2003 taco rear elocker

bob o · 03-18-2012, 06:26 PM

I'm having quite a time trying to remove the actuator from the rear differential on my 2003 taco. Got the four bolts off ok but I can 't "seperate the aluminum from the steel diff. I used a putty knife to seperate the bottom a bit but the top isn't moving at all. I would appciate any suggestions.

Thanks Bob O

Enola Gaia · 03-18-2012, 07:23 PM

Odd ... The FSM only mentions one bolt holding the actuator onto the differential carrier.

Here (attached) is the FSM illustration ...

... and Welcome to CT!

bob o · 03-19-2012, 06:19 PM

Thanks for the reply and the pic. A guy from NH did a great detail write up on rear actuator repair with pics, he was saying that the fsm was a misprint.
Some say actuators have to be locked for removal, tough to do when the actuator isn't working. At this point I'm pretty close to breaking the aluminum casing, I see others have had this problem

Enola Gaia · 03-19-2012, 08:38 PM

Was the actuator 'on' when it died? I'm wondering if it's jammed in a position where the gear engagement is preventing it from coming loose.

bob o · 03-21-2012, 01:03 PM

I don't know how the actuator got stuck, came from a dealer with no history. It could be stuck in gear because the rear ind is noisey but some have said the truck was like that out of the show room.

Enola Gaia · 03-21-2012, 03:57 PM

Can you provide a link to the NH guy writeup you mentioned? Maybe studying that will give me some ideas ...

bob o · 03-23-2012, 04:22 PM

Sorry not allowed to give a link but you can find it a ttora actuator rebuild.

Enola Gaia · 03-23-2012, 06:01 PM

OK ... Just so everyone else can check it, I believe you're referring to this rebuild writeup in the TTORA FAQ:

http://new.tacomaterritory.com/wiki/...tuator_Rebuild

Enola Gaia · 03-23-2012, 06:05 PM

For everyone's FYI:

The same writeup (but linked to larger and more informative pics) can be accessed at this website:

http://personalpages.tds.net/~thompson_wp/

(Scroll down the homepage - the actuator rebuild writeup is the only 'Toyota' link listed.)

Enola Gaia · 03-23-2012, 06:31 PM

Here is the second (better pics) writeup's illustration for the rear differential lock installation.

The one bolt that the FSM mentions as holding the actuator onto the differential carrier is the one on the lower left (labeled 'Bolt').

The other fasteners shown in the photo (2 bolts, 2 studs with nuts) apparently hold the shield onto the actuator unit.

Nowhere in the FSM documentation (and I've checked back to 1996, when the locker first appeared) is the shield or these extra fasteners ever mentioned. The combined actuator with shield (and one bolt) appears in the exploded components diagrams for the rear differential carrier.

However, the removal / disassembly procedures never mention the shield or the other fasteners, and the only FSM removal graphic (the diagram I posted above) clearly shows the actuator *after* the shield and other fasteners have been removed.