I had been gathering my nerve to install an Aussie Locker in my 86 4runner's rear differential. I bought the locker 10 or more months ago, and just last Friday, actually finished the install... Took me 2 long nights to complete. One of my buddies was good moral support over the phone, as he had gone through the process once before. I figured I would go ahead and tackle it. Well, now that it is all assembled, I hear a little more than just some ratcheting sounds from the rear differential. There is a little more like "clunking" coming from it too, especially when I shift up, allow about 2 or so seconds between going into the next progressive gear, when I (as normally would) let out the clutch, get a nice "clunk".

Well, my worry is that the mark I made to notate the setting for the preload during disassembly from one of the carrier bearing spanner rings rubbed off during assembly (black sharpie). I tightened both spanner rings as I "eyeballed" the depth on both. They are more or less equally tightened, however, I was using a smaller hammer and a screwdriver to tap tap tap the spanner rings tighter. Now because of the sounds that are coming from the diff, I think there is probably a bit of slop in the carrier because I may not have the best CBPL going on... and / or maybe not even as centered as I had hoped.

My friend suggests that I pull the third back out, and tighten it up with a home manufactured tool much like the one in this posting and tighten it up (and I intend to). Is there something else other than just tightening it to do? Is there some way I can make it equal? Can I find a way to measure it back into the proper position? If I don't do anything, I will end up blowing it to smithereens and asking my neighbor about those Dana 44 front and rear axles that have been sitting in his yard for all this time. (which isn't a bad idea anyway)... Any helpful thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

Yes, you can measure your ring gear backlash to get you centered again. If the CBPL is wrong(too low), then most likely the ring gear backlash is loose too. You need a dial indicator to measure that.

If you can rig a tool to fit on a torque wrench you can properly set the CBPL. The individual torque of each side is shared with the opposing side. It equalizes itself because they force themselves against each other diametrically see. 75ft.lbs. on one side is 75ft.lbs. on the other.

Just make sure once you reach the chosen preload that you check to see if the ring gear backlash is still right. If it is, cool. If no, start over.

It might be that's just what the Aussie sounds like normally. I don't know...

Good luck.