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Dana 30 auto locker

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Old 12-29-2015, 05:19 AM
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Default Dana 30 auto locker

What's up fellas
I just recently installed a Lokka locker in my Dana 30....I haven't used in 4wd yet but I wanted to ask here if I have a problem or not...
This is only in 2wd...I am daily driving and when I'm coming to a stop the locker is clunking...
I'm wondering if it suppose to do that only in 4wd because there's no power going to it...it's not loud enough to hear it but I can feel it every time I come to a stop...
Anyone with an auto locker can chime in to...thanks in advance
Old 12-29-2015, 06:45 AM
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Originally Posted by 88whitecomanche
What's up fellas I just recently installed a Lokka locker in my Dana 30....I haven't used in 4wd yet but I wanted to ask here if I have a problem or not... This is only in 2wd...I am daily driving and when I'm coming to a stop the locker is clunking... I'm wondering if it suppose to do that only in 4wd because there's no power going to it...it's not loud enough to hear it but I can feel it every time I come to a stop... Anyone with an auto locker can chime in to...thanks in advance
u sure it isn't the joints?
Old 12-29-2015, 07:41 AM
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Originally Posted by XJwonders
u sure it isn't the joints?
I forgot to mention that this was a cad axle...I swapped in the 1pce design axle shafts with new joints...the axle is completely rebuilt ball joints,control arm bushings, new control arms, hubs, brakes....

What is weird to me is...it's rotating like if it's getting power to the axle...
But when I lift the tires in the air and move the tires by hand I still hear the clunking of the locker when one tire is in motion....

I am also using 75-80w diff fluid...do you think a thicker viscosity oil will help?
Old 12-29-2015, 10:43 AM
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thats the normal operation of it unlocking. all those parts turn when you're driving. You shouldn't hear it if your driving in a straight line because both tires are turning together.

when you turn 1 tire instead of two, the two halves are ratcheting (unlocking) like it was designed to do.
Old 12-29-2015, 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by denverd1
thats the normal operation of it unlocking. all those parts turn when you're driving. You shouldn't hear it if your driving in a straight line because both tires are turning together.

when you turn 1 tire instead of two, the two halves are ratcheting (unlocking) like it was designed to do.
Ok well I don't hear it while accelerating or in motion just Mainly slowing down to a stop...
I'll try a thicker viscosity oil to see if that calms the ratcheting down a bit
Old 12-29-2015, 12:23 PM
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front tires the same size? pressure good (the same) on both? brakes working evenly?

something is causing one tire to rotate at a different speed than the other, hence the ratcheting sound. give your front end a look to make sure everything looks fine. I wouldn't add thicker oil until you get this sorted out. It doesn't happen under power, which is a good thing; would cause premature wear on the locker. It's not doing anything it wouldn't do if you were going around a corner and had one tire spinning quicker than the other, making it unlock and ratchet.

are you sure its coming from the diff?

Last edited by denverd1; 12-29-2015 at 12:28 PM.
Old 12-29-2015, 12:46 PM
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Originally Posted by denverd1
front tires the same size? pressure good (the same) on both? brakes working evenly?

something is causing one tire to rotate at a different speed than the other, hence the ratcheting sound. give your front end a look to make sure everything looks fine. I wouldn't add thicker oil until you get this sorted out. It doesn't happen under power, which is a good thing; would cause premature wear on the locker. It's not doing anything it wouldn't do if you were going around a corner and had one tire spinning quicker than the other, making it unlock and ratchet.

are you sure its coming from the diff?
Yep...I swapped this front end from my other jeep and added the Lokka locker when I did the swap...
It wasn't making the noise then...
And it doesn't even ratchet around corners and brakes are brand new
Tires are the same height and thread...ill double check tire pressure after work...
Old 12-29-2015, 02:51 PM
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I have an auto locker in the front diff and occasionally when coming to a complete stop (maybe once out of every 5 times) it will clunk (ratchet) one time and that's it.
Old 12-29-2015, 03:37 PM
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Ok so tire pressure is good...just noticed on my drive home when I pressed the brake it will ratchet...seems like 1 side might be biting more than the other causing the ratcheting...
Old 12-31-2015, 11:07 AM
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I'm not familiar with the Lokka assembly instructions. For my Spartan I didn't have to reuse the shims, for Aussie I'm pretty sure they need to be reused. I do notice that your gap is way larger than mine, did the instructions have a spec range? Mine did but I can't recall what it was exactly.
Here's your gap:



Here's mine, hard to see with the shadow, but somewhat visible:
Old 12-31-2015, 12:03 PM
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I reused shims for my locka in Chry 8.25
Old 12-31-2015, 07:07 PM
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I reused the shims that were in my spider gears and that was the gap I got...
I was within spec of the Lokka directions...don't recall the numbers exactly but I'm going to try it until Sunday and if I don't like how it's sounding then. I'm just going to take it out...and ill one day save for a Detroit
Old 01-01-2016, 09:16 AM
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FYI I don't have those issues with the Detroit Locker in mine it's very quiet and works great.
Old 01-01-2016, 10:28 AM
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Ok fellas
I didn't end up using the shims from the old spider gears...
I took everything out added the shims and now in the process of reinstalling everything..
Oh and oil didn't have metal shavings which is good!
Wish me luck!

If that doesn't resolve anything then it's coming out for sure...
Old 01-01-2016, 10:28 AM
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Originally Posted by Fred/N0AZZ
FYI I don't have those issues with the Detroit Locker in mine it's very quiet and works great.
Nice! That was my next step if this didn't work...
Or the Volvo lsd which I have sitting on my shelf...


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