Rear Autolocker is here at 4WD Systems

[Pissy]

Well I called up 4WD systems in South Australia yesterday arvo and got the news. They have a rear autolocker for a 12 bolt 26 spline isuzu diff but they are currently sold out, the first 50 units sold in a flash. They are waiting on the next shippment which should be any time soon (weeks)
Club price is $565 delivered in OZ and a touch more for the NZs. Non club price is $595 plus postage.
Must call to reserve a lokka.
I have my name on thier list for one and awaiting call, I'll post again when i get the call back from them.

NOTE:
It is best that anyone who is after a rear locker to call and talk to them as the locker only fits certain diffs. I can't remember what "Tom on the phone" said or meant but its something like it only fits if it doesn't have drum brakes and has to be an open diff. I don't know what that means but the point is call and find out first. This is thier No (618) 8369 0033 and ask for the club price.

Sorry Mudgrip I called before I saw your message.

[mudgrip4]

That's good to hear - I think the 87-92 bighorns all had disc brakes all round, uncertain how many splines on rear diff - 17 on front.

[Pissy]

I'll bet geeves can answer that for you.

He's got an answer for everthing thence the Most helpful award.
LOL

[mudgrip4]

Alan - do you happen to know for sure how many splines the rear nz bighorn (87-92) diff has - and is it 10 or 12 bolt? - haven't got a truck in front of me to check. Busy looking to buy right now.

Mike

[Pissy]

They have more stock now, give them a call ask for the club price.

Cheers


(Anyone actually have a rear lokka installed yet, interested in its ON ROAD driving characteristics)

[Pissy]

Well I ordered a rear locker and I had it at my door 2 days later, gee they are fast at posting.

Now to fit it , which seems to be a problem. Alot of places don't want to touch it, have had a 2 quotes from best case $200 to 500 to fit.

Anyone got a rear locker fitted? what was the costs and if done in Brisbane where?

Cheers

[geeves]

I think your the first.
Do they have any suggested service agents?

[Jimmu]

Try Superior Engineering.

Jimmy

[timster]

Try Diff Lapping & Repairs 62 Boothby St Kedron. 3359 4701
They advertise locking diffs.

[Pissy]

I actually did call those 2 places up before my last post and superior said ok but they are more into fabrications now and trying to stay away from installs. Diff lapping really only endorse detriot lockers and the mechanic had never even heard of Lokka and 4wd systems,...not a good start.

Plus now starting to worry if the on road handling will too much hassles than its worth. I think I should have saved more for a new LSD instead of rear autolocker?

We'll see how I go.

When/if I do get it in I will be keen for a camping weekend though,...........hint, hint.

[geeves]

General consencus is that handling is not affected provideing you follow the instruction book. ie never accelerate hard in a corner. The most they will do is click which wont be audible through all the soundproofing anyway. They do not lock in the same way as a manual locker. What they do is transfer all power to the wheel that is traveling slowest which is the complete oposite of a normal diff This means on road it is the inside wheel driving instead of the outside so if you boot it it will be more inclined to squeal.
If you dont want it Ill happily pay the postage if you want to give it to me

[timster]

You mentioned "Diff lapping really only endorse detriot lockers and the mechanic had never even heard of Lokka and 4wd systems".

I took my ARB diff locker and the diff centre to Diff Lapping, they installed the ARB diff lock into the diff centre for about $200. It works fine even though they don't do ARB diff locks, I also thought they were quite helpful and they did it in about 2 days. I'd imagine the auto locker would be simpler to install.

Getting the diff centre out of the rear is fairly straight forward.

[Pissy]

geeves said:

General consencus is that handling is not affected provideing you follow the instruction book. ie never accelerate hard in a corner. The most they will do is click which wont be audible through all the soundproofing anyway. They do not lock in the same way as a manual locker. What they do is transfer all power to the wheel that is traveling slowest which is the complete oposite of a normal diff This means on road it is the inside wheel driving instead of the outside so if you boot it it will be more inclined to squeal.
If you dont want it Ill happily pay the postage if you want to give it to me

Now now geeves, lets not get greedy,....hehe,.....joking.
Yeah I understand how it works and read a bucket load of stories on multiple forums about rear lockers. Its about 50:50 as to it on road appeal half say its undrivable while others say its fine as long as you learn and know how drive with it in, i'm think/know I'll be fine as the MU doesn't power hard anyway.

Thanks again "Most helpful Member" Geeves

[Pissy]

timster said:

You mentioned "Diff lapping really only endorse detriot lockers and the mechanic had never even heard of Lokka and 4wd systems".

I took my ARB diff locker and the diff centre to Diff Lapping, they installed the ARB diff lock into the diff centre for about $200. It works fine even though they don't do ARB diff locks, I also thought they were quite helpful and they did it in about 2 days. I'd imagine the auto locker would be simpler to install.

Getting the diff centre out of the rear is fairly straight forward.

Timster, I did not mean for it to come across as they will not do it but they are agents for detriot lockers and therefore specialise in that locker, they guys was very unsure about "LOKKA" brand.

