Rear Locker Actuator Stuck - Why Not Just Silicone Spray Lube?

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Nay

Nay

Joined
Aug 17, 2004
Threads
134
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5,102
Location
Colorado
So my rear locker won't engage, been reading up on all of the threads. Common solution is to tear it down, grease, and reinstall, but there seems to be some risk in getting it put back together with proper alignment.

Obviously this the best course (assuming proper reassembly, but I am short on time and have other projects I need to get to first.

So as a quick fix, why not a spray lubricant like a silicone base? Those of us in the southwest don't typically have too much gunk in our junk from road use. Any harm in trying?

Thanks :cheers:
 
I would try just pulling off first cover with it installed. Be careful to go slow with cover. Once it is loosened up a bit get ready to hold the gears in place. This will give you the view of inside the gear section. See what it looks like in there. You can try cycling it with a 9v battery while troubleshooting.....but not with cover off. You could also try a few taps with a hammer on the cover while cycling with 9v also. Also can tap motor cover lightly, Just dont tap on motor cover to hard as the magnets in the motor or only glued on. My center diff was froze up and a lot harder to get to that one so I did the tap and cycle method with a new battery until it was dead...in and out many times until it worked great. I pulled the whole thing apart uninstalled but did take awhile. I think mine was frozen from never being used.
 
If it were me I'd be tempted to spray some lithium grease in there- can be had in an aerosol can. I try not to mix different types of grease when possible. I doubt it would hurt anything though, whatever you spray in there.
 
Thanks for the inputs - I didn't realize lithium grease came in a spray can. That would seem to be a no brainer if I'm going to try it. Which I probably will and I'll post up results if nobody comes along and is sure I'm going to hose it up. :banana:
 
those of you who have opened these things up, do you see much diff oil in there?
 
One thing I should add, I don't think spraying anything in there will help, either. If it's bound, something needs to be freed up for it to move, lubricating it without moving it probably won't do jack.
 
I've been into mine twice now. The first time it was physically stuck hard. Had to tap the shaft with a hammer to get it free. I don't think any amount of lube would have helped. In this case you could hear the actuator motor running.

The second time corrosion & gunk hand gummed up the contacts so it wasn't running at all. The contacts are on the back side of the clockwork spring assembly so you can't really spray them with anything directly.

To answer e9999, I've never seen diff fluid in there.

It's not that bad to put it back together. Nothing is under tension when the locker is fully engaged or fully disengaged. You just have to know what it's supposed to look like - pictures, notes, etc. Here's my thread from the last time I put it back together:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/co-colorado-land-cruisers/523324-80-series-locker-computer.html#post7044659
 
If the problem is lube related and the lube is applied in the correct/needed place it may free it, maybe. IMHO, the actuators are rare, $$$$ to replace and the remove, clean, lube procedure is pretty easy, quick, so don't see the point in risking burning it up, prefer to know it is right. Most that I have dealt with failed from moisture, so it is a good opportunity to seal it up, add proper breather, make sure everything is 100%.
 
Tools R Us said:
If the problem is lube related and the lube is applied in the correct/needed place it may free it, maybe. IMHO, the actuators are rare, $$$$ to replace and the remove, clean, lube procedure is pretty easy, quick, so don't see the point in risking burning it up, prefer to know it is right. Most that I have dealt with failed from moisture, so it is a good opportunity to seal it up, add proper breather, make sure everything is 100%.
Click to expand...

OK - doesn't sound like much good would come from just lubing it from a spray perspective. I'm not that concerned about the procedure, just hard to find much time right now.

Thanks again for all the inputs.
 
I just fixed mine on Friday night, the motor on mine was corroded up inside. The aluminium had corroded away and aloud water past what was left of the O ring. Once I had the cap of the motor off I was able to clean up the mating surface and drive shaft. Got it back together and tested with a 9V battery. I also opened up the gear box part of it and found zero water or corrosion in there. I just put it back together and it works like a charm now.
 
I'm starting to think that installing an Aussie locker would be about as easy and a permanent fix, and I like rear auto lockers in a good AWD system.

Plus you address the whole twisted rear axle shaft stuck in the locker collar issue at the same time. Gonna have to give it some thought...
 
I've got a lock right locker I'll trade you for that actuator.
lockrite 001.webp
lockrite 002.webp
 
You'd likely recoup your cost selling the e-locker and parts as well.
 
Nay said:
I'm starting to think that installing an Aussie locker would be about as easy and a permanent fix, and I like rear auto lockers in a good AWD system.

Plus you address the whole twisted rear axle shaft stuck in the locker collar issue at the same time. Gonna have to give it some thought...
Click to expand...

It took me 2 hours to get mine sorted out and $15 of materials. It does not fix the axle twist but I thought you were running a modded axle like Landtack thought up? The E- locker actuator is very simple and as long as you do not lose any parts easily rebuildable.
 
landtank said:
I've got a lock right locker I'll trade you for that actuator.
Click to expand...

Tempting...and as I research I realize I need non e-locker housing/third? That's a non-starter.
 
Non-locked 80's axles can be found dirt cheap. If I were swapping, I'd buy a non-locked axle, build it exactly how I wanted, then drop it in and sell the locked axle.
 
Ebag333 said:
Non-locked 80's axles can be found dirt cheap. If I were swapping, I'd buy a non-locked axle, build it exactly how I wanted, then drop it in and sell the locked axle.
Click to expand...

Agreed. However, in the balance of effort/payoff, I'm not really getting anywhere. If I could spend an extra hour or two and install an auto-locker vs. messing with the actuator, I think I'd do it.

But an entire housing swap....I'll learn the actuator cleanup process. Colorado isn't a terribly challenging climate and it would probably still be working fine if I was actually wheeling enough to engage it regularly :rolleyes:

Time to dig in...I have a bunch of other maintenance I need to do anyway and I've gotten lazy.
 
you don't need to swap the entire housing, just the third. An open rear third is worth 100.00. And how much are you going to get for a locked third once you tell them the actuator is dead?

It's very likely you could swap me for the auto locker and then swap your locked third for an open one straight across.

The only cost to you would be time, a gasket and some fluid.

Not trying to talk you into it but if you really wanted an auto locker in the rear it would be that easy and nearly 0 dollars.
 
The actuator isn't necessarily dead.

But if he wants to trade it straight across, I'm sure he'll find many willing people. :lol:
 
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