lockrite/aussie locker install issue, help!

[klinetime574]

Weird that it isn't a Lockright. Mine looks exactly the same.

Mine does have a small spring within a larger spring. I think you should try that first before you give up.

 

[Pin_Head]

no, it's disconnected, I can spin either wheel freely.

The way it works is you can spin only one wheel freely at a time. Either one. The other wheel turns with the ring gear. Is that the way it is operating?

 

[BattleWagon]

The way it works is you can spin only one wheel freely at a time. Either one. The other wheel turns with the ring gear. Is that the way it is operating?

no, I can turn the wheels in opposite directions and when I put it in drive the ring gear just spins, not engaging the locker. see the vid I posted above.

soooo, since my tolerances are narrower that the Lockright (between the drivers, mine being at about 3mm) I can assume that the problem is not my thrust washers being worn out/too narrow. That said, does anyone have the tolerances for a Detroit EZ locker? If I add another thrust washer to each side and narrow the gap will that permanently lock it? has anyone welded a lunchbox to make a spool? this is a trail rig that sees action maybe twice a year.

 

[mwalls54]

no, I can turn the wheels in opposite directions and when I put it in drive the ring gear just spins, not engaging the locker. see the vid I posted above.

soooo, since my tolerances are narrower that the Lockright (between the drivers, mine being at about 3mm) I can assume that the problem is not my thrust washers being worn out/too narrow. That said, does anyone have the tolerances for a Detroit EZ locker? If I add another thrust washer to each side and narrow the gap will that permanently lock it? has anyone welded a lunchbox to make a spool? this is a trail rig that sees action maybe twice a year.

I have seen them welded. if thats what your going to do I would put the spider gears back in and weld those.

 

[baxter650]

I would think that the tolerances should be no more that the depth of the teeth of one side gear.
So as pin-head said only on side can ratchet at a time.

 

[baxter650]

A buddy with the Richmond Powertrax LOCK RIGHT unit says the optimum tolerance should be 5/32" or .156" between the drivers. but between .145"--.170" is acceptable.

 

[Pin_Head]

The simple question is whether you can drive it? If so, it is probaby OK. They are drop dead simple and there isn't much to them other than getting the clearances set properly.

 

[BattleWagon]

It doesn't move, it just sits there and ratchets. From what Baxter said I think the drivers are way too gapped at 3" I'm gonna add my two extra thrust washers that I have lying around.

 

[BattleWagon]

The thrust washers are way too thin or they are absent. Are you sure they aren't still stuck on to the side gears?

When properly installed there is only enough clearance for one side to ratchet, never both.

I would think that the tolerances should be no more that the depth of the teeth of one side gear.
So as pin-head said only on side can ratchet at a time.

....sooooo I think I figured it out, and consequently now understand exactly how a locker works. I went outside and rotated both wheels so the teeth were out of their respective "valleys," and there was still at least 1 mm of space between the drivers. so obviously as most of you speculated at first the thrust washers are insufficient or the EZlocker is out of spec from the Lockright guidelines. I think the driver teeth are significantly shallower than the Lockright, which is probably why it is considered s***tier and was discontinued, thank you for all your help, MUD is awesome, I'll get outside and toss in my spare set of thrust washers tomorrow to bridge the gap or may head down to the dealer and buy some thicker ones, either way I'll post up the results.

 

[mwalls54]

I tore down my axle this evening and measured my gap and it was a little over 1/8" or 3.2ish mm which is where you are at.

 

[DaveWest5150]

no... you do NOT have it figured out. From what I've read and seen, you are meas. the wrong area. My guess is your thrust washers are way too thin. the meas. you are looking for is between the axle cap and the cross pin. (I know it hard to get the feeler gauge in there but you need THAT meas.) all the springs do is push the driver / coupler apart so they can ratchet... and it seems like they are fine. As the cross pin rotates, the leading edge will contact the driver(as long as its not too far away form the cross pin.) and force it outwards into the coupler. If the thrust washer is too thin... it just allows the two to pass by each other... (ratcheting ...) sometimes if the thrust washers are too thick, and then it wont allow them to "ratchet" pass each other and that creates another problem altogether... I have installed at least 30 of them, and unless your carrier is toast, its just a thrust washer clearance problem. Like Mace said there are many sizes ... find the one that creates the right clearance and it will work fine.
again make it between .140 and .170 between the cross pin and axle cap, and you should be good to go.

 

[BattleWagon]

no... You do NOT have it figured out.

YES I do!!! ...why are we yelling?

 

[MTEF]

But did you solve it?

I've just ordered a Lock-Right a few days ago, so I'm trying to understand all of it before it comes in the next week (Europe )

Looking forward to installing & testing

 

[DaveWest5150]

why are you meas. with the teeth "out of thier valleys"? with all "teeth" enguaged the meas. your looking for is between the cross shaft and the cap.... nowhere else. If you have it fixed then why dont you say so?

 

[RockDoc]

If you have it fixed then why dont you say so?

Because is was a 2 month dead thread till someone decided to dig it up and make an issue of it?

 

[DaveWest5150]

well , looks like Im the idiot.

 

[BattleWagon]

why are you meas. with the teeth "out of thier valleys"? with all "teeth" enguaged the meas. your looking for is between the cross shaft and the cap.... nowhere else. If you have it fixed then why dont you say so?

I was stating both drive gears having enough space to disengage at the same time, causing it to ratchet. It all comes down to being duped into buying a used product, different than advertised, specs being different, me not understanding how a locker actually works and the washers being worn, I get it now, new washers, no problem.

Thanks for the interest.