Center Diff Lock Actuator (1 Viewer)

[Greg B]

Over the week-end I was able to look at my Transfer Case troubles from Moab. I've had a long week since getting back home from Cruise Moab and haven't been able to post up my pics and experiences from my trip out west. I will definitely do that in the next day or two.

In the mean time, I thought some of you may be interested in seeing what happened while in Moab. Upon leaving Gold Bar Rim on Friday at CM06, I found that my center diff would not unlock. I talked to a couple guys at the banquet on Friday night (thanks Andy Pollack and Robbie) and they gave me some good suggestions to get started.

On Saturday, I drove Poison Spider Mesa with it locked the whole time. Afterwards, I tried the different things that Andy and Robbie had mentioned. Ben (LexusBen) also stepped up to help me out (thanks again Ben). He tried several things to get it unlocked as well. Nothing worked, so I ended up pulling the front drive shaft and driving back to KY in 2 wheel drive. The weird thing was that the actuator was definitely getting power, you could hear it moving when the switch was pushed on the dash, yet it would not unlock.

So, over the weekend I was able to pull the actuator off the transfer case. It is bolted on in 4 spots to the top of the transfer case. I don't have pictures of this but it is very well depicted in the Toyota Service manual.

Once I pulled the actuator off, I hooked it back up to the wire harness and had my Dad push the button on the dash. You could hear the actuator working inside but it didn’t turn the gear on the bottom. The gear then turns a gear in the transfer case that locks the diff up.

So, I unhooked the wire harness and got the actuator up on the bench. Once I pulled apart the actuator, I found the problem. There is an arm that turns inside the actuator and is spring loaded. This arm snapped off. Here are several pics to see the process of pulling off the actuator down to the final pic that shows the broken arm.

I have a call into CruiserDan for some help on replacement parts. I’ll post up what I find out after I talk to him.

 

[Greg B]

last 3 pics:

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

PITA! Sorry Greg.

 

[tabraha]

Wow, good job tracking down the problem. I sure hope all you have to buy is that little arm. If not I'd go digging in a junkyard.

 

[Greg B]

If I can't buy just the arm, I'll buy a whole new actuator and then try to source a used one to keep as a spare. If I can buy just the arm, I'll probably buy it and rebuild the actuator I have to keep as a spare but will also buy a new actuator too. It didn't really keep me from driving the 100, but if it happens again a spare will be easy to swap out.

 

[DMX84]

Greg, did your dash CDL light turn off or stay on?

 

[Greg B]

Greg, did your dash CDL light turn off or stay on?

The dash light stayed on the whole time the diff was locked. Even if you turned the switch on the dash off, the CDL light and VSC OFF lights stayed on. If I remember correctly, while looking in the Service Manual this weekend, it looks like there is a separate sensor that indicates if the diff is locked that is not connected to the actuator, hence the reason it stayed on.

Another thing, once I took the broken arm out, I replaced the actuator to close up the whole on top of the transfer case until I get the parts needed to fix it. About a quarter mile down the road, the diff unlocked on its own since that arm wasn't holding things up anymore. As soon as it came unlocked on its own, the lights on the dash went off. It also sent my ass under the 100 to re-install the front driveshaft on the side of the road.

 

[LEXUSBEN]

Another thing, once I took the broken arm out, I replaced the actuator to close up the whole on top of the transfer case until I get the parts needed to fix it. About a quarter mile down the road, the diff unlocked on its own since that arm wasn't holding things up anymore. As soon as it came unlocked on its own, the lights on the dash went off. It also sent my ass under the 100 to re-install the front driveshaft on the side of the road.

I think you and robbie had that talk in the campground didn't you??

Good job finding the problem. I checked and cost on the actuator assy (which is the only way lexus lists it/toyota may list the arm but I doubt it.) is about $380. Ouch!!

I have never seen one of those break - ever

ben

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

As soon as it came unlocked on its own, the lights on the dash went off. It also sent my ass under the 100 to re-install the front driveshaft on the side of the road.

