Aussie Locker Question
Thread Starter
JK Junkie
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,911
Likes: 0
From: Broken Arrow, OK
Aussie Locker Question
I just got done filling out a contact request to get in touch with an Aussie locker engineer, but I also thought I'd copy and paste my question here and see if maybe some of you guys had any suggestions.
I recently installed an Aussie locker in the front Dana 30 of my Jeep Wrangler, and I am noticing behavior that seems incorrect. While in 2WD on hard surfaces if I try and make tight turns (u-turns, parking garages, etc) I can filling the front end locking.
I was under the impression that when in 2WD the front end shouldn't lock at all. This "locking" that I am feeling is very noticeable and makes me very concerned about the stress this is undoubtably causing on the front end.
Also, very interesting, is that this behavior is almost non-existant when the Jeep is cold. Once the Jeep has warmed up it behaves as stated above.
I completed part of the locker installation myself, and installed the locker in a brand new carrier. I then took the carrier to a local off-road shop to have them install gears (I need the new carrier for the lower gears). So I know the inner-cam spacing, it was right on the dot per the instructions, with the spacing measuring in at 0.145. However, since I did not install the carrier in the Jeep, I do not know the spacer to cross shaft spacing.
Considering the behavior (and that it is more pronounced when the Jeep warms up), do you think the cam spacing needs to be increased? If so, what spacing do you recommend? Also, am I correct in my assumption that the locker should not be locking the front-end while in 2WD?
I was under the impression that when in 2WD the front end shouldn't lock at all. This "locking" that I am feeling is very noticeable and makes me very concerned about the stress this is undoubtably causing on the front end.
Also, very interesting, is that this behavior is almost non-existant when the Jeep is cold. Once the Jeep has warmed up it behaves as stated above.
I completed part of the locker installation myself, and installed the locker in a brand new carrier. I then took the carrier to a local off-road shop to have them install gears (I need the new carrier for the lower gears). So I know the inner-cam spacing, it was right on the dot per the instructions, with the spacing measuring in at 0.145. However, since I did not install the carrier in the Jeep, I do not know the spacer to cross shaft spacing.
Considering the behavior (and that it is more pronounced when the Jeep warms up), do you think the cam spacing needs to be increased? If so, what spacing do you recommend? Also, am I correct in my assumption that the locker should not be locking the front-end while in 2WD?
JK Jedi Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 15,665
Likes: 4
From: Hammond Louisiana
Does it bind and clunk. Mine does it. I've gotten used to it, haven't broken anything because of it. I think some have fixed it by running a tighter tolerence.Thicker thrust washer. I never could get a straight answer. They'll come back and say racheting is normal. Which I would consider clicking, not clunking like it just broke an axle joint. I take it, thats what yours is doing.
Last edited by mkjeep; Aug 18, 2010 at 06:22 PM.
Thread Starter
JK Junkie
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,911
Likes: 0
From: Broken Arrow, OK
I am going to have to go with bind over clunk.
When you say that yours does it... does it bind or clunk? I could live with clunk (I think), but this binding is rough.
I park in a parking garage at work, and as I wind my way up the floors I make some pretty tight turns. This is also after commuting 30 minutes, so the Jeep is more than warmed up. When I make these tight turns I feel the front end tighten and the Jeep wants to stutter. I can power through it which causes the front tires to slip (on a hard surface
), or I can let off the gas and the Jeep will almost slow to a stop due to the forces on the front. If I do let off the gas I can still feel the front end bind.
After work as I am leaving the garage it is not nearly as bad, I assume because the differential is cool. But once it warms back up, which doesn't seem to take long, I am back to this binding behavior.
When you say that yours does it... does it bind or clunk? I could live with clunk (I think), but this binding is rough.
I park in a parking garage at work, and as I wind my way up the floors I make some pretty tight turns. This is also after commuting 30 minutes, so the Jeep is more than warmed up. When I make these tight turns I feel the front end tighten and the Jeep wants to stutter. I can power through it which causes the front tires to slip (on a hard surface
), or I can let off the gas and the Jeep will almost slow to a stop due to the forces on the front. If I do let off the gas I can still feel the front end bind.After work as I am leaving the garage it is not nearly as bad, I assume because the differential is cool. But once it warms back up, which doesn't seem to take long, I am back to this binding behavior.
Last edited by u-joint; Aug 18, 2010 at 06:33 PM.
JK Freak
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 553
Likes: 1
From: Houston, TX
I'd think that since the front diff is always engaged (no unlocking hubs), there are going to be forces on the unit that make it want to lock. Even though the force should be able to exit the system via the driveshaft and the tcase in front neutral, some forces are still going to be exerted on the aussie unit that are not fully relieved.
JK Jedi Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 15,665
Likes: 4
From: Hammond Louisiana
I'd think that since the front diff is always engaged (no unlocking hubs), there are going to be forces on the unit that make it want to lock. Even though the force should be able to exit the system via the driveshaft and the tcase in front neutral, some forces are still going to be exerted on the aussie unit that are not fully relieved.
Last edited by mkjeep; Aug 18, 2010 at 06:37 PM.
JK Jedi Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 15,665
Likes: 4
From: Hammond Louisiana
I am going to have to go with bind over clunk.
When you say that yours does it... does it bind or clunk? I could live with clunk (I think), but this binding is rough.
I park in a parking garage at work, and as I wind my way up the floors I make some pretty tight turns. This is also after commuting 30 minutes, so the Jeep is more than warmed up. When I make these tight turns I feel the front end tighten and the Jeep wants to stutter. I can power through it which causes the front tires to slip (on a hard surface), or I can let off the gas and the Jeep will almost slow to a stop due to the forces on the front. If I do let off the gas I can still feel the front end bind.
