Lockers??

[tvoss]

From what I have read, the Yukon sounds pretty tough. However, you have convinced me that for only $200 extra, I will start with an OEM locker in the rear. Just not worth the hassle if it breaks.

DUG - If I was doing one piece at a time, I would put the locker in first and then get the hubs. As Travis has said, you might not even notice the locker is there.

 

[kwiksilver]

There are several M35A2's out here with hubs on the center axle. One in particular is considered one of the baddest offroaders around- and the owner takes no prisoners when he offroads. Never a glitch, no issues and no failure that I know of--- and an upgrade that is on my long term upgrade list.

Is there some info that can be had? I'd like to check it out.

 

[rongaudier]

i'd be extremely warey of a super-cheap locker. the rear of a deuce off-road is going to take a brutal beating because of the scrub and bind between the two axles, even unloaded. that means they will be locking and unlocking in a [driveline] loaded situation often and rapidly. if the locker is inferior, it will not survive a long life. if...

i'd put my money on a proven name if you were in the market now. if not in a hurry, then wait and see what the world says about the Yukon.


And if I was planning hard-core offroading I would go along with that. This truck is going to be used primarily for utilitarian purposes like pulling down dead trees and dragging them to the burn pile and hauling dirt and rock around. I don't think it will be subject to any where near the stresses some of you guys subject yours to.

 

[DUG]

From what I have read, the Yukon sounds pretty tough. However, you have convinced me that for only $200 extra, I will start with an OEM locker in the rear. Just not worth the hassle if it breaks.

DUG - If I was doing one piece at a time, I would put the locker in first and then get the hubs. As Travis has said, you might not even notice the locker is there.

The front hubs are coming first. They will get me the most BANG for my buck, considering this is mainly a street driven truck.

I've also toyed with the idea of buying a spare rear axle from Hundy (he seems to have a lot of them for some reason) and completely going through it before adding a locker and swapping it into the truck. Then going through the one that just came out.

The front would be done when I did the locker since getting a spare is too expensive.

This is a project I expect to do over an 18 month to 2 year time frame.

 

[patracy]

Dug, for the money, you'd be better served buying a in-crate axle that has been rebuilt already. The seals and bearings get very pricey when you start trying to put together a rebuild kit.

 

[DUG]

Dug, for the money, you'd be better served buying a in-crate axle that has been rebuilt already. The seals and bearings get very pricey when you start trying to put together a rebuild kit.

Good suggestion, but........

Soldier B doesn't learn much that way and doing it in the garage allows us to piece it together on a budget - even if the final cost is higher than buying a fresh one.

Hundy has VERY fair prices on used axles. And at the very end (if we ever get to the end) I can sell my last axle and get a couple bucks back.

Mainly though, it's about Soldier B's training.

I am surprised about how many young men have no idea how to turn a wrench of any kind. It was funny watching my daughter teach one of her boyfriends to drive a stick and changing the oil in another one's car.

Soldier B might not go into auto/truck repair as a job, but he won't be getting ripped off on repairs.

A man that can't change his own oil (because he doesn't know how) isn't much of a man IMHO.

 

[patracy]

Even with the crate axle, you're still going to open it up to install the locker. You'll just save money by not having to buy the bearings and seals. As I recall, I was looking at re-sealing my front pinion seals and replacing the bearings. Just for the two bearings and seals needed that was going to be over $200. You'd be close to $1K I'm sure when everything is said and done replacing all the bearings and seals in the axles. When you could pick up a crate axle for that or less. If you bought a second axle you'd have to consider all the costs (seals, bearings, axle, cleaning chemicals). The other bonus of a crate axle is the fact you've got a clean axle ready to go. Getting these 40+ year old gaskets removed can be a bit of work on their own.

 

[mudguppy]

... This truck is going to be used primarily for utilitarian purposes like pulling down dead trees and dragging them to the burn pile and hauling dirt and rock around. I don't think it will be subject to any where near the stresses some of you guys subject yours to.

don't forget that most rockwell 'upgrade' parts are for trail, mud, and crawling buggies that offroaders use these axles for.

what you may call 'extreme offroad use' for a rockwell axle in a 5000 lb buggy may not be as stressful as 'utilitarian puroses' such as hauling 8000 lbs of rock in a 13000 lb truck.

just saying.

 

[hdexpert]

Well said Doug!! It seems as though each generation looses some mechanical apptitude or interest. But they sure can play the @%# out of a video game, tweet,text and facebook till they're blue in the face. The current crop of teens need constant stimulation. The cases of ADD and ADHD are on the rise.OK, rant off!!

 

[oldMan99]

Good suggestion, but........

Soldier B doesn't learn much that way and doing it in the garage allows us to piece it together on a budget - even if the final cost is higher than buying a fresh one.

Hundy has VERY fair prices on used axles. And at the very end (if we ever get to the end) I can sell my last axle and get a couple bucks back.

On selling the last one: Why not disassemble it, clean/inspect all the parts. Scrap anything no longer serviceable, paint the housing and anything else needing painting and then clean, pack and label everything else and store it for future use as spare parts? No, you won't recover any cost that way, but having a complete assembly (in parts) standing by might just come in handy some day...

