Factory Locker Switch for ARB Lockers (1 Viewer)

[BILT4ME]

I feel stupid..... Of course Joey has a solution!

Thanks

I'm still on the fence between the factory switch or ARB lockers.........

Only the cool kids have the factory switch.......

Are you cool?

 

[BillyGoatMTB]

Only the cool kids have the factory switch.......

Are you cool?

I am cool.....

It's a "lust worthy" switch..... I'm cracking up

Awesome

 

[jonheld]

In my 91 with front and rear ARBs I installed the factory rotary switch. I just replaced the ARB switches from the harness with it. There was no plug and play solution at that time, so I just figured it out. I had a separate Carling toggle switch for the compressor in the dash. Looked 100% factory, but the 91/92 FJ80 never had the locker dash lights.

 

[Marco Lau]

If its not factory, its not factory.....I prefer to ARB switches as it is functional and easy to engage.

 

[bcart1991]

If its not factory, its not factory.....I prefer to ARB switches as it is functional and easy to engage.

Who let you in here?!?

 

[Marco Lau]

Who let you in here?!?

lol...sup brotha.??

 

[bcart1991]

lol...sup brotha.??

Man, there has to be a dozen or so of us who have switched from BMWs to 4x4s. You, me, Kevin, Geordie, and several more that I recognize from back in the day. Lots of other guys from CA too.

 

[Marco Lau]

Man, there has to be a dozen or so of us who have switched from BMWs to 4x4s. You, me, Kevin, Geordie, and several more that I recognize from back in the day. Lots of other guys from CA too.

I am still a bmw guy

 

[BillyGoatMTB]

***update solved***
Note: Steel bar behind the instrument cluster is not a suitable ground and was causing me issues.

The Wits End kit is awesome easy plug and Play no brainer. I utilized a 14 gauge ground directly from my battery I use for relay switching and boom!!! I'm in the cool kits club

I have included the ARB ckma-12 air compressor wiring diagram with my markup there is actually no need to swap the solenoids so you can ignore that if you want.

Special thanks again to @NLXTACY for helping me find that unsuitable ground. A super appreciate you, you're amazing products and the support and customer service.

Wits End for the win!!!

Evening Mud


Got the axles and regear 100% wow what a difference fresh everything and 4:88 make.

Drivability WHAT!!! AMAZING
MPG bonus... What? Wasn't expecting this let alone +5mpg...

Thanks to all that aid in feeding this 80 series love
Mud
@cruiseroutfit for the amazing axle parts
@NLXTACY for that sweet sweet OEM locker switch set up
@landtank for the rear lower control arms and killer write up on front pinion angle (still working on this), might have your double cardan in my future.
@Delta VS for everything you make I can get my hands on
Taylor Axle Works in Placerville for gearing and ARBing my 3rd members



Thanks

 

[BillyGoatMTB]

Only the cool kids have the factory switch.......

Are you cool?

Cool kid mode activated

Thanks for the nudge @BILT4ME it was worth the wait and work, super clean

Thanks @NLXTACY for making epic stuff and awesome support, super appreciate your input and gear

New instrument lens looks so sweet!

 

[DivByZero]

I've got plans to run my Harrop ELockers through both the factory switch and the factory 4wd ECU. I want to modify the factory switch to add a third "front only" position, and modify the ECU to provide the standard globe check on start-up and flash if the lockers don't actually engage like the factory ones do, while allowing the front lockers to engage separately, which is normally locked out. Looked into it already, and it's definitely doable. If the microcontroller in the ecu isn't a rebadged programmable one, which I'll be able to figure out once I get it on the bench, I'll map out the behaviour of the stock chip, write a replacement program on a modern microcontroller and drop it in its place. All to get that nice "FR" position on that dial. Total overkill, needless amount of work, but everyone needs a hobby!

 

[alia176]

I've got plans to run my Harrop ELockers through both the factory switch and the factory 4wd ECU. I want to modify the factory switch to add a third "front only" position, and modify the ECU to provide the standard globe check on start-up and flash if the lockers don't actually engage like the factory ones do, while allowing the front lockers to engage separately, which is normally locked out. Looked into it already, and it's definitely doable. If the microcontroller in the ecu isn't a rebadged programmable one, which I'll be able to figure out once I get it on the bench, I'll map out the behaviour of the stock chip, write a replacement program on a modern microcontroller and drop it in its place. All to get that nice "FR" position on that dial. Total overkill, needless amount of work, but everyone needs a hobby!

Figured I'd chime in with my .02 cents worth. Long, long time ago, I had a Range Rover with ARBs and two pneumatic switches for independent locker control. So, when I got my 80, I plumbed up the York to the ARBs and used the factory SS. Me being an EE, I had aspirations of doing an independent front, rear locker control but rarely, if ever, found myself in a situation where I'd need just the front locker. Couple that with a high potential of snapping a birfield while rock climbing with FR locker engaged, made me shy away from doing independent locker control.

