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Diff Lockers on 80 Series

Para

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Jan 12, 2022
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New to the forum, considering buying one
Can somebody give a simple explanation of the diff lockers and options that were made availible of the 80 series?
It seems like earlier cruisers have an all 3 locker option (or not), and later ones had only an optional locking center (no front or rear)
....confused
 
It all depends on the country as to which options you got. Pretty much all as I know got a centre locker. But some also had a viscous centre dif, like an limited slip diff. Most in the UK got that feature.
The 3 locker is simple, lock the centre and that gives you the option to lock the rear, lock the rear and that gives you the option to lock the front. It's sequential basically. They're all electric lockers with a sensor to say whether the lock has engaged / disengaged. Some areas of the world got a very basic system with free wheeling hubs and two wheel drive.

That's kinda the basics. You've low range gears in there too which can be tied into the lockers but that's another story.
 
....And whats the deal with that switch to the lower right of the 4WD lever that has 2 positions, 'Pwr' and '2nd' ??????
 
One is super turbo sport mode and the other locks out first gear so that it sets off in second.
 
What a strange mish-mash of switches. This is not typical Japanese thinking. Odd
 
....And whats the deal with that switch to the lower right of the 4WD lever that has 2 positions, 'Pwr' and '2nd' ??????
The PWR button holds the revs in any gear for longer. I’ve only tested mine a couple of times, pretty pointless really. You’re driving a 2.5 tonne house brick after all.

‘2nd’ stops the autobox selecting first gear. Useful for snow. I’ve also used it in the mountains - it stops the box from hunting for lower gears.
 
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By the way……

On later models Toyota removed the Center Diff Lock switch. This means that the centre diff will only lock when 4low is selected. Which means you can only select your front & rear diffs then (as mentioned by Chris above).

A popular mod is to refit the omitted CDL switch (all the wires and plugs are still in the dash), hack into the ECU and do the ‘Pin 7’ upgrade.
 
The pin 7 mod is something entirely different. On the auto, when you resurrect the CDL switch in the dash and lock the diff it affects the gear shift intervals. Some people like the way the shift used to be and some don't The pin 7 mod is a way of reinstating the very long gearshift intervals (in low range from memory) This has been debated on here for decades. It's best avoided really. Just put the switch in the dash. if you have a manual, just remember to change gear when you want to .......
 
Is the switch an easy job for a non electrical dabbler? It would be good to shunt a trailer in low range without axle wind up.
 
The dash switch puts 4wd in high range. Does not affect low range diff lock. I assume if you don't want 4wd in low you have to pull the wires off the engagement switch on the side of the low handle from underneath. Chris will know.
 
It's plug and play. The hardest bit is wiggling the socket out of the hole in the dash. Pull off the blanking plug then stick the locker switch in and push it back into the dash. Regardless of how anyone might see this mod, it has no downsides. You get what you've always had, plus the ability to engage front and rear lockers in high range not just low. Basically you just get more choices.

The handy thing is that when you unlock the CDL using the button, it automatically disengages the front and rear lockers too and vice versa. Instead of trying to hit the control dial and mess around whislt bouncing all over the place, you can have control on one single button.
 
I found the ability to use low ratio with an open CD very useful when manoeuvring a boat or caravan/trailer. Well worth the switch mod just for that reason alone IMO.:thumbup:
 
Not sure if both diesel and petrol have the "pwr" button but it feels on my '96 petrol like it does a bit more than just hanging onto the gears longer. Genuinely seems to make more power in the same gear (I'm wondering if it advances spark a bit?). Makes a fair bit of difference when towing. Also uses a LOT more fuel, maybe it also runs a tad richer in PWR mode? Mine is LPG converted and the PWR button makes the same difference on either petrol or LPG
 
Has anyone made a nice detailed write-up of how to do this mod?
Do ALL years have a knockout plug where switch can be put in?
Or, on some years do you need to hack the dash?
 
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Chris does the added switch engage front and rear lockers when you press it? Does it leave the CDL off in low range when you engage low range?
 
