Front locker - independent wiring or not?

[fireball]

Guys -

What are your thoughts on wiring for the front locker? I'll be installing an ARB front in a few weeks time. Was planning to use the OEM 80-series switch but then got into a situation this past weekend at the Bill Burke training I did where it would've been nice to turn the rear off and front on. This is the first time in my admittedly hazy memory when this occurred.

What do you think? Worth it to wire them independently which likely means a less elegant switch solution?

Or just use the 80-series switch?

 

[tabraha]

I like the control factor of them being independent but will probably see a FR only situation a handful of times in the life of the vehicle. But I'm stubborn that way. The 80 OEM switch is the most elegant solution without a doubt.

 

[KlausVanWinkle]

Wire the 80 switch so that the first setting is the compressor, second setting is rear locker and the front locker independent. Clean look and full control.

It sounds like Spressomon uses just his front locker a lot.

3rdcruiser told me a story about his Rubicons rear PS tire slipped off a crumbly shelf road. He engaged all the lockers but the locked rear pulled the vehicle farther off the side. Being able to just engage the front might have made for a much simpler recovery.

 

[fireball]

Klaus - I like the out of the box thinking with the 80-series switch wiring, but I think it would be better to use the first setting for compressor and second setting for front locker. Then have an independent switch for the rear.

Does anyone know if there is a Rear Locker OEM switch that would fit to the left of the mirror controls?

FWIW, I was going uphill in slightly wet surface, rear end locked and started to corkscrew me over into a rock. Turned off the rear locker, but front wasn't getting any traction with one wheel most upweighted. Ended up backing out of it and trying again with a little more skinny pedal to get the front end over the rocks, but pretty sure I could've gotten up just fine with just the front locker engaged.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Use the OEM switch and add a shut switch for the rear locker then you give you front locker only.

 

[KlausVanWinkle]

No, but with a little dremmeling and Dirty Parts custom switch covers, mine look like this.

I'd like to get an OEM rear locker switch so I can use that one switch for aux lights. Anyone have one they want to sell?

 

[Muddy Bean]

I'll throw in that I had a situation at Windrock last fall that would have necessitated front locker only engagement. Similar situation as described by Klaus and Fireball. I had the rear slipping out and off a shelf and I nearly dropped the truck off the shelf and rolled. In this case, having the rear locked was causing the rear to drift. My save would have been a front locker engagement, rear locker disengaged, and allow the front to pull me out of the situation. I'm getting an ARB front locker installed by SLEE in July and I am definitely asking him to wire it independently without hesitation.

 

[fireball]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm going to wire them independently. Current thinking is to use the 80-series switch first click compressor, 2nd click front locker. And a Toyota rear locker switch beneath the rear window controls.

I got the compressor mounted yesterday, and all the wiring run and tucked up behind the steering wheel until I make a final decision on switches. Also still waiting to order the front locker. Turns out my wife wasn't as thrilled with the idea of using her tax return to buy an ARB as I was

 

[hoser]

The 80 dial is nice because you don't have to look at it... there's no mistaking it for anything else. Personally, for E-locker rear and Air locker front, I'd use the 80 switch, first position activate rear locker AND turn on air compressor. 2nd position activate front air locker (air line will already have been charged).

Next to the dial (where the LX mirror retract switch normally goes), I'd put either a momentary rear locker defeat switch or a normal switch with a bright indicator somewhere. And this switch would only defeat the rear locker, not the compressor.

Another benefit is that all your 80/100 buddies can drive your 100 w/o an explanation on how to use the lockers. Just turn the dial.

I rarely use the 3rd row windows. I've thought about removing those switches and replacing the 3 across with "Rear locker - CDL - Front Locker." I've always thought it was strange the CDL was in a different location than the F&R switch. Maybe Toyota should've taken a page from Mercedes in this regard...

 

[fireball]

How good would these look played across the top of the gauge panel by your left knee?

I have the middle duty compressor which will also be used to air up the tires, so I want it to have constant 12V and be able to turn on without also turning on the rear locker.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

The 80 dial is nice because you don't have to look at it... there's no mistaking it for anything else. Personally, for E-locker rear and Air locker front, I'd use the 80 switch, first position activate rear locker AND turn on air compressor. 2nd position activate front air locker (air line will already have been charged).

Next to the dial (where the LX mirror retract switch normally goes), I'd put either a momentary rear locker defeat switch or a normal switch with a bright indicator somewhere. And this switch would only defeat the rear locker, not the compressor.

Another benefit is that all your 80/100 buddies can drive your 100 w/o an explanation on how to use the lockers. Just turn the dial.

