E-Locker and Asco hubs for my '78 (1 Viewer)

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"Yes, I bought their kit a few years ago, didn't like the design and wound up trading new in the box even for a used actuator. The stock cable design is attached to a lever inside the cab that you pull into a locked position and release when done. The downey cable would have you push on a t-handle until locker engages, then the handle is twisted into the locked position on the cable until you untwist the handle to release it. Opposite of the stock operation.

Their design prodded me into dealing with the electrical operation. YMMV "


The current cable locker adapter is a lever that you pull/push to unlock/lock. I have one on my 40 if you need pics. The only trouble I had was how to route the cable. Still not sure if my routing is the best, but it has worked so far.
 
The current cable locker adapter is a lever that you pull/push to unlock/lock. I have one on my 40 if you need pics. The only trouble I had was how to route the cable. Still not sure if my routing is the best, but it has worked so far.

Bret, that would be awesome. If you don't want to resize/post them up here, I'll shoot you a PM with my e-mail.

Thanks mang
 
Now I want to see what's in the round cover with three bolts. I'm thinking it's a round gear with a slot for the actuator shaft???

Something like this may be a cheap solution so I don't have to get a lift and a potential replacement for a broken actuator.

Linear Actuators
 
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Here is a pic of the lever and the actuator at the diff. The linear motor would be a nice way to get past the cable routing. It would need to be pretty water resistant and be able to stall and not overheat.
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Now I want to see what's in the round cover with three bolts. I'm thinking it's a round gear with a slot for the actuator shaft???

Something like this may be a cheap solution so I don't have to get a lift and a potential replacement for a broken actuator.

Linear Actuators

I have it already torn apart, I'll post up a pic as soon as my battery is re-charged

Done. Looks like a pretty simple design. The motor turns the threaded shaft, which turns the big wheel and puts tension on the fork shaft vis the coil springs, and you wait for it to engage/disengagge. And the little nub on the fork where it bolts to the shaft hits the pos indicator. And the back cover that I didn't take a pic of has a limiter on it for stopping at the open/closed position. Very cool, I must say.

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Motor drives the big worm gear, small gear pushes on the spring which pushes the actuator rod.

There must be a contact pattern on the back of the big gear to contact the fingers to indicate locking and unlocking.

Blue77, wanna sell the broken actuator you have? :)
 
Bret, that's a hell of a lot better setup than the apparently earlier design that I had. Your routing looks fine from what I can see. The only other design improvement that I wanted to do was improve dirt/water protection by adding another seal or at least a brass bushing to the housing that's drilled for plunger/actuator rod to improve rod stability and for dirt protection. Mine had only one seal, and I felt that it was too open for dirt and water infiltration. I was also going to install some kind of rubber cover to protect the end of the cable like the pic.

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I have it already torn apart, I'll post up a pic as soon as my battery is re-charged

Done. Looks like a pretty simple design. The motor turns the threaded shaft, which turns the big wheel and puts tension on the fork shaft vis the coil springs, and you wait for it to engage/disengagge. And the little nub on the fork where it bolts to the shaft hits the pos indicator. And the back cover that I didn't take a pic of has a limiter on it for stopping at the open/closed position. Very cool, I must say.

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So how does that clockwork mechanism with the spring and big & little gears in there come out?? Does it just pull out?
 
I believe it just pulls out, springs put tension on the locking mechanism that looks like a shift fork to lock and unlock without damaging the motor. It's been a couple years since I had mine apart.
 
So how does that clockwork mechanism with the spring and big & little gears in there come out?? Does it just pull out?

Yes it just pulls out.

If you do so, however, you have to be very careful putting it back in or you can get it clocked wrong and the rod extension and retraction can be messed up.

I posted the proper retracted and extended lengths in my elocker thread.
 
Yes it just pulls out.

If you do so, however, you have to be very careful putting it back in or you can get it clocked wrong and the rod extension and retraction can be messed up.

I posted the proper retracted and extended lengths in my elocker thread.

Thanks - very useful. Mine doesn't want to come out as one unit like your's does in this pic. The only way anything seems to move in mine is if I pry on that outer plate with a screwdriver, which is moving that part of it off the center shaft - not removing the whole assembly with the big gear, etc. I'm afraid if that part comes off, that big spring is going to pop out and be a bitch to get back in.

Anyway, thanks again - here's my thread in the 80s section: https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/321714-rear-e-locker-problem.html
motor1a.webp
 
Got it out in one piece after lots of prying, wiggling, tapping and otherwise cajoling. And it's a mess in there.
 
Fast Eddie, do you recall how long the inner splines were on the front long shaft you used in this conversion? I have a lead on a front 70 series shaft and the guy doesnt know if its from a locked or non locked 70
 
Fast Eddie, do you recall how long the inner splines were on the front long shaft you used in this conversion? I have a lead on a front 70 series shaft and the guy doesnt know if its from a locked or non locked 70

IIRC, the short side splines are 1 3/4 - 2" long and the long side splines are about 4 1/4 inches. Noticeably different.

Also, with a 70 series axle shafts, the 70 series axles I know stood a little wider than the 40 series in the rear, bout an inch and a half wider. I had to get custom rears made by Poly Performance. So, front shafts may be a little longer also
 
IIRC, the short side splines are 1 3/4 - 2" long and the long side splines are about 4 1/4 inches. Noticeably different.

Also, with a 70 series axle shafts, the 70 series axles I know stood a little wider than the 40 series in the rear, bout an inch and a half wider. I had to get custom rears made by Poly Performance. So, front shafts may be a little longer also

So will a 70 series shaft work in the front or am i going to have to go custom?? Seems like people say it will work but no one knows for sure??
 
So will a 70 series shaft work in the front or am i going to have to go custom?? Seems like people say it will work but no one knows for sure??

I got a set of Longfields for the front, so it wasn't an issue with me.

I think FastEddy posted up in an earlier thread that the long side 70 series axle shaft would work. Not available to order new, but you can get it made

Thread 1 https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/113823-fj-40-locking-diffs.html

Thread 2 https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/113823-fj-40-locking-diffs.html

Thread 3 https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/128005-electric-locker-install-questions.html

There are a bunch more if you paw thru the threads on a search;)
 

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