Rotary FR/RR diff lock switch (1 Viewer)

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

Can you post a picture showing the other end of a rotary diff lock switch located on the left hand column of steering wheel.

I would like to know if there is a male/female plug at it's end. I took the dash board panel yesterday looking for a plug just like the plug for the center diff behind the stereo, but I did not see any plug or empty cavity that is supposed to be for the rotary diff lock switch. What I'm looking for is kinda like a plug and play connection.

What I saw behind the dash are three wirings color coded as orange, red, and blue and there is no connector, just plain cut wire dangling behind the steering wheel.

I'm trying to familiarize myself with all electrical stuffs in preparation for retrofitting non lock diff to lock diff. There's a guy here willing to swap axles, switches, and all required harnesses. His LC has 102K miles and did not want his LOCKERS. Hopefully, he won't change his mind.

Post a picture pleaseee. Thanks in advance.

 

[MTNRAT]

Get the stuff before his sanity returns. OMG.
Sean

 

[MoJ]

Yeah, NS, is he stupid?

It's not a grey 80 is it? Was just thinking if he was that stupid maybe he would swap me out for my faded hood.....

 

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

Well, he said he doesn't go offroad and he's scared that he may break something. So I ask him since he does wheel his rig, can we swap, he said yes. But in return, I will give him about $400 bucks for the diffs and I will help him do all maintenance in his cruiser.

 

[NorCalDoug]

Wouldn't it be easier if you guys just swapped trucks?

 

[Gauge]

Ask him if he can change you 2 ten's for a five dollar bill while you are at it.

 

[Tools R Us]

You may find some good info here;

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=26446

 

[wob]

PT Barnum remains a genius.

 

[CruisinGA]

Go ahead and get the hard items switched over, worry about the wiring later.

Jump on it man!

 

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

Posted by NorCalDoug
Wouldn't it be easier if you guys just swapped trucks?

That would be the easiest way however, his interior is all fawked up, the leathers are dry, cracking, dirty and it was smoked in. Asthray full of cigarette butts, the dash has a lot of dust, in a short word, his inside is trash. I have to wear a mask or respirator just to open his dashboard, yep that bad.

The engine compartment is needs steam cleaning due to a lot of grease in the engine bay, firewall, and fender well.

I think not, since my LX has only 36xxx miles on the clock and his is a 97 with 102K miles.

 

[NorCalDoug]

Good points for not doing the swap.
Why not just get ARBs.
The OEMs are nice, but for all the work involved...IMHO, they're not THAT nice.
Besides, I'd rather have 36xxx axles and gears than 100xxx axles.

 

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

Originally posted by NorCalDoug
Good points for not doing the swap. Besides, I'd rather have 36xxx axles and gears than 100xxx axles.

Yeah Doug, I thought about that too and good thing about ARB is I can regear at the same time while installing the ring and pinion on the carrier.

I was already adviced by Beowulf, but 400 bucks is tempting me to swap the OEM lockers. And I know for fact that I can do this swap in two or three days max. My diffs are clean and not much rust down there.

So if it were me, which would you go, ARB or OEM? and Why? Thanks.

 

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

Doug,

I mean if it were you, which route would you go, ARB or OME? Disregard the If it were me on previous post. Thanks.

 

[landtank]

If you were to swap the whole axle then I'd go for it and do the maintenance as well. But just the diffs wiould be more work.

 

[NorCalDoug]

Personally, I'd go with ARB.
I used to own a 94 with OEM lockers. The 2 rigs we have now have OEM lockers. I looked for them when I was searching for 80s. However, had I not found one, I would've had no problems with installing ARBs. Personally, I prefer a clean, mechanically sound vehicle to one that may or may not be clean/sound simply because the latter has lockers. Do you know what kind of condition his axles are in? How are his 100k mile birfs? Have you checked his lockers to ensure they're in good working condition? I ask this last question because you said that he's not someone who'd likely use them -- has he ever exercised them?

Several of the guys I regularly wheel with have ARBs and have had no problems with them. As long as the installation is done properly, the ARBs should provide excellent service. You mention that you want to regear -- doing the ARB at the same time will save on installation costs. Another benefitOne benefit of the ARB is that you won't have to mess with the wiring for the OEM axle swap.

Ultimately, it's your call, but the axle swap seems like it would be much more work than an ARB locker install. You'd save some money up front, but would it be worth it in the long run?

On the flip-side, if you do decide to swap axles, you might as well get some new springs and shocks while you're at it...you'll have them out at the time anyhow.

 

[Heffenoche]

It may be easier to go with a cable locking system then trying to get the wiring corrected if you go with the OEM lockers.

 

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

Do you know what kind of condition his axles are in? How are his 100k mile birfs? Have you checked his lockers to ensure they're in good working condition?

He was the second owner and he bought this rig with 79K on the odometer, now it has 102k miles and he said that he spent 1 grand to get the front birf done at the dealer. I looked at the front diff and the knuckles are dry with no evidence of leakage but with black grease on both ends of knuckles on each side (right and left knuckles of the diff). The front axle leading edge has accumulation of both dirt and grease but other than that it looks good and can easily wipe off with degreaser.

The rear axle looks fine and I don't see any sign of heavy corrosion down there and I think the truck spent its life here in Virginia.

As far as exercising them, I did not ask he did or not but from the way I look at him, he probably did not exercise them and probably don't know what the rotary switch are for, in other word, he is clueless and he has no idea whatsoever about his lockers.

Now if he won't change his mind, it will be a lot of work swapping front and rear axles. This is my plan to tackle the job. The first day will be dedicated for wirings, harnesses, ecu, and switch swap. Second will be the front axle and last day will be the rear axles to include bleeding the brakes.

New springs and shocks will be last until I get the fundings. Once the lift is done, tires will be next in line with 305/70/16 MTRs. Sheesh, this hobby is getting expensive and time consuming.

 

[helocat]

It may be easier to go with a cable locking system then trying to get the wiring corrected if you go with the OEM lockers.

W’ Harold of Over The Hill 4x4 has successfully modified a few OE 80 lockers with air solenoids. (After burning up the locker motors, the magnets de-laminate if they get too hot.) Kind of cool OE air lockers.

With all the work involved of pulling the 3rds I think I would lean to the ARB’s as well. But the $ saved by swapping the thirds for only $400 of course can always be well spent on other items on the list. If you get the OE thirds make sure you snag the wiring pigtails from the axel to the body as well. That pigtail has a small breather vent tube in it for the axel and the OE connection plug seals the wiring at the axle, of course it will save you some $ vs. the parts counter at Toyota as well.

In labor terms are you pulling both sets and reinstalling both sets? If the deal is to pull both, make sure you look at what your labor rate is worth. Or just look at it as lots of practice pulling the front ends apart if/when the trail repair comes along!

“Hay Mark is the front locked? Why is the left tire not turning?”

Mark

 

[NorCalDoug]

It's my understanding that he's swapping the entire axle -- intact.
Correct?

 

[landtank]

Just the diffs alone are not plug and play, that is why I said "whole axle swap". This is still a ton of work but if you wouls have to pay labor to have those ARBs installed then that's a consideration. Your time is free to you and if OEM lockers is going to lift your skirt than go for it. I'd personally start by taking HIS front axle out. That way he will be less likely to change his mind as his truck will be in pieces.