Mainly though, it's about Soldier B's training.

Good on you Dad. More Dads need to spend time with their kids like that. As a country we would be much better off.

I am surprised about how many young men have no idea how to turn a wrench of any kind. It was funny watching my daughter teach one of her boyfriends to drive a stick and changing the oil in another one's car.

Umm... how old is this Mrs. Goodwrench?? She single??

Soldier B might not go into auto/truck repair as a job, but he won't be getting ripped off on repairs.

From the sounds of it, Mrs Goodwrench will not be getting ripped off on repairs either!

A man that can't change his own oil (because he doesn't know how) isn't much of a man IMHO.

Not wanting to for whatever reason no problem. But not knowing how to do something as simple as change oil... I have to agree. Useless.

Even worse are the putzes that have no idea how to change a flat tire, or add windshield washer fluid... or even how check the oil level, much less change it!!!

Obviously there are plenty of guys that spent no time with their Dad's in the garage with a wrench in their hand.....

 

[baxter]

As a high school teacher I totally agree with how inept the kids today are I think my 6yr old son is more mechanically inclined than these high school kids. I can tell my son the size wrench I need and he can go to the shop and get it crawl under the truck with me and help hold the bolt and he loves every minute of the time together so im doing it while he still likes hangin out with dad.

Vaughn

 

[hndrsonj]

DUG, If it was me I'd just gather all the parts to do an axle (including brakes) and just do them one at a time on the truck. You should be able to do one axle at a time in a day. I wouldn't replace bearings unless there is a problem when inspecting them. You could also replace the U-joints one driveshaft at a time to ensure you have a solid driveline. In the perfect world 3 air lockers would be the setup to have (in my opinion). Last, and I know you won't-DON'T weld the gears. (and take alot of pics)

 

[DUG]

As a high school teacher I totally agree with how inept the kids today are I think my 6yr old son is more mechanically inclined than these high school kids. I can tell my son the size wrench I need and he can go to the shop and get it crawl under the truck with me and help hold the bolt and he loves every minute of the time together so im doing it while he still likes hangin out with dad.

Vaughn

If he can do that at 6, you won't even be needed when he is 10. By 14 he will be figuring out stuff for you.

 

[spicergear]

Well...you have options to look at aside from lockers that help with traction bigtime. Tires are one. There is an enormous difference between tires with a full center rib (that will help you get stuck on a wet leaf) or tires with a more open tread will add heaps of traction to the truck. Another thing is singling out the truck so that you now have 4 tires in the rear to actually have some load FOR traction instead of 8 helping divide the weight and float out your chance of traction.

Personally, after the truck would be singled for better traction (with like 14.5R 20 or 395 or 15.50's...) I'd go front axle Detroit or Ouverson locker then lockouts. There is a LOT of wasted traction on the front seeings how there is a LOT of weight to help bite in for traction to drag you out. Then, middle axle locker Detroit or Ouverson with lockout so there would be a near unaffected drive from that tandem basically floating. Then, *maybe* the rear axle but because that's pushing all the time then...a Detroit or Ouverson would eat up your tires as it would locked all the time except up deceleration...soooo, having five meaty singles for traction isn't quite as good as six but its sure as heck a mountain of traction more than then NDT's with a slick rib in the center. Oh, and getting back to that sixth drive wheel...is it worth the cost of a selectable locker (air basically) for that one gummy to grip? $1000 plus the labor-?-?

 

[shovelheadmike]

ARB doesn't replace the entire pumpkin. It only replaces the diff carrier. You still have to break it down and install and modify the pumpkin.

What I was trying to get at was that it appeared.to me that there woild be less.shop time to pay for with the ARBs than any of the automatic lockers with less.work on the center carrier (which is entirely replaced with ARB).

 

[DUG]

What I was trying to get at was that it appeared.to me that there woild be less.shop time to pay for with the ARBs than any of the automatic lockers with less.work on the center carrier (which is entirely replaced with ARB).

We don't pay for shop time. We turn our own wrenches.

 

[jesusgatos]

Last, and I know you won't-DON'T weld the gears.

Just wondering, what's your objection to welding-up the diff? A full spool from OEM costs $500 and welding-up the diff is free. If you're only doing this on one of the rear axles, say the middle, and that axle would not be driven on-road (free-wheeling), what's the problem?

 

[patracy]

What I was trying to get at was that it appeared.to me that there woild be less.shop time to pay for with the ARBs than any of the automatic lockers with less.work on the center carrier (which is entirely replaced with ARB).

There's more work in installing a ARB over a Detroit. While the center carrier for the diff and bull gear is replaced. You also have to drill and tap the housing for air and install the bull gear on the new setup. Along with bearings and adjusting everything.

The Detroit is basically, tear down, drop out the carrier and bull gear, remove bull gear and split diff case, swap spider gears for locker, then reassemble.

 

[Billy Bobbed]

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/57946-installing-yukon-locker.html


This is how I installed my yukon locker.

 

[DUG]

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/57946-installing-yukon-locker.html


This is how I installed my yukon locker.

Good on you man, but I would have just pulled that bed off. Me and soldier b pulled the bed off of a M105 just to upgrade to the more modern braking system. Did it with a single hi lift jack and some saw horses.