LockRight doesn't line up with manufacturer specifications

[freedom_in_4low]

When assembled, it won't unlock.

The install manual says there needs to be .005-020" clearance between the spacers and the cross pin.

I have 0.010" - so it's safely within the range and even on the lower third.

Once assembled, it says there needs to be 0.154-170" between the drivers.

Here, I have 0.178-0.186" between the drivers (significantly above the range).

The manual and their tech support guy is blaming my thrust washers and/or carrier, but the carrier has ~5k miles and the washers are brand new from Dana. Tech support guy says I can ignore the .005" minimum and go down as tight as needed without hard contact (a little concerning since I don't know what that measurement does when it heats up to 200° in operation), but I'm not seeing custom side gear thrust washer thicknesses anywhere. Even then, I'd have to get the spacer clearance between 0-0.002" to get the driver spacing right, and then I'd be at a starting point that leaves zero tolerance for wear. I don't consider 0.002" a reasonable tolerance window.

So now I'm returning this LockRight and I guess I'm gonna put it back together with spider gears. The question becomes, do I roll the dice on another LockRight, or go for an Aussie, Spartan, or Torq?

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Just ordered an Aussie. Might have gone with a Spartan but I don't like that they don't use side gear thrust washers. I figure if Dana thought they were necessary, then they ought to be there. Plus it gives me a little adjustment capability since I now have two sets of washers; one set of 0.027" and one set of .0305".

 

[freedom_in_4low]

update. I took measurements again today, and I guess maybe having the locker assembled with spring pressure overnight pushed some more grease out, because now I'm getting the 0.017" feeler into the spacer gap instead of 0.010".

That means that if I could get 0.0425" side gear thrust washers or some combination that adds up to that, I could push the spacer clearance down to the minimum and get the driver gap down to 0.160", which is 0.010" inside the tolerance. I just don't know how to do that - they're not sold in different thicknesses as far as I can tell. I thought about maybe using carrier shims because they actually appear to be really close to the same size, but I don't know what kinda problems I might run into there since they're not really intended for sliding motion being that they're usually tightly in place between a casting and a bearing race.

I still find it interesting that it's physically impossible to get the driver gap down even to the nominal, let alone the minimum of the tolerance without interference between the spacer and pin. That tells me that something isn't lining up between the drivers vs the couplers and spacers - either the drivers are below spec OR the spacer and coupler combination is thicker than spec AND my newish carrier is looser than spec. Occam's razor applies.

Powertrax/Richmond/Motive whoever they are just wants to blame the carrier and wash their hands at this point...not being old enough to be significantly worn they just say it was probably machined out of spec from the factory. One thing is for damn sure, there's not a snowballs chance in hell that I go to the effort or expense of setting backlash just to replace an open carrier and use a lunchbox locker. At that point I'd just get another E-locker.

The Aussie is supposed to be delivered tomorrow so I'll see if it stacks up any differently. Northridge 4x4 is quickly earning a place as my #1 preferred Jeep parts supplier as I've now placed 3 orders with them in the past month and they not only had the best price, they also had it in UPS's hands within 18 hours.

 

[pagrey]

I suspect you are going to join me in the "I fucking hate lunchbox lockers" fan club, we'll see. I'm a member and I had a much smoother start than this. just wait until you get it installed, then the fun starts. Got a power steering cooler yet?

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I suspect you are going to join me in the "I fucking hate lunchbox lockers" fan club, we'll see. I'm a member and I had a much smoother start than this. just wait until you get it installed, then the fun starts. Got a power steering cooler yet?

Haha, I'll have a member card printed this weekend if the aussie doesn't work out.

I do have a PS cooler... In a box in my pile of yet-to-be-installed Jeep parts, lol. I hadn't even really thought about it but it makes sense that it would be tougher on the PS system, especially with the increased scrub radius from the 4" backspacing.

 

[pagrey]

When you hit the trails listen for the pump, it'll tell you when it's getting overworked. If it does that's when you dig through your parts box for the cooler. Also, buy spare u-joints.

 

[Claybirdd]

I had the exact same problem with my Aussie locker.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I had the exact same problem with my Aussie locker.

My aussie is supposed to deliver today. I'm going to take and compare measurements the whole way through and bail out as soon as something doesn't come out perfect.

