locker popping

Ok i really didnt want to post this cause last couple of threads i posted i got flamed for know reason. I posted on some smaller local sites to get answers first but found nothing.

About a month ago i installed a dana 30 quick lock lunchbox locker. I drove it for about 2 weeks on the streets with it. When i final hit the trails in 4hi and 4lo it popped like a crazy. It seemed like it kept wanting to disingage when i gave it gas. I pulled the front apart to see if i did something wrong and everything looked fine. Any ideas on what i did wrong or anything?

93 XJ 5 speed, stock 3.05 gears.

I know that lunch box lockers start doing that when they get old. Either they ground off enough,(hard to see) or the springs may be loose. Did you buy this new or used?

lastaraWell then Flame on.:firedevil

Seriously man, let us see some pics of the gears and everything. I just got to wondering, did you have it lined up correctly when you installed it? I dont know about that locker, but i know on the noslips, there was a notch you had to have one way on the right, and one way on the left, just to make everything line up so it would ratchet correctly.

does it ratchet, or release when you are up on stands? or when you are up on stands does it even lockup?

KSXJ said:

I know that lunch box lockers start doing that when they get old. Either they ground off enough,(hard to see) or the springs may be loose. Did you buy this new or used?

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Im pretty sure he bought this new just the other day.

I helped a friend wth his after he had the same problem, took it apart and cleaned it all up really well and made sure all his springs were the same size. found out one wasnt and that solved the problem. his was in a 35 though

NighthawkXJ said:

Im pretty sure he bought this new just the other day.

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Good, I hoped he didn't buy it used, cause at least where it bought it should replace if something is wrong.

dzraces said:

I helped a friend wth his after he had the same problem, took it apart and cleaned it all up really well and made sure all his springs were the same size. found out one wasnt and that solved the problem. his was in a 35 though

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I knew a guy with the same problem.

i bought it new i pulled back apart today hoping i would fine something wrong. i checked the axle shaft teath and they looked good. reinstalled it and still popped.

Is the gap per spec,it looks like alot of space there.Did you use the thrust washers?

Did you put the cross shaft back in? I can’t see the shaft in the picture
If that’s not in that would explain the very large gap in the assembly and the malfunction

The pics do not show it fully installed, the pics where taken as he took it out, and put it back in, not fully assembled yet. I have done some searching for josh, and found that this is a very very common problem with the quickloc lockers. over on the ih8mud forums, there are several guys with toyotas that say when in the rear, properly installed, the truck would not even move, just ratchet.

The fix for them was to use thicker thrush washers. Josh does have the set of thrush washers installed that were on the spider gears he took out. Some time tomorow, we are going to take the locker out, and put in anouther pair of washers and see if that works. If it does work all the way, or at least help, then we will try to track down some thicker washers as needed to make it so he is only running one washer on either side.

Does anyone have an idea of where we could pick up some thicker washers? Or what would the damage be if we just used two or three washers on each side, as needed to make the locker work?

Multiple shims is not a problem but you will have to do it equally on both sides to keep it centered to the crosspin.

right, i understand. We now have 2 sets from a xj, and on set from a tj to try. The ones from the tj look a little thicker to me, but thats just eye balling them i have not put the digi calipers to them yet to see what the real story is. But we will keep you posted as we get into it, just incase someone else has the same problem.