 

[Greg B]

I think you and robbie had that talk in the campground didn't you??

Good job finding the problem. I checked and cost on the actuator assy (which is the only way lexus lists it/toyota may list the arm but I doubt it.) is about $380. Ouch!!

I have never seen one of those break - ever

ben

All the way home from Moab and then all last week while I was driving it around town, I kept thinking to myself "it would really suck if it came unlocked right now". Did I mention it was raining? Oh well, not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. I had a tarp to lay on and the tools I needed to put it back in.

380 bucks! That sucks, hopefully C-Dan can hook me up a little bit. We'll see...

 

[Bloodhound]

Broken arm

In your opinion is it feasible to weld the arm back together and grind to finish and reassemble?
Sorry for the aggravation but sure looking forward to your photo’s!

 

[Greg B]

In your opinion is it feasible to weld the arm back together and grind to finish and reassemble?
Sorry for the aggravation but sure looking forward to your photo’s!

Good question, I'm not sure. I'm not even sure what it is made out of. I'll stick a magnet to it when I get home and see if it is steel. It feels pretty light when you hold it in your hand. I bet it is some kind of alloy.

 

[SINCITY100]

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but....

It is considered an non-servicable part and is only sold as an assy.

I wonder if you could source that broken link/arm from somewhere else

Hmmm...I show that bad-boy listing for $578.00 ... I guess $380.00 doesnt sound so bad after all !

 

[hoser]

Is that the same CDL used on an FZJ80? Perhaps source a used one and then just swap the arm?

 

[100 TD]

I would like to ask the question - can you remember whether you were in gear or in neutral when you locked the CDL actuator, if you were in gear, were you moving at the time or stationery. Just trying to piece together if there is added strain when locking when in gear or in neutral, and if this could have an effect on longevity of everyones CDL actuator

 

[Greg B]

I would like to ask the question - can you remember whether you were in gear or in neutral when you locked the CDL actuator, if you were in gear, were you moving at the time or stationery. Just trying to piece together if there is added strain when locking when in gear or in neutral, and if this could have an effect on longevity of everyones CDL actuator

Sorry for the delay; I've not had any time lately to keep up with Mud.

This happened while in 4Low, but I'm not sure whether I was moving or not. I was unlocking and locking the cdl a lot that day. I found it was much less strain on the drive-train to not have it locked when turning on all that slick-rock. I was in 4Low all day, but only locked the cdl when I needed it on an obstacle.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

I found it was much less strain on the drive-train to not have it locked when turning on all that slick-rock. I was in 4Low all day, but only locked the cdl when I needed it on an obstacle.

The best way possible to run trails successfully and take things EZ on the your truck.

 

[VwVoodoo]

Found this old post and have the same exact broken arm on my CDL actuator. Damn it.

 

[Wilsil]

Christmas break is coming up and it is finally time to troubleshoot my CDL issue.
Mine isn't engaging for a long time now, it was working in the beginning and it suddenly stopped working.
I can hear the relay clicking but no noise coming from the actuator.
Before I take the actuator out, is there an easy way to measure if there is power coming from the relay to the actuator?
I have taken the connector on top of the actuator off, but don't which pins to measure.
From the FSM there are 5 pins.
Or is it just as easy as measuring from one pin to earth and move on to the next while someone is pushing the CDL button?

 

[Ayune]

Christmas break is coming up and it is finally time to troubleshoot my CDL issue.
Mine isn't engaging for a long time now, it was working in the beginning and it suddenly stopped working.
I can hear the relay clicking but no noise coming from the actuator.
Before I take the actuator out, is there an easy way to measure if there is power coming from the relay to the actuator?
I have taken the connector on top of the actuator off, but don't which pins to measure.
From the FSM there are 5 pins.
Or is it just as easy as measuring from one pin to earth and move on to the next while someone is pushing the CDL button?

Are you listening for the actuator motor while the engine is off? It’s pretty quiet.