E Locker axle swap, 1st gen Tacoma

I Recently swapped out my 95.5 axle for a 2,000 axle with a factory E-Locker.

I got the 2,000 axle, with an E-Locker from my local junkyard. They only buy trucks from auctions, and they give a 6 month guarantee on their axles! All these plugs, plus the male harness coming from the diff, the E-Locker ECU, came with the axle.


Be sure to match the gear ratios using this code.



The 2,000 axle bolted right up to my 1995.5 Tacoma. Edit: don’t use your old U-bolts, buy new ones. I paid $40 for new ones, don’t cheap out on this! Also make sure you tighten the U-bolt nuts evenly, and torque them to factory spec.


The wiring was the most time consuming part of the swap.

I used a, 6 conductor, trailer wire to make the harness for my E-Locker.



Next I assigned the wires I wanted to solder to the conductor wire. I chose black to be my ground, which connected to the White and Black wires coming from the e-locker.



Next I ran my new harness from the e-locker to the inside of the cab.



After that I soldered up the other end of the harness going to the 4x4 ECU.



The L-Y wire on this 4x4 ECU plug connects to the instrument cluster, 4x4 ECU, and the E-Locker. Just splice the wire in and run it to the cluster. You have to buy a replacement pin from the dealer. The new pin plugs into PIN 7 on Plug A.



For the oem E-Locker switch take another look at this picture.



The GR wire, when connected, prohibits the e-locker from engaging in 2wd and 4 high, and the G-O wire is the 5mph safety feature. I grounded both wires.

I did want the 5mph safety feature but I couldn’t apply it to my truck, so I made a safety switch.



I just interrupted the oem switch and put this guy in! Now I have to flip the safety switch cover, flip the switch, and then press the oem switch!



I might change the style of the safety switch because I fear when on a ruff dirt road the red cover might fall and disengage my e-locker prematurely.


Here is all the info I gathered online for this job.




https://youtu.be/qAznG_WoS44

 

Hope this helps anyone trying to accomplish this retrofit.

 

My 2001 taco came prewired for ecu and switch can’t seem to find anything else what do I need to do I have 2 plugs under carpet one is a main harness and the other has 3 wires going to it any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Awesome work!!

I've been trying to find a way to tie into the instrument cluster and it didn't even occur to me to go to the dealer

 

Honestly, I couldn’t tell you. My 95 Tacoma didn’t have the ECU or switch. I had to acquire those from a junkyard and fabricate a wiring harness.

Just a thought, look at the ECU and see if it has a missing plug. If there is nothing missing, trace the wires, from the ECU, to the rear of your truck. Check to see if there is a round plug, above the diff, that would plug into the e-locker. If there is an empty spot, on the ECU for a plug, you’ll have to fabricate a harness. Or try and find a harness at a junkyard.

Give the video I posted a watch and get a wiring diagram for your truck. Good luck!

 

Thanks man! Although expensive, the dealer is your friend!

 

I'm in the process of doing this job now. Thanks to the OP @Falkor1 for this post. It has been helpful as I'm learning my way through this swap on my '98 Tacoma.

Rather than going to the dealership, I think you can order the terminal socket contact MN-SKT1 from Corsa Technic...at least that's what I've found should work to make the speedo L-Y wire connection on 7D. Then this wire should go to junction block 3E1, or I suppose directly to the 4WD ECU (which would also be spliced to the L-Y wire coming from the RR Diff Lock Detection Switch). If you don't have the right crimp tool like me, it can be tricky. But a basic crimp tool/needle nose pliers and some solder should do the job just fine.

Best.

 

This thread is absolutely incredible. Fat cheers to the write up. I bought a factory locker off a fellow TW member. I'm doing my homework now and will be using this as information source no.1!

I'm not to interested in the dash light as I'll be airlocking the front at the same time. but I wonder if the ECU is mandatory...

Cheers!

EDIT : I realize the ECU is just for 4x4 and not specific to the Locker. SO disregard last comment. oof.

 

Can you swap the axles and run the truck without doing all the wiring, or will that mess anything up? My '95 is my DD, and I'd like to do a quick axle swap and worry about wiring up the elocker when I have time. I'll also be swapping front diffs, so it's probably going to take multiple weekends.

Thanks a lot for this thread. Great writeup!

 

Yup I swapped and am currently battling my Lowrange harness. It's just an open diff unwired

You regearing as well? Or locking the front?
10/10 recommend you get an arb up front.

With that said. Anyone have gone this route have any trouble shooting tips?
I jacked the rear end up and gator clipped the hot wires to engage it manually and it locks and unlocks at the locker. But as for the switch I'm kind of baffled. Just unhooked it because I've not got time to do fuck with it right now

 

I'll be regearing, yeah. More on that here, if you're interested in my thought process. No plans to do a front locker. The factory elocker swap just makes too much sense to not do it, if I'm already regearing.

 

Hi I’m just thinking about a locker for my 2002 tacoma Prerunner, should I buy a lunchbox locker or get a whole rear axle with a e Locker already there used of course. I had a leak in my rad I just bought a new one didn’t try to fix it 20 years old. Installed it my self, love working on my Tacoma.

 

After working on it randomly when I had free time, I finally finished my factory e-locker axle swap on my '98 Taco. I got most of the wiring harness, 4WD controller, and rear axle from a wrecked donor. The wiring was a real PITA to put back to factory and the axle install wasn't much easier. To be fair, my job was more complicated since I went ahead and installed axle centering plates, new Deaver leaf springs, greaseable shackles, and bushings while I was there. I had one main leaf bolt rusted/frozen to the inner sleeve that had to be cut out too. If you don't have a lot of time, aren't good at deciphering Toyota elec. prints, and skilled with shop tools, I wouldn't recommend diving into the OEM E-locker retrofit - it's a lot more work than it appears.

 

Props for wiring it in, instead of going the way I did (12V Guy premade harness and rocker switch). Having a factory look and light on the dash is so nice!

 

very nice write up

 

Trail gear makes a wire harness with switch that’s plug a play that I used.
Super simple and added the lower pocket switch holders.

 

Nice! And I like your added control switches. I assume T.G. E-lock switch/harness is a direct connection and doesn't go through the Toyota 4WD control box with interlocks for low speed and 4x4 selection?

 

Correct,
Trail gear is stand alone,

plug and play, very easy,

Locker works in 4 HI, 4 LOW, 2 HIGH. Any speed