Possible to DIY rear locker install for someone with no diff work experience?

[odinskind]

I know "possible" is a broad term. I'll expand. Some of you may know I'm American living abroad in a very poorly developed West African country. I've been told there is only 1 shop in the city that can install a locker on my 200. Problem being I was told their skill level is, "what you'd expect for Mauritania". That does not leave me with warm and fuzzy feelings. Though my friend did get his 70 series lockers done through them and it hasn't failed yet.

Anyway, I'd like to put an e-locker on my rear diff, and I have a couple options to accomplish that task. First, pay that local shop with the stellar reputation to do it and risk them messing it up. Or try to do it myself. I've never done anything like this before. However, in this line of work I frequently do stuff I've not done before, and am generally successful. I've watched a few YouTube videos on installing diff lockers and it honestly doesn't look difficult. Granted any project I've entered with YouTube bolstered confidence usually takes about 10 times longer to finish than I anticipated. The last option is to wait until my next assignment and hope I go to a place with a skilled shop (there are other land cruiser projects I could spend locker money on in the mean time. I'm also wanting to fabricate a swing-out for my spare tire - need to learn the mig weld first.)

Keep in mind that if I were to do this job I would have to make absolutely sure I have everything on hand to finish the job. I can order everything I need through the pouch ahead of time but once I start the job I definitely don't want to wait two weeks for a bearing be shipped from the states.

One last thing, I do have access to an AMAZING garage with lifts, air tools etc. So its not like I'd be trying to do this my garage.

 

[TonyP]

If you have the proper tools, it's not entirely difficult. Getting the lash dialed in correct is the only "tricky" part and that's fairly straightforward with the right tools taking your time. That and pressing out bearings if you're doing gears also. If not doing gears, it's significantly easier.

 

[bloc]

The "good" thing about this job for a low-skill shop is it's the easiest and least invasive part of the diff to mess with. You won't need to change pinion depth or preload.. just press bearings onto the locker itself, bolt it in, and adjust position/preload on that half to get the pattern and lash where it was before disassembly. With leaving the pinion on used gears a lot of the "art" and pitfalls of a diff setup will be taken away.

Take a look at "zuk"s site Toyota Gear Install Harrop to see what you are in for. If you haven't heard of him he is an absolute wizard with these diffs and his advice on extra preload over factory settings is not to be taken lightly. He also shows many of the required tools and procedures.

 

[odinskind]

Not planning on doing the gears just the locker I'm not going to get bigger than my 285 70 17s K02. I personally have a full mechanics tool set and access to a complete garage set of tools, I can use what I want.

 

[odinskind]

The "good" thing about this job for a low-skill shop is it's the easiest and least invasive part of the diff to mess with. You won't need to change pinion depth or preload.. just press bearings onto the locker itself, bolt it in, and adjust position/preload on that half to get the pattern and lash where it was before disassembly. With leaving the pinion on used gears a lot of the "art" and pitfalls of a diff setup will be taken away.

Take a look at "zuk"s site Toyota Gear Install Harrop to see what you are in for. If you haven't heard of him he is an absolute wizard with these diffs and his advice on extra preload over factory settings is not to be taken lightly. He also shows many of the required tools and procedures.

Great resource I'll check it out. I'm looking to buy a Harrop e-locker.

 

[TonyP]

Not planning on doing the gears just the locker I'm not going to get bigger than my 285 70 17s K02. I personally have a full mechanics tool set and access to a complete garage set of tools, I can use what I want.

In that case you're set. Get some gear paint (marking compound) and you're set. You'll only have one plane of adjustment which simplifies the operation.

If you need specific pages from the FSM let me know.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Its 100% possible but if it does not wok out it will be costly and possible a real PIA depending where and if you experience a problem. Having done it in the past today I spend the money to have the ~$1500 of components set up properly Ill choose to save money somewhere else.

 

[TexAZ]

have you thought about buying a new (used) 3rd member stateside and having a locker installed here. shipping the whole unit to you.

 

[wardharris]

Is this where I get to say "I told you so?"

As said before, thank you for your service. The safest approach, IMHO is to let us send you a fully built diff with gears, carrier, Harrop and bearings. Will cost a bit more, but you will have a spare diff on hand and all you have to do is the simple stuff when the bucket shows up.

 

[TeCKis300]

Doable! Half the time, I don't trust shops here in the states and their wrench monkey's. Seen enough butchery which makes me want to do things myself so I know it's done right. There's a wealth of knowledge and how to's and if you're detail oriented, with some common sense, it's all doable.

Instead of specialized paint, you can use some contrasting grease, such as marine grease to check out the mesh.

wardharris's offer seems like a good compromise between paying full service for a shop to do the work, and fully DIYing.

