Pretacopower

After installing my Lockright last week, I've been getting alot of play in the driveshaft. Shifting into drive, park, reverse usually results in a violent "clunk" and pressing the gas pedal while driving usually has the same outcome.
I've done some reading, and I think it might be backlash?
I wasn't aware of this concept during the installation...how do I go about checking this? I have this fear that I'll have to take apart the rear again....please say it isn't so :cry:

4Hummer

You sure it isn't a U-Joint.

Do you get any vibration while driving ??

I'd check this first as it is much easier to replace

seaflea

I could be wrong but I dont think you should have even played with the backlash.
As I understand it, the lockright is the easiest type to install because it requires no special tools.
I would check the U-Joints like 4hummer said. No need to pull it all appart yet.

weldpro

Ok you have a standard V6 rear axle!? Not the taco 8.4 right!? Now if you have what I think you have you definately screwed up on the Backlash , and it needs to be torn down immediately. I am guessing that you do not have a dial indicator , and you MUST have one to do the job properly.
You will get different noises etc from a locker (non arb or factory) but excessive play is not one of them- thats directly from your backlash being too loose.
I cannot explain it all to you but do a search on setting up the 8" toy diff on 4x4wire or Pirate yahoo etc , and you will find what you need. It is a misconception that installing a LR requires no adj/setup simply untrue---unless you have a fixed axle (you dont) like a dana 44 or 60 , and I think the 8.4 also is in this catagory now (shims instead of adjusters).
HTH,
Richard

You can you a POS harbour freight indicator ($cheap) , and also it is VERY SIMPLE to adjust the backlash! It is nothing like doing the pinion depth. You can do it!!!!! have fun

92 Toyota

Doesn't installing a Loc-Rite consist of just replacing the spider gears with the Loc-Rite locker?So you don't replace the carrier meaning no removing of the ring gear to a new carrier?So the original backlash wouldn't change right or wrong?I mean with some other lockers(ARB etc.)you replace the whole carrier so you would need to reset backlash right?I've never done one but I would like to know if I'm thinking right or wrong.

Pretacopower

I have the 8.4 Taco 4x4 differential. I really have no idea what backlash is, but I heard that if its not right it'll cause "clunks" and whatnot.
I got underneath my truck today and I found that I can twist the driveshaft a few inches in either direction I had my u-joints looked at last week and they were fine.
I *think* that having some play in the driveshaft is supposed to be normal for a Lockright, although I don't know if it needs THIS much play. Like I said, whenever I touch the gas pedal while driving I get this "clunk" that mildly shakes the whole truck.
Any ideas?

weldpro

YES! But to get the LR in you must take the carrier out , and in doing do you upset the backlash(turn out adjusters so that you can lift it out)!!! I have done lots of complete gear setups , and a whole bunch of locker installs to include LR's ARB's , and detroits. You just have to trust me!
Richard
To repeat setting backlash is so easy takes all but about 60 seconds when you have all this stuff out.

CynicX

Does anyone here actually have a locker? Every singled autolocked vehicle I've owned or driven has had "lash" in the driveshaft. It needs it to unlock on non torqued turns, if it stayed tight it would never let go.

check out http://www.tractech.com/Products.htm#nospin

ya thats the nospin (nicer) but it specifically states

"Driver may hear and feel "backlash" going from drive-to-coast and coast-to-drive, as reversing torque flow resets the components"

92 Toyota

Ok,so it has adjusters that makes sense to me now.

weldpro

I had already covered the banging that you will hear. I cannot understand why they(tractech) call it backlash since that is a term already used , and is a very important(yet easy) part of setting up any diff. Also as far as being able to turn the shaft abit yes you will be able to no doubt but still look at what he had wrote. He DID NOT set the backlash- this was a mistake for sure. Even if what he is hearing is normal which could very well be the case since he is unfamiliar with lockers it still has been determined he did not set up the back lash.
I can tell you there is a heck of a difference in how each of those models work (yes I do actually own both currently , and have had others aswell). The Detroit can "BANG" veru loudly, and the LR is very mild by comparison. Oh , and my current Detroit is the "soft"(yeah right) version.
Richard

weldpro

The Toyota 8" both 4cyl & V6/turbo do indeed have adjusters instead of shims for both bearing preload , and backlash adjustment.

The Toyota 8.4" used in 4cyl Taco's , and Tundra's do not have this feature (unfortunately) , and they use shims instead.

Richard

CynicX

Ya I understand what your saying, I'm just saying a vehicle equipped with an autolocker like Detroits or Aussie if you shift it into Neutral, crawl under and grab the driveshaft and twist you SHOULD have play, I dont know the measurement for this but if you were to cut the shaft in half look at the end and turn it it should turn about 3-5 minutes (wow that was vague hehe)....the play is INSIDE the locker not on the ring gear or anything. I've only played with full lockers that replaced the carrier so my knowledge of the lockrite is limited but it should work almost the same as the nospin....

Pretacopower : The guys that work for detroit are awesome and very helpful, give them a call they will help you out. They are very unbias because the dont want a bad install either cause it makes them look bad and with all the competition for them these days with ARB, Aussie, Powertrac (or are they one in the same?) they want to be viewed highly...

weldpro

CynicX- He has a 8.4 I just saw that in his last post. :pat:

I also agree with you with what you are saying. I just figured since he had no idea it was a problem even if it wasn't neccessarily the issue(needed to be right). Now I suppose what he needs to do is try to remember if he put it back together correctly (shims in the exact same side they came out of). If so then he's just finding out the joy's of not having a selectable for the street lololol.
Oh the looks you get when the Detroit goes bang in the grocery store parking lot!
Richard

Pretacopower

Yeah, I've already had someone at school say, "What the hell is wrong with your truck...that doesn't sound normal". I tried explaining to him the concept of the locker but he didn't seem to understand...oh well.
Personally, I enjoy the sound....except when I make a u-turn too fast, then its clickclickclickclickclickc...clankclankclankCLANKC LANK Scared me the first time, thought I broke the thing.
I'm learning alot about it as time goes on, I've taken it off-road many times since installing it last week and each time it's performed great, so I know the locker itself is in correctly.
So I guess the play in my driveshaft is normal right? I remember reading that the Lockright requires 25 degrees of free play so thats prolly what I'm feeling...and need to get used to
Is it harmful to drive around without properly setting the backlash?

BTW thanks for all the replies so far, its been really helpful!