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OX locker making "ticking/pinging" noise?

tayman

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Niceville, FL
I pretty recently installed an OX locker, and 4.88's in my Dana 44. When I go around any kind of corner (yeah, on dirt) with it engaged, I get a sharp "ping/harsh tick" that I can hear/feel through the shifter. It's almost like the locking ring is differentiating when it shouldn't be. Is my cable out of adjustment? How do I make sure it IS adjusted right? it's hard to tell by the instructions OX gives.
 
Check your cable by jacking up one front wheel, disengaging with cable and see if you can turn the wheel, re-engage with cable and see if you cannot turn the wheel.

Make sure that you not only shift the cable, but re-tighten spin the knob which fine tunes your engagement. After a while it will come to you easily. The Ox people are very helpful on phone calls.
 
well, I know it is engaging. that's what is weird to me. I know it's engaging, but only "mostly". like it's slipping under a load.
 
It sounds to me like it is differentiating like it is supposed to.

When you go around a corner, any locker will differentiate if the ground speed of the outside tire is greater than the inside tire.

If power/rpm from the driveshaft isn't enough to keep the diff gears/center pin of the diff locked in place, then the outside tire will spin faster than the inside to make the turn because it is covering more ground in the same amount of time.

If power/rpm from the driveshaft is enough to keep the diff gears/pin engaged, then both tires will turn the same speed, and the inside tire will slip/spin enough to match the outside tire's rpm.

That being said, if this is happening on dirt, you should be spinning the inside tire, unless you are coasting or slowing down thru the turn

the difference in tire speed with reference to the ground will be more noticeable on a rear axle than on a front
 
there's a problem with your theory:
An OX locker is not a differentiating locker. When you lock the OX it is supposed to act like a spool. It is not an automatic locker, which DOES differentiate.
 
Theory is correct, just never realized the ox was built the way it is so yer right, it shouldn't apply in this case. Anyway, it seems your original guesses may be right based on this from their FAQ page.

It is very likely that your locker is not fully engaged. This can be caused by two conditions:
The cable may be out of adjustment thus not permitting a full locker engagement. To insure proper adjustment consult the installation instructions found under the "SUPPORT" tab of the OX-USA website. Select the applicable locker from the instructions and adjust the cable as described within these instructions.

The other possible condition that is preventing full locker engagement is that the shifting cable is too short. With large axle deflections the cable may be pulled and the cable is disengaging the locker. A longer cable may have to be installed. When installing the cable insure there is enough "service loop" within the cable run to permit for axle deflections. If the cable is secured too tightly to surrounding structure and lacks freedom of movement with axle movement, locker disengagement may occur.
 
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Yeah, it was out of adjustment... I think I still need a LITTLE more throw, but it's engaging solidly now. Before the teeth were barely catching.
 
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