The spring is sideways because it's on the lift, the axle is hanging and the track bar has it drug to the side.. Put it back on the ground that will fix itself..

Checking the locker..

You see that little back box sitting on the silver ring that's about an inch wide..?? It has a blue wire coming out of it.. 2 Actually.. It's the wire that feeds voltage to the diff to make the electro magnetic part do it's thing. The wire exits the diff housing right about that in a plug that's held down by a plastic clip with a small bolt in it. Remove the bolt and retainer clip and pull the wires out carefully. It's a rubber plug so it'll fight you a little bit. Once the rubber plug is free you'll find the electrical connector. Unhook the connector and be careful not to let the end slip back into the diff.. Put a zip tie of something on the end of it.

For the next part you'll need a multi-meter or a test light probe. Get the Jeep in 4LO.. Parking brake on, put it in park if an auto, neutral if a 6 speed. Engage the rear locker switch.. Light should blink on the dash. Go back the end of the plug that's connected to the rest of the wiring harness and see if you get voltage..

If you don't have voltage, check your fuses and the solenoid. The solenoid is under the hood right beside the battery. One for the front, one for the rear. Not an easy way to test the solenoid.. At least there's not an easy way for me to tell you how to test it..

If you have voltage at the plug, there's something in the diff that's not right. Get that multimeter back out and set it to OHMS. Check the leads going into the diff.. They should have something around .5 - 3 ohms across them. If it shows open or infinity, the electro magnetic coil is bad. Which of course means having to tear the diff apart, remove the carrier and bearings to swap it out.. Pretty much a royal PITA. If the coil shows the .5 - 3 ohms, hook the plugs back up and listen for the locker to click an engage.. If you get no click and you have no voltage, you're likely looking at a new locker assembly..

Rather than having the dealer hit you for an entire new axle under insurance, you can look at something like putting an ARB locker in it's place.. Still gonna tap you for about $1000 for the locker and compressor plus another $400 - $600 for install.. Not sure if Eaton makes an Elocker for the JK yet or not. But it'd be a little less expensive to install since there's no air compressor to worry with..

Either way.. Good luck with it..

 

Hi

Thanks for the info, will check on everything as explained.
Good to know there are people out there that know more about the vehicles than these "stealers" we have here.

 

Great post. Thanks for the information. Front Locker would not disengage on the weekend. I'm gonna use this information to assist me with some tinkering...

 

there is almost no way you will be able to see anything with the naked eye. Unless it is catastrophic. All the measurements are in thousandths of an inch. To check back lash and pinion gear you would need the paste. It leaves a pattern on the gears. To see bearings, you would have to pull the bolts on each side if the locker. If you scroll up there is a pic of a differential, then writing. It shows you where the ring is that needs to move in and out to lock your diff. Take time to learn it while it is open, don't forget to reinstall with a good gasket and put in gear lube.
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