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Post by kevin108 on Nov 23, 2002 0:51:00 GMT -5
I've got a Lockright in my rear 10-bolt and very frequently under moderate throttle on straight roads it will repeatedly unlock and re-lock violently. This is my first locker, so I don't have anything to compare it to. This just started happening a couple weeks ago and the locker's been in since September. What's this problem indicative of?
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Post by toynrnd on Nov 23, 2002 9:26:21 GMT -5
Assuming the rear tires have equal wear (so they are the same diameter) I'd check tire pressure first. I have a slow leak in one rear tire on my Toy, and when it gets low, the locker will start locking/unlocking. Next, I'd pop the drain plug (does a 10 bolt have one?) and let a little lube out to see if any metal parts come out. You don't have to drain the whole thing, just enough to see if there is any metal shavings in the lube, or if any of the springs, etc. came out. Let us know...
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Post by kevin108 on Nov 23, 2002 16:29:36 GMT -5
I posted this and left the house and by the time I got to the end of the neighborhood I was like, "Doh! I forgot to mention that pressure has always been closely watched and always equal." Guess I'm pulling the cover tomorrow as the 10-bolt just has a fill plug. I'll keep ya posted.
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Post by Lyle on Nov 23, 2002 17:35:16 GMT -5
Hi Kevin,
Reading the following from Powertrax' description of operation of the LockRite: The springs between the two drivers ensure that the driver will reengage with the coupler when the vehicle exits the turn., I wonder if one or more of the springs popped out or dislodged? I'm guessing that the spring would stay there rather than falling out, but might not be seated to provide the force against the two drivers. Just in case, maybe it would be worthwhile to drain the gear oil through a piece of screen or something to catch any wayward small parts that might be floating around, that is if they survived floating around loose in the diff. I don't know for sure if the LockRite is the same setup as my NoSlip, but if I recall correctly, it had four sets of smaller springs inside a larger spring that were a bit of a PITA to get situated properly.
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Post by A "CJ" on Nov 23, 2002 19:54:46 GMT -5
Lyle , yep lockrights have the same springs as you described. As for driving characteristics yeah my lockright in my 76 CJ with full floater is a nightmare to drive on the highway compared to Karen's 79 CJ with one piece axles. Not only that going around corners it doesn't like to disengage smoothly going around corners. You sure know it when you accelerate coming out of a corner. Karens does none of this. I have heard a lot of folks say that with an automatic transmission these types of lockers are very smooth compared to the manual tranny. But I will not give up my t-18. I even talked with the good folks that make the lockright and they told me that they have experienced difficulties with these lockers operating with a warn full floater. Oh yeah when air down and coming back on the street is definately a challenge too. I have even opened up my diff several times without any problems discovered. I know this doesn't help kevin much but is a little history , but off road these lockers are the bomb.  |
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Post by MaddRamm on Nov 24, 2002 12:53:34 GMT -5
I got a Detroit and it kicks butt! The past couple of days I have been driving like a madman and you can defintely fell it. But I can turn u-turns with it all day long and not have any probs unless I put the hammer down! Then it sounds like a shotgun blast when it engages! Yeehaw!
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Post by BroknCJ on Nov 26, 2002 20:04:51 GMT -5
If it uses thrust washers like in the model 20, if the thrust washers are not thick enough the locker will engage A LOT more. Ran into this prob when I first put a lockrite in my old CJ, used the original thrust washers and it was a total PITA to drive on the street. Ended up pulling it back down and remeasured everything and figured it out, new washers cleared it right up- Ken
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Post by A "CJ" on Nov 26, 2002 21:45:43 GMT -5
good point but before the full floater was installed running standard axles in the 20 it was fine and created no real problems, drove rather well. When the full floater was installed there was a world of difference between its operation on the street as to before. Good candidate for a OX locker "yeah right" to get normal open diff action for street driving. So replacing the thrust washer might be worth trying though, pretty inexpensive trick if it does. thanks for the tip. |
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Post by kevin108 on Nov 29, 2002 19:42:44 GMT -5
I pulled the cover and drained the fluid tonight. There was maybe 50 or so 1/8"-long (approx) metal slivers in there. All the springs were intact. Just changing the fluid's helped a lot but hasn't 100% solved the problem. The thrust washers seem likely, but if they are the problem it should have manifested itself from day 1, not this long after the fact. Still I'm not counting that out. I was also speculating that possibly the stop pins or the wholes they go into on the two drivers could be worn, although they shouldn't be given the newness of the locker. If they were worn, the two drivers might get enough play between them to do what they're doing... Hmm...makes me wonder if the new pinion shaft I bought isn't worn as well. I didn't have long to mess with it tonight and I couldn't get all the way in the garage either, but I've definitely got some more looking around to do inside that diff.
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Post by kevin108 on Dec 11, 2002 15:05:10 GMT -5
I took the locker out today and 3 of the 4 shear pins were broken. I asked the tech at Randy's what the broken pins were indicative of and he said, "Well, Lock-Rights aren't the strongest lockers out there..." I said I've got a stock 350 w/ 200,000 miles on it, so it's certainly no power monster. So I don't know... I ordered new pins and springs from Randy's and new thrust washers from Hall Chevy and put my old spiders back in. I'm thinking about sending the locker back under warranty because the edges of the teeth are worn where it's slipped. He said warranty turn around is 3-months, so I guess that's good, I can let my open diff get me through the winter months and I should have a new locker at the end of it. I'm kinda leery about putting it back in after this but I definitely enjoyed it off-road. To be continued...
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Post by toynrnd on Dec 11, 2002 17:27:59 GMT -5
That's strange. I have I bet 100,000 plus miles on my Lockrights in my Toyota, w/ no problems. (knock on wood) Maybe it was a "Friday Locker" (made on a Friday)? I know my Toyota doesn't have the same power as a 350, but it's close. |
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Post by kevin108 on Dec 11, 2002 22:14:02 GMT -5
HAHA! Never heard of a "Friday Locker." I thought they let the new guy try making mine.  |
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Post by kevin108 on Dec 17, 2002 17:31:20 GMT -5
I e-mailed PowerTrax with what we've been talking about and their tech Dean Scammahorn wrote:
IF THE FACTORY PINION SHAFT MAY HAVE HAD OIL SLOTS THAT LOCATED ON THE DRIVER SLOTS AND CAUSED THE DRIVERS TO NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE PINION SHAFT SHOULD BE COMPLETELY ROUND. THE UNIT SHOULD BE RETURNED TO CHECK OUT TO BE
SURE IT WAS TO SPECS.
So basically I got an e-mail from Frankenstein... FIRE BAD! RETURN UNIT! Sounds like a plan.
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Post by Lyle on Dec 17, 2002 19:54:51 GMT -5
The Lock-Rite doesn't come with a new pinion shaft? The No-Slip (also from PowerTrax) does. Seems like if it's that critical, they'd include a new one with both units?? I wonder... if they think that's the issue, maybe if you called them they might be persuaded to send you the No-Slip type pinion shaft along with a replacement locker?
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Post by kevin108 on Dec 18, 2002 0:09:02 GMT -5
Should I deal directly with PowerTrax or go through Randy's first?
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