TL;DR - I fixed the wiring for my rear e-locker, and it was pretty easy!
In May, we were on the hunt for an elusive ruin at the edge of Cedar Mesa when my rear e-locker got stuck in the on position. It wasn't a fun few hours as we figured out how to deal with the situation, but in the end, I found the problem - a simple broken wire - and got the locker disengaged. And, while this meant that I couldn't use the locker on trips, it was way better than the alternative - having the locker on all the time - since I rarely use the locker anyway!
Why won't that light go off?
The culprit!
By now, a few months have passed, and after spending a few days in the Sierra with my Dad, I finally drove the Tacoma home for the summer, giving me a few weeks - between trips in the Pacific Northwest - to fix the most egregious issues, and take care of the routine maintenance that builds up while the truck lives most of the year in Las Vegas.
My plan to fix the locker was conceptually simple: figure out a way to reattach the wire that'd been broken. However, I knew that with only a quarter inch of wire hanging out of the connector, and with only awkward access to the connector, the fix was easier envisioned than executed.
Thus, I considered four options:
- Pay someone else to fix it.
- Manifest a fix by hoping it was fixed.
- Do nothing.
- Try one of the other options.
So yeah, the same four options I always consider when "working" on the Tacoma... None of them ever seem to work, so I added four more to my list:
- Purchase a new wiring harness. I didn't consider this too much as I figured the harness probably wasn't even available for purchase, and if it was, the cost would be prohibitive.
- Unpin the broken wire from the connector, and add a new length of wire to the pin, soldering that new length of wire to the longer wire that continued down to the rear e-locker. My preferred solution.
- Try to strip the existing wire - without unpinning it from the connector - enough to weld it to the existing wire that continued down to the rear e-locker. I thought this was a good solution, I just wasn't sure I had the skillz (with a 'z') to pull it off. And by skillz, I mean "enough remaining wire to work with."
- Bypass the connector entirely, using a short length of wire from one side to the other, in order to complete the e-locker circuit. I didn't really want to go this route, as it seemed like a hack. Still, it was as much of a "sure thing" as any of the options, so I kept it on the list.
Figuring that I was likely to end up at option 4, I set about execution of option 2. The first step was to disconnect the two halves of the connector - always easier said than done on Toyotas, it seems - and then unbolt the harness from the frame so that I had more convenient access to the important bits.
Eventually, with the help of the most insane pliers, I got the connectors apart.
Now able to pull the harness a few inches behind the rear axle housing - still a tight work area, but a lot better than trying to work in the two-inch space between the bed and frame - I set about trying to remove the pin from the connector.
I stuck a lot of things into the appropriate hole (that's what she said) in order to get the pin out. None of them worked.
Not wanting to break the pin off in the connector and leave myself in a worse position than I started, I figured that I might as well try option 3 - stripping the little stub of wire and soldering the original wire back together - before jumping straight to the hack option and bypassing the connector.
To my delight, I was able to get about 3/16ths of an inch of the insulation stripped off the wire, and after doing the same to the opposite side, it seemed like my soldering idea might just work!
Success! And I even remembered to put the shrink wrap on before I soldered everything together!
After a small celebration under the bed of my truck, I gathered up all the tools that I'd amassed in a pile around me and got the harness bolted back onto the frame and the connectors reconnected. Throwing caution to the wind, I decided not to test my fix at all until I was out on the trail. I find that this testing method is best because it means that the discovery of failure is delayed. Plus, when you finally remember to test whatever it was that you fixed, you're either extremely happy that it worked (because you need that thing in the moment) or you get to add an entirely new dimension to whatever adventure you're on (as you figure out yet another trail fix).
It wasn't until I was out exploring Montana that I finally remembered to give the locker a shot. To my glee, it worked beautifully!
In this Series
Ah, the elusive Toyota connector pin removal method.
