Car Repair Help

If you want to get your 4WD bogged you will. No matter how many traction devices you have, you’ll still have the axles on the ground and wheels spinning. But with common sense as your guide and a cliff locker installed you have a more than equal chance of getting where you want to go off-road in tricky traction situations.

A diff-locker such as 4WD Systems’ Lock-Right is a set and forget locker. It allows power to both wheels equally but also automatically disengages for cornering, where the inner and outer wheel on the axle will travel an unequal distance.

For the Lock-Right, 4WD Systems offer a two-year unlimited kilometre warranty backed by a large distribution network.

The Lock-Right is suitable for a wide range of 4WDs, and the list of vehicles it will fit is growing monthly. The Lock-Right can be fitted by any competent DIY person in about two hours. It fits inside the standard differential carrier and is quick and easy to fit due to its simplicity. Even though each kit has instructions supplied, we’re going to take you through the 11 steps to Lock-Right installation. All it needs is one person and some basic tools. It’s that simple.

1. Removing the axle from the hubs

In order to remove the differential carrier both axles need to be pulled clear from the internal side gears (and away from the hub) just enough so the splines no longer mesh, allowing the diff to be pulled clear in step 2. Usually only 100 mm is required. In this case the six bolts on each axle are undone.

2. Removing the diff housing Banjo from the axle housing

The four bolts holding the tailshaft to the flange on the diff are removed and the tailshaft put out of harm’s way.

The 10 bolts holding the Banjo in place are removed and after either draining the oil or ensuring that a suitable sized container is placed underneath to catch the oil, the seal on the diff is broken and the Banjo (which can be a heavy item) is removed.

3. Diff removed from vehicle

The original components can be seen clearly with the diff out of the vehicle. Side (axle) gears with splines, pinion or spider gears, cup washers, thrust (side gear) washers and cross-shafts. Most of these pans will be replaced by Lock-Righl components.

4. Removing cross shaft

The cross shaft has to be removed to allow spider gear removal. Rotate the carrier by turning the flange or crown wheel in the housing so that access to the cross shaft and retaining bolt (some diffs have a pin instead) can be made. The retaining bolt is undone by hand and removed (sometimes a light tap with a hammer is required) and internal gears are now loose and can be removed. Note that the carrier is not removed from the Banjo, the crown wheel stays in position and the bearings, caps and their adjustment remain untouched.

5. Removal of spider gears and side gears

The spider gear is rotated slightly and can be removed out of the hole in the open case. Continue to remove the other spider gear and then the two side (axle) gears. Make sure the thrust washers on the back of the side gears are removed and inspected. Providing they are in good shape they can be reinstalled with the new Lock-Right components. It is recommended that all parts are cleaned, and inspected for damage or excessive wear. Any metal chips should be removed.

6. Empty case

The case should be empty and ready for Lock-Right component installation.

7.  Fitting the Lock-Right – coupler gears first

All Lock-Right parts, especially in the driver gear holes and spring pairs, should be coated with grease, preferably high temperature bearing grease, which acts as a glue to hold parts together during assembly. The coupler gear and the original thrust washer for each side are installed, first on the crown wheel side, then the other side. Use of the correct washer (the original equipment washer) is essential to ensure the proper tolerances are maintained.

8.  Fitting the Lock-Right — driver gears, spacers and pins

The two driver gears are greased and the pins are placed into each of the windowed holes, the spacer blocks are placed inside the centre bore of the driver gears, and they are individually placed into position with the teeth mating. There should be sufficient space for the second driver gear to slide into place. The grease holding it together makes this part of the process quite easy.

9. Fitting stainless steel springs

The Lock-Right now needs to have the pins aligned and the four pairs of bias springs inserted. Use a small screwdriver or similar and push the first pin across into the other drive gear – you may need to turn and align the second drive/coupler gear to do this. Now take a greased spring pair (one fits inside the other) and insert it into the window with your fingers or a flat screwdriver. Make sure they have compressed and slipped into their secured recess. Repeat this for the three other sets.

10. Fitting cross shaft

The Lock-Right unit is now aligned so that the cross shaft can be pushed through it. The cross shaft retaining bolt is replaced (use Loctite if possible). If your ‘glue’ (grease) has worked the spacers will not have slipped so as to interfere with the cross shaft – if they have moved you will need to use a screwdriver or piece of wire to shift them out of the way again.

11.  The complete installation

Now the Lock-Right is fully installed in the cliff carrier, the rest of the procedure is the reverse of the dismantling procedure, making sure to refer to the vehicle manufacturer’s bolt torque figures. Bolt the Banjo back into the axle housing, replace the cliff gasket or use an appropriate liquid gasket, re-bolt the tail shaft to the flange, align and push back the axles into the cliff and bolt them up. Top-up the diff with oil suitable for differential use. You can use oil additives but it is not mandatory to do so.

The Lock-Right is ready for the installation test – hand-turn each wheel to ensure each side unlocks correctly before driving it.

Now you’re all diff-locked and ready to tackle even the most arduous off-road terrain.