I wasn't having any luck in finding an aftermarket locker unit for my truck so I searched out a complete factory rear end that has a locker in it. My truck is a '99 DB52T and we use it to get back and forth to our cabin in the Colorado mountains. I was utterly bummed when I got it to the trailhead, took it off the trailer and promptly got stuck getting over the berm from the parking lot to the snowmobile trail. Here's a couple photos of the rear end and the vacuum actuators before installation.
Sizing up the new vs. the old. The locking diff bolted right up with no drama. Needed to make a bracket to hold the vacuum lines and the actuators.
Oh! Here's a little drama. The locker rear has much bigger brakes than the original one. Pic shows the different brake drums side by side. That's a good thing except they interfere with the anti-rotation brackets I made for the tracks. Was thinking to maybe swap the smaller brakes onto this axle but the flanges for the backing plates are different bolt pattern. I'm going to rework the anti-rotate brackets to fit.
Hooking up the electric and vacuum. Pretty much finished. Seems to do what it's supposed to! Here's where the vacuum and electric all tee together. I used this vacuum port. On the intake manifold just behind the throttle body. There was nothing on it before - just plugged from the factory. The wire to the switch (solo red wire) runs under the truck and through the firewall just above where the headlight harness goes through. I got the switch used off Ebay. I think it was from a Toyota. Had to trim the top and bottom a little to get it to fit into the blank switch area. It came with a plug and a little bit of wire to solder to. Looks pretty good in there. Much like stock. Just need to give it the double check tomorrow - make sure everything's all tight and tucked away.
Love it man thanks for the write-up! I need to do this same thing to mine, where did you buy the complete axle from if I may ask? Mines a 2002 and I don't know where I can source an axle from
Sorry for the late reply. I called G&R Imports and they located it for me. It shipped UPS in a cardboard box! The brake backing plates got all bent up but it worked out great.
Where did u get the vacuum actuator from? I have a DD51T but what you have should work for me as well.
It also came from G&R. It's a new, in the box, item. Easy hookup. One vacuum line and one wire from the dash switch.
