RobotMan Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 I've just fitted a shiny new locker in to my front axle and it seems very reluctant to disengage. Now I don't expect instant action at the flick of the switch but after 30 to 40 feet of wiggling the steering and off the throttle but still going straight on seems odd. It's as though it is wound up and jammed in. It will release, mostly, by reversing. We aren't talking tarmac here just loose gravel surface. In the sloppy stuff it seems to come out ok and jacked up off the ground it is quick in and out. Brand new and all seemed absolutely fine when I bench tested it. Is this normal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Idris Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Yep It's a dog clutch designed to hold itself in drive under load. The 'dog' drive faces are normally cut back slightly by say 2 degrees, to force this locking action. My KAMs are the same. The fix is a clutch pack, like what tractors have. That's the sort of diff lock I would like in my landy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobotMan Posted September 17, 2012 Author Share Posted September 17, 2012 It's a killer without power steering in my Series. I get the whole dog clutch thing just thought I was doing enough to release it. Oh well I'll get used to it or get bigger biceps. Not something people mention in the myriad locker threads on the inter web. Still happy with it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zim Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Which locker is it ? RD 56 ? How old is the locker ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobotMan Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 It's an Ashcroft. It is also pegged. Done about 5 road miles and about 7 hours off road. The off road was mainly in woodland and about an hour was towing a Suzuki with only rear drive and a seized front wheel. The diff is very new still and it has been suggested in another thread that it will improve a little with time. I have checked the pegs are backed off 0.5mm and the airline is clear and unkinked, no residual pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Idris Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 It has to wear off the machining marks to move free I guess. It isn't mentioned in forums, but they are very odd to use. Difficult to figure when to engauge? I get more places with both than one, but not by much. When you're sat on the diff skids they don't help! So the front really only serves 2 purposes; backing out of ditches when full weight is on the front and helping the rear fiddle brakes to break traction when turning tight. And it's a game of chess, as like the centre diff, you may want it dissengauged if mud is followed by a tight turn. You chance the mud knowing locks won't be instant dissengauge. So it's another device that you have to learn how to use, and what you learn is probably specific to your driving style It has taken me quite a few hours of use to figure out what it can do for us! They are good though. Should have been an OE option from 1948 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobotMan Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 That all seems reasonable. I just need to play with it more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Idris Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobotMan Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 Well if it's getting jammed in lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashtrans Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Hi, they can be a little slow to unlock when new just due to the tightness of the piston/O rings in the air cylinder but this is likly to lessen quite quickly as it settles in, when doing the post build bench test we lock it then leave the air on for at least 2 mins to check the air comp does not cut back in which would indicate a leak, then we flick the switch to lock, rotate one shaft a few degrees until the dog teeth line up and you will hear it thump into lock then flick the switch again and count to 3 by which time it should be unlocked and you should be able to turn the dummy shaft. you can repeat this test with one wheel in to air in the car to check, any probs, give me a call, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobotMan Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 Hi, they can be a little slow to unlock when new just due to the tightness of the piston/O rings in the air cylinder but this is likly to lessen quite quickly as it settles in, when doing the post build bench test we lock it then leave the air on for at least 2 mins to check the air comp does not cut back in which would indicate a leak, then we flick the switch to lock, rotate one shaft a few degrees until the dog teeth line up and you will hear it thump into lock then flick the switch again and count to 3 by which time it should be unlocked and you should be able to turn the dummy shaft. you can repeat this test with one wheel in to air in the car to check, any probs, give me a call, Dave Thanks Dave, I'm sure it will settle down it's hardly done anything yet. I won't get back to the Landy for a while but when I do I'll test using that procedure. I did leave it for about ten minutes and it didn't leak and it went in and out just fine. I have to say it's a sturdy beast and installing the airside was a breeze compared to the competition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobotMan Posted October 31, 2012 Author Share Posted October 31, 2012 All is good. I jacked the front up and the locker comes in and out nice and cleanly. Off road it has been superb. As said it's a learning curve thing. On grippier stuff a good hard turn of the wheel each way and off the throttle is generally enough to release it, no chance if you try to fight it no matter how much you swear at it to turn! I now just need to remember I have a centre difflock I can undo too these days. Happy again. I realised after posting the previous question, I have a Unimog I know exactly how that goes with a front locker in. Straighter but I can turn the wheels with it locked on the same surface I can't turn the Landy steering. I suspect it might be related to me having a greater scrub radius than normal for a Series Landy, but then I do like to have some steering lock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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