The optional dash switch is purely for the CDL. The F & R lockers are controlled by the rotary switch below left of the steering wheel but the CDL must be locked first. To get use of an open centre diff in low range requires disconnecting the switch on the Xfer case, it's around the 1 O'clock position when viewing the Xfer case from the rear IIRC.
 
Has anyone made a nice detailed write-up of how to do this mod?
Do ALL years have a knockout plug where switch can be put in?
Or, on some years do you need to hack the dash?

All models will (should) have a knockout blank and wiring there behind the dash as the main loom is generic to all markets AFAIK. Note that the switch for pre and post '95 facelift models is slightly different. The "full" mod to give maximum DL versatility is to fit the dash switch and disconnect the Xfer box switch as mentioned above.
 
Sorry Frank, I think I might have misled you .... If you press the dash button, lock the CDL then lock the rear and then the front, you can knock them all OFF and back ON again with just the CDL dash button. If they're not engaged on the rotary dial then they won't come in the the dash button. It's handy for things like snow where you might want them all in to hit a drift, then all off again quickly in shallower snow.

Thanks to TP for mentioning the need to disconnect the plug underneath. I forgot to add that bit - for an auto only that is. This is the bit that people get confused over with the pin 7 mod.

Here goes. I think.If you ONLY put the dash switch in, in low range the gear shifts are like a rock crawler all of a sudden. They hold forever then change like a whip.
Disconnect the plug and suddenly everything is lovely again. However, if you are some kind of barmpot and you like the ridiculous shift intervals then you can restore them with the pin7 mod. But only if you are a bit of a k**b. Don't do it.
 
Is the switch an easy job for a non electrical dabbler? It would be good to shunt a trailer in low range without axle wind up.

I found the ability to use low ratio with an open CD very useful when manoeuvring a boat or caravan/trailer. Well worth the switch mod just for that reason alone IMO.:thumbup:


Reversing a heavy trailer in low up a steep driveway meant the tyres were screeching against the tarmac and causing excessive load on the various transmission, by fitting the switch I was not forced to have the centre lock engage, perhaps one of the best mods you can do to an 80.

Regards

Dave
 
Not sure if both diesel and petrol have the "pwr" button but it feels on my '96 petrol like it does a bit more than just hanging onto the gears longer. Genuinely seems to make more power in the same gear (I'm wondering if it advances spark a bit?). Makes a fair bit of difference when towing. Also uses a LOT more fuel, maybe it also runs a tad richer in PWR mode? Mine is LPG converted and the PWR button makes the same difference on either petrol or LPG

The auto has it regardless. Makes no difference to fueling etc apart from uses more.
The petrol makes peak power higher up the revs (around 3200rpm as standard) so it feels like more power as your using what it's got.
Try driving it like a manual up a steep hill, 1st (L) then 2nd before go into drive but using all the revs, you'll feel it as power starts to drop off towards top end of the revs (4.5 to 5k rpm you'll feel it flatten off)
It's more noticeable on bigger tyres.

It also doesn't lock the torque converter for a while so uses more fuel.
Mine locks about 45 mph not in PWR mode, in PWR it can be 70mph.
I quite often change between 2nd and D on winding, hilly roads as keeps the revs up, few roads in the Yorkshire Dales its L and and 2nd due to steep hills, just have to not be scared to rev it.



As said with CDL switch and disconnect the plug underneath makes a nice drive in low range.
When I'm laning even on steady gentle terrain I use low range, 2nd start pressed and in D.
Just smoothly potters along 15 to 20mph, below 1500rpm. Manually select 2nd to slow down and L to go down any steeper hills which means less braking needed. Manually engage 2nd for some uphill rocky bits and if more technical just put in L.
CDL switch if start having traction issues or likely to, rear and front diff locks means it's got interesting but tbh rare it needs more then the rear.

Passengers to start with seem surprised how much I use the gearbox and even low range (it's highly capable in high range)
When leave it in D high or low, on or off road they see why I do it
 
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