2nd gen rear locking differential questipn

I have seen this topic beat to death but i have some questions that im still confused about. Without a doubt i have difficulty getting my truck to lock the rear, which ive only done to prove can still do it and every time its a challenge.

My question is this; is the rear locker light a sure sign the locker is / isnt working? in other words is it possible for the light to be solid and it not be locked, or the light to be blinking while its actually working? wondering if anyone has experience with this.

Also, when i first got the truck it made the "thud " everyone talks about when it locked. now, when the light goes solid i dont seem to hear the thud but the light stays solid until i turn it off. Should i be concerned the locker isnt working? whats the best way to get it to lock?
I am the second owner of this truck and im under the impression the locker was rarely used if at all in the 7 years before i bought the truck.


Wondering what the current opinion on this is.

 

The light blinking means it's not locked, the light solid indicates it's locked. This is how it works unless your sensor is broken.

Jack up the rear, lock and unlock, watch the light, and spin the tires to confirm the locker's state. Then you'll feel better.

 

ok thanks for your response. i think it works and im just paranoid....it blinks then i roll back and fourth and turn to get it too go solid .....its just so weird and tempermental i wouldnt be surprised if it wasnt working....so hard to get these to engage you would think toyota would have made it a little easier but then again im very new to the truck game, is it like that for everyone w a rear locker?


thanks again

 

It's doesn't always lock up right away when you press it. It takes some movement and turning to sometimes get it locked and unlocked. I think this is more of thing with e-lockers than air lockers.

 

It can be. Two things must happen, the dogs on the locking mechanism must line up and the motor must power through all resistance and friction. Over time the driving mechanism can get dry, dirty, corroded, and gummed up. When this happens it'll struggle more to get engaged. Working it frequently tends to keep it functioning better. If it's bad you can tear it down and clean it up.

 

Sounds like a normally operating Locker to me.
I haven’t seen one than doesn’t require some “finesse” to get locked.
Sometimes I’d the condition are right, it will lock almost instantly.
But usually it takes a turn or 2 of the wheels to get it locked.

If you ever use the Locker for a bit, you’ll know when it’s working.
The truck will maneuver differently. Especially in turns. I try to limit tight turns locked.
And if I do , I make sure I am on a surface that will allow will spin.
Other wise, it’s really hard on the differential.