Aussie Locker Install

[brianjwilson]

I'm about to install the aussie locker into the sport trac, in the rear 31 spline 8.8".
I found a write up and it looks pretty strait-forward, but...
Has anyone in here personally installed an Aussie locker? Any tips or tricks, or hang-ups I should be aware of?

Here's a link to the write-up;
http://www.rockmodified.com/offroad/Tech/aussie/aussie1.htm

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I've done it- 2 times. If you are leaving the axle under the truck, get a small magnetic pickup tool, it works great for slipping those C clips in. Use grease like the instructions say, it really helps hold everything together. Some small needle nose pliers and a small flat bladed screwdriver work great for putting those little bitty springs in. I bought a feeler gauge set, was very paranoid about setting the locker too loose or tight. My locker was .07 (IIRC) tighter than specs, I contacted tech support and they said it was no big deal, as long as the locker operated properly.

 

[brianjwilson]

I've done it- 2 times. If you are leaving the axle under the truck, get a small magnetic pickup tool, it works great for slipping those C clips in. Use grease like the instructions say, it really helps hold everything together. Some small needle nose pliers and a small flat bladed screwdriver work great for putting those little bitty springs in. I bought a feeler gauge set, was very paranoid about setting the locker too loose or tight. My locker was .07 (IIRC) tighter than specs, I contacted tech support and they said it was no big deal, as long as the locker operated properly.

Cool, thanks for the reply

I have a collapsing magnet tool, 3 qts of gear oil, thick assembly lube. My buddy who is helping has a feeler gauge, if his sucks I'll buy a new one in the morning before we start. Do you recall the torque specs for the axle cover bolts? Oh, and did you switch to heavier gear oil to quiet it down or use what ford recommends?
Thanks again,
Brian

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I asked Aussie, they didn't require any oil weight. I am running cheapo 80w90 no with no issues, the clicking sound is inaudible from the inside with the windows rolled up.

The cover I just snugged up, no leaks to date. I would highly recommend finding a gasket for the cover if you can find one. I have removed mine twice and put it back, still doesn't leak and no silicone.

You may need more gear oil, mine took a little more than 3 quarts from bone dry, but I did rebuild the whole axle at that point, if your just installing a locker it may not be an issue.

 

[brianjwilson]

I asked Aussie, they didn't require any oil weight. I am running cheapo 80w90 no with no issues, the clicking sound is inaudible from the inside with the windows rolled up.

The cover I just snugged up, no leaks to date. I would highly recommend finding a gasket for the cover if you can find one. I have removed mine twice and put it back, still doesn't leak and no silicone.

You may need more gear oil, mine took a little more than 3 quarts from bone dry, but I did rebuild the whole axle at that point, if your just installing a locker it may not be an issue.

Okay. The gear oil I have is 75w90 synthetic and is spendy so I'll see if 3 quarts does it. If not the hardware store isn't far away. I'll ask about a gasket if I make a run to the store in the AM. Thanks again for the help.

 

[Ritsui]

I also did mine a few months back. Just following the Aussie directions (with a good look over the RockModified directions) made it pretty easy, though I'd have to say having a second pair of (smaller, maybe female) hands or even just someone to turn the axle while your own hands are full can be VERY useful at the end both for the springs and C-clips. Grease alone may not be quite enough to hold everything in place if you have to fight with it a bit.

The manual shows 28-38 lbs for the cover bolts, but I just turned them till it "felt right" and haven't had any trouble.

I did NOT use a gasket on the diff cover. It was soft sealed when I took it off, so I just cleaned up up really well and used silicone gasket sealant to put it back on. Definitely no leaking and I've dropped it on a rock or two since then

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I've never used a gasket before, but it came with my 8.8 rebuild kit, and now I am a believer.

 

[brianjwilson]

Okay, I need some quick help!

Cover is off, centerpin and spider gears are out, left c-clip is off. Right C clip will NOT come off. We took the wheel off, and have been trying to remove the c-clip for an hour! It shouldn't be hard, but it isn't budging. It will rotate on the axle some, but will not come off. The side gear doesn't seem to give quite enough room to remove the c-clip. We need ideas!

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I believe there are O rings on the axle that hold the clips in. Can you grab the clip with a pair of pliers?

You may have to push the axle shaft inwards more, which could require removing the wheel/tire rotor and caliper.

 

[Ritsui]

You can also try using a bent piece of heavy wire to create another "C," place it above the open end of the c-clip and tap down on it while pressing the axle in.

 

[brianjwilson]

Wow that was a PITA. We had the wheels AND calipers off, but that right side was just REALLY stubborn. Finally got it out with screwdrivers and a mallet, and a lot of cussing. Anyway. It's in now, and it drives! lol
Seems to work very smoothly, locks and unlocks with minimal noise and "twitchiness" if you will. Is it normal to listen to the "ratcheting" noise when you coast through a turn, or does that quiet down a bit with time?

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I got used to the noise- I rarely notice it now. I had to alter my driving style a bit, can't take off and turn quickly or else I scrub a tire. Now I don't notice the locker at all except when I have my windows rolled down turning in a parking lot or something. You'll love it.

 

[brianjwilson]

I got used to the noise- I rarely notice it now. I had to alter my driving style a bit, can't take off and turn quickly or else I scrub a tire. Now I don't notice the locker at all except when I have my windows rolled down turning in a parking lot or something. You'll love it.

Ah, okay. I have no problems with the noise I just wanted to make sure it's normal. The tolerances were a little on the loose side, but just barely. I actually had to get rid of the side gear shims completely to get the center pin in there. Maybe it was just tight because it's fairly low miles and normally they would have been worn down more..? Anywho, I'm happy about having a locker in it now

 

[MountaineerGreen]

You removed the side thrust washers? I don't know if that is a good thing

 

[brianjwilson]

You removed the side thrust washers? I don't know if that is a good thing

Yeah, well... I didn't particularly want to, but there was no way it would fit with the shims. I sure wouldn't have if everything fit with them, but there was just no way. The auto parts store didn't have any shims in stock, dealers were all closed. The only purpose they would serve is to keep the space between the two cam gears inside the carrier, and they were pretty much within specs with no shims. I couldn't even get the centerpin (pinion shaft or whatever) in with just one of the shims removed. Wasn't even close.
Time will tell I guess...

 

[CougarX]

I think the shims are pretty important. They act as thrust washers and keep direct metal to metal contact from the side gears and the carrier. Mine was a very tight fit too, but I managed to make it all fit with the shims in place. I had to pry the locker halves quite a bit to each side to make sure that every bit of grease was squeezed out of the teeth to make the cross pin fit back in.

 

[brianjwilson]

I think the shims are pretty important. They act as thrust washers and keep direct metal to metal contact from the side gears and the carrier. Mine was a very tight fit too, but I managed to make it all fit with the shims in place. I had to pry the locker halves quite a bit to each side to make sure that every bit of grease was squeezed out of the teeth to make the cross pin fit back in.

You're probably right. I pried with everything I could find, and couldn't fit the pin. Then I took it apart and removed all of the assembly lube, and the pinion shaft STILL wouldn't fit. My options were either put it back together with all the stock parts, or put it together with the locker and no shims. I couldn't get them and the truck was halfway in and halfway out of the garage. I might have to disassemble it and get smaller shims, but it was all I could do at the time. It seems that the shims were too large as it came anyway, and that is why the right C-clip was SO stubborn. There just wasn't room to get it out past the side gear
I'm going to try to call Aussie before I head back in to work