Acceptable amount of drive shaft play?

[Foofighter3]

Hi all,

I had new gears and an Aussie locker installed on my 08 2dr and when I first got it back from the shop I noticed extra jolting whenever it shifted between certain gears which turned out to be because of too much movement in the driveshaft. I took it back to the shop that did the gears, they took a look at it and found the washers that came with the locker were too thin so they put some thicker ones in there. It drives a lot better now but it still kinda jolts a little whenever I suddenly let off the gas.

Can you please check out the video and let me know if this amount of movement in the drive shaft is normal? Or is this amount of play/jolting feeling inherent to Aussie lockers and/or a higher gear ratio? Maybe I am noticing the jolt more now that I went to bigger gears? Thanks.

https://youtu.be/A96cjI1mArg

 

[jdofmemi]

While I don't know the Locker you mentioned, I know with a Detroit Locker or a Lock Right, you have not only the backlash between the ring gear and the pinion, but also the space between the lugs on the dog clutch.

In your video, it looks normal to me for an automatic locker. If you move it slowly, you will be able to feel the gear backlash, then additional movement which is the dog clutch.

Driving with an automatic locker takes a while to get used to, as their road manners frankly suck.

Learn to accelerate smoothly, and on corners, don't change up the throttle. Either coast the corner, then SLOWLY add throttle when straight, or maintain gentle throttle all the way through the turn.

The worst thing you can do is change from power to coasting or vise-versa while turning.

Once you get used to it, it is less annoying, but never gentle.

 

[Foofighter3]

While I don't know the Locker you mentioned, I know with a Detroit Locker or a Lock Right, you have not only the backlash between the ring gear and the pinion, but also the space between the lugs on the dog clutch.

In your video, it looks normal to me for an automatic locker. If you move it slowly, you will be able to feel the gear backlash, then additional movement which is the dog clutch.

Driving with an automatic locker takes a while to get used to, as their road manners frankly suck.

Learn to accelerate smoothly, and on corners, don't change up the throttle. Either coast the corner, then SLOWLY add throttle when straight, or maintain gentle throttle all the way through the turn.

The worst thing you can do is change from power to coasting or vise-versa while turning.

Once you get used to it, it is less annoying, but never gentle.

Thanks. I did not know there would be a difference felt when driving straight.. Kind of makes me want to throw the spider gears back in..

 

[A.J.]

Aussie locker is lunch box style locker. It’s going to make noise and clunk and jolt. The movement you are seeing in the video is normal and does not represent backlash or gear set up. Coast the hard corners and get used to the tires chirping when you turn from a stop. It is what it is.


Sent from my iPad using WAYALIFE