Rear diff

Sigh. They were on ground, but it was more likely hardpack/caliche than soft.
The fact that I never used the diff lock has been brought up as being the potential cause.
I don't think water intrusion could be a factor since it never, ever, ever rains here anymore.
Clearly I will have to learn about this locker better if I keep the truck.
Might be time for that mid-life crisis vette.

Thank you as well TnShooter for your insight.

 

A question you can ask your self is “Do you need the Differential Lock?”
If you never plan to use it, you could manually disengage it.
Then just never use the Diff Lock button. Unless you want to risk this happening again?

Since you say the truck is with a Mechanic, and he is a friend.
Maybe he can just get it unlocked, that is if you choose this option?
This link below is for the earlier year Tacoma’s, but the basics operate the same exact way.

 

Whatever you do, OP, do not let your BF or his brother off the hook. They are responsible.

If the mechanic and BF are tight, then I would suspect the diagnosis and extent of the repair. Suggest to find a mechanic independent of the BF connection.

 

I’m not taking sides.
But how does one know something is or isn’t broken if it is never used?
With the history of these actuators, it’s very possible it would have happened if SHE were the one to use the Locker.

Again, I’m not siding with anyone.
If anything, I’m saying “Don’t borrow other people’s stuff”
Things can happen.

 

You bring up an interesting point. But it is of no consequence, since the truck was being used be the BF.

Pulling stumps with a truck is NOT appropriate use of the truck, especially when it was borrowed under the pretense of moving.

An item used or not in the owner's possession is not disputable. This is 100% on the BF and his brother.

Reality, she did not use the locker. The BF and his Brother used the locker when it was broken. The truck was in their possession.

 

So will the rear diff lock come on while going down the freeway? That seems highly unlikely.
Just trying to ferret out the truth.....

 

No. The truck myst be in 4LO for the locker to work

 

So the comment "better it happened to us instead of you on the freeway where you could have been killed" is grossly inaccurate?
(peeling the layers)

 

Yes, completely inaccurate.

That statement is an attempt to capitalize on your ignorance about how the locker works. The purpose of the statement is to put fear into you so you will be compelled to pay for the repair. Shouldering the responsibility because of fear for your safety.

Don't swallow that nonsense. Dig into your Owner's Manual. I suspect it has clear details about the operation of the Diff Locker. Stick that Section under the BF and his brother's nose.

 

I'm actually thinking I won't stuck it under and it won't be the nose.

 

Pop off the motor, put a big pry bar on the rack gear in the 3rd member, and manually unlock the diff. With the motor off, plug in the connector and actuate it from the dash. See if the motor and pinion gear spins and if your diff lock light works. If that's all good get it back to the unlocked state and reinstall. If the motor/actuator is struggling pull it apart and give it a clean and rebuild. See youtube. All done.

 

Probably beyond my skill set but I printed your instructions out. Thank you!

 

Might be time for a new boyfriend and another mechanic. Wait til they pay for the repairs and then adios.

 

Got a good laugh reading all the BS here.
Using the e-locker was the correct approach for the pull (if roots cut off) as when the locker is engaged in 4Lo it turns off the ABS so does not fire on slipping and the engine management that ramps down the throttle as slip occurs. Its an 06 so its really not their fault the actuators do not work too well. Lots of info on how to analyze the problems and the fixes on this site.

But first get in truck, start, look at lights telling you state of 4x4, put in neutral, shift 4Hi to 4Lo, if in 4Lo, depress the rear diff locker switch, put in drive, do slow S-turns and see if it unlocks, if not, stop, do the neutral thing again and switch locker off again. If it goes off good to go back into 4Hi then 2Hi. If not read the posts or have the mechanic resolve for you. These systems do have contact problems so nothing new here.

 

Wow. I did not find any BS.
Have the mechanic resolve for me....stellar advice.
Everything you mention was supposedly done.
When I ever get my truck back I will try everything you said, but I guess the mechanic will do it, so maybe not.
Just like you said......

 

Wrong and wrong. Actuator gets installed and removed with diff LOCKED otherwise it won’t work right. And the dash light will not function as designed if you actuate the actuator outside of the differential because the sensor is on the diff. I.E. If the shift fork isn’t moved by the actuator (because the actuator is in your hand and you’re looking at it), then the shift fork can’t push against the sensor and activate the light. The sensor is a failsafe, it’s not there to tell you the actuator has turned, it’s there to tell you the shift fork has shifted the diff lock collar to engaged.

OP, easiest way to tell for sure if locker is engaged is to jack up the rear end, spin one tire by hand, if the tires turn opposite directions, the locker is disengaged, if they turn the same way it is engaged.

The actuator on these diffs has intricacies specific to Toyota’s where as other brands don’t work the same, so your boyfriends friend may not know how to work with them but there is a lot of info on this forum about how the e locker actuator functions.

 

You can check the light by manually locking and unlocking the diff while checking the motor function and having it in the right state. You'll have to explain why removal must occur in the locked state. If the states match it should be happy.

 

this thread

The amount of abuse that get thrown at the rear end of these trucks while wheeling is way more than you can ever do pulling out a stump. I am confident that unless your bf put the truck in 4lo and activated the diff then just floored it (not allowing it to engage fully), it didnt cause the damage. These actuators are very prone to getting wet inside and corroding contacts that keep it from functioning right. I think your BF knew what he was doing, and did it correctly, its just a part that is known to fail on a 14 year old truck.

You can drive around all you want with the rear diff locked on pavement, it'll just chirp and chew up your tires as they slip and break traction. as others have said, getting the diff to unlock can deff take some back and forth and tight turning in an s shape. I usually turn full lock one way and reverse a few feet, and that does the trick

Im pretty sure you dont need the lock sensor to work the elocker (i put mine in after the fact and never even plugged in the lock sensor harness, so i know its not necessary). The lock sensor flashes while the motor waits for the the locker mechanism to line up for the pinion to slide the rack over. if this happens successfully, the motor/cog in the elocker actuator has made its full rotation and completes the circuit telling the lock sensor and dash light that the locker is engaged. you know your locker is engaged because you turn sharply on pavement, and the back chirps like a wounded dog. you can always jack up the rear of the truck, pull the motor off, and slide the rack to unlock or lock the diff. When you put the motor on, *i think* you just have to put them on with the motor and diff locked or unlocked so they are starting in the same place

also, if the motor must be removed for servicing, and it wont lock, it would be pretty hard to remove the motor in a locked state

 

Well if you really want to get technical, you can remove it however you want, but have to install it locker locked and actuator locked.

 

I didn’t say you need the sensor installed the make the actuator work. I said the sensor will not function if the actuator is being tested outside of the vehicle. The sensor is sensing the shift fork (that is pushed by the actuator) being against it. If you slide the fork with a pry bar like you’re suggesting, the sensor will show it is locked, it has nothing to do with the actuator. As for reinstalling the actuator,
You have to install the actuator in the locked position and the diff in the locked position.