A few months back I started a thread on the Rubi locker and if it was any good and repairable. The answers were more positive than I thought was the case.

At any rate my rear locker has ceased locking; I got the flashing light and no indication of it locking by driving. This morning the cover was pulled off and we can easily lock it by using two fingers. The ring on the locker actuator is normally loose. If the switch is engaged it pushes out a bit and becomes snug but won't effect lockup. If we help it a little it will lock and as soon as we stop assisting it in unlocks. It is getting 12V. It looks like the electrics have deteriorated and it no longer has the force to overcome its internal release spring.

I refuse to spend the money on another factory locker and I'd rather not spend the money on a 60 right now. And ARB replacements are not yet available. My question is does anybody have a source for the electric locker actuator part? The dealer doesn't sell them. Does anybody have a Rubi elocker that was replaced do to some other problem whereby the electric actuator is still working. If so I'd like to buy it.

I am talking to the dealer about the possibility of them covering it but haven't heard yet.

 

Dumb question, but have you tried cleaning the whole dif out REALLY good and refilling with quality oil. I guy I know had some serious issues with his E-locker (it wouldnt unlock) and it turned out it had alot of metal shavings in and just sludge in it (bad factory gear install??) Needless to say a thurough cleaning fixed the problem.

 

I would think if I had stock gears they would cover it but with the 5.13's I have my doubts. I want to eventually go t to a D60 so don't want to spend any money on a whole factroy locker if they won't cover it. A local shop has had several of the actuators fail. As it is a distinct part the dealer should sell the part; but they don't.

David from Northridge has some units being made up by ARB but they are several months away. At that point going ARB is an option but if it will cost 900 plus labor, say 1200 bucks, I might be better putting the money towards a 60.

 

I am wondering about parts as well as my front locker with 26000 miles is making a clicking noise in 2wd & a littler more pronounced in 4 hi. The locker will engage in lo but doesnt sound so friendly. I took cover off and spun the axles and could hear the noise from the locker assembly but saw nothing that looked wrong. Put it back together and took to dealer they agreed something was wrong with the locker but wouldnt warranty it due to the aftermarket gears. They have been in for several months and two 2000 mile trips to Colorado. Im taking it apart this weekend to try to make sense of it. Can any of the parts be found to rebuild these factory lockers? Thanks for any help

 

Not a dumb question at all. It has been cleaned out and is as clean as can be. No metal at all. The oil was swapped out about 1000 miles ago.

 

hey chuck are you talking about the plunger in this pic? see one of mine was broken by my first gear shop and put back together that way, it was replaced by 2nd shop

 

No, that is the plunger that tells if it is locked or unlocked. It controls the flashing light. The electric mecahnism I'm talking about is the big silver ring about an inch thick and that abuts the passenger side bearing that has the sealed electric black box and wires coming out at the top of the housing. This thing has the fork looking thing with a 1/4 tab that holds the actuating mechanism from spinning.

The plunger that you have a pic of is around 60-70 bucks. A whole e-locker is around 700. That appears to be the only way to get an actuator.

 

crap that sucks, what a bunch of dumb asses, here is the part number for the locker 68017176AA lists for $772 moparpartsamerica.com has it for 530, maybe SLC could help you out

hey chuck I looked on car-part.com if you look under axle assy fr(4wd w housing) and then 4.10 ratio, there is one axle that comes up for bent for parts only, dont know if its a rubi axle or not, might be worth it to give them a call

 

what about taking it back to the shop that did the gears? sounds like the plunger actuator isnt in the right postion maybe

 

Thanks but i checked that and it is correct. I have put several thousand miles on it with no problems since the gear install. Its a slight clicking noise similar to a hub problem sound if it had hubs. Im going to tear it apart tomorrow night & remove the carrier to look it over.