Colarado Rear diff actuator

[nivanut]

While on a little laning trip at the weekend I engaged rear diff lock for a short while but when I got back to the road it wouldn't disengage and made the drive home a little interesting
I managed to remove the actuator after a few sheared bolts which seems to be the norm with most jobs on this truck
and I managed to release the diff lock
The actuator had coroded where it meets the axle that much that a hole was there ally and steel just dont get on
The thing looked like it had come from the bottom of the sea I didn't hold much hope of repairing it but at £400 I was having a go
After a few more sheared screws I got it apart and it didn't look much better inside and the magnets in the motor had come detached then I remembered reading in an old post about some one glueing them back in position
After a lot of cleaning up the motor and a bit of tlc it worked so the rest of the gear body was cleaned up and the hole repaired with plastic metal and its all back together again and working fine Ive repainted the hole thing and put loads of copper slip between it and the axle
Thanks to whoever it was that put the post on about repairing the actuator
and dont throw your old units away have a go at repairing

 

[J66P]

Well done matey

defo one of the issues that needs keeping an eye on

 

[silvercruiser]

Joe

 

[Chris]

That rings a bell. Gluing magnets

C

 

[J66P]

would that be the man that did the write up

 

[Chris]

I think that there have been several over the years, but mine might have been the first over on the 'other place'

Back then a lot of people had no idea that they even had a rear diff lock.

Chris

 

[Andrew Prince]

Ive repainted the hole thing and put loads of copper slip between it and the axle

You pointed out the the alli and steel don't get on - be careful that the copper in the coppaslip doesn't promote the galvanic corrosion even more! Chloride and copper in combination are known to promote corrosion in aluminium. Road salt at this time of year is a big source of chloride ions - don't want to pee on your parade but maybe some RTV would be a better bet to separate the alli and steel than coppaslip and also prevent ingress of water.

 

[uHu]

As a replacement for "coppaslip", there is the ceramic grease. Better all round - salt, temperature, durability.

Would it be an idea to get the write-up into this forum? Never know for how long the other one is available.

 

[BobMurphy]

As a replacement for "coppaslip", there is the ceramic grease. Better all round - salt, temperature, durability.

I don't know that stuff - must look it up.

The last time I fitter a new Actuator I used 'Optimol TA' anti-sieze paste. Its like thick silver paint. Its recommended by BMW for their motorcycle fittings. I don't know if its prone to electrolytic corrosion in exposed places though .

There is also 'Optimol T' - a very thick white paste.

I now use either in preference to Copperslip.

Available here (other suppliers will be available ):

http://www.motobins.co.uk/displayfinal.php?q=Optimol Paste&s=1

Bob.

 

[uHu]

E.g. (random hit): http://www.motipdupli.de/?L=2&id=1562

Quality and properties:

• Protects from electrolytic corrosion
  Excellent thermo stability
  Heat resistant and heavy duty
  Excellent adhesion
  Free of metal
  Resistant to chemicals and the effects of weather.
  Water, salt, and weak acids and alkaline proof
  Make disassembly easier
  Directed jet spray
  TRG 300 compliant

 

[nivanut]

Thanks for the info Ive never had a problem with the copper grease ive used it in similar situations before but that ceramic grease sounds a lot better