Chilkat Design "E-RACER" Cable Conversion

[lulo]

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--- E-Racer | Chilkat Designs
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- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO-2XVS-RCQ


- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti2zUc9yARE
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Check this link...


---> http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1050495

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[Jrob80]

I like this idea, wonder what it would all take to get installed in a non-locker 80?

 

[Wheelingnoob]

I like this idea, wonder what it would all take to get installed in a non-locker 80?

E-locker axles, diffs and every other part it would take to put e-lockers in you're non locked 80 + $900 worth of that cable locker stuff. Only savings would be you do not need the electrical side of the swap but you still need the actuators for the gears.

 

[Zoverlander]

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--- E-Racer | Chilkat Designs
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- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO-2XVS-RCQ


- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti2zUc9yARE
.


Check this link...


---> http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1050495

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do you have tips for installation of these? I can't seem to get the pieces to come off the differential - and I don't want to pull too hard or break anything.

Also, i bought 2 thinking they work on both the Front and Rear LC80 differential - but it doesn't look like it works on the front...any ideas or info to share?

 

[jcardona1]

do you have tips for installation of these? I can't seem to get the pieces to come off the differential - and I don't want to pull too hard or break anything.

Also, i bought 2 thinking they work on both the Front and Rear LC80 differential - but it doesn't look like it works on the front...any ideas or info to share?

Looks like the 8" cable conversion is for the Tacoma/FJ elocker only? I'd really hate to ditch the e-lockers but I don't remember seeing a cable conversion for the front. 9.5" rear only

8" http://www.chilkatdesigns.com/E-Racer.html

9.5" http://www.chilkatdesigns.com/E-Locker.html

 

[pandathrust]

do you have tips for installation of these? I can't seem to get the pieces to come off the differential - and I don't want to pull too hard or break anything.

Also, i bought 2 thinking they work on both the Front and Rear LC80 differential - but it doesn't look like it works on the front...any ideas or info to share?

@robustbambi installed chilkats on 2 80 series rear thirds on the front and rear of his fj62. There are some pictures in his thread, https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/my-first-toyota.581380/page-35, the install wasn't very hard. Those were both for 9.5" diffs though, the E-racer is for an 8" diff which i don't know if it works with an 80 series front diff.

 

[robustbambi]

yep super easy install in the 62. Don't see why it'd be any more difficult for an 80, besides finding a spot for the 2 hand levers. Lockers work every time and i never need to worry about them malfunctioning when i need them.

 

[Zoverlander]

Looks like the 8" cable conversion is for the Tacoma/FJ elocker only? I'd really hate to ditch the e-lockers but I don't remember seeing a cable conversion for the front. 9.5" rear only

8" http://www.chilkatdesigns.com/E-Racer.html

9.5" http://www.chilkatdesigns.com/E-Locker.html

Hello! I just got off the phone with Chilkat and talked through all of these issues. Apparently, FJ80s came from the factory with 9.5" rear differentials and 8" front differentials. Apparently the high-pinion 8" front differential, e-locker variety was actually stronger than other front axle offerings because the gears are reverse-cut and engage on the same side (right) that engages when locked. Toyota combined that axle with the 9.5" rear in their heaviest truck/LC offering at the time (the FJ80) because they were the strongest. So, to achieve mechanical differential lock actuation in an FJ80, you actually need one 9.5" kit and one 8" kit from Chilkat.

All news to me, and very appreciated insights!

I already knew that the FJ80 axles had the biggest/strongest birfield joints of any Toyota solid-axle. That, along with the facts that the rear FJ80 axle is full-float and disc-braked were my main reasons for selecting the option of doing a full axle swap (and custom-mounting FJ80 axles underneath
leaf springs) to achieve diff-locking functionality, instead of the option of installing ARB air-lockers in the FJ62 axles. Cost was essentially same given my situation and access to parts, and the fact that the ARB air-locker that works with semi-float axles is a little weaker than the one they install in full-float axles sealed my decision that factory Toyota locking axles from an FJ80 belonged under my FJ62.

I can't wait to have full mechanical actuation with Chilkat products in both Front and Rear of my superig!! Pictures will come when everything is wrapped up!

 

[Zoverlander]

yep super easy install in the 62. Don't see why it'd be any more difficult for an 80, besides finding a spot for the 2 hand levers. Lockers work every time and i never need to worry about them malfunctioning when i need them.

Thanks for the tips! I think I found the best spot for the hand levers (mounting horizontally in front of my tuffy box) and once I get the 8" kit (which works for FJ80 front axles) I'll finish installing both it and the 9.5" kit on the rear and post some pictures of everything!

