'99 LC Locked Axle into '01 LX Swap

[Bama4door]

Bama-

What was the preference for swapping into a used factory locked axle vs installing a Harrop E-locker or ARB into your existing axle? Cost savings or the challenge or something else?

I am enjoying watching you pull your truck apart, commend your wrench skills especially tackling this challenge, but it seems like a lot of added hours, effort, $$ & reliability risk retrofitting your truck with different electrics( ecu swap, different wiring harnesses), new brake lines, 18yr old actuator, and the time of physically swapping the axles; simply to get a locked axle.

Harrop E Locker + set up + install costs around $1700-$1900 otd; ($900ish for the locker if you DIY set up and install)

All good questions and I definitely thought about the pros and cons of doing a new ARB with compressor or Harrop locker vs. the Toyota locked axle.

One thing I forgot to mention is the LX is actually my wife's vehicle that she daily drives. She is pretty against me adding bumpers to it bc she thinks it looks "dikey" lol. So I figured putting lockers in it is something that wouldn't change the appearance (obviously), but would really enhance offroad performance. We usually take her car to do long travel camping trips instead of my 60. Our plan is to keep her LX long term and let our kids drive it one day.

The reason I chose to go with the Toyota locked axle is strictly because of price. A local TN Mud club member posted up that there was a wrecked '99 Land Cruiser in a local Pull-A-Part with the rear elocker. I went to go scout it out and it was clean and looked good to go. It took us about 2 hours to pull it and then I hauled it home. It's sat in my shed since last December. Here's the kicker, I paid $108 for the whole shebang. That's a freakin steal in my book and I would have been crazy not to pull it.

So as far as time to do this swap, it really is a simple swap. Everything is a direct drop in, no cutting or anything required. All in, it has probably taken me 6-7 hours to swap axles and put in the AHC shock spacers and 80 springs.

Like you mentioned, what's the point in swapping in an old 18 year old axle that probably has been sitting for a while? I took off the old rotors, calipers and pads on the '99 locked axle and threw them away and swapped all of the good new parts from the LX over. Bleed the brakes and she's good to go.

Once I get the Slee CPU in on Tuesday, I will update the thread on how I wore everything. I did get the factory locker switch out of the '99 LC, so it will look factory. I'm planning on building my own harness from switch to Slee CPU, to locker actuator.



I just finished up the swap this morning and took it around the block and I think it rides smoother than before with the new 80 springs. I have a sensor lift, so I think it definitely helped lower the AHC pressures.

Next plan is to drain the old gear oil and refill with new. We have an overland trip to the Ozarks next weekend, so I'll get to test out the locker and will report back.

 

[Bama4door]

Not the best pictures, but I got everything buttoned up today and drain/refilled the diff oil too.

 

[abuck99]

Nice work Bama- you got this swap turned around pretty quick.

 

[Bama4door]

@savirc Is there anyway when wiring up the elocker with the Slee CPU that you can get the locker light on the dash to come on when the locker is engaged?

I ended up ordering the 12voltguy wiring harness this morning. Should be here by end of the week, so it'll be a rush to get it all installed before I head out Friday afternoon for our camping trip.

 

[savirc]

@savirc Is there anyway when wiring up the elocker with the Slee CPU that you can get the locker light on the dash to come on when the locker is engaged?

I ended up ordering the 12voltguy wiring harness this morning. Should be here by end of the week, so it'll be a rush to get it all installed before I head out Friday afternoon for our camping trip.

Yes there is just plug a positive to the LED light and let the fork sensor at the axle ground the LED when activated.

 

[Bama4door]

Slee CPU and 12voltguy harness came in today. Will work on figuring out wiring tonight and tomorrow (not my strong suit)

 

[Bama4door]

I'm going to throw in the diagram @savirc posted in his build thread so I can reference it the next couple days...

 

[savirc]

I'm going to throw in the diagram @savirc posted in his build thread so I can reference it the next couple days...