 

[OregonLC]

The only thing to add would be that ask long as you're in there (dangerous thing to say!) you might want to press in new rear axle bearings while the shafts are out. Seems like with the 200 you'd be money ahead by having fresh rear bits.

 

[Willy beamin]

I'd be keen on having valley hybrids send me the goods and do the easy stuff once received in AFRICA

 

[bloc]

Diff set up compound isn't expensive at all.

 

[Malleus]

I used to run an assembly line, producing what in the industry are known as "drive-steer axles" (read 4wd) for a major US axle manufacturer, as the process engineer. Later, I was responsible for the design of those axles. Based on my personal experience, if you have a modest familiarity with mechanical assemblies, are competent with hand tools and can (and are willing to) read, you can do this job yourself. FWIW, I'm also a US Army school trained and certified helicopter mechanic.

The problem for you will be anticipating every problem which will arise and planning ahead to mitigate that risk. Without a considerable amount of personal experience, that will be impossible. No one here knows what your truck looks like, or how it has been treated, so no one here can give you the kind of specific advice you're going to need. General advice is all well and good until you remove all the bolts.

If I were you, and I had the money, I'd have a fully built locking differential shipped to me and install it myself. If I didn't have the money, or if I was really courageous and liked to live dangerously, I'd read all I could find, buy all the parts I could conceivably need and dive in.

FWIW, the gear engineers know better than anyone how to setup a drivetrain. You deviate from their recommendations at your own risk. It's true that some of their recommendations exist solely to support the variability present in modern high volume manufacturing, but you don't know which is which without talking to them. I'm speaking from personal, professional experience. Oh, and there's no such thing as "lash" on a gear setup. There's preload which results in gear backlash. Running pattern is the most important indicator of proper setup. No one on an assembly line measures backlash.

Good luck, Hooah.

 

[wardharris]

@odinskind - AKA Garrett - is a stud, serving his country in Western Africa. Family, too.

His 200 being used for its designed purpose - no mall within 4,000 kilometers. 90% of Mauritania's land is within the Sahara

 

[odinskind]

I used to run an assembly line, producing what in the industry are known as "drive-steer axles" (read 4wd) for a major US axle manufacturer, as the process engineer. Later, I was responsible for the design of those axles. Based on my personal experience, if you have a modest familiarity with mechanical assemblies, are competent with hand tools and can (and are willing to) read, you can do this job yourself. FWIW, I'm also a US Army school trained and certified helicopter mechanic.

The problem for you will be anticipating every problem which will arise and planning ahead to mitigate that risk. Without a considerable amount of personal experience, that will be impossible. No one here knows what your truck looks like, or how it has been treated, so no one here can give you the kind of specific advice you're going to need. General advice is all well and good until you remove all the bolts.

If I were you, and I had the money, I'd have a fully built locking differential shipped to me and install it myself. If I didn't have the money, or if I was really courageous and liked to live dangerously, I'd read all I could find, buy all the parts I could conceivably need and dive in.

FWIW, the gear engineers know better than anyone how to setup a drivetrain. You deviate from their recommendations at your own risk. It's true that some of their recommendations exist solely to support the variability present in modern high volume manufacturing, but you don't know which is which without talking to them. I'm speaking from personal, professional experience. Oh, and there's no such thing as "lash" on a gear setup. There's preload which results in gear backlash. Running pattern is the most important indicator of proper setup. No one on an assembly line measures backlash.

Good luck, Hooah.

So I'm very much leaning towards having a fully built differential shipped to me. I am confident I can do this job, but there is a whole 'nother layer of added challenges attempting to do something like this from where I am.

 

[Malleus]

I feel your pain. Been there, done that.

 

[NYC570]

Is this where I get to say "I told you so?"

As said before, thank you for your service. The safest approach, IMHO is to let us send you a fully built diff with gears, carrier, Harrop and bearings. Will cost a bit more, but you will have a spare diff on hand and all you have to do is the simple stuff when the bucket shows up.

How much would something like this cost?

 

[wardharris]

How much would something like this cost?

I will refer you to my partner, Georg Esterer - @orangefj45 for a quote - he runs a Land Cruiser shop. I run a computer....

Suggest you send him a PM or call the shop at 209-475-8808

Watch him in action here, banging on a split case....

 

[cruiseroutfit]

The only thing to add would be that ask long as you're in there (dangerous thing to say!) you might want to press in new rear axle bearings while the shafts are out. Seems like with the 200 you'd be money ahead by having fresh rear bits.

X2, we are seeing more and more failures at 100-150k.

There is a catch, doing the bearings is as big of a pain as diff setup