Locking Differential Actuator Timing - 80 Series
Author: Philip In-Albon April 20, 2012
Recently my rear differential locker quit working requiring the rebuilding of the actuator. Timing of the actuator in the past has been intimidating and confusing to some. In the past I used a VOM meter to set up the timing but this time I came up with a method that even a caveman can do it successfully.
This may not make sense if you have never done this before but once you have the actuator apart it will.
A couple of the advantages of this method.
This may not make sense if you have never done this before but once you have the actuator apart it will.
- Use a Sharpie and mark on the edge of the housing where the contact points are located.
- Center the actuator rod in the center of travel from lock to unlock (~2 3/8 - 2 7/8 in. measured from the flange)
- Mark on the back side of the large contact gear between where the contact break spots are. They are about 120° apart on the contact side.
- Align the marks of the contact wheel and the housing during assembly.
- Assembly the actuator and plug it into the harness and cycle it. Check to make sure your locked and unlock measurements are correct.
- If you are off, pull the large contact gear slightly up and pull or push the actuator rod one tooth and recheck.
- Once happy paint the actuator, reinstall, and extend your actuator breather line so it does not happen again.
A couple of the advantages of this method.
- You cannot over travel or bind the actuator.
- You do not need to have or know how to operate a VOM meter.