The Toyota E~Locker Retrofit......Finally!



http://sonoransteel.com/phong/retrof...html#benchtest


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










My Toyota 2007 FJ E~Locker Third Member Mod.....into my 1988 1st Generation 4Runner.

It works!


An email to a good friend today telling the start of the mod.....


Hi Mike,

A miracle happened today!

I made contact with the e locker guy yesterday. He still had the locker.

I called Mark at Gear Pros to see if it would fit my truck and could I use my own 4:10 gears. (this 2007 FJ 3rd member has 3:72 gears)......and Mark said yes it will all fit. I did more reading on this and I may need a new inside bearing for my 4:10 pinion.

I asked the seller to prove to me that the little electric switching motor was working. He claimed that he hooked it up to a battery this morning and it worked. But when I got to his house, he could not make it work.

He was asking $125. And here is the deal.

He works at a Toyota dealership. He got this part for free. It was a Toyota warranty replacement item. They have to keep it for three months in case Toyota wants to inspect it. After that, Toyota just throws it away. So he got it from the junk pile for free!

So I offered him $50 since he could not prove that the little switching motor was working. I figure that's a scrap metal price. And Mark at Gear Pros told me it's a steal at $125 and he would buy it from me for that if I didn't want it! Kewl!

I got it for just $50 bucks!

The seller today told me these E~Locker Third Members sell for $1,500 new at Toyota.

This is awesome! You know how long I have been waiting for one of these!

Now I need to find a good fair shop to install. Gear Pros told me they have never done the E~Locker Swap. But they may be willing to do it, as he told me they have done many wild things in their time! But Mark was headed out for a race at the salt flats and will be out of town.

So I'm going to keep looking for a good shop.

I need somebody who knows how to weld good. Has a plasma cutter. And knows how to drill and tap in new stud bolts. And knows wiring, for the dash switch. And how to fix the little electric motor if it's not working.

Ya think we can have a huge SWR party and getter done?

Aloha! Mark........"SWR"




.



I just found an Awesome Switch that I want to order.

http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/index...-switches.html







Nice parts site too.




.

 

So after many phone calls and emails to shops all around San Diego County.

I finally found Nick Baldwin.

At....

Southern California Automotive Repair and S.C.A.R. Off Road


http://southerncaliforniaautomotiver...com/index.html


After four weeks.....(that's OK I told Nick to take his time and do it right and I won't bug him with phone calls!)

And finally after Three Buses....One Trolley ride and 3 hours today. I was finally able to pick up the SWR in El Cajon, CA.!

I actually was planning on taking the Sycamore Canyon bike trail from Poway to Santee and El Cajon to pick up my truck, but we just had two days of rain and the trail would be a total mess. So I took the MTS.

Here is the bike trail! This seems way cool!

http://www.mountainbikebill.com/SycamoreCanyon.htm

I really want to do this bike ride one day. I bet it's not used very much or even well known. And I think I could have made the bike ride on the trail in half the time.

Ever since I bought the Scenic WonderRunner in 2004, I have wanted this mod! Finally the stars aligned!

He kept his word on the price! I would recommend Nick Baldwin to anyone!

Nick said he tooks pics of the mod, as I asked. So when he sends them, I will add. Nick said he talked with all of his local mechanic buddies, and not one has ever seen or heard of this mod. I asked Nick if he would be willing to do this again, and he said yes. So I told him I would do my best to send him customers.

Here is his website.

http://southerncaliforniaautomotiver...com/index.html

And here is Nicks personal truck that he built.







I would not hesitate to recommend Nick Baldwin to anyone here on Yotatech!

I'm now calling Nick.....the Toyota E~Locker Retrofit Guru in all of San Diego County!

Nick did it right!


So far it's working perfect....!


Thank You Nick Baldwin!





.

 

Success!

Some Pics....



The electric motor vent tube went north along the axle breather tube to the inside fuel tank filler.








The wire pack fits perfect into the firewall!



The dash switch is Awesome! Fits perfect!




And the steepest hill climb in the Alabama Hills just west of Lone Pine California. During my Death Valley run this past weekend.

Locked in 2 wheel drive....Uphill....for the most awesome views of Mt. Whitney....and the SWR! I just love this special place!




Carry On!



.

 

how much did you paid on labor to get it done

 

Cool switch! I'm gonna have to get me one of those

 

Strong work Mark!!!

 

Could I have the contact information of the seller I wasn't one for this kinda deal

 

So you should definitely get us the hook up on them e-lockers! lmao...no but seriously that is awesome

 

Wow.....sorry I'm late. I paid $650 for the install including the electrical work. He said his Dad was going to do the electrical (to save money), but then his Dad had to go out of town. So my mechanic had to take my SWR to an auto electric shop to do the wire up. He told me he lost money on this deal. He was a very nice guy and didn't charge me more. I think he was glad for the experience. I'm so thankful I have this locker! Best thing I have ever done to the SWR!