[RafterTroy]

Broken spider gear

I have a 99 runner with SAS, 5.29’s 4.7 and 2.28 box, factory elocker in rear and elocker in rock assault front. I was in Baja Mexico coming up a very small hill. I stopped, put in 4.7 and 2wd and locked the rear. Slowly started to crawl up the hill and started to spin and immediately a “pop”. Broke the spider gear. Made it to the states with rear locker. I have had a few issues over the last couple years with breaking the factory axle shafts so I put Yukon axles in. They were the same length as the factory ones. I feel there may be other issues involved....
Seemed like a little drag in rear but now with spider broken do not feel the same drag.

 

[NOODLES]

I have a 99 runner with SAS, 5.29’s 4.7 and 2.28 box, factory elocker in rear and elocker in rock assault front. I was in Baja Mexico coming up a very small hill. I stopped, put in 4.7 and 2wd and locked the rear. Slowly started to crawl up the hill and started to spin and immediately a “pop”. Broke the spider gear. Made it to the states with rear locker. I have had a few issues over the last couple years with breaking the factory axle shafts so I put Yukon axles in. They were the same length as the factory ones. I feel there may be other issues involved....
Seemed like a little drag in rear but now with spider broken do not feel the same drag.

And?

 

[RafterTroy]

Contributing factors?

Contributing factors?

 

[NOODLES]

Bent housings. Or Torque multiplication from dual cases or aftermarket tcase gears. the locker is designed for something other than we put these trucks through. If you would have not put it in 2wd low range, it probably would have lasted longer. If you were in 2wd and locked , you are already doing something that the locker was not made to handle, that locker expects the front axle to be engaged and doing it's fair share of the work.
Let me tell you a story about dual cases and 2wd burnouts in double low on concrete with 37" tires. Shit breaks. The end. Go to ARB since you can buy individual parts for your locker.

 

[NOODLES]

this is the reason the thread has been dead for 8 years.

 

[RafterTroy]

Contributing factors?

Contributing factors?

 

[NOODLES]

Contributing factors?

Contributing factors? :homer:

 

[OOP'S]

Weak side gears if you do not have the right length axles!!

 

[scottz]

I've run an elocker in the front for 10+ years in two different rigs, I've broken one side gear in that time on 35" tires but it took a lot of abuse to do it. I personally wouldn't consider running one in the rear except in a stock truck. When it does break one side gear you can use a V6 on one side- the other side gear is elocker specific and not available separately from toyota.

I think in the front they are less trouble than air lockers. I've never had the motor fail and only one side gear in probably a hundred+ trips. My daily has one in the rear, but it also has 30" tires.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

They're weak, no matter how long the axle is. I was trying to "save money" by using an e locker and it was nothing but problems. Had multiple issues with the actuator then finally broke a side gear. Even with 2nd gen 4runner axles in a 2nd gen truck housing. Save money by going arb from the get go. Even when they work they still suck compared to an arb.

 

[riskyricky]

Been running an Elocker on the rear of my dedicated crawler for over 8 years now. Aside from broken ring gears and one major failure it has held up to the abuse. Never had any issues with the actuator or strength of side gears. Sheared a rear axle shaft clean off where it necks down, just as it enters the side gears. No damage to side gears.

Now the major failure I had with the elocker is a result of the carrier being a split design. The bolts that hold the carrier together had backed out, allowing the carrier to separate and spider gears to slip/break. The bolts that backed out started rubbing into the housing and took out the carrier bearing. Pics below.

After this failure I much rather have a detroit or ARB, but with the complete elocker rear axle, it was easier to get another diff and rebuild. Upon re-gearing the new diff, I applied red loctite to the bolts that hold the carrier together. Something to keep an eye on and or add to yearly maintenance.