Powertrax locker question

[chad551]

I have had my powertrax locker in my ST for over 7-8 months.

My question is it makes an incredibly loud metal to metal pop sometimes. Almost as if the rear end has just broke. It has actually scared a couple people when it happens. It mainly happens when I back out of my driveway and turn 90 degrees to go straight on the road. When I put it in drive and take off BANG!!!!!! and then everything is fine. I have been able to duplicate it once or twice, but it is somewhat of uneasy feeling when I hear it.

Another time was when I was making a 90 degree turn into a parking that was uphill, I had to stop so the guys could direct me where to park, when I took off from the stop, BANG!!! and it scared the guy as well. He said it sounded like a leaf spring broke.

Is this normal? And I have not yet taken off the diff cover to see if there are issues.

Thanks,
Chad

 

[IZwack]

They do bang bang bang as the gears with the small flat "teeth" overcome the springs and slide against each other.

I have an Aussie, which is just a little bit different than the PowerTrax in execution (teeth angle is the biggest and probably most important difference) but same overall concept and design. While the Aussie doesnt make that big of a bang, I do hear it clicking away on drive pavement when the lockouts are in the LOCK position (this is for a front D44).

 

[trj360]

i have front and rear aussies and they click all the time except when going straight. i did hear an extremely loud scary bang when rolling it out of the garage but no loud noises since.

 

[mounty71]

I'm just curious, i thought one of the selling points of the powertrax no-slip was that it was supposed to be quieter than other lockers, and not supposed to 'ratchet' around corners.

 

[RangerX]

My question is it makes an incredibly loud metal to metal pop sometimes. Almost as if the rear end has just broke. It has actually scared a couple people when it happens. It mainly happens when I back out of my driveway and turn 90 degrees to go straight on the road. When I put it in drive and take off BANG!!!!!! and then everything is fine. I have been able to duplicate it once or twice, but it is somewhat of uneasy feeling when I hear it.

Another time was when I was making a 90 degree turn into a parking that was uphill, I had to stop so the guys could direct me where to park, when I took off from the stop, BANG!!! and it scared the guy as well. He said it sounded like a leaf spring broke.

Sounds like you're describing my Lock-Rite! I believe it's normal.

 

[chad551]

Thank for the replies. Although I never hear a ratcheting sound, just the load bang every once in a while.

Chad

 

[JDraper]

Mine does that to. It happens when you either apply enough force to overcome the locking mechanism or you catch it partially engaged when you apply power in a corner. It's normal.

 

[brianjwilson]

Same with the Aussie in the rear of mine. I can hear the normal "ratcheting" with the windows down in a parking lot, but I too get the loud bang occasionally. Seems most common if I'm driving a lot on the freeway with constant power. Keeps the locker locked, and eventually something has to give. On dry pavement with hot tires at 65mph, it's usually the locker. Just skips over a tooth to release the torsional force. You can normally feel it when it does it too. I'm pretty sure it's normal. First time it happened on the freeway I about **** myself as I thought for sure it broke and I was losing an axle or something.
I try to completely let off the gas every now and then to let the pressure off, seems to happen less.