Stock E Locker Swap Question

I presently own a 2005 Double cab short box Tacoma and it does not have a locker in it. I found a 2006 Tacoma E locker complete rear end that is fully functional at a reasonable price.

Question I have is about the electrical involved to get it working in my Tacoma. I have heard from someone that the electrical is a bit of a nightmare and most people choose to stay away from it and go ARB instead because it's a nightmare.

Can anyone shed some light on this for me? And if there is anything else I need to know about getting this to work? Is there any additional costs or issues that can come up?

I am hoping it's as simple as taking out my rear end and installing this rear end. I can't understand why the electrical would be an issue.

Please help educate me. Thanks in advance

 

Can't swap just the third member. E-locker housing is shaped differently and doesn't fit non e-locker housing. Need to swap whole axle.

 

Sorry my wording isn't perfect. I would be swapping complete rear ends. I will edit my initial post to try and make that clear.

If I swap complete rear ends it should fit in easy I assume???

 

The wiring isn't that bad. You can buy a standalone harness for like $100.
The issue is needing an entire axle as @BudMan mentioned and having it regeared to match your front diff (if you're 4x4).
Those two issues cost a lot of money and will be approaching ARB cost if not more.

 

Yup direct swap. Make your own wire harness and boom! You have a locker.

 

I am only buying it if it is the same gears as mine now. From what I am told by seller it is the exact same gearing. I still need to confirm that but I will be.

I wouldn't bother if I had to change gear sets. Your right, it wouldn't be worth it.

 

How does the seller know what gear ratio you have?

 

When you say "make your own wiring harness" do you mean create my own switch and do not attempt to tie it into the factory wiring?

I am hoping it's as easy as supplying power and a simple toggle switch that is on/off and away I go. Is it that simple?

I don't think I have interest in trying to set it up as a factory e locker set up. That sounds difficult.

 

He doesn't. I know what I have and he knows what his is. So far they are the same.

 

If the gearing is indeed the same you're money.
There are a few write-ups floating around the interwebz about how to make harnesses or where to buy one. I don't remember for sure but I dont think it's just a SPST toggle switch. Slightly more in depth IIRC.

 

Thanks. I will be googling it to see what I can find.

Cheers

 

I've done the wiring job. It's not that bad. The hardest part was finding a nice multi lead cable with enough leads in it.

I ended up sourcing it from a trailer shop. I believe 6 leads is enough.

Then you'll need a DPDT switch. I got mine from OTRATTW. The wiring diagrams are out there.

Good luck!

 

Get your wiring from low range. I have a 05 5 lugger and swapped in the e locker axle. All I did was buy the e locker harness from low range, hooked it up and I was ready to roll.

 

Can you explain this to me a little better? Sorry I don't quite understand.

What do you mean when you say get your wiring from low range? Where did you get the e locker harness from low range? Sorry Simple and I love to keep it simple.

 

http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/ulti...rness-kit-by-low-range-off-road-tdi-elwh.html

 

I swapped my e-locked axle for a sport and added an ARB. Only other thing I would note that I haven't seen in this thread is the brake line tabs on the rear axle don't exactly match. Ended up using 200 lb zip zies

 

Lowrangeoffroad.com is what I meant. It would be the low pinion option. On my 5 lug axle swapping over was fairly simple. Only hard part was welding on sua perches on the e locker housing. All the brake lines and abs lines all were the same mounted up for me.

 

Plugged in and wired back into cab.

 

The lowrange harness is the simplest option, cleanest too as it comes with the connector to plug into the elocker subharness. I bought the DPDT momentary switch from lowrange and made my own harness with some trailer wire. The switch will light up when the locked sensor sees it is locked. Below are the two wiring diagrams I found most helpful to do it on 1st gen. Someone else will have to confirm that the wire colors are the same on 2nd gen. This shouldn't be too hard if you can follow those diagrams.

 

This site is amazing for this information alone. Thank You very much.