That's Peterson's for ya :rolleyes: They're always leaving out little details that'll bite ya when you're not expecting.

You're stuck with the e-locker's 8" ring and pinion regardless of how you get it under the truck. Not that it's weak per se, the 8" is a very strong diff as long as you don't go with the 5.71:1 gears.

Another note just to clarify, the e-locker cannot be retrofitted into a 8.4" housing as they're totally different.

 

Now this, boys and girls, was some good tech.

Thanks for the clarification Shane, I assumed there was some such difference after the gear and carrier functional differences, now I know. You say it is a difference that can be over come with massaging, not like sticking a Ford 9" in a Toy 8".

Still wondering about costs for a complete e-locked 3rd, wiring and housing mods costs.

 

About 1/8th"-3/16th" of pounding on the rear cover to clear a bolt on the e-locker bearing cap, not too bad. I also replaced the bolt with a button head bolt and tossed the lock washer in lieu of some red locktite which saved me about 1/8th".

Cost from some dealers who discount such as Jay Marks for a complete third is ~$750 (list price is ~$1000), gears available range from 4.10:1 to 4.56:1. Lower are available but have to be swapped in which adds $400-500 in gears and labor. The stock wiring harness is about $20, and you can use the stock ECU ($$$) or make your own based off the various circuit designs floating around on the 'net (¢). Housing mods seem to go for $100-200 depending on who you talk to, or about a half day's work if you do it yourself.

Good place to look if you want lower gears than they come with: inchwormgear.com

 

So if you are comparing new ARB to new E-locked third, they come out pretty darn even when all is said and done. The compressor adds some cost, but that is something that everyone should really have anyway.

I am still an ARB advocate, but you have really made things clear in my little brain. Thanks.

 

thanks for the info guys. ha, this is the first meaningful thread that ihave started..horray

 

And the first Yotatech gold star for tech info inspiration goes to doink!

 

 

thanks shane. hah, i do what i can

 

So to recap.......the Outdoorwire thread that Cebby linked to, is the best explanation out there....or does someone have a better writeup......

Cost is $750 for the locker/3rd, $100 locker ecu, $300 install/fab labor, $100 misc (new seals, 0-rings, harness, etc)?

Corey, when are you getting this done.....I'll let you take the lead and follow suit!!!

Actually anyone know of any reputable shops in the NW who have experience w/ this type of project?

What's the availability of used Toyota e-locker/3rds?

Did I read the outdoorwire tech writeup right? Only geared up to 4.56? So w/ my 4.88's I'd have to reuse my gears? This is a great thread

 

I was interested in the cost...so I got a quote from a yard in jersey for a '97 diff with elocker + 4.56 gears for $300 shipped to my door. I'm not exactly clear if that includes any of the electrical do-hickeys involved with the swap, I will email them about that. But I'd say you can get one for under $350 w/ everything included.

 

Los Gatos,

Thanks for the fast reply If I could get the whole project to about $750......This would definitely become a possibility not a dream mod like the S/C 3.4L swap.......

 

Me, I have totaly decided against doing a locker.
Why?

It will end up costing me about $4k.

Since I can't do the labor myself, I'd have to pay.
Also might as well do new gears since I am geared for 235 size tires now.
Then with new gears, might as well get 33" tires and new wheels to look right, then also raise the back end up with a new lift.

Add that all up with the locker, gears, and labor, it just hit close to $4k.
I probably have over $20k invested in mine now, and I have to draw a limit.
About all I am going to do is put a new rear bumper on, and a snorkel.

I'd rather take that $4k and build this.
My dream rig is an older Toy flatbed.
'85 to '91 truck, SAS, and some goodies.

My 4Runner suits me fine now for what I run up at Greenwater, and it even did fair a few years back doing the Naches.

 

Yeah the 3.4L/4.8/supra swap kinda turned into a dream for me once I realized how non-cost effective it is. Maybe after college I'll do a whole drivetrain swap or something. Anyway, if you stick with the 4.56s, which are okay if you have 32's probably, you can just get the whole deal installed, I'm assuming that you (like me) aren't really prepared to pull a third like lots of these guys, but if you can, then you can do the whole thing for probably $350. If you can't, from what I've read about people having this done, it should cost somewhere around 300-400 to have it pulled and installed. Maybe someone who has had it done could add to that....

 

I got a question for those of us who aren't able to weld and everything. Is swapping the entire axle an option? Just throwing another question into the mix, plus i'm curious.

 

woah....i didnt think i would see this thread popping up again...heh..cool

 

I have Detroit lockers on both front and rear axles. Let me tell you, it is like Night and Day compared to open diffs. But if you can retro-fit an electric locker into your axle, that will be cool to have a choice to be open when you are not 4wheeling. Plus it saves wear on your tires. But the electric locker is not the only option, you can also get an ARB locker so you have a choice if you want open diff or not. But I still prefer my Detroit lockers, it does not bother me at all. Just my 2 cents.

 

Someone asked about the costs of e-locker hardware. I paid $300 for my e-locking 3rd member (from a 1998 4Runner), paid $60 for the ECU and factory dash switch, somewhere around $30 or so for misc wiring, about $24 for the frame-to-locker-solenoid wiring harness from Toyota; minus the $200 I sold my old V6 third member for. So it cost me just over $200 for the e-locker retrofit. But I did have a friend that was able to stick my stock 4.56 gears in the e-locking 3rd member and do the housing mods for me.

For what it's worth, I think the e-locker is the way to go if you've got the skills or the money to do it. I don't use the locker ALL the time and I fear an ARB would start leaking on me after a while. (Not a flame, just my opinion.)

 

Yeah I found it in a search and figured I would ask a question not bothering to look at the date.

 

My sis has a 02 2wd tacoma with the factory e-locker and I want to fit that e-locker into my 90 V6 4Runner 4wd. After reading this thread I know that with some work I can get the e-locker to fit my 2nd gen runner but what can I do for a replacement for my sis's tacoma? Can I just find a open diff 3rd member @ a junkyard and put that in? Oh wait it woulnd't seal correctly because of the notch for the actuator. Basically I want my sis's e-locker from her taco but she uses the truck as a daily driver. What are my options for replaceing the e-locker that came from my sis's taco???

 

Just get your own. I don't mean to sound harsh but why would you make two jobs out of one? Start searching the junkyards and find a used one.