Not trying to dissuade you from you endeavor, which I think is uber cool, but just my perspective. As a fellow nerd, I love this s***!

Now, doing a part time rear wd for digging holes in the ground to level the RTT, totally priceless

One of these days, I'll wire up the OEM SS to turn on the locker bulbs in the cluster.......SIGH

 

[DivByZero]

I already know if I actually do this mod, I'll probably never use it in my life. Never once when wheeling have I actually thought to myself "I really wish I could engage just a front locker right now". I don't even have the lockers in the car yet, just prepping for it actually. This is mostly just a random fun project I'm interested in doing because I can, because nobody will have done it before, and because I want to have the ultimate answer to anybody I hear in the future complain about the factory rotary switch not supporting front only.

 

[alia176]

I already know if I actually do this mod, I'll probably never use it in my life. Never once when wheeling have I actually thought to myself "I really wish I could engage just a front locker right now". I don't even have the lockers in the car yet, just prepping for it actually. This is mostly just a random fun project I'm interested in doing because I can, because nobody will have done it before, and because I want to have the ultimate answer to anybody I hear in the future complain about the factory rotary switch not supporting front only.

I like your reasonings amigo, go for it!

 

[BillyGoatMTB]

I'll keep watching this post I'm interested in a bulb check function as well.

I went back and forth for a while thinking I'd want an independent front Locker when I was deciding between ARB and e-lockers for my regear to 4:88. I realized I've never needed it and my friends with buggies and super dedicated rock crawlers also say it's very rare.

Now the friends with the buggies that have Atlas transfer cases they do a front dig but that would probably make a Land cruisers drivetrain explode

Looking forward to see what you guys come up with for that dash bulb check

 

[landcrshr]

If the microcontroller in the ecu isn't a rebadged programmable one, which I'll be able to figure out once I get it on the bench, I'll map out the behaviour of the stock chip, write a replacement program on a modern microcontroller and drop it in its place.

You might be giving 1990's technology a little too much credit.

I had one of the diff-lock ECU's open and, IIRC, there's no actual microcontroller, just a simple logic chip driving the relays. The Harrops will require external relays as well, so in the end you may find there is little reason for using the factory ECU.

...and modify the ECU to provide the standard globe check on start-up and flash if the lockers don't actually engage like the factory ones do...

How do you plan to detect when the Harrops are actually engaged?

 

[DivByZero]

You might be giving 1990's technology a little too much credit.

I had one of the diff-lock ECU's open and, IIRC, there's no actual microcontroller, just a simple logic chip driving the relays. The Harrops will require external relays as well, so in the end you may find there is little reason for using the factory ECU.

Very familiar with tech from the era, I reverse engineer and repair 80's and 90's arcade and console hardware for the fun of it.

That logic chip is most likely some kind of simple 8-bit microcontroller. It doesn't make sense from a time/cost/risk perspective for them to engineer unique discrete chips for these kind of things from scratch. It'll almost certainly be a basic microcontroller that they've used in many other vehicles for many other purposes from the same time period. I could probably work out which one by checking what company they had a relationship with back then for IC fabrication (IE, Motorola, Fujitsu, NEC, etc) and comparing the pinout with chips I can find datasheets for. I could theoretically decap the chip and take a peek at the die, but that's very much overkill here.

I'm not expecting the microcontroller to be field programmable, almost certainly the code was physically etched on the die during manufacturing. It doesn't really matter though, what it's doing is simple. I'll stick a logic analyzer on it on the bench and map out its current behaviour, and replicate it with a bit of code on a modern 5v compatible microcontroller. I believe the original chip is running at 5v with resistors doing level shifting, but I'll confirm that when I take a proper look at it.

I won't need external relays for the Harrops, there are four good 12v relays on the factory ECU being controlled by the microcontroller, with a pair of two relays for each locker I believe, one to engage the system and one to disengage. When I replace it with one I've programmed, I'll change the behaviour to use one relay from each pair in a continuously closed mode when the lockers are engaged, which will energize the magnet in the Harrops.

How do you plan to detect when the Harrops are actually engaged?

The factory lockers use a mechanical switch to detect when the lockers are physically engaged. There's no equivalent for the Harrops, but I was planning to check for a closed circuit on the magnetic switch. Easiest way would be to reverse the second pair of relays, so when the locker relay is closed, if there's a closed circuit on the return path, engage the second relay, which will act as the "locker engaged" signal. That'll be sufficient to make the lights flash if power isn't successfully flowing across the magnet, such as from wiring damage or the harness being disconnected.