Rear Locker Engagement Issue - Need Help (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Threads
24
Messages
45
Location
Carlisle, PA
I have been having a weird issue with my factory rear locker. For years both the front and rear lockers worked perfectly. A few months ago my rear locker started to not engage and the light would just blink. I replaced the solenoid on the rear locker since it is cheap and easy. On my first drive right after that I pulled into a gravel lot and both lockers immediately engaged. I thought I had fixed the issue. I messed around in the lot for a minute and while backing up I heard a pop from the rear and the light for the rear locker started blinking again and I could not get it to re-engage. This weekend I checked the rear diff fluid and it was low. I thought maybe somehow that was causing the locker to not engage. I filled the diff and drove to the gravel lot again. Once again the rear locker immediately engaged but it seemed almost like it was bound up and again after putting the vehicle in reverse the rear popped again and the light went from solid to flashing and would not re-engage. I am not sure where to start to address the issue. It seems that the wiring is fine, and the actuator is working. It is almost like maybe the actuator is not allowing it to fully engage which is why it pops out. Any tips or ideas would be welcomed as I would like to get this fixed as soon as possible. My son has an offroad trip planned for us in my 80 and his tacoma with a group of jeeps in a little over a month and I do not want to give the LC a bad name if it is not functioning at 100%.
 
Hey there- have you tried taken the actuator off and verifying it is engaging and disengaging? I say this because it seems like you are doing testing while it is still on the truck and at this point, you have to take it off.

I would start with unbolting it and then have a buddy activate the rear locker and verify the rod is moving in and out while you are holding it. I took mine off and you would not believe the horror. I had to buy a new one altogether.
 
Do your self a favor just order a new actuator from Rock auto they have the best price. If it works then it doesn't most likely gummed up in side.
1617111613400.png

I just went through this last weekend.
1617111697693.png

Then I repaired the old one with a Witt's end kit and kept it for a spare. It was the second time it happened the copper contact points were corroded again ( I already cleaned them in this pik) hopefully the new one well work for years to come.
 
Do your self a favor just order a new actuator from Rock auto they have the best price. If it works then it doesn't most likely gummed up in side.
I just went through this last weekend.

Then I repaired the old one with a Witt's end kit and kept it for a spare. It was the second time it happened the copper contact points were corroded again ( I already cleaned them in this pik) hopefully the new one well work for years to come.
I'm having a similar issue with my neighbor's 80. I believe the rear actuator motor is toast as it does not move with voltage applied.
The FSM wants it to be in the locked position for removal, but I can't get it to lock. Does it matter? Can you get to the shift fork set bolt in the unlocked position?
 
Yes you can get to the shift fork set bolt with it unlocked, at that point you can use a screwdriver or small pry bar to lock the axle before removing the Actuator.
just remove the Lock position switch then the cover that it mounts to. Then you can manually lock the axle to remove the Actuator.

PS this one of the best things about the OEM lockers, if something goes wrong you can manually lock or unlock the axle on the trail with the ARB they default to open and there's no fixing it with out pulling the third 🤷‍♂️
 
For reference this is what it look like the first time I took it apart it was still working just slow and intermittent. I was able to clean it up and get it working good again.
1623452921417.png

All cleaned up and ready to go back together.
1623453020357.png
 

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