</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">Originally posted by Glassjaw19:
<strong>I hate to sound stupid but, what does this mean? I have a 2WD sr5 97, I remeber reading a post awhile back that you could off road a 2wd if it has the E-locker on the back. IS this what you mean? all 4runners are already prewired??!!!

thanks!</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">Maybe?

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">Originally posted by Glassjaw19:
<strong>I hate to sound stupid but, what does this mean? I have a 2WD sr5 97, I remeber reading a post awhile back that you could off road a 2wd if it has the E-locker on the back. IS this what you mean? all 4runners are already prewired??!!!

thanks!</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">What kind of "offroading" are you going to do? A locker wont magically transform your truck into a 4wd vehicle. Remember, you still dont have a low gear. You still wont make it as far as 4wd people. Just a little bit further than you did without the locker.

oh, and offroading is 25% truck, 75% driver.

Hmmm, I retrofitted the electric locker into my 99 4Runner SR5 4wd and as I recall, it was PARTIALLY prewired if you could even call it that. Oh yeah, that connector behind the dash doesn't connect to the RR Diff Lock switch nor is it related to the locker mechanism.
You seem to be on the right track though. I used the Factory Locker ECU from a TRD Tacoma (same exact part as in the 4Runner) and took advantage of some of the stock features (only engaging locker below 5mph to prevent damage to the locker ****clarification: must be below 5mph to engage locker, but once engaged locker will continue to be locked at any speed****, potential ability to disable ABS with locker activation--need a different ABS ECU for this though) and improved upon them (allow locker to function in 2Hi, 4Hi, and 4Lo as opposed to the factory "4Lo only"). Also was able to add a wire to the back of the combination meter to take advantage of the FACTORY "RR DIFF LOCK" dash light--yes, the light is already there just waiting to be lit up for the first time.
Lots of connectors/wiring harnesses are just slightly different on the factory locker equipped 4Runner. However, good use of a multimeter, splices/soldering ability, and some extra wire (a good length of 5-wire insulated trailer cable as well as some single lengths) will let you take advantage of much of the stock wiring and leave you with a completely factory appearing system. The factory manuals and wiring diagram help a whole lot in figuring everything out.
I had a local shop do the the grinding work to my rear axle to let the locker 3rd member fit. And I did all the wiring myelf--really not too bad at all once you understand the role of each component and where to find the important connectors and wires. You'll have to get a little creative if you want to take advantage of the factory diff lock dash light and RR Diff Lock switch since you'll be running individual wires to key pins on existing wiring harnesses (but it is totally worth it).
Tips: 1)run the trailer cable from the locker ECU to the rear diff out of the cabin where the left rear passenger sits (look under the carpet). 2) buy the wiring harness that attaches to the rear diff locker actuator (you can splice your trailer cable wires to the other end of it, and then seal/waterproof them) and the end that connects to the diff itself will snap right up. 3) Extend the diff lock actuator breather while you're doing the install (this is really the only weak point of the electric locker that I can think of--the factory location only puts it a foot above the rear axle or so--and more than 1 electric locker actuator has rusted out by getting mud/water down that tube.)
I have posted this info (and a whole lot more with pin assignments and other stuff), but it has probably been deleted--and its slowly finding its way out of my memory too. I've had the locker in for about 2 years now and it is totally awesome--no complaints at all. When you actually have the 3rd member in front of you, you'll see exactly why the locker sleeve splines need to lined up for the locker to engage--some people think their locker is taking too long to engage or disengage but it is really just dependent on the splines being lined up--crawling forward with the steering wheel turned will let the splines line up for engagement. And if having a problem disengaging just give a little gas and then let off to unload any pressure from the splines. I think it would be pretty easy to adapt the e-locker to a 2wd 4Runner--heck, the 2wd Tacoma TRD Prerunners have them, why not a locked 2wd 4Runner?

Then again, I guess you could always get the Downey cable activated switch for the electric locker??

I'd agree as to the "partially" assessment as well. Not all the connections are present in the harness.

Hey Lars, long time since I've been here. I remember posting long ago under a different screen name giving you the scoop on activation of the RR DIFF LOCK dash light--it really is worth it to get that to light up!

Hey 3.4Runner,

I'm glad you chimed in, but disappointed at the same time <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> Oh well, it's better I found out now than later. I haven't given up though. I just went and ordered all the parts I listed, PLUS just about every harness in the back that wasn't obviously unrelated to the locker. One of those have to be the missing link. I'm tired of futzing around and playing guessing games. I do have one question for you though... How did you determine that that switch behind the dash wasn't for the RR DIFF LOCK switch? If you look at this diagram that Dandeman sent me of the RR DIFF LOCK switch, you can see that pins 1 and 4 get shorted when the locker switch is pushed in:

<img src="http://www.phorunner.com/temp/switch.jpg" alt="" />

So I compared that to the connector in the dash, and sure enough, only pins 1 and 4 of the connector have wires to them. There are two other connectors back there that are hanging back there, but their connectors don't match with the switch's. Is it possible you mistook one of those for the RR DIFF LOCK switch connector? I'm just searching for an explanation here. That, and it doesn't seem likely to me that Toyota would place an identical connection for something other than the locker switch, right where the locker switch goes...

Thanks alot.

-phong

Behind my dash, there was only 1 available connector, and the connector did not line up with the RR Diff Lock switch. Then again, I have a stick, so I have a Clutch Cancel switch and maybe some other wiring that is different than the autos. Another thing, the RR diff lock switch connector should have 4 wires and a blank, not just 2. True, the 2 wires that you see in the diagram are what actually engage the locker and light up the dash light, but the other 2 are to light up the switch itself (Green wire and a Green/White wire if I remember, which will link the switch to the light dimmer for all the dash lighting). In my factory manual, I found that the free dash connector in my truck was really for a rear door lock/unlock switch--which is not present in any American 4Runners.
I also did not have a connector free in the lower driver footwell where the ECU goes. I have the dealer installed alarm system down there, so maybe that connecor may be used up for the alarm. If you truly followed those wires and found them coursing down the drivers side wire bundle going to the rear of the truck, you might actually be prewired. When I examined the wire bundle (under the left front and rear door foot scuff plates) I did not have the appropriate wires. When I looked at the parts microfiche, I also saw that the locker equipped 4Runners had a different wiring harness for the rear ABS. The major junction point for the wires going to the rear locker is under the rear left passenger seat. That is where the rear brake connectors and locker electrics come together. If everything at that point has the appropriate number of wires and the connectors all fit, than you'd be pretty lucky and completely wired. You should also check the combination meter to see if you have the appropriate wire feeding into the connector for the light (my connector did not have the necessary wire, so I had to run a wire from the combo meter connector to the locker ecu). Again, the wiring diagram and factory manual went a whole long way for me. You just might luck out and have a fully prewired truck, but all the 99 and previous 4Runners that I've seen have not been prewired.

<small>[ 10 August 2002, 04:51 PM: Message edited by: 3.4Runner ]</small>

where did you guys get you e-lockers or where do you plan on getting them?