still feel like I can do this for much less than $2K.

Guys I am all ears and any insight or advice will be very, very welcome!!! I know I will be talking to CDan soon for parts, etc but I want to know what I am getting into before hand if at all possible....sorry for the long post. If I decide to do this I am going to do my best to make it a photo thread with descriptions of how to do this swap.....

Thanks in advance - Curt

 

[Gordopescado]

Good luck man. I'm jealous.

 

[hntashdjian]

I cannot help much but maybe these threads can:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/26446-retro-fit-locking-diff-non-locked-housing.html

Baja Overland

 

[OhioCruiser]

If both trucks are in the same conditions why not just exchange trucks??
Give your friend little extra money and promice to do some PM ,maybe she'll be happy to do it

 

[Clutchee]

Curt I'm located in Chapel Hill TN- my wifes rig I did this swap on myself.

PM me & I'll hit the high points...... not a big issues just a few FYI items

Glad to meet another TN cruiser head!

 

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

Here we go agaaaaain........

 

[-Spike-]

Make sure the lockers function in her truck before you do anything.

Service your axles on your truck and drive the truck for awhile to make sure nothing goes wrong there. Then pull them before you even jack up her truck. That will give you an idea of how long it will take, and you can abort mission and put it off a week if you have any time issues.

Prepare yourself mentally and financially for her truck to completely melt down in the next year.

The swap is fairly easy. The headaches will come from her truck. You would be much better off finding a pair of locked axles somewhere and buying them outright, then selling your axles.

Search under username 'Boston Mangler' and keywords like 'locked axles', 'lockers', 'swap', 'wiring harness', etc. I did the swap several years ago, but don't remember enough about it to help you.

-Spike

 

[mxvet354]

Thanks for the advice and links, I had read most of them but was looking for more of an answer like Spike provided. I too am worried that if something goes wrong I would need to fix it, if it is axle related at all. Swapping trucks is just not an option as I have PM'ed mine much, much so than she has or is capable of. She loves her truck but is a single mother and knows nothing other than a Toyata dealer . I thought this was a good idea and opportunity but maybe not.

DOG - I have been keeping up with that thread but again, this would not be a retro-fit but a full swap. I learned a ton from that thread. Didn't mean to start another thread on the exact same topic and did not want to hi-jack that thread. Sorry......

Thanks again and I am still all ears for any advice. Maybe an Aussie in the rear and call it good huh? I can do all the work with help but I just can't throw $2.2K or so at ARB's right now. I will keep reading and learning.

Curt

 

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

I have the opportunity to do a full (hub to hub) axle swap from a locked '96 LC to my '96 LC. I have searched every thread I could find and PM'ed several senoir members asking advice and looking for any insight from them. The owner of the locked LC is a family friend and will never use her truck off road and told me she has never touched the "round thing" by the steering wheel, she said her truck will "never be in the grass". I offered her a fair price for the axles as well as re-built front end and new brakes and to look after her truck for a year after the swap. She also has seat issues, AC issues and sun roof drain issues I am going to help her with.

As stated this will be a full axle swap (hub to hub), I will take the axles, wiring harness, switch and ECU from the donor truck and swap my complete axles back under it. I do have a couple of very experienced "helpers" for this swap. They know much more about front end re-builds and electrical stuff than I do. The mechanical portion I am very comfortable with, the electrical side I am confused about. 7-5 pin harnesess, ECU, etc - they do not think it will be a big deal but I want to be assured I do not mess up her truck #1 and that we do an OEM looking and functioning job on mine as well. I figure we can get both trucks on jack stands right beside each other, take a million pictures, document everything and then start un-bolting/un-wiring and do the swap. Both trucks are almost entirely rust free and I do not expect any hurdles in that department. PB can and will be appplied to both vehicles for several days in advance of the "work weekend". I do have an FSM.....for all torque specs and anything else we run into.

If anyone has done this and there is a thread somewhere I have missed, please let me know. I have been searching and reading for 3-4 weeks. I would be curious to know if it would be possible to get the "donor" truck done over a weekend and get it aligned first thing Monday morning for her. Is there anything I am missing? Are there any "tricks" to this or just a lot of (expected) work? I know the ARB vs OEM standpoint but I still feel like I can do this for much less than $2K.

Guys I am all ears and any insight or advice will be very, very welcome!!! I know I will be talking to CDan soon for parts, etc but I want to know what I am getting into before hand if at all possible....sorry for the long post. If I decide to do this I am going to do my best to make it a photo thread with descriptions of how to do this swap.....

Thanks in advance - Curt

Curt, if you are going to do a full axle swap (both front and rear) you will at least need one full undivided week to do this kind of project. You need to get her a rental car for that week and you need friends who have muscles. The reason I said one full week is because you do not want to rush to get the job done over a "weekend". You need to keep in mind Safety and Quality of work on her truck and as much as on your truck. Those axles are heavy mofo.

Removing and replacing axles is the easy part, the hardest part is the wiring connection. Since you read axle swap thread more than 3-4 weeks, so you basically knows what parts needed to be cannibalized from her truck to your truck, right?

Thanks for the advice and links, I had read most of them but was looking for more of an answer like Spike provided. I too am worried that if something goes wrong I would need to fix it, if it is axle related at all. Swapping trucks is just not an option as I have PM'ed mine much, much so than she has or is capable of. She loves her truck but is a single mother and knows nothing other than a Toyata dealer . I thought this was a good idea and opportunity but maybe not.

