Homemade Posi-Lok (NP231 axle)

[Nevada City Sparky]

Greetings, I was looking for a link or info on the homemade Posi-lok. Unfortunately, everyone is linking to the same earthlink page, which is no longer around (yes, I searched a LOT). Anyone have the details they could send me?

It seems like basically we replace the Shift motor with a cable. Biggest issue seems to me to be what tiny parts I'd need.

I have a hard time paying $200 for the kit.

Someone tell me why its worth so much more than converting an old disco motor. I can get those all day for ~$10 at the junkyard.

 

[wolfpackjeeper]

so where in the hell did you get an NP231 Axle from? Sounds like an interesting beast.

 

[s7tech]

www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=595515
If you search homemade posi lock on google you will find a lot of ways that people have done it.
Danny

 

[Nevada City Sparky]

www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=595515
If you search homemade posi lock on google you will find a lot of ways that people have done it.
Danny

Awesome! Thanks. I never thought to check outside . Duh.

 

[Nevada City Sparky]

so where in the hell did you get an NP231 Axle from? Sounds like an interesting beast.

Ha. Ha. Indeed. I mentioned the transfer case to indicate the split-axle.

 

[iancross]

best thing to do is go to a bicycle shop and get a long shift or brake cable. Drill a hole in the housing, then one in the fork. I took the actual vacuum motor apart and put a spring in it so it would go back on its own and not stop halfway or whatever. I had to bore it out a little but it works great. Then just make a lever for it. I spent a total of $12 on it.

 

[cherokee chuck]

A big advantage to a home made Posi-Loc is when the cable gets wasted you can buy a new one for a couple of bucks. They don't sell the cables seperately. If you waste one [& they do get damaged] you have to buy a whole new kit or fab a cable out of something else.

 

[kidarkitect]

Besides getting rid of the vacuum actuator, what benefits do these have? Some posts I've seen make it sound like they're using these instead of lockers. That doesn't make sense to me bcuz you still have an open diff right? These (vacuum act. and posi-lock) are basically
just an in-cabin version of locking hubs right?
Sorry Nevada City Sparky, not trying to jack your thread, just seemed like a good place to ask.

 

[emr1101]

so where in the hell did you get an NP231 Axle from? Sounds like an interesting beast.

hahahaa

 

[Blaine B.]

There's no real reason to the vacuum disconnect except to stop the driveshaft from spinning, and the benefit of 2wd low.

You can just shim over the fork with washers to engage the shaft all of the time like the newer D30's without the vacuum motor. Or you can convert over to the 1 piece axle shaft, but you have to add the correct seal in the differential as the seal in the vacuum housing is larger for the larger diameter split-shaft.

 

[WrenchMonkey]

Besides getting rid of the vacuum actuator, what benefits do these have? Some posts I've seen make it sound like they're using these instead of lockers. That doesn't make sense to me bcuz you still have an open diff right? These (vacuum act. and posi-lock) are basically
just an in-cabin version of locking hubs right?
Sorry Nevada City Sparky, not trying to jack your thread, just seemed like a good place to ask.

You're right. They're not used as a front locker, but oftentime with a front locker.

A locked front axle can be a bitch to manuever in 4wd, and selectables are both expensive and tempermental.

So the posi-lock serves as a cheap, low-tech way to disengage that locked axle...

(I used a vacuum switch on mine instead of the cable, but the effect is the same, and I love it!)

Robert