Front diff actuator works but locker doesn't !

[Yotomotor]

Hi

I have recently bought a 92 80's land cruiser, the front locker doesn't engage. I have taken the the actuator off the truck and tested it by plugging it into Jon,s truck and worked perfectly!

Can anybody help with any suggestions were to start testing?

read loads on here but nothing I can find that helps

thanks Duncan

 

[Chris]

So are you saying that when plugged into your loom it doesn't do the same? One place to look is the back of the dial switch. I had one where the dash had been pulled out and had tugged the connector off the switch. That's the first place.
Usually it's the motor. Other than that, problems are exceedingly rare. If the motor does work, there isn't much else to read up on as it's so rare. Fuse 14 by your right knee is the diff lock system

Chris

 

[Chris]

I should have enquired further on the issues - but as you have been speaking to Jon, I figured the ground work would be done.

The front locker relies on the centre locker being thrown of course and the rear locker comes next. But the front does NOT rely on the rear being locked before it fires.

C

 

[Yotomotor]

Thanks Chris,
yes that's what I am saying I tryed on another 80 s and the actuator cycled fine but just not on mine. Checked the diff lock switch in the cab on the plug was connected, but the wiring is so short on there it's difficult to see, I am thinking it could be a switch?

 

[BobMurphy]

I have recently bought a 92 80's land cruiser, the front locker doesn't engage. I have taken the the actuator off the truck and tested it by plugging it into Jon,s truck and worked perfectly!

Can anybody help with any suggestions were to start testing?

Hi,

I'm a refugee from the "90-Section" so I might be talking through a hole in my head . . .

On the 90s, we have to align the actuator with the diff lock slider before bolting the two together. It may be that it needs to be done on your 80 as well.

With a torch and a screwdriver you should be able to manually engage/dis-engage the front locker through the actuator hole (on the 90 its a simple rack on a shaft that moves left (lock) and right (unlock) when peering into the hole - the 80 may be different).

Having established that the difflock mechanics work, set it to 'unlock'.

With the actuator connected to the wiring loom, set it to lock - the motor should whirrr. Then set it to unlock - the motor should whirrr again.

Now bolt the actuator to the diff and see if it works.

If it doesn't, it could be that the actuator motor is a bit tired and needs some TLC to restore it (though you have checked that on another truck).

The '80-boys' will now boot me off their site .

Bob.

 

[BobMurphy]

Ah . . Chris got in while I was typing.

You're in good hands now .

Bob.

 

[Chris]

Bob, the rear locker system on the rear of a 90 is exactly the same as the front of an 80, so you're spot on. But I think this is a case of the motor not firing with it just dangling there. Not so much that it's not locking the rack.

Chris

 

[BobMurphy]

But I think this is a case of the motor not firing with it just dangling there. Not so much that it's not locking the rack.
Chris

Yes, you're probably right. I wasn't sure whether "plugging it into Jon's truck" meant just the wiring or whether it was actually installed and tested.

Sort the wiring first then .

Bob.

 

[Yotomotor]

Thanks all
think I will call auto elec as its getting beyond me! Lol do the diff lock switches fail?

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

yes just dangling there, turning the switch back and forth, seems lively enough. That's all the input I've given though no need to assume I've covered the obvious apart from that Duncan said the rear locker works, so it's not the fuse. If I didn't have a queue of people waiting to park their cruisers on my drive I could have offered more help but I'm a bit snowed under at the moment tbh.

 

[Chris]

By basics, I really mean how it works - centre lock, low ratio, rear locker functioning. If it's a furrowed brow Jon then the obvious has been thought about. Snowed under? Very good. Topical.

C

 

[IRLGW]

My front locker engages ok but the red light doesn't go solid. I locked it once when the rear actuator was out being repaired but assumed that it was faulty, until I pulled out of the field onto the road and went straight across and up the opposite verge! Perhaps jack your truck up and suss it out before making any assumptions just in case...

 

[Chris]

I think that if you follow the thread, you'll see that this is not to do with anything mechanical. The locker motor was plugged into one truck and left dangling by the wires. It worked perfectly, but when plugged into the original truck it didn't. This isn't fitted to the truck, it's effectively 'on the bench'. In your case it sounds like the detent ball sensor on the end of the rack wasn't working. Something quite common it seems. I have had one go the same and no amount of cleaning it would make it work. So I swapped it. This is something to do with power actually getting to the end of the plug hanging out of the loom at the front.

C

 

[IRLGW]

My rear locker worked after being repaired but then didn't when i re-fitted it. however a lashing of wd40 on the harness and left overnight seems to have cured it. \perhaps its a dirty contact on the truck end of the connector

 

[Chris]

I have to agree that it's probably something simple like that. The electrics on these are legendary. Unlikely to be the 4x4 ECU for example. Could be the connector or a poor earth somewhere. Worth trying all of these things.

C

 

[Yotomotor]

Thanks for all your advice I will spray wd40 over all the plugs and let you know

Dunc