Rear axle/locker carnage

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V

Vision19

Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Threads
13
Messages
95
Location
AK
Evening,

I pulled the rear 3rd on my 94 with factory lockers, because the diff was howling and grinding pretty badly. PO did a gear swap and I suspect did not do it properly (already had to redo the front). Anyway, this was my first time pulling the rear axles out. Divers side had some soupy gear oil and grease mix. The inside of the hub looked pretty tore up - like the seal was spinning in its seat. Does this look normal? Both sides are the same.
IMG_20240518_174029_831.webp


Also, my rear locker has never worked. I figured it just needed cleaned and rebuilt. It would appear it contained a significant amount of water and then froze. The whole housing is cracked out. Not to mention the incredible corrosion. Looks like its time for a whole new actuator. Bummer.
IMG_20240518_174119_276.webp

IMG_20240518_174127_323.webp
 
That axle housing and actuator have been pulling some hard duty for a loooong time by the looks of it. I know little about oem lockers but I do know that it’s perfectly fine to eliminate the oil seal and let the bearings bathe in gear oil. Many other manufactures of full float axle assemblies do this. I had a seal get damaged a few years ago when a rear axle snapped in Moab. Got the axle replaced and finished my vacation and never opened the hub up for 3 more years. What I found was no more grease and a set of wheel bearings that looked much better than the ones on the opposite side that were still in grease. I know a guy who does know about oem lockers and believes in them. @Broski
 
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I do like the OEM lockers, I’m in sand Hollow right now and using the sh*t out of them.
Unfortunately yours looks like toast with that damage housing.
Rock auto is a good place to get a replacement.
I also have a 94 and if you look the breather terminates in the driver side rear wheel well.
You will find it sitting on the frame.
In the later years the go all the way up into the rear quarter panel.
You need to extend the breather up there as this is where the water is getting in.
With a new actuator and the breather extended your troubles with the locker will be over.
Once the lockers are sorted and working correctly, I never worry that they take too long to lock up as I know the second I get any wheel spin they lock so when I’m approaching an obstacle, I turn the switch on and go and they work like a charm.

They’re the only lockers that I know of that you can manually engage and disengage if there’s an issue with the locker, with a few hand tools and less than 20 minutes, I can have a locker locked up.

If you go through my build thread, I documented rebuilding the rear actuator and extending the breather up into the rear quarter panel.
 
@Vision19 My locker actuator suffered similar damage. Rockauto had an aftermarket unit that was more expensive than a Toyota unit from Partsouq. Made sense to get the OEM unit but oh boy it was spendy.
 
I use Partsouq regularly, at the time I got mine Rock auto had a better price.
It is a Asian brand and identical to OEM 😎
 
I run RockAuto replacements front and rear on mine. No problems with them, and fast shipping.
 
Haven’t checked rock auto but it used to be my go-to before I discovered partsouq. Got my rear actuator from eBay for like 370ish$ a few months ago.
 
Good to know guys, thanks. Anyone have experience with that rear hub looking like it does?
 
Vision19 said:
Good to know guys, thanks. Anyone have experience with that rear hub looking like it does?
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What are you thinking is wrong ? Does that spindle have a crack in it ? Not seeing anything aside from that in the pic. . .
 
Saito said:
What are you thinking is wrong ? Does that spindle have a crack in it ? Not seeing anything aside from that in the pic. . .
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The inside where the oil seal sits looks all chewed up to me (like the seal has been spinning), but I have no reference for how its supposed to look.
 
Vision19 said:
The inside where the oil seal sits looks all chewed up to me (like the seal has been spinning), but I have no reference for how its supposed to look.
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The end of the spindle is supposed to have those (4) "chisel marks" in the end of the spindle. They are a reference for the bearing nut.

The seal that's supposed to be in there is rubber all they way and will not chew up anything. It is a "rough machine" surface in the interior of the spindle other than the outer part where the seal fits. Yes, it looks like the seal may have spun some, but then it would be stuck on the axle shaft.

It looks fine.
 
BILT4ME said:
The end of the spindle is supposed to have those (4) "chisel marks" in the end of the spindle. They are a reference for the bearing nut.

The seal that's supposed to be in there is rubber all they way and will not chew up anything. It is a "rough machine" surface in the interior of the spindle other than the outer part where the seal fits. Yes, it looks like the seal may have spun some, but then it would be stuck on the axle shaft.

It looks fine.
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Thanks, that is helpful.
 
Is there a difference between the actuators from the '93/'94 and '95 models? I see Rockauto list the Aisin model for the '94 but not for the '96 - only a generic version available for the '96
 
Irish Reiver said:
Is there a difference between the actuators from the '93/'94 and '95 models? I see Rockauto list the Aisin model for the '94 but not for the '96 - only a generic version available for the '96
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mines a '96, ordred both from there and they are Aisin. Did you even read the part numbers?
 
cruzinfj1 said:
mines a '96, ordred both from there and they are Aisin. Did you even read the part numbers?
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Not specifically, I ordered mine from Partsouq as I wasn't interested in buying a "Standard Motor Products" unit for more than I could get the OEM unit. Like I said, the Aisin unit isn't currently listed for the '96 model year.
 
Irish Reiver said:
Not specifically, I ordered mine from Partsouq as I wasn't interested in buying a "Standard Motor Products" unit for more than I could get the OEM unit. Like I said, the Aisin unit isn't currently listed for the '96 model year.
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Yes it is. Try again-
 
I got my last Aisin one from @cruiseroutfit cruiserteq it’s been excellent and there’s a cruiser head on the other end of the phone instead of a black hole.

cruiserteq.com

AISIN REAR 9.5" LC E-Locker Actuator Assembly - 12V

Toyota Land Cruiser Differential Actuators
cruiserteq.com cruiserteq.com

I also put a slee guard over it that’s paid for itself a couple times haha
 
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