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Aussie locker noise?

xjtrailrider

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
Roanoke VA
I just installed my Aussie in the d-30 and it is functioning correct but on a moderate to sharp turn it is clunking loud, much more than just a click. I set up diffs all the time and have done many lockers(not lunch boxes, only detriots) and have never experienced this noise.

I used Lucas 85-140 and I also installed my new shafts and 760 joints, they seem to be fine. I know the locker is installed correctly, is this something that will go away in time or is it a bad unit.

I called Torque Masters and haven't gotten a return call from thier tech.
 
they make noise. sometimes I hear it, sometimes I don't. They work well offroad. Just turn up the radio!
 
Thanks mjma, but this thing sounds like its breaking the shafts. I still haven't heard back from Torque Masters. I just called them and they said they would call me back as soon as possible.

I'm losing faith in thier customer service.
 
Well, if their customer service Dept. is based in australia, I would give them a day or so to get back to you.

I have one in the rear, and sometimes it is loud...but I wouldn't say that it sounds like it's breaking a shaft. It's just a clicking noise and it changes frequency with the radius of the turn and your speed. Sometimes I notice it, sometimes I don't. I guess with the front though the sounds may be a little more irratic, since you've got the Ujoints to factor into play and so the shafts do not move at a constant velocity, the speed up and slow down really quickly all the time.

My friend has a no-slip in the front and it doesn't make any noise...or atleast we can't hear it inside, when driving in 2wheel drive on the road.
 
I just got off the phone with the owner of Toque Masters and he said this is not normal, A tech is going to call me back in the morning.

The sound is exactly like a broken front axle u-joint. I know its not, I just put in new outer/inner shafts and new 760 last night.
 
get rid of the u-joints and go to cv's, its well worth it, did you install everything right, they do make some clicking noices but nothing too loud
 
In sharp sharp turns like turning into a parking spot they do seem to get louder than just a click. Have you had it in 4lo yet? You'll notixe it then too, but the traction is great. Now if its banging like you feel something is about to bust, yeah something wrong.

I solved this by going from BFG KOs to real tires and now they are so loud I never hear the front locker, lol.
 
Thanks everyone, here is a update.

I talked with Torque Masters chief engineer, he also designed another locker, i can't remember which one.

Anyway he reviewed my assembly to make sure everything was correct and then had me do a few tests which all turned out correct. It appears that some of these lockers are just noisier out of the box than others.

He recommended a couple of hundred street miles for a break in and felt very confident that the noise will go away for the most part.

I'm impressed with Torque Masters handling of my questions/concerns, the delay to get back to me was caused by the answering service giving them the wrong area code for me. I talked to the owner and the chief engineer both of which were very helpful.

Thats good customer service.
 
the few aussies ive installed havn't been too loud out of the box, but have quieted down to the point where in the cab you dont hear them. so maybe yours is just needing a good break in. id say after about 200 miles, or about 10-15 days she should start to quiet down
 
xjtrailrider said:
I talked with Torque Masters chief engineer, he also designed another locker, i can't remember which one.

Lock Right

My Aussie in my 30 is very quiet and smooth, but took a little while to break in. It never felt like it was going to break anything though.

One I recently installed in a D44 Rear was quite loud, but after breaking in it has quieted down a lot.
 
Mine was a little loud at first but after a weekend of wheeling its gotten much better. I am very happy with my Aussie, beats the hell out of the tru-trac I had.
 
xalexjx said:
you should never be locked into 4wd on pavement, if you do your just asking to break things

Your reading comprehension sucks. Stay quiet n00b.
 
wishihad1 said:
the few aussies ive installed havn't been too loud out of the box, but have quieted down to the point where in the cab you dont hear them. so maybe yours is just needing a good break in. id say after about 200 miles, or about 10-15 days she should start to quiet down


Well mine has 400-500 on it and I still hear it. I'd say it takes awhile to break in. Of course when I say I hear it its with no music on and creeping around a curve.
 
use it for a while, after driving it a few hundred miles it should quiet down, if it is really loud i would call aussie again
 
Last edited:
Update. Ive got a couple hundred miles on it now and its getting worse. The front tires chirp on sharp turns to the left, it clicks as normal when turning right. It will lock in and out on the road going straight? My steering is super tight, and on top of that my Jeep since the install seems to be down on power and is using more gas.

I set up this diff a year ago and it has run fine since untill the install of the locker. at the time of the set-up everything was new; gears, carrier, bearings, inner/outer shafts, 760x u-joints, unit bearings.

Things I have checked;

I've pulled the carrier/locker and re-checked the locker set-up with Aussies engineer on the phone going through the checks with me. All is as it should be. After re-installing it I called him again and we did all of the checks on the locker that you would do before you drive it the first time, all good.
I'm running Lucas 85-140 which is Aussie's recommended fluid. I also checked to make sure that the T-case is fully disengaged and it is.

Its still not a "Silent Operation" like others post on here. It does sound like its breaking my axle shafts every time I turn the wheels tight. I have not tried it off-road yet due to the fact I have no confidence that it will not fail, or cause something else to fail off-road.

I'm hoping that they will just give me my money back, I'm going OX or at least TruTrac.
 
Mine didn't act right until I went offroad. Go find a field or something and do some driving in 4wd, turning circles etc. Technicaly its still not been used, go use it and see if it changes.
 
BlueCuda said:
Mine didn't act right until I went offroad. Go find a field or something and do some driving in 4wd, turning circles etc. Technicaly its still not been used, go use it and see if it changes.

Thats basically all thats keeping from pulling it back out. Our local club will be going out next weekend, I'm going to push it hard then and see what happens. I have a set of spare shafts in the Heep if I brake one, hopefully I won't need them.
 
My Aussie in a HP D-30 with 4.56's made one helluva racket when turning hard left. i returned it and put in a Lock-Right...now i just have normal ratcheting.

The customer service from Torq-Masters is second to none! I really wish that the Aussie had worked for me, but you know Jeeps, count on nothing to be the same! lol
TM was very helpful and easy to deal with, i would not hesitate to buy their 8.25 29 spline when it is released.
HTH -B
 
boomhauer said:
My Aussie in a HP D-30 with 4.56's made one helluva racket when turning hard left. i returned it and put in a Lock-Right...now i just have normal ratcheting.

The customer service from Torq-Masters is second to none! I really wish that the Aussie had worked for me, but you know Jeeps, count on nothing to be the same! lol
TM was very helpful and easy to deal with, i would not hesitate to buy their 8.25 29 spline when it is released.
HTH -B

I agree, they are great people to deal with, I really hope to solve this issue.

I ran it and wheeled some more today and it is getting better.
 
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