found someone in west point that would install it but he gave me an estimate of 280

 

That sounds about right considering it's a good 3-4 hours of labor.
I'm by no means mechanically inclined but I did install mine with a friend who IS mechanically inclined.
It's not a definite 2 person job but I would recommend it.
The instructions that come with the Lock-rite are VERY easy to follow. Make sure you have all the tools....torque wrench, gear lube (3 quarts), wrench set, grease....prolly a few others I forgot. Nothing too fancy though, we didn't have to buy anything other than the gear lube and grease.

edit: you also need silicone, or a new gasket for the 3rd.

 

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/lockright_locker/

that article is your new best friend if you are doing it yourself. get very familiar with it and even memorize it if possible.

 

The thing that concerns me about these is that the locker is typically stronger than a used carrier. I had one in my ford 8.8 (high mileage) and after a year it blew the ring gear out of the rear cover! Now I now that the toyota is supposedly a stronger axle. Has this happened to any Yota heads out there?? And I did get used to the driving characteristics quickly and hardly noticed it after a few days.. I think I'm gonna save my pennies up for a NEW E-locked third. About $750 and it includes all new parts which equals less worries! my .02 cents

 

lockrights usually break before the carrier or anything else in the diff. usually the pins are sheared or the lockrite jams and becomes a spool. sometimes you will lose a tooth or two or crack one of the drivers.

 

I just ordered a lockright from central4wd, the guy I'll probably have install it said I should get new bearings for the differential also.. have any of you guys gotten a bearing kit for it when installing your lockright? everything in there has 184k miles on it

 

after reading all this, i'm tempted about buying a lockrite. how reliable are these lockers usually? are they prone to breakage more than say a detroit?

 

I've heard very few stories of breakage from both brands. They're virtually they same locker in every aspect so whatever you hear from one side will most likely apply to the other. The stories I have heard of breakage are ones that usually occured after the locker was around 5 years old or so.
I would imagine that as long as you don't abuse it (taking corners to fast, not allowing it to fully disengage around corners, ect.) you should be fine. I'll probably check mine in a couple years just to make sure everything is still in properly.
For the time being I just hope it doesn't spool up on me while I'm on the freeway or something.

 

A detroit locker is strongest (spool is even stronger- off road use only) .Lockrite's are not recommended for high speed off road prerunning but are find for everyday type 4-wheelin.

 

i'm thinking about installing a lock rite and then upgrading to a detroit when i'm ready to regear. would switching over to a detroit later on even be worth it? it could be a year or so before i'm ready by the time i have enough money saved up.

 

I had lock-rite locker in my ol 95 taco. It's street manners were awful. I would look into a E-locker before ARB.

 

What all is in the kit that comes?? I got mine today and it just has those two little pieces with the grooves in em to ratchet and two spacers. that's it. I thought it would be more than that?

 

It should have a parts list and detailed instructions included- yeah, I know we don't need no stinkin' instructions, but...

If instructions didn't come with it, they are available on the Powertrax web site.

http://www.powertrax.com/

 

Did you get the little pegs and springs, too?

 

got those, but in the write up here: http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/lockright_locker/

they talk about couplers and drivers... well I only have drivers, with the teeth grooved in... no couplers?

anyone else with the lrp-1620 that could tell me if I should have those?

 

Are the drivers splined on the inside?

 

nope just have cross grooves on the inside..

 

Yeah, heck, you didn't get a whole locker. Who'd you order it from?

 

got it from macromotive.com, they didn't have any in stock so had it shipped to me from their supplier

 

Man, that sucks. You'd better send it back. I'd ask for my money back and try to go somewhere else. I got an Aussie from http://www.offroadlockers.com . I like it quite a bit.