rear e-locker problem

[EricG]

Hi guys - I recently noticed that my rear locker isn't engaging. It has always worked flawlessly - last time I needed it was back around June, but I try it out on my dirt road once in awhile to make sure everything is moving. And now its not.

So I'm in 4lo, center diff locked (difflock & ABS light on, some scrubbing in tight turns). Then I try to engage the rear - light blinks but never goes solid, despite various turns, forward, backward etc. And it's not just the indicator light - the tires aren't scrubbing like they do with the axle locked. Haven't put it on the jack to check it that way, but I'm pretty convinced it's not locked. The front locks up right away.

I went under the truck yesterday and did the test with the 9V battery (,https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/241132-locker-actuator-9-volt-test.html) and the motor runs both ways. Didn't have help yesterday, but tonight I had my daughter turn the switch while I was under there, and again you can here it run both ways. And it sounds like something is moving, nice and smooth - not just the motor humming. When I say it runs - it runs for about a second then stops, like it reached the end of it's travel. Should it run continuously until the locker engages?

So .... any suggestions what could be wrong that the motor runs but the lock doesn't engage?

 

[Tools R Us]

... When I say it runs - it runs for about a second then stops, like it reached the end of it's travel. ...

That is how it should work. My internet guess is one of two things:

1: Your not getting enough differential rotation to allow the splines to engage. It can be difficult to get it to lock when not needed, no wheel spin.

2: The output portion of the actuator is bound, rusted, not moving.

The test is, jack up the rear axle, turn on the locker, turn a tire, the locker should engage, if not it's most likely time for actuator repair.

 

[EricG]

That is how it should work. My internet guess is one of two things:

1: Your not getting enough differential rotation to allow the splines to engage. It can be difficult to get it to lock when not needed, no wheel spin.

2: The output portion of the actuator is bound, rusted, not moving.

The test is, jack up the rear axle, turn on the locker, turn a tire, the locker should engage, if not it's most likely time for actuator repair.

Ok, thanks - I don't think it's #1 I've been doing figure-8s with full wheel lock that you could clearly feel the wheel scrub from the center diff lock. Other times it would engage with just a few S turns.

But I'll put it up on jack stands anyway to be sure. And start reading up on what it takes to R&R the actuator - from what I read it's a little more involved then just unbolting it, right? Something about the diff being locked, and having the actuator in the correct position and such.

 

[PhrogsPhorever]

Well, the actuator is turning, so you have that going for you.

How it works, is a worm gear adjusts a coil spring to put tension on the shaft that comes out of the locker actuator.

That shaft is hooked up to the fork inside the diff that moves the locker spline collar this way and that way. If that coil spring wears out OR if the spline collar and the long splines on your axle shafts get gummed up, there just isn't enough oomph to slide the collar into and out of the lock position.

How often do you use or exercise your lockers?

Do a search, there are a gazillion "my lockers won't engage" threads.

I have pics of the actuator torn apart in FastEddy's cable locker thread in the 40 section if you are interested at looking at the gutz of the locker actuator

 

[EricG]

Well, the actuator is turning, so you have that going for you.

How it works, is a worm gear adjusts a coil spring to put tension on the shaft that comes out of the locker actuator.

That shaft is hooked up to the fork inside the diff that moves the locker spline collar this way and that way. If that coil spring wears out OR if the spline collar and the long splines on your axle shafts get gummed up, there just isn't enough oomph to slide the collar into and out of the lock position.

How often do you use or exercise your lockers?

Do a search, there are a gazillion "my lockers won't engage" threads.

I have pics of the actuator torn apart in FastEddy's cable locker thread in the 40 section if you are interested at looking at the gutz of the locker actuator

OK, found it: https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/226878-e-locker-asco-hubs-my-78-a.html

I've read a bunch of "my lockers won't engage" threads, but most of them seem to either be wiring problems, or locker motor doesn't turn problems. I'll look some more tonight.

From your pics, it looks like you can take off the cover for the position sensor and see if things are moving without taking off the actuator. Maybe even lever the yoke into the locked position, as I believe it's supposed to be locked to take off the actuator.

 

[EricG]

Ok, I've got the actuator off. Some corrosion in there, which is probably the problem. So any suggestions how to take that center part with the spring and gears and such out to clean & lube it all? I can pry up on that gold plate and it slides up - but I suspect if I pop that off, the whole thing will go sproing! And it'll be a bitch to get that spring back on right.

 

[EricG]

Ok, I got the inner mechanism out in one piece - took alot of wiggling, tapping, prying, etc. And it's a mess in there. The actuator shaft was stuck hard - took a few taps from a hammer to break it loose. The grease in there is like candle wax, and full of crud. So I'll clean it up and re-grease.

Suggestions for grease type? Not sure if a regular petroleum based grease is a good idea with the electrical stuff in there.

It appears that the large and small gears operate on concentric shafts, and I'm not sure how to go about lubing that. I think I can separate them, but those springs are under considerable tension, and I wonder if I could get it back together if I took it apart.

On another note - the cover over this mechanism was sealed with an o-ring, which is in very poor condition. I stopped by the local dealer today to see if they could get one. But nothing in the actuator is independently available - only the full actuator assembly. Only $900! The guys there suggested toyota red fip gasket - even with the o-ring groove. Thoughts?

 

[ForealBoreal]

i will be doing this next week thank you! keep them coming!

 

[Tools R Us]

There are no parts available for them, I always reseal them with RTV.

There are a ton of good threads on actuator repair, this one has good info on correctly timing it.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/17701-rear-locking-dif-assembly-help.html

 

[EricG]

Buttoned up and working again - thanks for the help guys!
A note - I had no trouble putting it back together because:

1. The pictures above showed the proper orientation of the internal mechanism WRT the actuator body.
2. I didn't run the motor to change the screw orientation while it was apart.
3. I measured the distance from the body of the actuator to the hole in the output shaft before I took it apart.

I should probably tear into the front one, but it's working now so I'll wait for warmer weather.

 

[retrofive]

Sweet! nice job

 

[tblume]

The actuator shaft was stuck hard - took a few taps from a hammer to break it loose. The grease in there is like candle wax, and full of crud. So I'll clean it up and re-grease.

Suggestions for grease type? Not sure if a regular petroleum based grease is a good idea with the electrical stuff in there.

The guys there suggested toyota red fip gasket - even with the o-ring groove. Thoughts?

on the first note- I think the "grease" Mr T. chose is the same as in the window regulators and also causes ...s l o o o o o w... operation in the cold, don't know what would be a better choice, but I'm sure the old stuff could go away, maybe anti-seize in it's place?

on the second point- there are O-ring kits out there that allow for custom sizes: cut the proper cross section size to length and glue the ends together; available at most good auto parts stores.

 

[EricG]

on the first note- I think the "grease" Mr T. chose is the same as in the window regulators and also causes ...s l o o o o o w... operation in the cold, don't know what would be a better choice, but I'm sure the old stuff could go away, maybe anti-seize in it's place?

on the second point- there are O-ring kits out there that allow for custom sizes: cut the proper cross section size to length and glue the ends together; available at most good auto parts stores.

Tools-r-us said in another thread that he just used wheel bearing grease, so I pulled my bearing packer out of it's baggie and scooped some mobil 1 out. That big gear is plastic also, so hopefully it doesn't soften anything in there.

And lots of folks apparently have had no issues with just using form-a-gasket stuff for that cover plate, so I went that route as well.