I got my hands on a front e-locker and am going to put it into my open front housing. I have found the writeup on slee's site, and thats it. Nothing else after searching. Does anyone have any more details as to what needs to be done to the housing to retrofit a front e-locker? thanks.
Front e-locker retrofit
- Thread starter Discyota
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Search with 'boston mangler' as the author, he describes the job pretty well IIRC. As for what you need to cut, get the new 3rd member gasket, put it on the housing, and notch the metal where the gasket is notched. The hardest part is drilling and tapping the 2 new stud holes, but it's not too bad. It's a challenge to keep them straight is all- but it's important.
-Spike
-Spike
I did this with a cable locker...
It's pretty easy. You'll have to find a long splined inner axle. This allows the clutch to engage and disengage a cog in and out of the differential. It's the same as the long side inner axle you have, but the end that slides into the differential has the splines cut back an extra inch or two. I think you can find out more if you search mud for long splined axle. Once you've swapped the inner axle into place, all you need to do is cut the differential opening of your housing to allow for the clutch to slide back and forth freely. I know, I should have taken pictures when I was doing this.... I was too excited about the install. So, I didn't bother.
It's pretty easy. You'll have to find a long splined inner axle. This allows the clutch to engage and disengage a cog in and out of the differential. It's the same as the long side inner axle you have, but the end that slides into the differential has the splines cut back an extra inch or two. I think you can find out more if you search mud for long splined axle. Once you've swapped the inner axle into place, all you need to do is cut the differential opening of your housing to allow for the clutch to slide back and forth freely. I know, I should have taken pictures when I was doing this.... I was too excited about the install. So, I didn't bother.
This is only true for the rear, the front axles and birfs are the same between the open and locked axles. however housing and stud mods will have to be made.
I've done several of these now, the latest was a rear Tacoma e-locker in the back of my pickup this summer. They are almost identical to the front hi-pinion ones in the front of the 80-series, just a reverse image (I have one of those in the front too).
First a few facts:
* you do NOT have to swap any axle shafts.
* you WILL have to cut the housing and drill & tap a few new stud holes. Here's what it looks like:
(note this is a mini-truck housing, the 80 housing mods will be the same)
* you WILL need to do some welding on the housing to made the gasket seal area larger.
The first few times I did these I had a buddy put the housing in a mill and cut it for me. This summer I just used the gasket to trace where the notch needs to be, then I cut it with my cut-off tool, drilling, and a lot of filing.
Don't use the gasket to locate the 4 new holes. Once you get the notch cut, drop the diff in, then use the biggest drill bit that will pass thru the stud holes, just start to drill them so you mark the center of the new holes. Then pull the diff back out, drill and tap the holes.
I don't use the long OEM studs to hold the actuator on. They are too hard to get the holes perfectly square to the gasket face, and if the studs are not absolutley perfectly square, you'll never get the diff to slide over them. Really a pain with such a heavy unit, especially lying on your back under the truck. I just get some long bolts from Fastenal, I think you want 100 mm long.
First a few facts:
* you do NOT have to swap any axle shafts.
* you WILL have to cut the housing and drill & tap a few new stud holes. Here's what it looks like:
(note this is a mini-truck housing, the 80 housing mods will be the same)
* you WILL need to do some welding on the housing to made the gasket seal area larger.
The first few times I did these I had a buddy put the housing in a mill and cut it for me. This summer I just used the gasket to trace where the notch needs to be, then I cut it with my cut-off tool, drilling, and a lot of filing.
Don't use the gasket to locate the 4 new holes. Once you get the notch cut, drop the diff in, then use the biggest drill bit that will pass thru the stud holes, just start to drill them so you mark the center of the new holes. Then pull the diff back out, drill and tap the holes.
I don't use the long OEM studs to hold the actuator on. They are too hard to get the holes perfectly square to the gasket face, and if the studs are not absolutley perfectly square, you'll never get the diff to slide over them. Really a pain with such a heavy unit, especially lying on your back under the truck. I just get some long bolts from Fastenal, I think you want 100 mm long.
Your only half way correct. There are longer studs needed to bolt up the differential. Also... the birfield is the same, but the axle shaft is different. I'm actually using a 70-series long splined axle shaft on the front with a 40-series birfield. As for the rear axle, I also have first hand knowlege of the rear full floating setup with cable locker. I'm using a 60-series, short side, long splined axle shaft. The notch that KLF pictures in his post is for the clutch to slide the locking cog in and out of place. You can't do this without the notch in the axle housing and the long splined shaft (in the front, this is not to be confused with the birfield AKA stub shaft). You can install a cable locker or an e-locker in place without the long splined inner axle, but you'll be stuck in the locked position.
The front axle shafts are identical, my brother is running open axles/birfs in the front of his locked 96, has been for about 8 months now. We compaired the two side by side before we installed them. The rears are different between the locked and open though.
