Aussie 8.8 locker MIA?

[Ritsui]

... and yes, also in snow and uphill, etc.

Hmmm. Would you say it's really just a matter of driving style? The physics of it tell me that working against locked forward motion will result in less control, but the important thing is "how does it feel"? If you don't feel less control in the snow, then you probably don't actually have less control in the snow.

I'm obviously still very much on the fence regarding auto/manual.

 

[mynameisaric]

the aussie is half the price of the no-slip. I may be the only one, but i had a problem with my no-slip. If I were doing it all again now, i would go with the aussie.

However... when my no-slips(plural) were working, they were amazing in the white stuff. I had equal power to all 4 wheels. When i let off the gas, it allowed one wheel to spin faster than the other if need be, so i still had enough differentiation to move through a turn without sliding off into a ditch. I'm not going to claim i was driving normal in the snow, because as you know, it doesnt matter what kind of traction device(s) you have, you can still lose control. I was locked front and rear though, I don't know how much of a difference having only the rear locked would be. This winter ought to be fun with a spool in the rear....

 

[Tbars4]

something tells me you will be hearing from aussielocker soon...

 

[AussieLocker]

Aussie Locker

After a year or two of 'thinking about it', I finally set aside a bit of cash and decided to put an Aussie in the back of my Sport . That was about two months ago. Now, after four unreturned phone calls, three unreturned emails and dozens of trips to the web site, I'm starting to think these things don't actually exist . I heard so many stories about Torq Masters great support that I couldn't believe their phone staff repeatedly saying "we'll have someone call you back" would be outright lying to me or that all my emails would go un-returned... yet that is exactly the case.

At this point, I'm considering writing them off completely. No stories about their support can sway my concern about what kind of post sales support or longevity to expect from a company which doesn't appear even mildly concerned with pre-sales assistance to someone with cash in hand and finger poised waiting to hit the order button. And it's not just about availability. A simple "we don't know when it'll be available" would be FAR more than I've received... which is absolute SILENCE.


The good news of course is the longer they continue to ignore me (and all 8.8's according to their staff and site) just a little longer, I will probably have time to set aside the money for an Ected or maybe even an ARB .

/end rant

PM sent and we apologize for the breakdown in customer service.

As our thousands of satisfied customers will tell you, what you experienced is not typical service from any of the Team Aussie staff.

Bill Cole
President

 

[cybergasm]

So any ETA when the 8.8 aussie is gong to avail again?

and whadya know Tbars4 is a physic too, interesting :scratch:

 

[DeRocha]

So any ETA when the 8.8 aussie is gong to avail again?

and whadya know Tbars4 is a physic too, interesting :scratch:

AussieLocker indicated they are scheduled to arrive in the US in a few weeks. See AussieLocker EF sponsor thread for related info

 

[Tbars4]

he has a thread under his name and he posted on that it would arriving to him in a week or so and he would fill backorders and still have inventory for the 8.8's...

 

[GJarrett]

I was only suggesting the NoSlip because this thread expressed interest in Aussie and the advantage of both of them are that they are similarly very forgiving for non-selectable lockers, so if someone is interested in an Aussie there's no reason not to be interested in a NoSlip. I know an Aussie is cheaper, but a good deal isn't a good deal when you can't get it. I can open a gas station and offer gasoline for $1 per gallon but if all of the pumps are empty what good would that deal be? So the NoSlip is a compromise - it's a heckuva lot cheaper than an ARB and though it's more expensive than an Aussie, you can get one. I've heard good reviews about Aussies so hopefully they will become available again in time for you.

As for driving style, yes it probably has a lot to do with it. One thing that makes NoSlip lockers (and I assume Aussie also) forgiving is that they operate silently and it takes a bit of gopedal to engage it if you're already turning. In other words if I'm in the middle of a turn and then hit the gas, it takes a lot to engage the locker. To use your example of pulling out on a highway what I would do is stop at the stop light/sign a little short of the intersection so that I can start up a little speed going straight before turning, then coast into the turn at speed before giving it extra gas while in the turn. I have gotten so used to my NoSlip that I can turn left in front of oncoming traffic and hurry through the intersection at a pretty good rate of acceleration without engaging my locker. From what I've heard of Aussie that could be done with an Aussie too. I'd have no problem trying the same thing on snow and have done exactly that a few times when I have driven in the snow.

