Need advice on rear axle rebuild and proper locker alignment for new locker

[Beej]

Hey folks,

After a nasty stroke of luck, I find myself with a replacement elocker. The old one got destroyed; thread is here: A noob's plea: Destroyed locker housing while removing for rebuild (pics)

I'm wondering if there's anything special I need to do for the used e-locker from cruiserparts to work with my rear axle. Alignment issues. Things like that?

I've got my parts and I'm rebuilding the rear axle this weekend (thanks @beno). I'm trying to reason whether I should install the used locker first, then lock it, then rebuild the axle or maybe the axle job is simpler with no locker installed at all??

Maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe I'm in for a total nightmare.

I've definitely read about the need to align something after a locker rebuild but not certain how that will apply to my situation.

Hope that's enough info for an opinion or two. Not sure what else there is to tell. I've gotta rebuild the axle and install a new locker. What's the order?

Thanks in advance for any replies!

-- Beej

 

[dannyp]

I've had mine off and apart a couple times. Has the actuator been apart or is it still fully assembled. If its fully assembled correctly then the only alignment I can think of is to bolt the actuator pin to the actuation fork first. Then once the pin was bolted to the fork I had a friend switch it to the locked position and back to unlocked and that pulled the actuator to the axle housing so the rest of the mounting hardware can be put on. If it has been apart then you'll have to use the search here to figure out how to be sure the pin is the correct length and the gearing inside is correct before mounting.

I can say that I'm 99% sure you have to have the axle locked before you pull the shafts to rebuild the axle.

 

[Beej]

I can say that I'm 99% sure you have to have the axle locked before you pull the shafts to rebuild the axle.

Additional reading suggests this is true.

If it has been apart then you'll have to use the search here to figure out how to be sure the pin is the correct length and the gearing inside is correct before mounting.

^^ This. This is what concerns me. This may need to be a separate thread but I do not know how to troubleshoot this.

 

[dannyp]

When I rebuilt mine I was able to find here by searching the length that pin should be in the locked and unlocked position. Sorry I don't know what the measurments are. If you find that thread you can just connect the harness under the truck and measure the pin before bolting it all up or if you're like me I'd try to put it on and if it doesn't work then I'd hunt the measurments.

 

[dannyp]

It was this raven tai post

warpdriv, the following is not spacificly for you, I started it a long time ago just jot off my ass today and finished it, you will have to use my measurements as you have already lost the relatioship,


Rear locker actuator disassembly and reassembly
This was written from poor notes and beer soaked memory several months after I did my actuator, if there are any errors please let me know

The FSM does not give info for disassembling the actuator, only removal and installation. Toyota services it as an assembly, none of the internals can be purchased separately. If you damage the actuator or find it damaged you must repair the part or replace the whole actuator witch is expensive. For the most part the actuator can only go back together one way, careful observation of how it came apart will get it back together except for one thing: the relationship between the “final gear” and “shift lock fork shaft” witch should be measured before disassembly that if not possible use what I measured

The locker ECU sends power to the motor witch turns the drive gear and then the driven gear, witch winds up one of the 2 wait springs, attached to the driven gear is a metal programming plate, the contacts ride on the plate, the center one is always in contact, the other two ride onto plastic areas and open when the driven gear “locked” or “unlocked” position, the locker ECU sees this and turns off the power to the motor, most of the time the locker is not lined up when you try to lock it, that is the purpose of the wait springs, they apply pressure in the locked direction after the motor turns off waiting for the locker to line up and drop in (difference in rotation of the rear wheels) , the same thing happens in the unlock position where there may be “driveline windup” loading the teeth of the locker preventing it from traveling, the wait springs wait for it to unload and pull the locker to the unlocked position, for this all to work right the programming plate that the locker ECU watches that is attached through the wait springs to the final gear and the “shift lock fork shaft” must be clocked properly as they can be meshed together in may different combinations

You will need common hand tools, hammer sockets screwdrivers etc , non-conductive grease (I used standard wheel bearing grease), an ohm meter one with alligator clips or a helper to hold, a good fine scale rule or better yet a dial caliper for taking length measurements.

