Hey Matt since it's your fault that I installed an Aussie (not complaining) I figured you could answer this for me. When I'm backing out of a parking spot and have to make a quick turn to avoid hitting another car the locker stays engaged. Even when I hit the clutch and pull the tranny out of gear I get about a half dozen "lurches" before it unlocks. This only happens in a tight reverse turn but it really annoys the helll out of me.

Does yours do this also or am I driving this thing wrong? I'm running some thick diff lube and the locker doesn't make a sound at all but I can "feel" it locking and unlocking. The tolerances on mine were within specs but they are within thousandths on the low end and pretty tight. Does that matter?

Thanks.

 

Mine does that when I leave it in 1st gear (clutch in too).. I have just gotten used to it. I suspect since there is so little weight on the rear end it wants to stay locked..

 

I haven't had that problem in reverse, when it starts to lurch going forward mine unlocks pretty much right away when I push the clutch. The tolerance on mine was on the small end too.
Depending on how long have you've had it, maybe it just needs to break in a little more.

 

I can't say I've had exactly the same problem, but I have had the little jerks with the clutch pushed in. Kind of feels like the same frequency as going over a cattle guard?

What were your install measurements (between the components)? the ones you were supposed to write down (I did the first time, was in a rush the second time).

I have wondered about playing around with the spacing. I think widening the gaps a little might help, but then you'd get more backlash, and a more noticeable "clunk" going on and off the gas (my U-joints are fine thank you).

 

You should have got a detroit truetrac locker. I love it and you never know it was back there (feels like a open diff). But yet it locks up when you need it to.

 

Isnt a truetrac a limited slip?

 

do you really need to ask that question jay?

 

Just pokin the wounds

 

I'd much rather have the $100 bucks my pocket and a full locker, a put up with the slow speed jerks from time to time.

 

Well that answered the other questin I had.

Thanks.

 

Anybody have an auto with a lunchbox locker? Notice how you never have any bangs or clunks or lurching going around corners? Gotta love autos

Back to the issue....manual trannies are plain not friendly with lockers.....Detroit Soft Lockers are not too bad(still clunk enough) but Lunchbox lockers are more sensitive to torque changes in the driveline. Driving style must change to make the clunking go away. The way you take corners...the way you slip the clutch all factor in to the bangs and lurches that occur. It's all about change....not talking about Obama Hussein either

My story....I once had a 99TJ with a Detroit Soft Locker in the back....auto tranny, of course. It never made a noise or a clunk or lurch for over 6 months. Finally, I went over a curb just wrong and I got this little click or clunk and I thought to myself "wow, finally, after all this time, now I know the locker is actually there! Those autos are just so agreeable with lockers. This is not a Jeep commercial....or a locker

By the way, even though it sounds like death to your driveline with all those clunks/lurches....I have never heard about anybody damaging their transfer case or 5 speed due to it. Just keep clunking away.

 

I really used to notice my rear Aussie when I was on 33's. Stepped up to 40's and I don't notice it anymore. I used to have all of your same symptoms you described while on 33's.

They are all totally worth it when you're off-roading though Best little locker for the $$$

 

is this common for anyone else??? just wanna know before i get one. this could be bad where i live in bumper to bumper traffic. i can barely afford insurance as it is and i dont want to be hitting everyone!!!
thanks

 

ITs true. But after driving the truck for a year, you really learn to drive with the locker. Knowing the exact moment to hit the gas in a corner to accelerate out while keeping the locker unlocked... How to use your clutch in parking lots and drivethroughs.

I noticed the extra play the locker gives, but its not bad. If you don't know how to drive smooth you will get lots of clunks...

 

the lockright in the rear of my 81 bucks and binds the same way...

 

okay thanks...
im not a pro with the clutch yet but i think im pretty darn good for how little i have been driving stick. (6months)
i learned quick.i bought the truck, never driving nothing with a clutch except 4wheelers, and drove it home without first gear and a bad synchro. what an experience!!!

 

Regarding the bucking and binding around tight corners, if you gear up/ slip the clutch a bit while gassing it a bit (so that there is a some torque still on the driveline, then it eliminates 90% of that instances of bucking. I can honestly say I can easily prevent that 100% of the time when I'm not being a lazy/ sloppy driver.

 

Yeah the clunking in and out of tight parking spaces can be smoothed out be riding the clutch a little. Doesn't take too much. If you give it more or straight gas pedal it locks up. If you let off it clunks. Ride the clutch. Don't be embarrassed.

Once at higher speeds like on the road you can just coast around corners or lug it in a little higher gear to keep it from clunking. It's all technique and clutch usage. I have it down well enough that people riding with me can't tell I have a locker until I mash it through a corner and she locks up.

 

My locker takes quite a bit of throttle to lock up in corners. Not something that simply happens by accident in all but the slipperiest of conditions.

 

Matt I just wanna say I bought an aussie because of your review, and I think its freakin bad ass.. I wouldn't take any other truck offroad again without one! Anyways I noticed if I try to give it gas around a corner with the clutch out it does the lurching thing a bit, gets annoying so I either have to squeel around a corner real fast, or coast, or just push the clutch in.. no biggie though cause I usually push the clutch in to downshift around most corners anyway..