This was sent to me by a member of the local 4WD club I am a member of. I apologize if this is old news,but its news to me . Decided id post it to give everyone a heads up.

Want to share something I just learned this morning. Might save some 4X4 owners some grief.


The subject is PowerTrax lockers, by Richmond Gear, back in Indiana.

I've got the unit they call No Slip, a more comprehensive, and expensive, version of the Lockright.
Here's the very condensed version of my tale

driving in 2WD on a smooth dirt road headed out for some play. came to a 4 way intersection where I needed to make a 90 degree right turn................
accelerating slowly about halfway around the turn, there was what sounded like a bomb under the back of the cherokee, raising the rear of the Jeep probably 2-3 inches off the ground... (no exaggeration) needless to tell you, I stopped and got out fully expecting find that I had pulled out in front of an oncoming pick up.
Nope, nobody but me for miles around. WTF???? Had to be the rear end. I went back home, knowing I wasn't going for fun that day. Called my buddy Joel Smith at the Mesa 4Wheel Parts store, told him about it. Joel's the ***'t mgr at that store, he told me if it was broken he'd warranty it for me, even though warranty had expired a year previous. He recommended i call Richmond Gear tech support to find out what might have gone wrong.

I did, no answer to my calls (4-5) , nor any response to voicemail messages I left. Finally it occurred that they'd likely answer a call to their sales line, and guess what, they did. I found out that Richmond Gear is no longer Richmond Gear, but had been bought out by Midwest Motive Gear 800-934-2727 maybe in Chicago.
Finally got a human being tech support dude and was told they will likely discontinue mfg of all Powertrax products in the very near future, and that there was no parts availability at any retailers around the country.
He went on to say that IF their warehouses produced any parts (after the new company had time to inventory what they now owned) it would be a minimum of a 90 day service to a customer.

I called Joel back and gave him the news, his response was to bring my Jeep in for inspection of the rear differential, and if they found ANYTHING broken he would have a complete new one shipped same day, out of either Denver or LA. It goes in on Tuesday morning the 17th for inspection. We'll see what they find if anything.

My best advice would be to run as fast as you can from a Powertrax unit, if you happen to need a rear locker. Not much selection for the Chrysler 8.25, but keep in mind there will be no repair parts for the Powertrax units

End of story. It might be something worthy of the club newsletter, maybe save a brother Jeeper some heartache. Keep in mind they are still on retail shelves, and you might even see a price drop as retailers find this out. To my thinking a locking rear end is subject to breakage, I'd be wanting one that had support behind it.

 

Thank you.

 

Thanks for the heads up! I guess i should buy spare springs and pins now then. Time to start saving up for a new rear locker I guess.

 

Just saved me from a nightmare thanks

 

Aussie it is then!

 

Nah, Spartan FTW!

 

Good luck with that they don't make one for the 8.25

 

sorry, but i don't believe it.
call me skeptical.

 

Has anyone actually confirmed this?

 

Agreed, I'm not sure its time to get worried over something one random guy said during a phone call. I work for a pretty big company and a lot of guys say a lot of things based on what they think is going on, they're seldom correct. I don't know the sales figures on the Powertrax but I'm sure that they've sold enough units that a new company would continue to sell or support them parts wise, or the aftermarket would pick it up.
As for the origional post, its the internet, remember when Bon Jovi reportedly died yet miraculousely was still alive last month, I'm just sayin.

 

I just put a No-Slip in my XJ,well in October but never had an issue and I rally the crap out of it, holds up good. I even ordered the wrong one at first, long story, called Richmond, didn't get a call back so I started calling the next day every 30 mins, had my answer within 2 hours, returned the locker and had the right one in 4 days and I'm in Alaska! I think they have one guy doing tech support so I'm sure he's busy, I talked to all the local shops here and none have heard of a discontinue of the product. Maybe a rename of the same product to revamp sales via "New Locker" hype.

 

Now I'm not saying what I posted up is gospel,I also didn't post it up to steer anyone away from purchasing this brand. I suggest if anyone has any doubt of the validity of this,that they do their own research and contact the company in question before making a Powertrax purchase.

 

Thanks for a heads up, hope it isn't true, call me crazy but I love my No-Slip

 

This happens Alot. Just replace ur springs and change ur gear oil.

This happens to every lunchbox locker!!!

 

I have a Powertrax no slip and it is great, I highly recommend it. You can't even tell its back there unlike my Aussie locker in the front. But yea motive gears is a major company so I wouldn't be too worried even if this is true. Look at Rubicon Express- people still buy from them, but they are owned by 4wheel parts now.