Diff lock

So I know that the electronic rear diff lock was introduced in the first gen late '97. My truck is an early '97. Does anyone know what is all involved in the Electronic rear diff lock and if I could get the set up somewhere and install it on my truck or would I have to change out my whole rear diff? Is there anything I could do for my front as well or is it strictly the answer of "I have to change my diffs"?

 

The e locker i believe takes a different housing. You can lunchbox with no mods, airlock with mods, or replace the rear axle.

 

I looked into swapping a an e-locker rear end into my non-locker truck. By the time I sourced a locked rear end, bought it, regeared it to work (with all new bearings, shims, etc), bought a wiring harness to make it function, plus all the possible issues that may arise with a used rear end it just wasn't worth it.

ARB are expensive and really, really expensive here in Canada. You are looking at minimum of $2000 for just the rear. The cost of ARB for front and rear (plus compressor) would probably eclipse the value of your truck unfortunately.

I went the cheaper --and less effective-- route of an LSD style. I wasn't too impressed with the reviews of clicky-clunky lunchbox lockers like powertraxx so I went with a TrueTrac. I have installed it yet so I can't give a personal review but all-in it was about $650 plus my free labor.

No matter how much better an ARB may be, I couldn't justify the cost.

 

First, understand I have been an offroad Jeep guy who has built many hardcore trail rigs.
So lockers, re gearing and diffs have been on top of my build lists.
Many older jeeps have had the crappy diffs pulled out and Yotas swapped in. The 3rd member diffs are very strong, and it is easy to locate 4.10 geared diffs in Toyota rigs.
To answer your questions!
NO, you do not need to change the rear end!
I buy almost all my diff parts from JT's (Just Differentials) in Cashmere Washington.
you can google them and brows their web.
JT's will setup a third member carrier (case) geared and an e-locker for under $1500.
All you will need to do is pull the axles, driveline, and carrier. Install new carrier and re-assemble.
An e-locker only needs a electric source. Preferably a relay/fuse/switch just like you would do for high power lights.
You do not need to buy a wiring harness.

Your truck is very easy to modify and upgrade.
I no longer run Jeeps, I run Yotas because of the strong foot print from the factory!

Good Luck.

 

Not quite so easy. All elocked 3rd are for an 8" housing and will not fit into a 8.4" non-locked diff housing.
No one makes an aftermarket elocker that will fit into a stock toyota 8.4".
The oem toyota locker is also not simple power to make it work. It requires a fairly detailed harness
http://www.yotatech.com/f2/how-diy-retrofit-elocker-wiring-235219/

The only selectable locker to fit into a stock tacoma non-locker (8.4" with 8" ring gear) diff is an ARB.
The ones the washingtondave are talking about must be for older Toyotas with the 8"

 

Got a powertrax NO-SLIP in my daily driver. It is a lunchbox locker but it is much more street friendly and quiet. It is a full on locker when you want it to be though. Can be found relatively cheap from places such as rockyroad. The cost of installation is also gona be much cheaper because it uses factory carrier housing, heck if your good with a wrench you can install yourself pretty easy.

 

^^^

Thank you, Snowman.

 

Powertrax no slip. Been running it for a few years. Full time, balls up.

 

Get the elocker, and here's how you get it to fit, this is for a 4runner but the housing mods are the same and probibly the wireing as well. http://sonoransteel.com/phong/retrofit_electric_locker.html

 

Way easier to just buy a complete 8" axle and third...

 

^^^Wrong^^^

A six lug open diff Tacoma has an 8.4" diff which is what the OP has. The 8" 4Runner housing they are modifying in the link is not the same as the OP's housing. The 4Runner housing they are modifying is an 8" open diff housing. To modify an 8.4" Tacoma housing to accept an 8" elocker would not be a simple driveway job.

 

If buy a ARB rear is an air compressor the only other thing you need to buy?

 

Yeah, my bottle of CO2 just sits next to me in the passenger seat. I just have her blow on the hose when I need the diff locked.


All kidding aside, I went through this process on my land cruiser. I'm currently researching it for my prerunner. The LC required a switch, a computer, wiring harnesses, locked differential, different driver side axle, notching the housing, etc...

The biggest difference between the LC work & my prerunner is the difference in sizes between the locked & unlocked axle housing. There's no getting around it, you'll need a new axle housing if you want an OEM locker.

The other difference is the gearing. My prerunner has stock 4.56 gears, a locked axle bought used or new, will likely *not* have 4.56 gears. This will necessity a rebuild of the differential. Master rebuild kits are >$200 (if you replace bearings). Add in the cost of the new 8" gears, and it starts to add up.

In all this is a *hobby*. Let's face it, a more capable truck will just get us into more trouble. So any money spent, is spent for *fun*, not necessity. It'll be more expensive to put in an OEM e-locker than most, if not all, the alternatives.

Myself, I swapped out OEM locker on the land cruiser. I had fun doing it. Doing it a second time, well, not so much fun. Then it becomes a job. I'll likely be putting in a truetrac - and using ECGS drop ship option - these days I'm more willing to pay for convenience.

 

I just put in my order for a no-slip. http://libertytruckandauto.com/partinfo.php?id=9220803002 with free shipping it was slightly cheaper than rocky road.