DOG - I have been keeping up with that thread but again, this would not be a retro-fit but a full swap. I learned a ton from that thread. Didn't mean to start another thread on the exact same topic and did not want to hi-jack that thread. Sorry......

Thanks again and I am still all ears for any advice. Maybe an Aussie in the rear and call it good huh? I can do all the work with help but I just can't throw $2.2K or so at ARB's right now. I will keep reading and learning.

Curt

I was just yanking your chain because this axle swap thing has been covered a million times. To me an axle swap and a retro fitment is the same because all parts involved are all related to the project unless you install ARB lockers, that's another thing.

 

[mxvet354]

That is exactly what kind of advice I was looking for, Thanks DOG!! I do know what all I will need and even made a list of part numbers just in case I saw or ran into something that needed to be replaced. I agree 110% that safety and quality for both trucks has to be priority #1, absoluetly nothing else would be right.

If a full week is needed I will have to plan for that and then decide if it is something I want to take on. I know it will be tons of work and putting a "full week" helps put it in perspective.

Can't say thanks enough....and I am used to having my chain yanked, I am married after all. OK that sounded weird but you know what I mean, no offense taken at all.

Still listening....

Curt

 

[80t0ylc]

Swapping trucks is just not an option as I have PM'ed mine much, much so than she has or is capable of. She loves her truck but is a single mother and knows nothing other than a Toyata dealer . Curt

Curt,
I have to agree with OhioCruiser on just swapping trucks. With all the work that needs to be done and all the possibilities of something unexpected popping up that will either cost more $ or take more time, I think that you'll eventually come to your senses. Hey, they're BOTH Landcruisers! Sounds like yours is in better shape so she'll benefit from that while you benefit from the lockers. Swap bumpers, wheels, tires and misc. if you need to. And you'll still have the fun of baselining a new-to-you rig. - My .02
Edit: You could even swap her stock springs and arms/bushings for your OME springs and arms/bushings.

 

[landcrusher80]

I have done it 5 times now.
1. From 94 to 94 (HDJ81) elocker
2. From 86 (HJ61 ) to 88 (BJ74V) cable locker
3. From 91 to 92 (HDJ81) elocker
4. 93 to 91 elocker retrofit F&R (HDJ81)
5. 94 elocker retrofit rear only (HDJ81)

This is what you will need for the elocker axle swap.
2 Dash Indicator Bulb #90981-11018
2 Dash Indicator Bulb Sockets #8310114040
1 Diff Lock ECU #89533-60030
1 Diff Lock Switch #84725-60020
1 CDL Switch only if your truck does not have one.

And of course the elocked axles. BUY the sockets and the bulbs. It takes too long to pull them out of the donor truck.

With a lift the right tools and a couple of buddies you should be able to do in a day.

JDM VX Limited models are all plug and play. There is no need to fabricate a wiring harness.

Good luck.

LandCrusher80

 

[mxvet354]

Thanks landcrusher, I am leaning towards a mix of what you suggested and what DOG said. Get the rebuild done first, test it for a few weeks and then do the swap (if I decide to go ahead with it). If I go that route I think in a long weekend, we could be close to having the donor truck ready. I can then finish mine up after hers is ready to go.

So I got a full week to a day....anyone else? I know I am not the first one to think about this full axle swap. I am still reading and learning. I really appreciate all of the inputs so far.

Thanks - Curt

(no offense but the donor truck is green, I am more of a moonglow pearl type myself )

 

[sricruiser]

Here we go agaaaaain........

Ignorance is bliss

 

[sandcruiser]

I would think that with helper(s), you should be able to swap 1 axle per day without issue.
You can fiddle with your wiring later to get the lockers working correctly, but I would place priority on getting her rig rolling ASAP to minimize her inconvenience.

Having said that: I think you're crazy to offer her a 1 year warranty on your axles.
If you are going to rebuild your axles and do the brakes before you hand your axles over, and you're going to pay her for her axles, and you're going to be on the hook for future repairs... this could end up costing you a lot of time/money.

Also, you may as well plan to replace bushings throughout while you are in there. Those suckers add up to a bit of money.

I'd start w/ the rear axle in any case. If things take too long, you can do the front at some future work weekend.

 

[Sd1975]

I have done it 5 times now.
1. From 94 to 94 (HDJ81) elocker
2. From 86 (HJ61 ) to 88 (BJ74V) cable locker
3. From 91 to 92 (HDJ81) elocker
4. 93 to 91 elocker retrofit F&R (HDJ81)
5. 94 elocker retrofit rear only (HDJ81)

This is what you will need for the elocker axle swap.
2 Dash Indicator Bulb #90981-11018
2 Dash Indicator Bulb Sockets #8310114040
1 Diff Lock ECU #89533-60030
1 Diff Lock Switch #84725-60020
1 CDL Switch only if your truck does not have one.

And of course the elocked axles. BUY the sockets and the bulbs. It takes too long to pull them out of the donor truck.

With a lift the right tools and a couple of buddies you should be able to do in a day.

JDM VX Limited models are all plug and play. There is no need to fabricate a wiring harness.

Good luck.

LandCrusher80

So far this is what I'm wanting to hear! So I just purchased a JDM 93 HDJ81 VX Limited, unlocked. I have the opportunity to get a locked full rear axle assembly out of a 95 US spec 80. Debating on whether I should spend $1300+ on a Harrop or TJM, or do the full axle swap.
So are the items listed above all I would need? I have a CDL so that wont be necessary. Just ECU, switch and bulbs? If so then hell yeah this is the way I'm gonna go! I can get 80 series axles shipped for $450-650ish