After work as I am leaving the garage it is not nearly as bad, I assume because the differential is cool. But once it warms back up, which doesn't seem to take long, I am back to this binding behavior.
When you say that yours does it... does it bind or clunk? I could live with clunk (I think), but this binding is rough.
I park in a parking garage at work, and as I wind my way up the floors I make some pretty tight turns. This is also after commuting 30 minutes, so the Jeep is more than warmed up. When I make these tight turns I feel the front end tighten and the Jeep wants to stutter. I can power through it which causes the front tires to slip (on a hard surface
), or I can let off the gas and the Jeep will almost slow to a stop due to the forces on the front. If I do let off the gas I can still feel the front end bind.After work as I am leaving the garage it is not nearly as bad, I assume because the differential is cool. But once it warms back up, which doesn't seem to take long, I am back to this binding behavior.
Thread Starter
JK Junkie
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,911
Likes: 0
From: Broken Arrow, OK
Ugh... that doesn't make me very happy about my purchase... I was just hoping that perhaps I installed mine incorrectly. Aussie's literature would lead you to believe that other than clicking noises that you wouldn't even know you had a front locker until you engaged 4WD.
I still find it odd that the behavior gets worse when it warms up. Did you ever try and play around with increasing the cam spacing to see fi that had any effect on the behavior you experience?
Trending Topics
JK Freak
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 964
Likes: 1
From: Riverton, Utah
I have heard/read people say (no personal experience, just research when I was considering an Aussie) that actually going with tighter than specified tolerances helped the situation. That seems opposite to what you would think but several people stated this. I read that there seems to be a lot of variation/irregularities in the newer jeep diffs and tightening things up help a lot. Most guys who got it working ended up doing a fair amount of fiddling before it worked. Once it was adjusted good it worked great. I have decided to save more money and go with a selectable (arb most likely) because I just don't have time to pull my carrier every weekend to mess with it. I never did find anyone saying this bind/clunk actually damaged any of their drivetrain. I literally read hundreds of posts about the Aussie and it really looks like it is an issue with jeeps irregularities and not a problem with the locker.
Thread Starter
JK Junkie
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,911
Likes: 0
From: Broken Arrow, OK
I just did an experiment.
The Jeep had been sitting since about 6pm, so it had four hours to cool down. I got in it and the first thing I did was drive 10 feet down the road to the end of the culdesac and turn around. The Jeep did perfect.
I then drove 10 minutes to the gas station, and then did the return trip (after picking up a soda
) and upon arriving back home did the turn around at the same culdesac. However this time you could have sworn the Jeep was in 4WD by the way it stuttered.
@duneslider
That is interesting that people claim that less spacing helps. You are very right, that is counter intuitive. I would have imagined that the cams didn't have enough space to full unlock. That would also explain why it only does it when it's warmed up, the spacing between the cams (I would imagine) has gotten smaller.
The Jeep had been sitting since about 6pm, so it had four hours to cool down. I got in it and the first thing I did was drive 10 feet down the road to the end of the culdesac and turn around. The Jeep did perfect.
I then drove 10 minutes to the gas station, and then did the return trip (after picking up a soda
) and upon arriving back home did the turn around at the same culdesac. However this time you could have sworn the Jeep was in 4WD by the way it stuttered.@duneslider
That is interesting that people claim that less spacing helps. You are very right, that is counter intuitive. I would have imagined that the cams didn't have enough space to full unlock. That would also explain why it only does it when it's warmed up, the spacing between the cams (I would imagine) has gotten smaller.
JK Freak
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 753
Likes: 0
From: Orange County, CA
if you read their website, Aussie makes it clear that you will experience this "Ratcheting" when turning tight corners. I little research would have revealed this very quick. Detroit lockers do the same thing.
The ratcheting is your sign that the locker is working properly. The locker is in a locked position at standstill, and torque applied through the drive shaft in 4wd tightens it so it is locked tighter with more torque. In 2wd, the driveshaft is still turning, so you will get the ratchet because with no torque, the locker will disengage when turning.
Bottom line: This is normal and is one of the downsides to an Auto locker. I have had mine since my JK was almost new (3 years) and am completely used to it, in fact, like you, sometimes when cold, I worry when I do not hear it ratchet. I am actually relieved when I hear my nice clunck. The major upside to an auto locker is that you can easily install it yourself, they are very inexpensive, and they work great on the trail.
There is no perfect unit. With selectable lockers you will fight the cost, and then there is the air vs. electric vs. cable units. i am a big fan of Aussie in the front because of the reasons above. I love my Aussie, but I too could do with out the ratchet, but not for 3 or 4 times the cost.
The ratcheting is your sign that the locker is working properly. The locker is in a locked position at standstill, and torque applied through the drive shaft in 4wd tightens it so it is locked tighter with more torque. In 2wd, the driveshaft is still turning, so you will get the ratchet because with no torque, the locker will disengage when turning.
Bottom line: This is normal and is one of the downsides to an Auto locker. I have had mine since my JK was almost new (3 years) and am completely used to it, in fact, like you, sometimes when cold, I worry when I do not hear it ratchet. I am actually relieved when I hear my nice clunck. The major upside to an auto locker is that you can easily install it yourself, they are very inexpensive, and they work great on the trail.
There is no perfect unit. With selectable lockers you will fight the cost, and then there is the air vs. electric vs. cable units. i am a big fan of Aussie in the front because of the reasons above. I love my Aussie, but I too could do with out the ratchet, but not for 3 or 4 times the cost.