How to: D35 C-clip Eliminator, Made Easy

[little x]

If you don't do this and break a shaft on the trail you'll have to drop the pumpkin so you can remove the cover and take out the c-clip to change the shaft. If you've eliminated the c-clip all you have to do is pop off the hub and remove the old shaft.

 

[Maniak]

If you don't do this and break a shaft on the trail you'll have to drop the pumpkin so you can remove the cover and take out the c-clip to change the shaft. If you've eliminated the c-clip all you have to do is pop off the hub and remove the old shaft.

Actually, its pop the hub off, then pull the caliper, rotor and spindle.. then it'll come off. Of course, that assumes you have the tire off already

~Mark

 

[little x]

Actually, its pop the hub off, then pull the caliper, rotor and spindle.. then it'll come off. Of course, that assumes you have the tire off already

~Mark

I realized I've simplified it. Point being: the pumpkin doesn't need to come down.

 

[offroadohio]

Anyone had any locker issues after this?

Ive taken out 3 aussies since I did the c clip eliminator mod Prior to this my aussie had been in for over 2 years.

 

[Tbars4]

...What spring were you using???

 

[offroadohio]

Im running the spring discussed at the beginiing of this thread. I did the c clip eliminator in januray. 2 trips later broke the spring an dpins and stripped a side gear in the aussie, chucked it up to a worn out aussie.. Put a new one in everything on the aussie is within secs next trip out broke the pins again, aussie replaced them, lasted a few trips and then broke again and took out another side gear, aussie replaced the entire locker. put it in friday, broke something in there again saturday, hevent pulled it apart yet to check.

 

[Tbars4]

...I did some searching on some other Forums and couldn't find any other failures of lockers with C-Clip eliminators, either internal or external...

...I'm not saying that this isn't impossible for this to happen, I just haven't seen this problem before..After hearing of this I will keep my ears open..

...I have over the years seen Aussie locker problems that were commonly related to not being set up within Aussies specs...

...Have you set up the C-clip eliminator exactly like shown in the first post, using all the exact parts, in the same exact locations??

 

[offroadohio]

My original locker was in there for 6 years( if I recall right) when it broke so I assumed it was just old and tired. Ive had it for a little over 2 years. It was the original ford d35 locker, When my buddy ordered a the locker aussie listed it was to big for the carrier, he took the measurments of the carrier and uassie sent out the "prototype" We installed it to thier specs. When you buy a new aussie they send you a write up from wanderer of rrorc.com That very locker is the one I broke after my c clip eliminator. (sheared the cross pins and stripped a side gear) I dont think it was improperly spaced if it took 6 years to happen. The springs and pins had been replaced on it once before becuase it was starting to not engage, but theyd never broken before.

the new locker I set up and recorded all specs, when the pisn failed I called aussie and gave them my specs and they repalced them.

When the next set failed and took out a side gear I called them and told them about the previous problem so they replaced the entire locker.

Pulled the new one today, pins are not broken but onf of the side gears is stripped. I have the good parts from my original locker so im not calling assuie im going to fix it with an old part, order a set of springs and pins just in case and put my clip back in and see what happens.

If it breaks then its obviously not in my c clip eliminator. Which BTW is setup identicla to whats pictured, ive never had any issues with them on other rigs.

 

[Tbars4]

...Thanks for the info and update...

...I did some more searching and have yet to find locker failures with c-clip eliminators...Trust me, I am very interested in this and will be searching for more failures..I know people have run these for years with front lockers and no problems but I would hate to loose one of my front lockers too...

...Hopefully others will chime in if they also have info to front locker failures with c-clip eliminators also installed...

 

[offroadohio]

Decided to go ahead and call aussie just to get thier take on possible cuases.
Aussie said the only way the c clip eliminator could cuase it is if the spring isnt holding enough tension and is letting the axle slip out and cock sideways a little and tiwsitng the locker with it enough to let a pin pull out to far. ( basically the locker could be twistign and closing the gap on oneside and opening it on the other which is taking tension off two of the springs) Which makes complete sense to me


Currently my cam gears are spaced at .150 which is how the aussie installed locker I repalced in MAy was too. Guy on the phone said that is PERFECT spacing but suggested I tighten it up just a little and try tightening the tension on the eliminator spring.

I'm going to try whats been suggested and keep the eliminator.


On another note I found a spring that is a tiny bit bigger diameter than the echo spring. Its about an inch longer also. It comes from a power stroke oil filter check valve, which is located under the filter. When changing the oil in one at work one day the spring shot out at me and we had to order a new check valve in for the guy. I kept the spring becuase it looked similar to the echo spring. I dug it out since I had my front end apart and here are the comparisons.

The one on the shaft is the oil filter spring

There isnt much room to tighten the "tension" on the echo spring becuase the axle necks down. I think running this spring should allow for more tension adjustment.

 

[Tbars4]

...Thanks for the info...

...What is the pounds per inch on that spring?

 

[offroadohio]

No idea on that. I have no way of checking it. It feels to be close to the echo spring but not quite as stiff

 

[KPSquared]

The simple ghetto way to measure that new spring is just set it on a bathroom scale with a ruler, push down and see how many pounds it takes to compress it an inch...

Unless I'm mistaken, that is the basic concept. If you've found another spring option, that would be GREAT because the echo spring was a PITA to find...

I've got all the parts for my c-clip eliminator and the aussie locker sitting on the shelf waiting to go in... hope I can avoid these same problems...

 

[Maniak]

The simple ghetto way to measure that new spring is just set it on a bathroom scale with a ruler, push down and see how many pounds it takes to compress it an inch...

Unless I'm mistaken, that is the basic concept. If you've found another spring option, that would be GREAT because the echo spring was a PITA to find...

I've got all the parts for my c-clip eliminator and the aussie locker sitting on the shelf waiting to go in... hope I can avoid these same problems...

That exactly how I measured it, only I used a USPS scale at the office with the ruler.

One thing to watch for though is how short will the new spring get? If it is longer when compressed than the echo spring you might have issues when getting near full stuff. People who use the small internal spring already run into an issue there (blow out the end of the axle cap), but so far no one running the external spring is having issue (that I know of) at full stuff.

~Mark

 

[Tbars4]

4x4chevette, any updates on this?

 

[offroadohio]

Spring compresses farther than the echo spring. However i did not get the spring rate, but Ive been playing around on my 30acres to make sure the locker and all is working,

Locker is working great ( havent hear any clicks yet) and the new spring I am running is keeping the axle in like its supposed to.

 

[Slowlyvverot]

Let me get this straight: you do not have to remove the TTB assembly to gain access to the inside of the front differential? Is that correct?

edit: nevermind. The pictures in the first post weren't showing up before. I understand it all now! haha

 

[Tbars4]

...And post #5 has info how to remove the pumpkin for those whom haven't done it before...

 

[little x]

How do you remove the roller pin from the cross shaft? It is deeper then the lip of the dif. housing so I can't get a punch in there.

 

[Tbars4]

...I would use something like a dental pick if I understand your question...