Help Needed - R Diff Lock Indicator Switch

So reading all the post and doing some research on the differential lock indicator switch. And seeing the picture that was posted in here as well. Doesn't that switch just make contact as the locking mechanism moves in and out. It pushes against that indicator switch. So my question is why would you need to pull the third member out if all it does is slide in and more or less butts up against that plate ?

 

The mushroom shape at the end of the switch hooks around the “differential lock position plate”.

I originally started this thread because I simply pushed the switch into the hole and bolted it down, but the force of the switch on the plate caused actuation of the locker in 2WD and a significant grinding/scratching noise.

 

Gotcha. That makes more since then . So did you remove the entire carrier assembly? Or did you just unbolt it enough to lift it up to slide the sensor in past the plate and then set the carrier back down?

 

I just did the same thing trying to replace the indicator switch lol... @ahspurlock is the man and will be helping me fix my mistake.

 

I did not open up the differential. I used a small piece of wood to hold the switch in the out position while I installed it. Once it’s in the right place and the mushroom tip is hooked on the locker position plate, the locker position plate knocks the wood out. Then you need to drain the diff to get the small piece of wood out of the diff and then replace the gear oil.

 

Gotcha. Yeah I just pulled the 3rd member out and unbolted the caps holding the carrier down and lifted it roughly a 1/4 inch. Worked perfectly