Project 3 - Lockright Install!

[subzali]

That's right folks, you've heard about the big event, and we're not here to disappoint! Thanks to the55guy for providing the toys! Super easy job, easier than a front axle service, way shorter, and if you read the instructions given in the manual, supplemented with Jeff's writeup in TT (thanks Jeff!) and Romer's writeup on MUD (Thanks Ken!), and to a certain extent Woody's writeup, though he covers an out-of-vehicle assembly, then once you get in there and get your hands on everything it's a pretty brainless job. It took us a little over two hours because we were dinking around with it for a while.

The dry fitting was kinda weird for us though: there was almost not enough clearance between the shaft that goes through case and the c-clip caps (min. 0.005 on each side, we were right there)(1), but the distance between the two drivers was at about 0.165, with a maximum of 0.170 (2). So for those that know what I'm talking about, I don't think we could have used thicker thrust washers because though that would have decreased measurement (2) it would have also decreased measurement (1), which would have been bad. And if we had used thinner thrust washers we would have increased measurement (1) and also increased measurement (2), which is almost equally bad, because I think that distance between drivers is critical to the operation of the locker. And also this diff was SUPER clean and almost not worn at all! Ige are you sure this truck was even driven? I'm starting to think that maybe it's NOT 191K on the clock, but 91K! (I'm kinda being fececious, the odometer doesn't line up so I know it's turned over at least once...)

Anyway here's a couple pics, though other people have much better ones of the install process: and BTW the butterknife trick works just as well with your feeler guages...

 

[subzali]

So after we installed it we took it for a spin...it banged twice pulling out of the garage and once more a little later, but I was told it might do that from time to time... However otherwise it clicks very quietly, that 85-140 weight oil is doing its job, it's just loud enough to let you know it's there .

There is a noticeable handling difference on-road, it does just what the manual says about straightening when you apply power in a corner, it sways *very* slightly when you shift gears and go from unloaded to loaded, just some stuff to get used to, and we'll see how that affects the snow driving...hopefully it won't be too bad with my new tires I'm going to be getting!

Anyway we took it up Hidden Valley Road down here near Dakan and tested it out on the whoops, and holy fright you still can't erase the smile off my face! This is probably one of the best mods you can do to a truck that you want to perform decently off road! It's SO cheap and easy, there's almost no excuse NOT to do it if you wheel AT ALL! I have SO much more control on obstacles, and don't have to worry AT ALL about getting into whoops, it just ISN'T a problem now! The thing just keeps crawling up! It doesn't care anymore! It was so frustrating last summer (right Kevin and Kipper? ) when I unweighted a tire JUST THE SLIGHTEST BIT I would lose traction altogether! Now I've had one of my fronts quite a ways off the ground (a couple feet) with one of my rears with very little traction, and I could hold the truck there and keep going if I wanted! For now I'm not used to having my wheel lifted, so I just crawled out of it right away instead of trying for poser pics

Anyway very happy that I got this in and have had a chance to try it without new tires so I know what to attribute to the locker and what to attribute to the new tires...anyway here's a couple pics, and I also have a video with a small wheel lift, but I know the first one I did before my dad had a chance to get out was even bigger!

 

[subzali]

And today took it back up Dakan and around on Rampart Range, so got some poser pics with the new paint

 

[Uncle Ben]

:yeahdude:

 

[Rzeppa]

Good job Matt! I totally agree with you about it being the first and best offroad bang for the buck. I've had power steering, and it's nice, but a locker in the rear gets you up the trail more effectively. In my experience, the locker in the rear made a much bigger difference in being able to get up the trail than a lift and bigger tires.