So I picked up a Lokka brand auto locker for our JK. Installing in a D30 on the front. Install went alright usual issues dealing with rusty parts and bolts. When I re-assembled everything though, I'm stuck with a locked front axle. It WILL NOT release and rachet. I followed instructions I thought my clearances were okay but obviously something is buggered. I used the thinner thrust washer that came with the kit as mine were too thick for the spacers (couldn't get the cross pin back in) which gave me the clearances I needed between spacers and cross pin. Put the cam gears in to check clearances and due to the vagueness of the instructions I couldn't tell if the clearance was measured with teeth meshed or not. With the teeth not meshed the clearance was within specs so I figured that must be how it's measured (With them meshed the clearance was huge) after re-assembling everything the pre-drive test didn't work but I was working alone so I figured maybe I just wasn't going to be able to get it to work. Said fuck it and put the cover back on and added fluids. Test it out and yep, it still doesn't engage. 2,4,4lo all the same, locked front axle.

So now I'm guessing it's my clearance between the cam gears. I can use thicker thrust washers, but then I can't get the cross pin in I have no idea how the hell I'm supposed to narrow the gap between the cam gears (assuming that's the issue) and still be able to get the cross pin in.

I NEED HELP! Really want to be able to use this in Moab next week, but if not I guess I'll run open in the front.

 

The clearance should be measured between the cross pin and spacer inside the cam gear. Adding thicker thrust washers will only make it worse. I could only run 1 thrust washer in my Aussie in order for the cross pin to go thru. After talking to a tech he had me grind down the spacer on the side that contacts the cross pin, a little at a time until I was able to run both thrust washer and my gaps were within specs. Runs smooth now.

 

See my issue I found out today is that the cam gear gap is WAY too big. It measures at 0.260 and tolerance is 0.145-0.165. If I put in the thrust washers that came with the kit plus my factory ones, I can get the cam gear gap to within tolerance (0.150) but there's no way the cross pin will fit. I'm waiting to hear from Lokka as to whether I can take down the size of the spacers to compensate for it.

 

My cam gear gap is out of tolerance, maybe like .25, but the center pin/spacer gap is on point. Works fine even though its noisy on the trail. And do not reuse your stock thrust washers.

 

My cross pin spacer gap was great too, but it would not work at all. The instructions say the cam gear gap is the most important one, and the gap on mine was so large that even when I put it back together and gave it a slow try it managed to shear the spring retainer pin off all the little cam gear pins and when I took it back apart 3 of the 4 springs had fallen out.

 

Yea I'm lost then. Worst case call the Aussie hotline if the Lokka rep doesn't get back with you. It seems they're the same company just one American and one Australian?? I had a tech call me on the weekend when he was off and at an event, outstanding customer service and knowledgable.