E locker?

[corax]

Had a good day this week - got 14 pieces of 28" x 28" x .25" plate steel for free and a Tacoma axle w/ E Locker in it (good deal, no axles, just the housing). What the guy who sold it to me didn't mention was that the locker was frozen in the housing, or rather the long stud (+ 3 others that I drilled out) was frozen in the locker. Every trick I had was used (except the heat wrench, cause I don't have one) until I finally pulled the long stud out/through the housing (still frozen in the 3rd) using chisels to wedge the 3rd out, bent the mounting surface up a good 3/8" (bugger, I was gonna try to sell that - still might if I can get it straight & heli-coiled)

the bend is more impressive in person
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/axle%20stuff/100_4555.jpg
bastard fought me for 4.5 hours and made me break that plastic connector with my hammer
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/axle%20stuff/100_4556.jpg

So my hopes of 4.56 gears in it are gone, it has the more common 4.10s. I'd love to regear right away to 4.88s, but I'd need to junkyard the front 3rd & I don't have time to go on the gear-head hunt. I need to get everything up and running so I can start making a road into my (recently purchased) property.

So, the question is, can I pull the 4.56 gears out of my current 8" rear and bolt them in to the e-locker? Will they bolt up / are they the same? I think they are, I just don't want to get that deep and find out I'm stuck waiting for parts. Also, the whole swap can be done with the axle housing still in the truck, right? Obviously need to pull the axles, weld, grind and drill/tap the long studs (gonna make a jig to make sure I drill at a 90*). Is there anything that would prevent me from spending the day under my truck like this?

[Robinhood4x4]

I think you can swap out the gears, but like you, I'm not sure. You'd still have to set the backlash.

Whether you can do the job with the axle under the truck will depend on how much lift you have. If you do the job like I do, that is using the third member as a template and drill guide, then you'll have to see if you can fit your drill in there with the axle under the truck. If you're just eyeballing the squareness of the drill to the housing, then I think you'd be better off removing the axle.

[YotaFun]

I have the gasket (thanks slosurfer) if you want to use that as a template Keith.
I did mine while it was in the truck, but granted I had a lift to do it.

Is the housing off of a 4runner or taco? hehehe

[corax]

Whether you can do the job with the axle under the truck will depend on how much lift you have. If you do the job like I do, that is using the third member as a template and drill guide, then you'll have to see if you can fit your drill in there with the axle under the truck. If you're just eyeballing the squareness of the drill to the housing, then I think you'd be better off removing the axle.


Cool, sounds like I should be able to do it under the truck then. I was thinking of making a 90* jig for the drilling part - a piece of square tube of thick chunk of metal drilled to the correct size with a drill press, line up the hole, press this against the house and make a hole -or- a piece of brake tube slid over the drill bit, and using the housing as a guide, so the bit doesn't wander off center



I have the gasket (thanks slosurfer) if you want to use that as a template Keith.
I did mine while it was in the truck, but granted I had a lift to do it.

Is the housing off of a 4runner or taco? hehehe


I might take you up on that gasket, I still have to get some other parts first though (studs, seals, sleeve+shims, etc), so this may have to wait a little bit

I was told it is a Taco housing, and the leaf spring perches confirm that - wanna swap to leaves?

[YotaFun]

lol
Just PM your address Keith and I will mail it to you!

And No I do not want to swap to leaves lol!