E-locker questions

yota44

Active Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
Messages
30
Location
WA
Well i have an 85 toyota front axle im assembling. I got a really good trade deal on an E-locker so i decided i was guna run it in my front axle, and possibly one in the rear as well.

Currently where i'm at the axle is all trussed and i have the housing all trimmed and have the third fitting well into the housing. While researching all over forums I've been hearing about sidegear breakage being the main problem with these lockers. Some were saying that it was due to poor spline engagement on the long side causing the sidegear of the third to break. I guess this is due to the fact that Tacoma axles have longer shafts than the pickups therefore the pickup shaft does not fully engage the splines on the sidegear. I have on the other hand heard that it's just due to the poor strength of the sidegear.

I have a brand new set of longfield 30 splinse and hub gears im planning to use in this axle. So basically im wanting to know if i should just slap the longfields in and run it. Also i want to know if anyone out there running E-lockers has had lots of problems breaking them or is it pretty uncommon? Is there anyway to remedy the spline engagement problem other than custom length shafts? I've heard of people cutting down their axles a 1/4 inch on each side but is it really worth it?


And please don't preach about ARB's cus i know they are pretty much superior but i can't afford them right now :fawkdancesmiley:

Here are the plans for what the rig will have just to give you an idea

98 4.3 mated to TH350
Dual Toy cases with 4.7
Tires will be at least 36's, 40's max
Probly weigh about 4500
 
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The spline problem is only in rear axles. People start mixing and matching axle shafts and housings and bad things happen.

I have a hipinion elocker in my front of my wheeler (38x16 wide TSLs), my roomate (36iroks) has an elocker front and my friend Rod (38x16 wide TSLs) has one in his front. You would be hard pressed to beat your truck harder than the three of us and we have NEVER broke a side gear.

We NEVER crash lock them. always lock it in on normal ground not on an obstical.


They fit fine in a front with normal axle shafts. If you dont have your longs clipped in the inner birf groove all the way you wont be able to tighten the spindle and still turn the shaft. That clip is only 1/16th thick and I have seen two people shear it in two pieces and if it is between the end of the shaft and the carrier cross you will not be able to get it in all the way.

If the long shaft was too short then you could fit a clip behind it and then some ans still get the spindle on.

get it? the cross in the carrier is the EXACT same thickness as a V6 diff and you dont see people break side gears on V6 diffs do ya?

Read some more you will see its only a problem when guys mix and match rear shafts/housings or use a 9.5 fj80 rear elocker in a front fj40 housing. Not your application.
 
Okay sweet, I appreciate the help. So it sounds like running one in the rear is a bad idea period then? What are you running in your rear for a locker?
 
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