View attachment 1561810

FYI

Your going to have 3 sets wire color translations one off the locker pig tail to the 12voltguy and then another from the 12 volt to the slee CPU then from the CPU to light and switch. Its going to get confusing if you don't write it all down. My illustration on my build thread does not show the 12 volt guy wiring harness or colors.

This is where the other kit really shines one wire harness end to end, little to no room for error.

 

[Bama4door]

Yea i started to notice that once I sat down and looked at the wiring diagrams from you, slee and 12voltguy. I'm going to have to wait till my wife gets home later to disconnect the elocker harness from her LX so I can figure it all out.

I did notice on the Slee diagram/instructions it says " 9.5 Differentials (100 series) requires the motor wires (white & blue wires) to be swapped"

 

[PabloCruise]

All good questions and I definitely thought about the pros and cons of doing a new ARB with compressor or Harrop locker vs. the Toyota locked axle.

One thing I forgot to mention is the LX is actually my wife's vehicle that she daily drives. She is pretty against me adding bumpers to it bc she thinks it looks "dikey" lol. So I figured putting lockers in it is something that wouldn't change the appearance (obviously), but would really enhance offroad performance. We usually take her car to do long travel camping trips instead of my 60. Our plan is to keep her LX long term and let our kids drive it one day.

The reason I chose to go with the Toyota locked axle is strictly because of price. A local TN Mud club member posted up that there was a wrecked '99 Land Cruiser in a local Pull-A-Part with the rear elocker. I went to go scout it out and it was clean and looked good to go. It took us about 2 hours to pull it and then I hauled it home. It's sat in my shed since last December. Here's the kicker, I paid $108 for the whole shebang. That's a freakin steal in my book and I would have been crazy not to pull it.

So as far as time to do this swap, it really is a simple swap. Everything is a direct drop in, no cutting or anything required. All in, it has probably taken me 6-7 hours to swap axles and put in the AHC shock spacers and 80 springs.

Like you mentioned, what's the point in swapping in an old 18 year old axle that probably has been sitting for a while? I took off the old rotors, calipers and pads on the '99 locked axle and threw them away and swapped all of the good new parts from the LX over. Bleed the brakes and she's good to go.

Once I get the Slee CPU in on Tuesday, I will update the thread on how I wore everything. I did get the factory locker switch out of the '99 LC, so it will look factory. I'm planning on building my own harness from switch to Slee CPU, to locker actuator.



I just finished up the swap this morning and took it around the block and I think it rides smoother than before with the new 80 springs. I have a sensor lift, so I think it definitely helped lower the AHC pressures.

Next plan is to drain the old gear oil and refill with new. We have an overland trip to the Ozarks next weekend, so I'll get to test out the locker and will report back.

$108 for an e-locker?!? Awesome!

 

[Bama4door]

$108 for an e-locker?!? Awesome!

Hard deal to pass up!



I've been lacking on updates on this. The axle is in, along with the AHC shock spacers and 80 springs. I did a 700 mile road trip to Arkansas this weekend for a camping trip and everything worked great. I didn't get a chance to wire up the e-locker with the 12voltguy harness and Slee CPU before I left. Hopefully I will get a chance to this week or next weekend.

 

[nissanh]

Can't you do a direct wiring. The actuator is like the door lock mechanism, so two wires to lock it and two wires to unlock correct? Have the switch in a place that you will not turn on while you are at 65 MPH.
I was planning to get my 4runner with a locking axle but then I bought the cruiser. Since then I want a locker in the cruiser and planing to do the same thing you did with a 98 or 99 axle.

I've been reading your posts all along.... good job!!!

 

[Bama4door]

Here's a few pics from the weekend. The one overlook over the lake is from our campsite Saturday night

 

[geanes]

@Bama4door ... nice work on the locked rear swap. BTW, the white LX, did the Ironman front bumper go on the frame horns without any additional spacers? On mine, the "u-shaped" bar spacer that slides between the frame rail and winch cradle mount was about 1/4" too short to fill the gap so the bumper leaned forward.