Okay...
I just realized 80-series may be already equipped with a long splined axle shaft whether or not they were equipped with lockers. I'm curious what the part numbers say. I do know for a 60 series that they had a different inner axle shaft for the front and rear if they had a cable locker. Converting a 40-series to a cable locker requires the 60-series rear short side shaft and a 70-series front long side shaft.
I just realized 80-series may be already equipped with a long splined axle shaft whether or not they were equipped with lockers. I'm curious what the part numbers say. I do know for a 60 series that they had a different inner axle shaft for the front and rear if they had a cable locker. Converting a 40-series to a cable locker requires the 60-series rear short side shaft and a 70-series front long side shaft.
Yup. But ONLY on the 2 studs that hold the actuator on. The rest are the same.
NO IT IS NOT DIFFERENT!!!! I am 1000% sure of this.
You are confusing the e-lockers. The REAR FZJ80 e-locker needs a special shaft with longer splines. This is true whether you are installing it in the REAR of any Cruiser, or on the front of any pre-80 series Cruiser.
But the original topic of this thread is installing a FRONT e-locker in the FRONT of an 80-series. This requires a FRONT hi-pinion FZJ80 e-locker. The rear one WILL NOT FIT in the front.
The hi-pinion e-locker is VERY similar to the Tacoma/4Runner rear locker. It is pretty much a mirror image, you can even flip the gaskets and use them. These lockers DON'T require special shafts. I have regeared and installed several of these e-lockers. They're not that hard. And they work very well.
Just trying to clear things up.
That's why we have different forums for the different series Cruisers. They ain't the same. The Cruisers, not the axle shafts. They're identical.
-Spike
Boston's write-up is in the FAQ for 80/LX450 series.
elocker axle
only the 9.5 rear diffs require longer splines, as the coupler rides on the axle and locks the axle to the carrier.
The 8" rear or 8" hipinion front have a coupler that rides on the carrier and locks the carrier to the side gear thus only requires std spline length.
only the 9.5 rear diffs require longer splines, as the coupler rides on the axle and locks the axle to the carrier.
The 8" rear or 8" hipinion front have a coupler that rides on the carrier and locks the carrier to the side gear thus only requires std spline length.
What you are discussing here does not apply to the 80 series front diff. The dog clutch does not ride on the axle shaft, it is contained within the diff.
Clutchee
I'm fun sized!
Just did this install on the wifes 96.
*Rear:
-need the longer splined axle
-use the diff lock gasket & mark out portions to be removed from the housing
-add the longer studs
-will need to make harness to from rear to harness under drivers kick panel
*Front:
-existing axles & birfields are used
-drill & tap new studs holes
-use the diff lock gasket & mark out portions to be removed from the housing
-front is a plug & play
This install was not bad: on the axle I used a sawzaw & cut notches, then I cut the opposite direction removing the larger pieces. Then use a grinder to smooth the edges off.
*Rear:
-need the longer splined axle
-use the diff lock gasket & mark out portions to be removed from the housing
-add the longer studs
-will need to make harness to from rear to harness under drivers kick panel
*Front:
-existing axles & birfields are used
-drill & tap new studs holes
-use the diff lock gasket & mark out portions to be removed from the housing
-front is a plug & play
This install was not bad: on the axle I used a sawzaw & cut notches, then I cut the opposite direction removing the larger pieces. Then use a grinder to smooth the edges off.
okay guys. In my original post I should have clarified that I was referring to my setup (40-series). As for the front 80-series e-locker, I simply offered my information because there was some potential for it's usefulness (although now it's apparent that it doesn't apply).
I hope I did not offend anyone by posting 40 info in the 80 section, but part of learning what will work (or modified to work) in other platforms is postings like this.
This thread does have me wondering if the cable locker of a 60-series will work in the rear of an 80-series. What's the spline count on the shafts of an 80 rear axle? Is it the same as a 60-series? (if mentioning this offends you please disregard).
I hope I did not offend anyone by posting 40 info in the 80 section, but part of learning what will work (or modified to work) in other platforms is postings like this.
This thread does have me wondering if the cable locker of a 60-series will work in the rear of an 80-series. What's the spline count on the shafts of an 80 rear axle? Is it the same as a 60-series? (if mentioning this offends you please disregard).
The spline count has to be the same because the 60 diff fits front or rear and the 80 rear elocker fits in the front of a 40 (which also fits a 60) with the correct 70 series inner.
I don't think anybody was offended. Your information simply did not apply to the situation.
I don't think anybody was offended. Your information simply did not apply to the situation.
Correct, it wasnt worth the hassle of drilling, tapping, welding, etc....
Save yourself the trouble and possilbity of F-ing something up and find yourself a used 80 series elocker housing, they are easy to find if you arent too lazy!
Took me all of 6 hours to find a nice one! Got it free doing an even swap with my non locker housing!
