Help, my front factory locker is not engaging!!!!

[EnriqueAutana]

Hi guys, I recently bought a 94 LandCruiser i notice that my front factory locker is not engaging, I don't know what's going on with it, the rear has no problem getting activated, but the front locker keeps blinking and do not engage... Please, help me out and give some advices, thanks!!!

 

[CJF]

Welcome!

So you've looked around the site and still can't find any of the likely causes?

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Have you tried activating it in a situation where one of the front wheels spin freely? (mud, snow, ice, jackstands, etc.)

 

[EnriqueAutana]

Thanks, and nope, I can't find anything about it!!!!

Nope, I've tried with the transmition in parked and neutral and in low range and nothing, the rear engage but the front keeps blinking!!!

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Nope, I've tried with the transmition in parked and neutral and in low range and nothing, the rear engage but the front keeps blinking!!!

There usually has to be a difference in wheelspeed for the lockers to engage...

Try driving around in figure 8's in loose gravel or mud...

DO NOT TRY TO ENGAGE THEM ON ASPHALT!!

 

[AppleTech]

Thanks, and nope, I can't find anything about it!!!!

Nope, I've tried with the transmition in parked and neutral and in low range and nothing, the rear engage but the front keeps blinking!!!

A couple rules:

1. The truck must be in low range.
2. You must be moving and in a situation where there is wheel slippage - otherwise the cogs have to line up perfectly (if you aren't moving) and this normally doesn't happen.
3. Blinking means the locker is waiting to engage until the gears sync up in the diff - think of it as activated but not locked in yet.

To properly test, find a muddy area or gravel area. Lock the diffs and travel in a straight line slowly, weave, or turn in circles to see if you can get wheelspin to get it to lock up. Again, go SLOWLY when the diffs are blinking as it means they can engage at any moment.

DO NOT DO THIS ON PAVEMENT OR YOU WILL BREAK SOMETHING!

 

[EnriqueAutana]

Excellent, I'll try this again, I did try it in grass but I'll give it a shot again and will be posting the results here, thanks so much guys for the interest in helping me out, I sure appreciate it!!!

 

[AppleTech]

Excellent, I'll try this again, I did try it in grass but I'll give it a shot again and will be posting the results here, thanks so much guys for the interest in helping me out, I sure appreciate it!!!

That's what MUD's here for!

Seriously though, don't worry too much about it. You can usually get by without your front locker if you have to. I never did get mine to engage anywhere near my house while testing in mud or anything but once I hit the rock garden and needed it, it locked right up as soon as one wheel slipped.

Don't worry too much about it... odds are it will work when it's supposed to

That is unless it is rusted up or seized from non-use

 

[Tools R Us]

The best way I have found to test them is to jack up the axle you want to test. With the wheels off the ground, turn on the locker and spin a wheel, when unlocked the tires will turn on opposite directions, when locked they will be locked together, turn the same direction. When the switch is on, the motor should run briefly, if the lock light is blinking, turning a tire a few degrees should lock it, if not it's not going to lock and you have a problem.

The first test; Is the actuator motor running? With the key on and engine off, cycle the switch, can you hear the actuator motor running? You may need a helper to run the switch, so you can get under the truck to hear it. When the switch is turned on the motor should run for a second or so.

If the motor isn't running your problem is electrical (preform FSM tests to find it) or the motor is bound up (refurbish or replace actuator). If the motor is running and it wont lock it's probably the actuator output is bound up (refurbish or replace actuator). Search for "locker actuator", there some good threads on rebuilding them. If the motor is bound, further "exercising", attempts to run it may burn it up, been there, done that, have the smoked armature and their not cheap.

Rant ON.
The whole "DO NOT DO THIS ON PAVEMENT OR YOU WILL BREAK SOMETHING!" is a myth. #1 Cruisers are tough trucks, the 80 has some beefy birfs. #2 The forces on the axles are much higher on the trail when lockers are needed, than when idling around in a parking lot. If my axles were in bad enough condition to break a birf, axle, etc by parking lot testing, I would be happy that it broke there, rather than the trail.

If the 80 axle were this weak, there would be major carnage anytime they were wheeled on rock. Cruise Moab would net major breakage, in Moab many times you have to lock, run an obstacle and unlock, all on rock that has more traction than most pavement.
Rant Off.

 

[maverick_sr71]

Factory F & R diff locks slow to engage