Elocker Retrofit

So I’ve been researching this swap and I’m coming up with a lot of different info that is contradictive. Can anyone with real experience tell me if this is possible with a little bit of modification. I want to put a elocker third out of a 2003 TRD Tacoma into my 2004 SR5 Tacoma with the open diff. Both have the same gearing ratio.


From what I read you have to grind out the red areas, pound flat the big yellow circle and then drill and tap the little yellows. But I’ve also read that you can only do this on the earlier style 8” axle housings because the newer open diffs are the 8.4” housing. Some forums say you can do it to your open Tacoma Diff and some say you can’t. Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.

 

I've personaly seen it done. The unused bolt holes need to be welded up and ground smooth.

 

I did an elocker mod on my 89 Toyota pickup which I believe uses the same 8" rear end as the Tacoma. I used that exact picture and it worked very good. Put about 15K miles of some good off roading with out any problems. Very much worth the effort.

 

You can’t use a 8.4 taco housing for an elocker retrofit. You can only easily convert 8” housing to accept the elocker.

 

So the Tacoma TRD Off Roads have the 8" locking diff and the open diff Tacomas are 8.4?

 

it is best and easiest to buy a complete elock axle.

 

I’ve read that you can use the 8.4”.

Here’s a really good write up on How To: http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/electric_locker/

Also, I seriously can’t believe how easy it was for me to just SWAP AXLES! Super easy, I would totally recommend just swapping an entire rear axle from a TRD. And obviously just the wiring as well.

 

From that link you sent “ It doesn't look like this electric locker will retrofit it into the 8.4" non-TRD Tacoma axle with an open differential unless you obtain the entire TRD axle along with the locker.” getting the whole axle seems ideal just didn’t know if it was feasible to do just the third.

 

That’s correct from what I understand.

Thanks everyone for the reply’s so far

 

what about retrofitting a 2005 + 8.4" to fit an elocker out of a 2010+ 8"

 

Need whole axle housing from the elocker truck

 

The housing stud mounting patterns are the different between the 8.4 and 8

 

A factory option on 3rd Gen. 4Runners, Tacoma 4x4's, and Tacoma PreRunner 4x2's is an electric locking rear differential. This diff is a 4-pinon design based on the Turbo/V6 8" diff and uses the same gear sets and bearings (except for the large bearing near the locking mechanism).
These locking diffs can be retrofitted into 8" diff axles if the axle housing is modified. It cannot be easily retrofitted into a T100/Tundra or open-diff Tacoma style axle housing because the mounting bolt pattern is smaller. It "could" be done by an axle builder by doing major work to the mounting flange, but that is not really a practical option.
- 30 spline pinion on OEM gears, swap pinion flange to 27 spline to use aftermarket gears

Just read this but il check out the link