I'm going to try the Diff and gearbox shop in enoggera, I had a chat with them and although they too have not dealt with LOKKA brand, he was more than sure they can do it as well as replacing my front diff bushes which is a HUGE problem. NO one can source the bushes and no jackaroo bushes either, these guys can make the bushes to siut the MU, just a bit more $$$, as always!
Geeish who can afford ARB air lockers?
I wish mate ;D

[timster]

By diff bushes do you mean the two plates that hold the diff to the frame.
I got a replacement for a jackaroo for $25 from ABC Wrecking on Ipswich rd. Capalaba wreckers wanted twice the price for a MU type.
There is also a place that mends engine mounts, so they could replace the rubber.
Also I got two old ones that don't fit my car you can have. They are the smaller ones(would need to double check) as there are two sizes of them.

[Pissy]

timster said:

By diff bushes do you mean the two plates that hold the diff to the frame.
I got a replacement for a jackaroo for $25 from ABC Wrecking on Ipswich rd. Capalaba wreckers wanted twice the price for a MU type.
There is also a place that mends engine mounts, so they could replace the rubber.
Also I got two old ones that don't fit my car you can have. They are the smaller ones(would need to double check) as there are two sizes of them.

Yeap they are the ones, all 4 of them need replacing ASAP. The rubbers has exploded on at least one and I get a metal clunk/bung when hitting bumps in the road. I just thought new one is the better options and seeing that they are "Pressed" bushes, I heard its very hard to use 2nd hand one.

The place I am going to can make the bushes (around $50 each with interior metal tube to prevent crushing=heavy duty), but they not made form rubber or the other cheap stuff that most places use, I forgot what this guys uses to make them.

He says if I'm lucky he might be able to replace them with taking the diff out or any major works, he has custom made jigs to get them out and in BUT every car is diferent,...fingers crossed.

[Pissy]

Update time,

1. REAR LOKKA install and test

I have got the rear auto locker in and apart form a few issue while installing it (diff guy said the whole rear diff needed to be worked on), its in and working a treat.

Road Handling is great, actually its get up speed faster/more smoothly and holds its speed better while going up long hills better.

Turns aren't to bad, I just keep it smooth acceleration and it doesn't lock on corners. Taking off hard and turning will lock the wheels in and chirp,...I have yet to real try hard to get the wheels locked up in the middle of a turn yet, for safety reason its something I have to do and learn how hard i can push it around corner before it locks up, I just need a safe area to try first.

One negative,.........its bloodly noisy and loud when unlocking especially when parking. The noise is barely noticeable on long turns but the sharper and slower you take a turn/corner the LOUDER it gets.

Just turn music up and get used to people looking at you when parking and driving tight corners......LOL

The diff guy did say that he machined the lokka bit ensure a proper fit?

My rear locker unlocks perfectly all the time and is smooth clicking but my front locker really doesn't like unlocking at all, it clunks and sounds more like CV damage/issue than a clicking?

Fuel economy looks like it has improved a touch but will have to do more driving to confirm this

2. FRONT BUSHES

Well this was a nightmare and expensive.
Who would have thought that 4 bushes would be sooooo much trouble,........Grr

Well after the diff guy tried many contacts to fit a set of bushes for the MU, jackaroo or rodeo he decided that its easier for him make them as he claims he can them better/strong than originals.

Making them was easy but getting the old ones out and the new ones in was the problem. Whole front diff had to come out, which I am told meant control arms, cvs , torsion bars ect. had to remove or undone to pull out the diff. The old bushes did not come out easily But the new went is fine.

If anyone else has trouble with front diff bushes Perry at Gearbox and Diff shop [phone] 156 South Pine Rd, Enoggera, Brisbane QLD Australia, can make a set for a 94 3.1 XE auto Isuzu MU. I have no idea if these bushes would other models and a doubt that Perry will know too. Perry has recorded all part numbers needed to make the bushes so can make whip them up in no time now.

best to ring up and ask about it,.....warning he loves to talks and will most like give you the history of grief he had with my MU.

[mudgrip4]

I think you had a tightened lsd in the rear with front lokka previously? as my truck had. Be interested to hear when you get the chance how the rear lokka performs offroad - climbs/uneven ground etc compared to the lsd - do you notice significant improvement and where?

mike. and how long did it take to put the rear lokka in?

[Pissy]

mudgrip4 said:

I think you had a tightened lsd in the rear with front lokka previously? as my truck had. Be interested to hear when you get the chance how the rear lokka performs offroad - climbs/uneven ground etc compared to the lsd - do you notice significant improvement and where?

mike. and how long did it take to put the rear lokka in?

mudgrip4 , for some stupid reason I had open front and rear diffs , no LSD for me. This is why i opted for the front locker first and then the rear, with out the front lokka I was pretty poor offroad and sand too. I can't wait to try it offroad but I think my front locker is too stiff in it unlocking compared to my rear.

I'm not sure what the issue is but I think the rear autolocker doesn't fit diffs with LSD or drum brakes,....best to call 4wd systems on that.

I had the diff guy fit it in for me, if there are no problems then fitting should be 2-3hours, but I need a complete rear diff rebuild so 2 days for me, and 2 more days for the front bushes to be replaced.

[Pissy]

Just wondering if anyone knows the QLD laws regarding autolockers, specifically rear autolockers.
In my rush to get rid of rear open dif issues I just I ran out and bought/installed one, never even thought of the legals in Queensland?

Oooops