Grizzly locker install (1 Viewer)

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Installed a Grizzly locker in the rear of my 95 today. Everything went smoothly with a couple of hiccups so I thought I'd share with the forum my experience. Took about 6 hours total including removing all the old gasket material from the housing and axle flanges.

First of all, don't buy the master overhaul kit from Yukon, I was happy when I first opened the kit up as it was full of high quality parts including Koyo bearings but soon found out the carrier bearings won't work with the Grizzly locker. The factory carrier has 50mm journals while the Grizzly carrier has 45mm journals so you will need to buy carrier bearings for the pre-91 diff. I was first put off by this but according to Timken the pre-91 bearings are actually stronger than the 9.5" ones and though I'm sure the case is slightly weaker due to the down sizing of the journals I have neer seen a carrier fail at the journal so I don't think it will be a issue.

Secondly, do not knock the ring gear off the factroy carrier without first removing the cross pin for the spider gears, the ring gear won't clear the pin and the pin won't come out without the ring gear being nearly fully seated.

Other than than that, a easy install. I elected not to replace the pinion bearings as they were still smooth and still had around 7 in/lbs of rotational torque. I figured I'd leave well enough alone and avoid either the expence of a crush sleeve eliminator or the trouble of trying to crush a new factory type crush sleeve. Ran a pattern before and after the install and all looked good. Also measured backlash before disassembly and was at .007 so set it back to that upon reassembly(measured every 90 degrees to check for mismachined carrier).

Had to make a couple of tools. One to turn the adjuster rings and one to hold the carrier while torqueing the ring gear bolts as I don't have a holding fixture and the new carrier doesn't have a cross pin hole to use to lock it from spinning in the housing.

Took it for a drive today and so far couldn't be happier, I think this is the ideal application for a auto locker. Try as I might, I couldn't get it to do anything unpleasant. Floored it mid corner, abruptly got on and off the throttle during a sharp turn and nothing, no popping, no scuffing, no direction change, nothing. Can hear a faint clicking during sharp slow cornering but only if you have window open and are driving very close to a wall. As a experiment I engaged the CDL and then and only then does it show itself, with it locked it will scuff tires around corners and while I still couldn't make it pop I assume it will under the right conditions. All in all I'm very impresseed so far and would recommend it even for a daily driver.

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I was so nervous about this Yukon locker but man you definitely clear my worry. Good write up!
 
I broke a carrier at the journal, I think it was probably a broken piece of pinion tooth or the ring spinning into where the broken tooth was and prying them apart. I think that was a 4.11 rear diff out of a 60 series though maybe, and a larger throat may have done nothing to help.

I'm surprised that your getting no rough conditions driving whatsoever, its sounds pretty smooth. Try accelerating in some tight corners at low speeds and loose traction.
 
I'm surprised that your getting no rough conditions driving whatsoever, its sounds pretty smooth. Try accelerating in some tight corners at low speeds and loose traction.

It's been nearly 2 years now and I am still nothing but impressed. Since the install I've moved to the mountains and it's been pretty icy here on occasion and even in those conditions I can't seem to make it do anything unpleasant. I believe it has to do with the the AWD, length and weight of the 80 series as I installed a Detroit in a Ranger at work and when driving that it's painfully obvious that it has a locker in it.
 
Huh. I thought the grizzly was similar to a Detroit locker.

And based on how a Detroit or auto locker functions I can see how it would be easier to brake tires loose (more so on a 2WD than AWD) as compared to an open diff
 

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