1. Acquire the Magic tool
2. Must be done on the night of a full moon
3. Apply Magic Potion #40 to the pin
4. Charge up the Magic tool by rubbing a black cat
5,. Chant the ______ words (we can't say them on a public forum)
6. It would help if you had four hands at this point
7. Insert Magic tool and dance the tool around in the hole to the song "Highway to Hell"
8. yank on the wire
😁
Nice work on the repair.
Wow, my magic tool steplist is 12 steps long, and includes:
😉
Glad that your solution worked but just for future reference there are wire splices that would be my first choice. Having worked in electronics for about 40 years (Army then PT&T) I've used splices many times, they are convenient and a quick solution, especially when you can't stretch a wire (that's just a joke) to have enough slack for anything else and replacing a wire would be too difficult. There are different sizes and types, some crimp, some have a glue type thing or heat and telco people (splicers mostly or outside guys) often use them when in cramped spaces, lack of slack, etc.
Thanks John! I'd have loved to used a splice, but I think the length wire closest to the connector was just too short (about 3/16ths-inch) to get a splice on there. Or, maybe I am simply unfamiliar with the splices you're thinking about. If that's the case, and you have a link to one, I'd love to learn about them! 👍
There are literally thousands from many makers and sources so will mention the names and you can check them out online. I've used various at work (Telco) and home. For your use there are the common crimp on butt connectors (cheap from Harbor Freight). Others are: Spliceline 42 orange in line push in butt splices, DryConn heat shrink wire connectors, WAGO lever nuts, CURT snap lock tap connectors, Armacost wire-to-wire spring connectors, Ticonn solder seal wire connectors, and various makers butt splice heat shrink connectors. Others that telco techs use are a gel filled splice but they are not inline, they're side by side. Good luck.
Ahh, yes, I'm familiar with a lot of those. I think all of them require a bit more length than I had available in this particular situation. In general though, they are a great solution, and I especially like the solder-filled ones with heat shrink; those work really well!
I agree in this case solder and heat shrink was best. Crimps are handy and allow a broader range of folks to make a quality joint given the proper crimper$$. Solder requires some skills to make a quality joint, but given that they make a good joint. In aerospace both solder and crimps are used depending on the situation.
I'll weigh in on Dan's side regarding solder/heat shrink. I have several of the other listed options plus tooling to install them, but sometimes when space is (extremely) limited, stuffing the wires together (and remembering to put the heat shrink on first) is the most effective and likely least frustrating solution. In this case there is no real strain on that conductor- it looks like it was accidentally cut- so the odds of a brittle failure later are likely minimal.
As for Owyhee mud- I did the sideways lock/unlock/both locked/both unlocked ARB front n rear dance for miles in 2011 getting into and out of the 45 Ranch. What fun. Took a couple of years to clean it all off. I wanna go back, still haven't gotten around to it.
What is it with lockers? I just had to have the front diff pulled and new seals installed to get my air leak fixed...it was a much bigger job than I wanted to attempt.
Glad that I have it working again because I end up using them at least once every trip.
Bummer to hear your (ARB, I presume) was leaking. That'd be a job I'd hire out as well; I don't love messing around in the front diff.
I don't use the front locker all that much, but it sure is nice knowing it's there, and that it (also an ARB) can be engaged immediately if needed.
Yep, ARB. It's all good now and I hope I don't have to deal with it for another 90K.
The winter project is going to be a new one piece driveshaft to eliminate the carrier bearing and hopefully get rid of the slight shudder when taking off from a dead stop.
We are headed into the Owyhee for a few days on Friday and are going to spend a day at the Birch Creek Ranch. Have you ever made it there?
Birch Creek Ranch is a beautiful place (and drive)! Been there a few times, but the water has never been low enough to cross. If it is now (late in the year), there's fun stuff on the other side, to the north, as well.
Where else are you headed when there? I assume a stop at Jordan Craters, given the proximity?
Yep, Jordan Craters. I want to loop home by crossing the river at the ranch heading north to catch Dry Creek Road to the west of the reservoir and finishing up with Snively Gulch.
Looks like a good three day round trip.
