Boken locker pins--day old lock right!!!

[Bear80]

Ok so pretty much as soon as I put the new locker in I've had to pull it out. It's a lock right v6 4 pinion case locker. I followed everything to the T and it all seemed to go in fine. I put less than 50 STREET miles on it and went to put new fluid in the axle and a small pice of metal was on my drain plug. SO out comes the diff and when I split open the case.....ALL 4 pins in the locker are broken!!?? WTF!?!? I've seen one other mention of broken pins/springs on a v6 split case locker but it was with an abused ez locker.

Anyone with advice?? I'm calling Richmond tomorrow...

[r0nin89]

Yeah they are junk lockers. I have one in my rear end because it was cheap. Its from them engaging late and slapping it when your already doing 20mph. I should probably check mine. I had a loud pop and thought it was just it engaging late. I guess if it still ratchets and still wants to buck around turns its still working though right?

Can you replace those pins?

[Bear80]

Well yeah it's still locked, if the sliver of metal wasn't on the plug I'd never know any better. At anything above 20mph in a trun I'd never know it was there but turing in 1st from a dead stop and it's scuffing. I just wounder how many people have had this issue and never known it...

[D'Animal]

Are your tires on the axle the exact same pressure? Not close, but dead on?

If they are 5psi off it will break the pins. If it doesn't break the pins it will break the cross shaft.

[Bear80]

really 5psi can do that? that's nuts but yes my tires are dead on together.

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

I'm going to have to ask for an explination on that 5 PSI thing..... It does not make sense (Unless this locker is a total piece of crap)

My 2 thoughts:

1 The psi difference causes one tire to have a larger rolling measurment, like the truck was turning.... But if that's the case wouldn't it break when turning?

2 The difference causes one tire to have more traction than the other..... However, isn't that the only thing a locker is suposed to do? Supply power to a tire when the other has no traction?

So what's the deal?

[M3TAL D0RK]

i had the same thing happen to me. I had an EZ Locker. I called them up, explained that all the pins had snapped, and they sent me new pins and springs.
buyin' a cheap locker doesn't mean your gettin' the best locker. know what i mean.

Josh.

[WristPin]

that is just rediculos.
I dont know why it would have done that. we just heard they are junk, and its proving very quicly to be true. Be sure to relay what the company says.

The psi statment seems very valid. I would never have thot that 5 puonds and maybe 3/8" makes a difference.

[D'Animal]

Guys in my club have broken two set so far this srping. Tire pressure was the only thing we and Detroit could figure out.

[85 SA Toy]

I have had a Richmond Lock-right in my vehicle for a little bit over a year now........ I have had no issues for the price this is a great locker, I have ran the tires with more than a 5 psi difference for over 30 miles(ran out of co2 airing up) Just my two cents...

[bkg]

I broke the cross-pins in my RD23 ARB. ARB said it was likely a bent axle housing causing the problem by side loading the spiders... Replaced the housing just to be safe.

[Bear80]

talked to richmond today. no definitive answer about what caused the broken pins but they have no problem doing a warrenty swap. Of course I pay return shipping, not much so I won't complain if they can get me somthing that works. They did say if I reused my factory side gear shims and they were in good shape there was nothing else to check.

As for the bent axle housing, my thrust angles in the rear are just fine.

[tntoyota]

I'm gonna make an even cheaper locker, should sell like hot cakes!!


(but who cares the quality right?)

[Bear80]

I don't think you can judge this type of locker by price. Yes it is a compromise but for it's simplicity and the moderate 'wheeling I do there is no need for an all out like Detroit or ARB.

And I don't know if you could classify this as a total failure, I mean the locker was locking and seemed to unlock in a turn.....but that is just based on my experince with the e-locker on my 80 series. Like I said without that very small piece of metal I'd have never known any better and anyone else with this problem wouldn't either. I think my OC-ness with my work is about the only thing that caught this. I mean the piece of metal was very small and no doubt would have been ground up by the gears in no time. Also the broken pins have no real way of comming out of place, nor from what I can tell the springs either. If I had put more miles on it and then changed fluid I'd never found anything and I'd be oblivious.

[Tools R Us]

Originally Posted by tntoyota

I'm gonna make an even cheaper locker, should sell like hot cakes!!


(but who cares the quality right?)

Someone beat you to it, called the Aussie Locker and already proven to take a beating!

[r0nin89]

So what exaclty happens with the locker when its got broken pins? Your making me wanna go check mine now...

[Bear80]

From what I've been reading through online, there was never a real sign that the pins had sheared. Guys have just pulled the diff and low and behold broken pins. Also from what I can tell, a 2 pinion one pice case locker should do better than a 4 pinion split case. I think the issue with mine is that it re-uses the side gears and there is no adjustment or check because of this and the two piece case. --kinda wishing I didn't go to a v6 diff but the 4.88 gears are way nice.

[tntoyota]

pic's, please, please, please, please........