To install an ARB you'd have to buy it at twice the price of a NoSlip and several times the price of an Aussie, then get it professionally installed for a whole lot more money, and then hope that the shop that does the install knows what they're doing - there are countless instances of ARB failures all the time because they are so finicky about being installed perfectly.

So it boils down to a compromise of whether to pay a whole lot for a selectable or save a whole lot and adjust your driving style, which sounds kind of like where you are sitting on the fence right now. Take your time with your decision so you'll be confident with it once you've made it - changing your mind after the fact and redoing mods like lockers gets real expensive.

 

[mynameisaric]

Amen! I agree to all the above good post

 

[Ritsui]

PM sent and we apologize for the breakdown in customer service.

Thank you, Bill.

I want to make it clear to everyone that while my past experience may have been negative, Bill has gone out of his way to assist me and I have not heard of anyone else having the customer service problems I had. The only persistent issue seems to be the weird demand shifts and resulting back-orders.

...lots of good info...

Thanks

It's exactly this kind of description which provides what can't be quantified just looking at specs or even talking to people who use a locker, but don't break down the little things either because they're completely automatic or because wheel hop and over/understeer just don't bother them.

BTW: I was driving to town yesterday and my wife was having fun doing locker break-in sound FX "tick, tick ,click, bang" every time I accelerated too fast into a turn, so it looks like she's going to go along with getting the Aussie .

 

[Tbars4]

ritsui, i'm glad to see you got what you were looking for and i'm also glad to see you have the boss interested too though it sounds like she is the one who will be doing the test driving of the new locker...lol...ups shows my locker should arrive today and i am hoping to wheel with you up in big bear when it snows...

 

[Tbars4]

woohoo the aussie locker for the front axle has arrived exactly 9 working days from when i ordered it online..... i just scheduled with my mechanic and we are going to put it and my 4.56's in sometime next week in my shop...

the only problem i have so far is they didn't send any aussie locker stickers with it

 

[Ritsui]

update...

After a few more emails and phone call, we worked out the communications problems and :

1) My locker arrived 3 days later.
2) It is now installed.

Still not happy about phone support people saying one thing and doing another, but one thing I can say is Bill is absolutely on the level and on the ball.

Can't speak for the locker itself yet as I've only driven around the block, but it's acting more or less as expected.

Thanks Bill

 

[Tbars4]

ritsui, i just got my front locker and gears installed...let's head for the hills...lol...what did your measurment come out to??? my front was .167....

 

[Ritsui]

.152, and that was putting a wedge in to squeeze the grease out of both sides. Without pushing I could only get .147 (.002 from the min). Within spec but leaning heavily to the tight side. In fact, it seems pretty close to "has this thing even been used?".

 

[Tbars4]

lol, i had mine in and out and tried different shims as one write up i read had .145 and i wanted it to be in the middle, but it's within spec...now, i'm hoping i'll be able to turn the front end on the trails...

 

[DeRocha]

I installed my locker on Saturday.. The Install took an hour working at a leisurely pace with my buddy Jim. Having an extra set of hands to move the axle shafts in/out and pass parts to made the job go very fast. Based on the documentation from Aussie's Web site we expected the installation of the right "C" clip to be hard, but it went it very easily. The assembly lube was key in keeping the parts together so they didn't fall out.. As for the center gap measurement it was right @ 0.145" (I had 4.10s recently installed with all new bearings so expected this).

We took the truck for a spin and could only hear a slight thump thump when turning.. Jim looked at me and I looked at him and we both wondered if the diff was locking up. We drove across the street to a cemetery and drove around for a bit and we could only detect a very slight noise when turning. The rear felt 100% normal and I couldn't tell if it was locked or not :scratch: We found a dirt area out back and did a low power brake stand and both rear wheels throw up dirt . Convinced it worked we then went home, packed up some gear and headed for the trail to really try it out.. It exceeded my expectations both on and off road. Two thumbs up for :notworthy Aussie Lockers