 

[jcardona1]

Hello! I just got off the phone with Chilkat and talked through all of these issues. Apparently, FJ80s came from the factory with 9.5" rear differentials and 8" front differentials. Apparently the high-pinion 8" front differential, e-locker variety was actually stronger than other front axle offerings because the gears are reverse-cut and engage on the same side (right) that engages when locked. Toyota combined that axle with the 9.5" rear in their heaviest truck/LC offering at the time (the FJ80) because they were the strongest. So, to achieve mechanical differential lock actuation in an FJ80, you actually need one 9.5" kit and one 8" kit from Chilkat.

All news to me, and very appreciated insights!

I already knew that the FJ80 axles had the biggest/strongest birfield joints of any Toyota solid-axle. That, along with the facts that the rear FJ80 axle is full-float and disc-braked were my main reasons for selecting the option of doing a full axle swap (and custom-mounting FJ80 axles underneath
leaf springs) to achieve diff-locking functionality, instead of the option of installing ARB air-lockers in the FJ62 axles. Cost was essentially same given my situation and access to parts, and the fact that the ARB air-locker that works with semi-float axles is a little weaker than the one they install in full-float axles sealed my decision that factory Toyota locking axles from an FJ80 belonged under my FJ62.

I can't wait to have full mechanical actuation with Chilkat products in both Front and Rear of my superig!! Pictures will come when everything is wrapped up!

I think most of of know that we have an 8" front and 9.5" rear R&P I was unclear if they 8" cable locker they have advertised on their site for a Tacoma/FJ actually worked on the front diff of our trucks. You're saying they confirmed it would work?

 

[Zoverlander]

I think most of of know that we have an 8" front and 9.5" rear R&P I was unclear if they 8" cable locker they have advertised on their site for a Tacoma/FJ actually worked on the front diff of our trucks. You're saying they confirmed it would work?

Well we all are lucky if we learn new things each day I basically assumed that the front and rear diffs in an FJ80 are the same size as each other, as they are in a 60 (all I have ever owned) and since I never actually measured the diameters of my current axle diffs, I didn't know I was mistaken until the enlightening and pleasant phone conversation I just had

Chilkat (Alex) confirmed their 8" e-racer kit works on FJ80 front axles. Also learned me a few other things. Give him a call and see for yourself!

 

[ryanwatmough]

Can a third member out of a 80 elocked rear end (9.5) be swapped into a fj40 front carrier 9.5 also?

 

[dirtyboots]

 

[pandathrust]

Can a third member out of a 80 elocked rear end (9.5) be swapped into a fj40 front carrier 9.5 also?

yes, a 9.5" 80 series third will go into all of the other 9.5" housings. You'll have to get a another axle shaft with longer splines on one sides for the elocker to engage and disengage properly though. I'm pretty sure if its on the front axle it will be the driver side shaft that would need to have long splines.

 

[Zoverlander]

I think most of of know that we have an 8" front and 9.5" rear R&P I was unclear if they 8" cable locker they have advertised on their site for a Tacoma/FJ actually worked on the front diff of our trucks. You're saying they confirmed it would work?

Finally Done!

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SETUP. It's badass. Granted, it took a little extra work to correctly mount the cable at the front diff (and the way that I ended up doing it may or may not be helpful to others, since I imagine not many folks have 80-series locking axles with their factory suspension mounts all cut off, and then mounted underneath leaf springs on a 60-series rig...) but I'm sure another mounting system could be figured out.

Here are pictures of the where/how the cables act on the differentials themselves as well as where/how my hand-lever controls are mounted:

Rear. The cable pushes lever towards the left about 2", and that acts on the shaft which actuates the lock-collar inside the diff. In this picture, the lever is vertical and the differential is unlocked. The installation here was very easy since the chilkat cable bracket fits directly on the top of 9.5" differential.

Front. The cable pushes/pulls downward/upward on the circular-lever, which rotates a gear inside of the diff housing that actuates the shift collar in the 8" high-pinion front diff. This installation was more complicated, because the cable-mount bracket that chilkat uses does not fit on the high-pinion 8" (the actuator does fit, just not the cable-mount bracket) because there is that large ridge in the top of the housing. The ridge also blocks the path of the cable from being left/right and necessitates it being up/down. I fabricated an additional bracket that both cleared the ridge and provided area to rotate the chilkat cable-mount bracket about 45d so the cable pointed at the circular lever at the right angle.

Hand-levers mounted. I found this horizontal position was pretty much the only one that fit within the spaces I had while also pointing the cables toward the port that they exit the hull though (which is a factory port, usually just covered, basically in the dead-center of the FJ62, underneath the back-end of the center console, roughly even with where the front seat belts attach to the floor). It was also fortunate because logically the lever that controls the front differential is mounted in front of the lever the controls the rear, and because the cables could be easily routed underneath the passenger seat, without any obtrusion into leg area. Both bulkheads are bolted together using 2x 3.5" bolts (one of which also serves as/replaced the fulcrum points for both levers) which also are used to securely mount the bulkheads to the center console.