I rarely use the 3rd row windows. I've thought about removing those switches and replacing the 3 across with "Rear locker - CDL - Front Locker." I've always thought it was strange the CDL was in a different location than the F&R switch. Maybe Toyota should've taken a page from Mercedes in this regard...

I love the switch but the G500 switch has the same logic but more complex as a Toyota requiring a order of operation C-dif R-dif F-dif Picture the back of the G500 switch

 

[hoser]

No harm in locking the rear when stopped.

Phil, I believe there's an easy hack to make all the locks independent.

 

[Phat1842Many]

I went with an OEM foglight for the compressor and the 80 switch for the rear/front lockers. My plan, if I ever ran into a situation where I'd want the front on and the rear off, was to just pop the hood and switch the spades at the compressor where the relays are. Ghetto but feasible, or just naive (I've done almost no wheeling yet). The temporary rear defeat switch wired in line and hidden away gets my vote though.

Here's my panel:

 

[artwerks]

Hey, I don't mean to hi-jack this thread, but this is related...

How do you wire your switches? More specifically, what, of the way-too-many ARB wires, do you connect to the OEM 80-series locker switch? I was thinking the red (power?), green (locker1) and yellow (locker2)? And on which pins of the switch (I don't have a plug for the switch)? (I'm not trying to wire independently as you've been discussing)

More importantly, what wire are you using for the dash lighting on the switches? The corresponding dash light for all the other OEM switches uses reverse voltage (fully on = 0v; fully off = 12v)???

Thanks,
Aj

 

[hoser]

Aj, 80 series switch write-up is here.

The 98-02 LX only has a rear locker indicator blank in the dash, no front. '03+ might be the same. Many moons ago, member, Doron, wired his dash locker indicators using pressure switches. I little more work but the result is a step closer indication of "truly locked," as in positive air pressure up to the differential. Read below for how to...

Since I got inquiries about the Front Diff Lock (FDL) indicator, here it is.

The FDL indicator is to the right of the RDL indicator which is to the right of the CDL. From left to right - CDL, RDL, FDL.

I have installed a ~75psi Normally Opened pressure switch downstream of the FDL activation solenoid. One lead of this solenoid goes to ground and the other to the indicator. Since the indicator gets power with the Ignition, when the solenoid opens the pressure switch closes and the indicator get ground and lights up. This scheme gives you assurance the locker did get the activation air pressure, and if the locker did not mechanically failed, the front axle is locked. It is not as “closed loop” as the Toyota system but it’s better then the ARB wiring that just shows FDL “switch on”.

I soldered a small gauge wire to the PCB where the connector is soldered to the PCB. The picture shows the pin on a 1999 TLC instrument cluster. I think the bulb was there. The bulb was not there for the spare tire carrier ajar, which I also wired…. Or it’s the other way around… can’t remember.

I hope this helps.

Doron.

 

[RobRed]

PSA

... (I don't have a plug for the switch)? ...

I'm assuming you meant you have not purchased the plug and on an LX you probably don't have this as a left over... on more than one LC (my 2000 included) the locker switch harness plug still lives in the dash connected to the wire harness. Obviously the locker ECU is gone as 2000's didn't have that option, so this thing isn't electrically going anywhere... the point is you can harvest that connector and use it in ones OEM locker switch for an ARB install.

 

[CappyKD]

No, but with a little dremmeling and Dirty Parts custom switch covers, mine look like this.

I'd like to get an OEM rear locker switch so I can use that one switch for aux lights. Anyone have one they want to sell?

Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters has them in stock.

 

[CappyKD]

I wired them up temporarily with three separate switches, after Cruise Moab, I am planning to use the 80 switch that I already have in place with a smaller rear disconnect switch and a separate compressor switch.

My first position on the 80 switch will control rear actuation, the second will be F&R and then the micro toggle will break the ground to the rear solenoid to disengage that locker.

 

[Muddy Bean]

Just another thought on this too. What if, on a nice sunny day, you decide to go to the beach. You park your truck in a nice paved lot...lock your rear diff by turning on your compressor (not wired independently) so you can inflate your beach ball. You kill the compressor/locker, go swim, get a sunburn, come back to the truck tired and ready to go home...cranky kids, wife, husband, etc. You find your locker is stuck and won't disengage because Murphy's law feels like biting your bottom today. That's a whole lotta tire squealage on your drive back home. Just so you could inflate your beach ball.

 

[uzj100]

IS there anyway to trick the factory diff lock switch and just lock the front independently? This a 2004 with arb lockers running through a factory toyota diff lock switch that requires rear than front. I want to run front independently if possible. May have to switch back to front and rear diff lock switches.