 

[Bama4door]

@Bama4door ... nice work on the locked rear swap. BTW, the white LX, did the Ironman front bumper go on the frame horns without any additional spacers? On mine, the "u-shaped" bar spacer that slides between the frame rail and winch cradle mount was about 1/4" too short to fill the gap so the bumper leaned forward.

Thanks @geanes

On my buddies white LX I know he had the bumper put on at a local shop, but I can ask him if he knows what they did. His bumper seems to sit pretty flush that from what I can tell.

 

[geanes]

Thanks @geanes

On my buddies white LX I know he had the bumper put on at a local shop, but I can ask him if he knows what they did. His bumper seems to sit pretty flush that from what I can tell.

Thanks! The slight down-angle on mine worked out ok in that the grill clears the top bar easily. But, I read where someone used a winch in a similar scenario to mine and it broke the winch plate and bent it all out of whack.

One last question: 80 series springs? Curious why those instead of King or 100 series. Are the 80 springs lighter than 100s but heavier than Kings?

I sure wish I could find a locked axle like yours for that cheap. I'm looking at an ARB for the front and rear (I have a 98 with the 2pinion front dif) and am going to sail over $2.4k easily with the compressor and a self-install.

 

[PabloCruise]

Hard deal to pass up!



I've been lacking on updates on this. The axle is in, along with the AHC spring spacers and 80 springs. I did a 700 mile road trip to Arkansas this weekend for a camping trip and everything worked great. I didn't get a chance to wire up the e-locker with the 12voltguy harness and Slee CPU before I left. Hopefully I will get a chance to this week or next weekend.

Are you looking at your AHC system pressures w/ TechStream? I ran the spring spacers for a little while and then went with the Kin Springs in the rear.

 

[Bama4door]

Thanks! The slight down-angle on mine worked out ok in that the grill clears the top bar easily. But, I read where someone used a winch in a similar scenario to mine and it broke the winch plate and bent it all out of whack.

One last question: 80 series springs? Curious why those instead of King or 100 series. Are the 80 springs lighter than 100s but heavier than Kings?

I sure wish I could find a locked axle like yours for that cheap. I'm looking at an ARB for the front and rear (I have a 98 with the 2pinion front dif) and am going to sail over $2.4k easily with the compressor and a self-install.

He has a Warn VR10,000S in his Ironman and we've used it a few times without issue.

I used 80 springs bc I got them for free and because I read an old post from Christo @ Slee that they used to put 80 rear springs in LX470s that came in the shop years ago. Both 80/100 rear stock springs are nearly identical and that's why OME springs are for both 80 and 100 series. I think the King's are probably heavier than 80/100 stock springs.

Are you looking at your AHC system pressures w/ TechStream? I ran the spring spacers for a little while and then went with the Kin Springs in the rear.

I haven't gotten Techstream yet. I've got the front lifted via sensor lift and have cranked the torsion bars 8.5 turns and then the rear is sensor lift along with 80 springs. I would guess it would be very close to in range as is, but I still need to get Techstream to dial it in. I have to say it rides so nice these days after the 80 springs and turning up the torsion bars a couple more turns (had it at 7 turns before) and I also replaced the AHC fluid a few weeks ago. For having 289k miles, the AHC is awesome (knock on wood).

 

[PabloCruise]

Ah, sensor lift and 80 springs - got it!

IIRC, the 80 rear coils are identical to the 100 rear coils, which are stiffer than 470 coils.

Glad she rides smooth! I need to get my TechStream working so I can confirm my pressures after the King springs.

 

[Bama4door]

Ah, sensor lift and 80 springs - go it!

IIRC, the 80 rear coils are identical to the 100 rear coils, which are stiffer than 470 coils.

Glad she rides smooth! I need to get my TechStream working so I can confirm my pressures after the King springs.

You're exactly right! The stock LX470 springs look puny next to the 80/100 springs.

Do you have the Japan4x4 AHC shock spacers on yours?