First remove the actuator from the rear axle remove and clean the exterior. Work on it somewhere where small parts will not be lost. Your cluttered workbench may not be best

Do not remove the main body cover at this time, Remove the 3 Phillips screws from the motor cover, slowly pull the cover off as a lot is about to happen, there is an O-ring underneath that may stick you need to salvage it in one piece or you will have to find a US equivalent to a metric o-ring (difficult), the motor armature may stay in the actuator or may stick to the 4 magnets glued in the cover, if the armature comes out with the cover the motors brushes will be dislodged it would be a good Idea to take a look at these as they come apart to help with reinstallation, there are 2 small springs behind the brushes that will push them out and then fall out themselves, DO not loose the springs, the brushes are attached by very thin braided copper wires, be careful with the wires they look fragile,

If the armature stayed in place gently rotate and pull to see if it will stay, best for it to come out when you are expecting it,

Looking at the actuators electrical connector ( R 9 ), the picture of R9 in the EWD is of the body side harness the actuator is a mirror image of it.

With the locking tab up the two rows of pins are:

32x
654


X NC
2 green
3 green/red
4 black
5 yellow
6 green

We are interesting in 4 common, 5 open when unlocked and 6 open when locked
Check for continuity between 4&5 and 4&6 if both have continuity then the actuator is either in transition, neither locked or unlocked or over traveled (beyond the plastic areas), start with the unlocked position (continuity between 4&5) rotate the motor if installed to retract the “shift lock fork shaft” if the motor is not installed just slowly push on the shaft until continuity is broker between pins 4 and 5, at the exact spot that it breaks open measure the amount of exposed shaft, mine was 2 3/16”, rotate the motor (if installed) the other way to extend the shaft or pull it out until continuity between 4&6 is broken, this is the locked position mine was 2 7/8”

Now you can pull the 3 bolts holding the main cover, inside the wait springs, driven gear, final drive, and programming plate will come out as a single assembly, Try to keep them that way, note the bevel on the final gear for reinstallation as it can slide off the assembly, there is also a small metal tab in the shaft purpose unknown that can fall out, clean off any corrosion and old grease dirt ect with contact cleaner, or alcohol,

Look everything over repair any damage

Put a dab of grease in where armature shat contacts the motor cover and where it contact the main housing on the other side of the drive gear, also on center of the main cover that supports the cross shaft and matching spot in the housing, grease the drive gear, driven gear, final gear and shift lock fork shaft, also grease the o-rings and their grooves to help sealing, and a thin layer of grease on the programming plate where the contacts ride

Make a mark with a sharpie or grease pensile on the housing where the contacts are that will be visible during assembly, also mark where the plastic areas are on the programming plate on the back side of the driven gear that are visible during assembly, the plastic areas are about 120 degrees apart, the contacts normally travel in this small arc not the larger 240 degree arc,

Insert the “shift lock fork shaft” until the rings or gears on the shaft are approximately centered in the housing, install the wait spring/final drive etc assembly in the housing with the contact mark approximately in the middle of the two plastic area marks, and temporarily install the cover, rotate the motor (is installed) or push the shaft in and out wile watching for continuity like above, it may take a few strokes for the contacts to cut through the grease and make good contact, if the measurement is not as above take the cover off lift out the final drive assembly and move it one or more teeth over as required, reassemble and re-measure, repeat until your measurements match,

Reinstall the greased o-ring on the cover and tighten the three bolts, might be a good idea to recheck you measurements again
If your motor came out, make some clips our of light gage wire to hold the brushed back against spring tension, slide the armature in place and rotate it when the drive gear contacts the driven gear to let it seat, pull the clips and the brushed will slide into place install the o-ring and the motor cover, make note of the 2 small locating nubs pressed into the sheet metal of the cover, it is possible to install the cover incorrectly if you do not match up the nubs to the holes in the main housing

Clean and paint if desired
View attachment 307

 

[Beej]

Hey, alright. Thanks a lot; may be able to get this buttoned up ok after all.