No matter what I do, drive forward, backward, or stop, i can't get the e-locker to engage on the 4runner. I just ordered some 3" cornfed's for the front, I have LC coils for the rear and a 2" Roger Brown on the way. I want to make this into a sweet camping rig but the locker won't engage.

I am pretty handy mechanically, does anyone know what i have to do to test this thing and find out what the problem is?

cheers,

David

 

try turning hte wheel. You can drive straight or forward, but turn from side to side a bit, or alot, slowly.

 

When this happened to me before when I first bought the 4Runner, I just left it blinking and off-roaded some until it locked up on its own. I think that the locker hadn't been used in a while and possibly had seized slightly; it eventually figured itself out.

If this doesn't work, you should inspect the wire connections to the locker motor for dirt and corrosion, cleaning as necessary. If that still doesn't work and your light just stays blinking no matter what you do, you'll probably have to take the 3rd out and inspect things to see what's going on.

 

right on. I am In the runner right now. I will try the first option first. Not sure about wheeling this thing yet. It's ass sags so bad it is almost on the bumpstops.

 

jack up one wheel so its barely off of the ground

take off the elocker motor (3-12mm nuts) push the lock button on the dash

take a screw driver slide over the locking mechanism

spin the tire thats off of the ground till the locker engages (shouldn't be much).

with the locker motor in the engaged position slide it back in the hole.

 

Is it in low 4 or have you done the grey wire mod. Just want to make sure.

 

No mods yet, they are string in a pile. Thanks for the help. I will check that out asap. You guys rock!

 

Oh! Yeah you have to have it in 4Low for it to lock! I forgot about that one.

 

Can you engage it in 4lo and then switch back to 4hi and continue driving?

Also, what's the max speed while using the locker?

 

1. No, only if you have the gray wire mod.

2. There is a max speed to engage it, which is 5 MPH. But once its engaged you can got as fast as you want.

 

Ok just went for a drive and put it in 4lo. No dice. Guess I will have to jack it up and pull the motor off the third

 

so I can go as fast as I want in 4lo hahah

 

I would definately do the grey wire mod. It doesn't take long and it is nice to be able to engage the locker whenever you want.

 

X2 on the grey wire mod, but I have to admit even though I have done the mod I rarely lock my locker in anything but 4-lo...

 

happened to me when it was new

I had to keep trying and creeping forward, back, and turing. it kinda loosened
up now and it works a lot better.

now once in a while it blinks, but just shifting forward and back, and spinning the wheel slowly
(I mean.. I only use it because I am stuck spinning somewhere) and clang, it locks in


maybe you just have to loosen it up by using it (if it ever does engage)

 

I agree with the engaging the button and driving forward and backward turning slightly side to side idea.

this is exactly what I've been doing every chance I get since I bought my 4Runner. When I first got it, it would only lock when it felt like it, but now I can make it lock whenever, and it locks easier every time!

 

I tried what you guys mentioned the other night, I was pretty scared of what happend.

From the best of my reccolection: I switched in neutral to 4 lo (complete stop), made sure the 4x4 was working. Then I tried to engage the RR diff locker. but when I started driving forwards, the car was not having it. I could definitely feel the increase in power, but at one point, it sounded like I was grinding gears.

I have a 97 limited

 

Were you driving in the dirt or on pavement when you switched into 4-lo? Bad things can happen if you drive on the street in 4wd.

Grinding gears doesn't sound like a locker problem to me...

 

it should still have moved though, esp if you were going in a straight line, where the lack of a center diff and a locked rear diff would make no difference.

 

going to try this right now, mine worked a year ago when i bought it, then conveniently didn't work when i was completely stuck in the snow on a trail in the UP. NOT COOL. just was messing around with it now on a gravel road and i get the bdllod (blinkingdifflocklightofdeath) - an exaggeration, but when you are really stuck, it sucks.

will update if it works!