 

[Claybirdd]

Set it up as tight as you can. Mine passed the spin test but would pop and bang when turning in 4wd. Gonna pull it out and go back to spiders the next warm day I'm free.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

So this is interesting.

The couplers and drivers stack up to 2.505" on the Lockright, and 2.535" on the Aussie. Since the driver spacing spec is the same on both, I would expect the aussie to end up right where it should with the extra 0.030". I'll do some more measuring tomorrow, but for now I don't know whether the extra material is in the drivers, couplers, or both.

I also ordered a Torq locker to try, and will do a comparison on all 3.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Torq came in and full stack width was in line, if not even a few thou thicker, than the Aussie. Went into my carrier with new thrust washers and had a driver gap between 0.145 and 0.150" - well within tolerance and even toward the narrow end. I put the shafts and hubs on as soon as the carrier was in the housing and it passed the test with flying colors. Now I've just gotta put the rest of the ring gear bolts in and finish buttoning it up.

I still stand by the LockRight being out of spec. Even if the spec was just different than the Aussie, then you'd have carriers split into two groups - one group fits the LockRight and the Aussie is too tight, and the other fits the Aussie but the LockRight is too loose, and no, or a very miniscule proportion of carriers would support both.

 

[MountaineerTom]

Torq came in and full stack width was in line, if not even a few thou thicker, than the Aussie. Went into my carrier with new thrust washers and had a driver gap between 0.145 and 0.150" - well within tolerance and even toward the narrow end.

I'm still standing by either the LockRight being out of spec, or the spec is just wrong, because if a significant proportion of carriers were tight enough to make it work, then Aussie and Torq would be way too tight.

I may have missed it, but where did you get new thrust washers from.

 

[Claybirdd]

What thickness thrust washers are you using?

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I may have missed it, but where did you get new thrust washers from.

What thickness thrust washers are you using?

I got them from 4WP, delivered next business day for pickup at my local store for $1.42 each. They are Dana part number 34095, and measure 0.030" thick.

You can also buy Yukon YSPTW-014 which usually runs about $6ea but I haven't found anything to suggest they're any different in thickness from the Dana.

My original ones measured 0.027"...so not a huge difference and they would still have worked with the Torq or Aussie. They were of unknown mileage because I got them out of a salvage carrier, but I picked that one particularly because it had the tightest spider gears, so it may have been low mileage from a wreck.

Earlier this week I came across a YouTube video where a guy had a Torq that was too lose in a super worn carrier, and TorqMasters sent him a couple new washers in different thicknesses so he could add up the right ones to get it where it needed to be. I have not found a place where you can buy different thicknesses, or even find out what thickness you're getting when you buy one, so it's impressive to me that TorqMasters goes to that level. I'm not sure the guy that made the video even realized who he was talking to, 'cause he just threw out the name "Cora", which just so happens to be the first name of Torqmasters CEO.

 

[Claybirdd]

One last question, are you using the original center pin?

 

[freedom_in_4low]

One last question, are you using the original center pin?

No, LockRight and Torq both came with new ones. If I was going to use the Aussie I'd buy a new one separately. Like the washers, it's just not a pricey enough part to mess around with something that sets a dimension with a tolerance only 0.015" wide.

 

[MountaineerTom]

I got them from 4WP, delivered next business day for pickup at my local store for $1.42 each. They are Dana part number 34095, and measure 0.030" thick.

You can also buy Yukon YSPTW-014 which usually runs about $6ea but I haven't found anything to suggest they're any different in thickness from the Dana.

My original ones measured 0.027"...so not a huge difference and they would still have worked with the Torq or Aussie. They were of unknown mileage because I got them out of a salvage carrier, but I picked that one particularly because it had the tightest spider gears, so it may have been low mileage from a wreck.

Earlier this week I came across a YouTube video where a guy had a Torq that was too lose in a super worn carrier, and TorqMasters sent him a couple new washers in different thicknesses so he could add up the right ones to get it where it needed to be. I have not found a place where you can buy different thicknesses, or even find out what thickness you're getting when you buy one, so it's impressive to me that TorqMasters goes to that level. I'm not sure the guy that made the video even realized who he was talking to, 'cause he just threw out the name "Cora", which just so happens to be the first name of Torqmasters CEO.

Thank you. I think I’m going to order a set that way I have some on hand if needed whenever I decide which one to get. Seriously thinking the Torq. Just waiting to see if anyone has a Black Friday sale on it.

I seen that video too.