[Bear80]

Sorry, it's already on its way back to Richmond.

[Bear80]

You can see what the install looks like here at Zuk's site: http://www.gearinstalls.com/joshking.htm

Just imagine the pins broken flush with the clutch surface.

[WristPin]

Originally Posted by Bear80

Sorry, it's already on its way back to Richmond.

good thing they are going to warranty it for you. but do you really want to go thru this again?

shame on the dog if he bites you once, shame on you if the dog bites you twice.

i hope you dont get bit twice, for the sake of your own sanity.

[H8PVMNT]

I have ran the detroit ez locker, a lock rite and the aussie locker. I have never experiences broken pins in any of these. I know for dependable performnce of any of these "lunch box lockers" you should always just put in new thrust washers. Randy's sells them for like $16. If your thrust washers are worn there will not be the correct gap betweem the side gears and drivers and the teeth will tend to slide (or chunk) over each other under torque. I replaced a lock rite once only to find out that the reall issue was the worn thrust washers and the surface on the carrier where they spin.

That reminds me... if you've ever had anything let go in your diff, the metal shavings will tear up the thrust washers AND the surface on the carrier where they ride. Probably not a big deal to run a slightly scored carrier with an open diff, but if you put a lock rite or whatever int the worn carrier, it will have the same too loose/over gapped effect as the worn out thrust washers.

Aside from those issues, I have no idea why your pins broke. Either something was put together wrong, or there was a defect from the manufacturer. Differences in tire pleasure would not be enough to break the pins, otherwise they would break just going around a corner when scuffing or driving.

The three brands I used were all a little different.

Lock Rite was the roughest, followed by the ez locker. The aussie locker is tremendously better than either of these. I don't know why because they look exactly the same but the aussie is way way smoother! I have one in my front end right now and I hardly know it's there except for the occasional click. No tremendous bucking or torque steer like the other two.

I did notice with the lock rite in the rear that with the proper driving finesse you could alll but make the bucking and poping disapear.

I also ran a full detroit locker in the rear of a V6 4 runner. It was smoother than the lock rite but still more noisy than the aussie. The detroit is obvously a better stronger setup though, if you have the coin. Detroits make dull pops instead of the really loud metal breaking sounds of the lunch box lockers so they are slightly less alarming.

Whatever you use even if you weld a diff, traction is king! No amount of flex will ever make up for real 4 wheel drive.

[beatdown83fj60]

I've had a full detroit, never broke in 4 years i ran it, and i still see my old truck to this day with that locker in it after 6 years. I ran 36 inch swampers and I don't think my tire pressure was ever completely even. Not good for it I know, but it never phased it one bit. If I was only willing to spend 200 bucks on a locker Id easily buy a spool over a lunchbox locker (for the rear anyway). From what I hear the street mannerisms are not a lot better with a cheap lunchbox locker, and good luck breaking a spool.

[D'Animal]

Originally Posted by beatdown83fj60

I've had a full detroit, never broke in 4 years i ran it, and i still see my old truck to this day with that locker in it after 6 years. I ran 36 inch swampers and I don't think my tire pressure was ever completely even. Not good for it I know, but it never phased it one bit. If I was only willing to spend 200 bucks on a locker Id easily buy a spool over a lunchbox locker (for the rear anyway). From what I hear the street mannerisms are not a lot better with a cheap lunchbox locker, and good luck breaking a spool.

An EZ-Rite is not the same as a Full Detroit.

[Full_M3tal]

Just To Let You All Know, We As A Group Have Gone Through 7 Lock Rights. Combination Of Big Tires, Low Tire Pressure, Horse Power And Torqe Really Kills The Lock Rights.
Oval Pin Holes, And Broken Pins We Have Found Every Time.


So After Reading For A Little Bit. I Went With An Aussie Locker. Basic Same Design. Just Supposely Stronger. Have No Had A Single Problem Yet.

I've Go Another 40 Miles Till The Aussie Is Broke In. So After That I Am Going Wheelin.



*Note I Only Drive 5 Miles A Day. For Work. So Its Taking Me A Lille Bit.

[alkaline747trio]

Another reason I'm glad I went Aussie...

[Bear80]

But are we all on the same page with a TWO PIECE CASE 4pinion locker, NOT a open 2pinion case locker? I think the issue with mine is the inability to check thrust clearances and adjust with shims other than the stock ones. I'm going to see what Aussie has with a 4 pinion case locker, which sould be out soon.

[beatdown83fj60]

Originally Posted by D'Animal

An EZ-Rite is not the same as a Full Detroit.

I guess I should have worded it different. What I should have said is buy a full detroit, if you want to cheap out buy a mini spool. If you like diagnosing vacuum problems, buy an ARB. If you are really cheap you should buy a nice welder, weld your gears up and return the welder later that day. I was just trying to say that for another 2-300 bucks depending on where you go, the full detroit is worth it's weight in gold.