Nice. You probably know (I forget if we've discussed), but you can't make it all the way along the west side of river to Dry Creek Rd due to landslides, so you'll need to bump up to the plateau in order to make that loop! Have fun! 👍
We hadn't discussed, so good to know! Thanks for the heads up.
I think there's only one or two photos of it here, but here's the day we tried to run that western route: Some Luck and a Bit of Misfortune.
Could give you some ideas for the "roundabout" way. And of course, the previous day has our route "in" to the opposite side of the river, across from Birch Ranch, since the river was too deep to cross at the time.
Cool, I'll check out the links! Appreciate the added info for sure.
Nice lightning shots! Do you have a trigger or was that just luck?
The Owyhee is not a place you want to be if it's raining, as you know. We were out at Three Finger Gulch last year when we got hit with a torrential downpour. Even with my Toyo M/T's it was dicey getting out of there the next day on some of those off camber shelf roads.
I set the intervalometer on the camera, so it was just snapping photo after photo. Five hundred photos later (or whatever), I had a few shots of electricity. Was fun, but would have been nicer with a ND filter, so I could have longer exposures and more of nature's fireworks in a single shot!
That mud in Owyhee is insane. I ran into the same at Three Finger Gulch when I visited. Was glad to get in/out when it was still nearly freezing, otherwise I can only imagine how slick that would have been!
Here’s what I use for lightning photos:
https://www.aeophoto.com/
You just set the camera and the trigger does the rest by firing the shutter when it detects lightning. This is one of the first lightning shots I caught with it. I would set my cameras up on my porch and just point them towards the storm.
Wow, that’s cool. No pricing on the web site, what did it set you back?
I forget what the trigger cost. I bought it about 20 years ago but I don’t remember it being all that expensive. If you want good lighting photos, It’s the way to go.
For future reference, Google "pinning and depinning toyota connectors"
There's a few youtube videos where they've sawn and connector in half so you can see how to disengage the pins, to make repair easier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3OrsLbkB0A
https://www.toyota-tech.eu/wire_harness_rm/RM06H0E.pdf
I have a 98 4Runner w/ rear locker, but w/ a rectangular connector body...but it's those same pins.
Cool, thanks for those links/tips! I probably should have thought of doing that before... just goes to show that I'm older than the internet age, hahaha. 😉👍
Thank you Tracy! Great info, I had thought it was too esoteric to show up on the web. I have to remember Google is your friend in just about every case.
I had the same problem only it was the other connector, and I had just enough wire to make a crimp. I'm wondering how this happened? A stone got up there and slice's those wire's? Anyhow my lockers are jamming up again. I find that every time it happens i find a parking lot or open field and drive in circles till it unlocks. Usually about 4 or five roundie rounds will do it. You know when it unlocks because the rears stop squealing on pavement. Fronts haven't locked in years, and the transfer case works. It just won't talk to the fronts and rears as far as telling them to go into 4 low or 4 high.. I gave up long time ago. I know the transfer case is good because I can put her in 4 low and she will creep down a steep decline as it should. I've replaced all the computer controls and have been over the harness repeatedly. Sure is nice to have to front pulling. Best insurance policy one could have on the trails.
It may help to exercise them every few weeks. I have a 3rd gen and in the owner's manual Toyota specifically mentions operating the transfer case and e-locker once a month to keep them happy. I have ARBs front & rear on my ancient Bronco and they get grumpy if I don't do the same. Don't need them often but when I do they are like a get out of jail free card.
^^^ This. I think one of the reasons my locker has worked well mechanically over the years is that it's gotten regular use. I don't use it a lot, but I do purposefully exercise it on a regular basis just to keep everything lubricated and in good working order. Plus, by using it, I get used to "how" it behaves when it's working correctly, which gives me early warning to issues whenever it starts behaving differently.
Or at least that's the idea, since it's never behaved differently.
Thanks, I do, even if I don't have the 4x4 I still operate both lockers (I've installed remote switch's for both). I also work the transfer case all the time.