ARB air locker and 3rd member carnage

[Lexonroids]

First off here is a link to my earlier and ongoing thread about this. Tranny Issues

I am starting this thread to ask the question to the forum if they have ever seen this before. What appears to have happened is I had all 12 of the bolts that hold the flange and ARB locker to the ring gear have backed out.

I am talking about all 12 bolts. I have never seen or heard of anything like this. Is this just crappy installation by the previous owner, and I am left holding the bag?

I have included additional photos to this there are also others on the thread sited above. Any guidance on this issue would be great.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Looks like it was put together without the recommended lock-tite. You're going to have to pull the rear now too, before the same thing happens (assuming the same installer).

With a much metal as has gone through your gears and bearings, I would not try to salvage.

Parts are available for your airlocker, but it's hard to know how damaged it is, and if the center carrier part is still straight. I would just get a new one.

Bad luck.

 

[FZJ80 in KC]

The way each edge of each bolt head is curved (all differently), it looks like something was hitting every bolt over and over, backing them out that way?

 

[Lexonroids]

Sorry guys, it is hard to read these posts with the tears in my eyes...

 

[Qball]

Sorry about your lost, that's just terrible! Do you have ARB lock in both axles? Maybe pull the other one before it's too late(hopefully not). Fortunately the ring and pinion isn't terribly expensive, and the locker seems it might be salvageable but I would get all new bolts.

Were you able to find what was grinding the locker/bolts? The bolts might not been loose themselves because I see the locker body has grinding mark with significant amount of metal missing.

 

[Lexonroids]

Sorry about your lost, that's just terrible! Do you have ARB lock in both axles? Maybe pull the other one before it's too late(hopefully not). Fortunately the ring and pinion isn't terribly expensive, and the locker seems it might be salvageable but I would get all new bolts.

Were you able to find what was grinding the locker/bolts? The bolts might not been loose themselves because I see the locker body has grinding mark with significant amount of metal missing.

All of the grinding that I can see is on the outer flange housing. None of the gears have any marks on them. I was astonished by this. I figured the gears would have chunks missing out of the teeth at the very least chips, but there is nothing. I will inspect it in greater detail once I get it disassembled.

If this lack of serious damage can be viewed as luck, I hope it holds out a bit longer. This could have gone much worse. I can only imagine one of these bolts lodging itself in the gearing at highway speed. Luckily it did not go down like that. First sound of trouble and I went into caution mode. Limped her all the way home.

I think what happened was the lack of proper torquing of the bolts and no Loctite caused the bolts to start backing out. As they backed out the heads of the bolts would hit the housing. As this progressed it beat them to bits and they came loose completely. I think they stayed isolated to that side of the differential housing and axle shaft housing.

The little guy sticking up in this photo is inside the passenger side axle shaft housing. I think that is why I kept thinking it was the front hub giving up on me.

NOPE, it was 12 little monkeys dancing around on the back side of the flange. When they made it to the bottom of the pan the drain hole magnet kept them from kicking back up into the gears. This is all speculation of course. But with no sign of damage anywhere but the back side of the flange, it's all I got.

I am amazed at this series of events.

 

[Tools R Us]

What can be saved will depend on the condition of the ring to locker mounting surfaces, threads, elongation of locker holes, etc. Are you planning on doing this yourself or seeking experienced help?

 

[Lexonroids]

What can be saved will depend on the condition of the ring to locker mounting surfaces, threads, elongation of locker holes, etc. Are you planning on doing this yourself or seeking experienced help?

I am uneducated, not stupid. I will DIFFER my DIFF issues to a specialist.

 

[grizzlygibbs]

Ouch. I was not expecting this when I read your Tranny Issues thread before. Keep us posted. Time to pull the rear 3rd as well.

 

[Lexonroids]

Ouch. I was not expecting this when I read your Tranny Issues thread before. Keep us posted. Time to pull the rear 3rd as well.

Yes, I am planning on pulling the rear and double checking it as well. I will go bolt by bolt and confirm they are done correctly or do them correctly my self.

 

[alia176]

In some ways I think you got lucky, bud. Give ARB USA a call and solicit their advice. For a little coin, you might be able to ship it to them for a through checkout and a piece of mind. BUT, do find out the root cause. Every single bolt head got hit on ALL six corners, and to me that points to a huge clearance issue.

 

[Lexonroids]

In some ways I think you got lucky, bud. Give ARB USA a call and solicit their advice. For a little coin, you might be able to ship it to them for a through checkout and a piece of mind. BUT, do find out the root cause!!!

I think I got lucky in a lot of ways, this could have and should have been so much worse.. I will take your advice and contact ARB USA.

 

[inkpot]

Yup, it sure does suck, BUT you got it home. You COULD be in the middle of BFE with no friends along and no cell service!

 

[half k cruiser]

Ouch, that sucks ! On a good note though, Alex at AOE is having a sale on ARB diffs right now. Give him a call and see if he can hook you up I couldn't resist.

 

[Lexonroids]

Ouch, that sucks ! On a good note though, Alex at AOE is having a sale on ARB diffs right now. Give him a call and see if he can hook you up I couldn't resist.

Low man, that was a low blow. [emoji16]

 

[Tapage]

I didn't see any lock tight in those bolts .. having said that I seen ARB and detroits no lock tight but right torque and no this kind of failure .. so I see a combination of both .?

 

[Pin_Head]

I am uneducated, not stupid. I will DIFFER my DIFF issues to a specialist.

OK then.

DIFFER means to disagree

DEFER means to respectfully yield to the judgment of others or to put off or delay in time.

 

[RedmondCruiser]

Wow... sorry about that. I installed my arb lockers last summer and this is my nightmare. I find myself being ocd on bolt torque and locktite. The factory diff has mechanical bracket bolt head locks (not sure what to call them) that can't be reused with the arb and so locktite is a must.
I highly recommend getting a pro to do the install.

 

[Lexonroids]

OK then.

DIFFER means to disagree

DEFER means to respectfully yield to the judgment of others or to put off or delay in time.

Go back to imgur, the mudders got what I was getting at. [emoji106]

 

[Lexonroids]

Wow... sorry about that. I installed my arb lockers last summer and this is my nightmare. I find myself being ocd on bolt torque and locktite. The factory diff has mechanical bracket bolt head locks (not sure what to call them) that can't be reused with the arb and so locktite is a must.
I highly recommend getting a pro to do the install.

Thanks for the info. I must definitely plan on having a pro handle the repair.