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Installing
a Detroit EZ Locker in a Dana 35c axle
I haven't been wheeling
for long, but I've already started to feel the need for a locking differential.
The benefits far outweighed the disadvantages in my mind, but I couldn't
afford a full Detroit. Enter the Detroit EZ Locker by Tractech. It is
essentially just like a full Detroit in that it offers a solid lock when
it's engaged, and it can disengage when necessary on streets. It has the
advantage of fitting inside the stock carrier instead of having to replace
the whole assembly, thus eliminating the need to set the gears. The only
real disadvantage that I have seen is that the EZ Locker is a little louder,
and not quite as strong. I currently run a Dana 35 C-Clip axle, so the
axle will blow long before the locker in most cases.
The
actual installation process is not too bad, provided you don't miss
any steps. It's good to have a friend or two to help you out with the
install as there are times that you have to hold on to or look at something
inside the diff and turn the axleshaft at the same time. I was blessed
to have three people helping me out. None of the bolts that had to be
turned were too bad, and the only uncomfortable part of the install
is that you have to be up underneath the Jeep working on the diff with
the gas tank in the way. I don't have a lift yet, so this was further
complicated. Prepare for this endeavor by removing the tires for the
axle you are working with, and in the case of this install, pull the
brake drums off. If you're doing a front install, you will need to remove
the brake caliper, zip tie it out of the way, if you have a vacuum disconnect
front axleshaft (split style), you will need to open that up, so that
you can get that axleshaft out, and then you will need to unbolt the
hub from the steering knuckle.
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Open the pumpkin
(the big round thing in the center of the axle) by loosening the
bolts that go around the rear cover and prying the cover off of
the casting. The bolt part is easy, but the pry part is hard...
But once it starts drainin'... Woah, sorry, got caught up in a
stray country song. We discovered that if you take a chisel to
the side of the cover and hit it with a BFH (if you don't know
what that is, you should probably have this professionally done.)
it pops right off. Then you are treated to a nice diff fluid shower.
That stuff STINKS!
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Then
you get to take the differential portion of the carrier apart.
That means take out the side gears and spider gears. To do this
on the D35-c axle, you will need to remove the bolt that retains
the carrier shaft with a ¼" 12 point wrench. A socket will
not fit in here, we tried... Then, slide the shaft out and rotate
the spider gears so that they fall out. Next, you will need
to remove the c-clips so that the side gears can be removed.
Have a friend push in on the axleshaft from the hub end, and
rotate, and the c-clip will drop down into the housing somewhere.
Fish it out. You will need it later. Repeat this for the other
side, and the side gears will now pull out with no problems.
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Now you get
to start putting the locker together and installing it. Prepare
for this by putting the end-caps in the springs and putting the
dowel pins in the correct holes. (the instructions included with
the locker go into a little more detail on this.) Then, find the
thrust washers. They are on the original side gears. DO NOT FORGET
THESE! If you don't put the thrust washers on, you wind up with
a $250 spool... Put the washers on the new side gears with lots
of assembly lube.
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Insert
the side gear (the one that came with the locker) on the ring
side of the carrier (that would be the side with the big ring
gear on it). Then have your assistant push in on the axleshaft
on that side (gently, so as not to squish your fingers), and
rotate the gear until the splines engage. Then, when the axleshaft
is far enough in to insert the c-clip, do so, make sure the
side gear is in it's proper place in the carrier, and have your
assistant pull back sharply on the axleshaft to seat the side
gear and c-clip (make sure your fingers are out of the carrier
before you do this!).
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Next, assemble the
clutches outside the vehicle. Grease up the spacers and put them in. The
instruction sheet illustrates how to align the spacers. Then, put the
dowel pins in the holes with the elongated windows on the side of the
clutch, and then put one of the clutches into the carrier. Line up the
gear teeth with the side gear that you have already installed, and get
ready to install the other side gear.
Now
it's going to get tricky. Compress the clutch and side gear together
so that they take up as little space as possible in the carrier. This
will give you room to put the other side gear in. Slide the side gear
into the carrier and seat it in it's place. Then, put in the other clutch
and line it up to mirror the first one. Now comes the tricky part. Have
your assistant push the axleshaft for the new side gear in, and twist
it to line the splines up. Once the splines are lined up, you will need
to rotate the clutches until the slot in between the clutch and the
side gear is above the axleshaft. Make sure that the spacer for that
side is out of the way, and put the c-clip in through the slot. This
isn't as easy as it sounds. I dropped my c-clip and missed the axleshaft
completely a few times. The trick is to have your assistant push the
axleshaft all the way in, and then you push the c-clip down to where
it contacts the axleshaft. Have your assistant back the axleshaft out
very slowly, and gravity should do the rest. When the slot for the c-clip
on the axleshaft lines up, the c-clip should drop into place. Have your
assistant test this by pulling back sharply on the axleshaft. If it's
done right, it should seat the side gear, and the hard part is over
with. If it's not in place, your assistant will fall on their rear end
and you'll get a good laugh.
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We're almost
done! Now, line up the clutches again (they probably came out
of alignment with the whole rotating, dropping, pulling thing),
and push the dowel pins into place through the little windows.
They should push across from the clutch that they are in into
the corresponding round hole in the opposite clutch. Finally,
you will insert the springs through the oval window holes on the
clutches. Put the spring cap towards the dowel pin. Then use something
small and pointy (not the top of your head) to compress the spring
and pop it into place. Once you have done this for all four springs,
put your finger or some tool in the hole in the center that is
formed by the two clutches, and check to see if the spacers are
seated up against the side gears. If they are not, go ahead and
spread them apart and push them into place.
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Now
we're really close. Rotate the clutch/side gear assembly (this
will rotate the axleshafts as well) until the hole between the
clutches lines up with the holes on the carrier so that you
can re-insert the carrier shaft. Put the ¼ inch 12 pt bolt back
in, and tighten it down to hand tightness only. Reinstall the
brake drums and the tires. Now you get to test and make sure
that the locker is unlocking when it is supposed to and locking
when it is supposed to. Slowly rotate the wheels backwards.
The locker will engage, and both wheels will spin at the same
rate. Now rotate one wheel in the opposite direction. The locker
should disengage and you should hear a faint indexing or clicking
noise. If this does not occur, check over the installation.
Did you remember the thrust washers? What about the spacers?
Are both C-Clips in? If the indexing does occur, repeat the
test, only this time, rotate the wheels forward, then backwards.
Do this for both sides. (BTW, you did remember the liberal coatings
of assembly lube, right?) .
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If
it all works out, scrape down the sealing surfaces of the pumpkin and
the differential cover, put a thin bead (about ¼ inch or so) of form-a-gasket
(the red kind) around the sealing edge of the pumpkin, and immediately
place the differential cover on the pumpkin and hand tighten all the
bolts. Then, working in a criss-cross pattern, tighten them down with
a ratchet. I don't think there is a torque specification for these bolts,
but the differential housing is cast iron, and you don't want to strip
out the bolt holes. Finally, fill differential with oil of choice (you
don't need limited slip oil, but it won't hurt it to use it if that
's all you can find). Have the drain plug ready, and as the differential
starts to overflow with fluid, immediately cover the hole. Then let
the form-a-gasket set for at least one hour. Final step, road test it.
Windows down, radio and A/C off. Coast around a few corners and listen
for the clicking. Be careful on takeoffs, and if you drive a stick,
when you shift gears. The locker will sometimes engage hard, and you
have to be ready to make any driving corrections necessary. If the locker
doesn't click around corners at all (remember, the sound is very faint,
you do have to listen for it), open it back up and check the install,
especially if the tires chirp around corners all the time.
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