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Diffs and lockers... just checking

If you are quoted silly money for second hand unit might be worth a look at an ARB type locker or if a very knowledgeable member knows if it's possible to bastardise an 80 series to a 100 ie motors springs bodies to a working unit
 
Change of plan... driving the truck tonight, I was so nervous about the RDL sliding into a position where it breaks something in the diff.
I’ve bitten the bullet and ordered a new RDL unit from Roughtrax (£606 with VAT ), so I can get it put back how it should be with minimum of delay.
Expensive, but worth it for the peace of mind.
I’ve read lots of posts on this and note the difficulties with ‘timing’ the position of the actuator when fitting it, but I assume this is just when you have rebuilt it?
For my sanity, can I check my planned fitment of a new unit would be:
1. Plug in new unit but leave it dangling
2. Dash switch RDL to ‘on’ which should wind the actuator bar fully out
3. Slide the actuator into diff with the selector fork in the ‘off’ position so the special screw can be fitted. The body of the unit will obviously not push fully into place yet.
4. Jack a back wheel and turn to allow the actuator bar and attached selector fork to engage into the locked position. This should allow the body of the unit to be pushed into its proper position on the diff. Screw the body of the RDL unit to the diff with the four bolts.
5. Turn the RDL dash switch off, which should retract the actuator bar and disengage the diff lock.
6. Fit the detent switch cover to the diff case.

Thanks
 
Your plan looks good to me. You shouldn't have any problems, just make sure the dash switch is in the same position as the actuator when you connect it (off).
 
To close out this thread… fitted the new Roughtrax RDL. Had a few issues with it not working at first.
I could hear the motor winding on/off with the switch but dash light was just flashing and the RDL actuator was not moving to the locked position inside the diff.
With the RDL switch still in the on position, I started to remove the locker unit. As I loosened the bolts, the clock spring fired and the RDL locked!
I re-tightened the bolts but then it wouldn’t unlock until I slackened the bolts again.
I took the unit off to investigate. The end of the actuator shaft has a small bevelled edge and after passing through the castellated piece (which is fixed to the shaft with the ‘special’ bolt), it seems to slide into a sleeve within the diff.
I wondered if the end of the shaft might be just catching within the sleeve, so I gently filed the bevelled edge to round it off a bit.
I then applied some moly grease to the actuator shaft before refitting the unit.
It now works perfectly. There is no doubt when the actuator fires into position as the clock spring can be heard twanging loudly as the castellated parts of the locker line up, allowing the lock to engage.

To clear up the discussion about diffs and axles, I can confirm:

1. Jack one rear wheel with handbrake off, transmission in neutral and all lockers off - jacked wheel spins freely.
2. Switch on centre diff lock - jacked rear wheel no longer moves.
3. Jack a front wheel in addition to lifted rear wheel and leave centre diff lock on - turn the rear wheel and it moves but also turns the lifted front wheel.
4. Turn on the rear diff lock (which only operates when transmission is in Low ratio) - rear wheel now cannot be moved.
I forgot to try to spin the lifted front wheel at this point, but imagine it would not spin.

I will make a point of engaging the lockers once a month to keep them operating freely.

Having also applied Lanoguard under-body protection to the vehicle yesterday, I painted on a thick layer of Lanoguard grease to the body of the RDL unit, to try to keep the corrosion at bay!
 
Glad it's sorted, Trevor and Ian have just done mine, hope the following pictures help! Also an added problem with mine was the low range detection switch was *#*#ed, when you select low range the center diff lock would not automatically engage and no amber light although would via the dash switch, so rear diff lock doesn't know it's in low range so would not engage anyway. There are three switches on the transfer case, I believe are all the same, center diff switch, neutral detection switch and low range detection switch. Three bolts that hold the actuator in place came out relatively easy, the fourth and most awkward needed the head cutting off, surprisingly the bolts are not stuck fast to the threads and it came out with ease. Pictures four and five clearly show the dog gear that attaches the actuator to the the diff. New Toyota guard also fitted. About two hours in total.
 

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