I'm putting a lock rite lunchbox locker in my '78 FJ40. When I originally put it in, the center gap was too wide, close to 3/16 eyeballing with my ruler, that is 4.75mm. It was so wide, the pins barely engaged. Lock-Rite's specs for the gap is 3.68mm - 4.32. I don't have a micrometer, which is something I should have bought the day I started the install.
My old thrust washers measured about 1.55 each or 3.10mm combined at a local machine shop. I wanted to drop to the lower end of the specs to have more room for wear. If I dropped to around 3.75mm, I would need to go about .75 to 1 mm combined larger.
Toyota's east coast distribution center only had one of each size in stock and I purchased a 1.85-1.95mm and a 2.00-2.10mm. I figured they would average around 3.95 vs my 3.10mm.
The new thrust washers arrived and I was able to install the lock-rite. The center gap has been reduced substantially (it now looks to be about an 1/8', which is only 3.17mm - below the 3.68 minimum stated by lockrite.
Both plates seem to lock and unlock as they should. However, I'm concerned about the fact that one spacer is about .15mm thicker than the other. The additional combined thickness over my original washers makes the pinion pin a snug fit. Instead of slipping into place, I had to give it some raps with the handle of a screwdriver to get it in. There's not much give and there's virtually no axle end play at the wheels and no play at the ring gear.
I think Aussie Locker gives some clearance specs between side plates and the pinion pin, I haven't found any yet for Lock-Rite except the manual states the pinion pin should slip in or can be tapped in. I'm concerned that mine is too tight. On the other hand, it might wear in OK and give me longer life because the center gap is so small.
My other concern is that my thrust washers spacers are different thicknesses and that the pinion pin is not as closely centered as it would be if they were both within the same spec range of one another.
Should I run it as is and hope it wears in OK, or is this thing going to get tighter as it warms up (it's under 50 degrees here) and bind something or put an overload on my side bearings?
Thoughts? (Other than buy a micrometer which I'm going to do as it is a useful tool that I expect to use more in the future).
My old thrust washers measured about 1.55 each or 3.10mm combined at a local machine shop. I wanted to drop to the lower end of the specs to have more room for wear. If I dropped to around 3.75mm, I would need to go about .75 to 1 mm combined larger.
Toyota's east coast distribution center only had one of each size in stock and I purchased a 1.85-1.95mm and a 2.00-2.10mm. I figured they would average around 3.95 vs my 3.10mm.
The new thrust washers arrived and I was able to install the lock-rite. The center gap has been reduced substantially (it now looks to be about an 1/8', which is only 3.17mm - below the 3.68 minimum stated by lockrite.
Both plates seem to lock and unlock as they should. However, I'm concerned about the fact that one spacer is about .15mm thicker than the other. The additional combined thickness over my original washers makes the pinion pin a snug fit. Instead of slipping into place, I had to give it some raps with the handle of a screwdriver to get it in. There's not much give and there's virtually no axle end play at the wheels and no play at the ring gear.
I think Aussie Locker gives some clearance specs between side plates and the pinion pin, I haven't found any yet for Lock-Rite except the manual states the pinion pin should slip in or can be tapped in. I'm concerned that mine is too tight. On the other hand, it might wear in OK and give me longer life because the center gap is so small.
My other concern is that my thrust washers spacers are different thicknesses and that the pinion pin is not as closely centered as it would be if they were both within the same spec range of one another.
Should I run it as is and hope it wears in OK, or is this thing going to get tighter as it warms up (it's under 50 degrees here) and bind something or put an overload on my side bearings?
Thoughts? (Other than buy a micrometer which I'm going to do as it is a useful tool that I expect to use more in the future).
