Anyone running an Aussie Locker?

[MountainMichael]

Background is too lengthy. Maybe just skip to the bolded last lines: I rebuilt and regeared the 8.8 in my 2006 Mustang GT manual trans (whippled, etc). Everything was working fine... but there was some diff clutch chatter on tight turns. In the OEM build, that chatter had really ground the snot out of a couple of clutch plates loading the gear oil with metal.

So, not wanting that to happen with the rebuild, I kept adding small amounts of friction modifier beyond 1 bottle of the Ford stuff... give it some time and miles... 'rinse and repeat'. Ya' can see where this is headed. About the time the chatter stopped, 1 wheel drive. So I'm looking for something else that won't be the above unacceptable either/or.

I've run a 9" Ford with a Detroit Locker in a glass 32 roadster and didn't mind it at all - probably because it is a light car and had an auto trans. But cripe, they wan't $605 after spring rebate in Summit. Too much dinero for my one legged stang's budget!

I tried a very early lunchbox locker in a 67 Firebird back in 1997 or thereabouts with a built 455 and it seemed to be working fine... then slight wheel hop on a burnover and the locker totally disengaged allowing the engine to free rev like it was in neutral and the diff making horrific crashing and crunching noises. Probably only the MSD rev limiter saved that engine. Jegs gladly took the lunchbox locker back and refunded the money even though there were amazingly zero signs of damage to the dogs. The installation for the lunchbox locker had some exacting side clearance specs and I took the time and nailed them dead on. The car had some decent traction bars so the wheelhop was barely noticeable. I mean really minor.

So that's why I'm hesitant to try an Aussie Locker. Looks about the same as what nearly lunched my bird.

Anyway, does anyone have some significant street miles on an Aussie locker? If yes, any details would be appreciated. Has anyone seen one totally disengage during slight wheel hop causing a free rev crash box situation like I described?

Thanks,

mm

(I've searched extensively in several sites. Saw lots of recommendations for Tru-Trac... but increasingly scary numbers of problems with them maybe wearing out sooner lately... some unsupported opinions the heat treat or metallurgy might be wrong on the helical gears?? Likewise, I've even been reading about some failures with the Eaton detroit locker (pn for my year s197 looks to be [FONT=&quot]187C145A). [/FONT]Has quality maybe gone downhill on the newer Eaton stuff? Well, that's for another thread. This thread is about the Aussie Locker. thx)

 

[lethe]

If you want a lunchbox locker check out the spartan lockers. They are they same design as the aussie locker but the pins in the spartan locker are much larger than the aussie.

 

[MountainMichael]

If you want a lunchbox locker check out the spartan lockers. They are they same design as the aussie locker but the pins in the spartan locker are much larger than the aussie.

Info appreciated. Do you know anyone who is running one?

Reason for asking: When accelerating, the pin applies separating force to the halves engaging the dog side clutches or side gears or whatever you want to call them. So strength is certainly one consideration; force applied by the pin is another. I don't know how one might decide which is better for the second point.

I noted on the one I'd owned that the pin bore is wider than round would be at the separating line also with a sort of tapering ramp up to the separating line. My guess is that was to increase applied side pressure without having to reduce the pin diameter. So maybe they can engineer this ramp aspect of the "not round" bore for proper side load with a larger pin diameter?

 

[lethe]

I have experience with lock rite, aussie, and spartan lockers. That was all in my toyota wheeler though. The aussie locker was in the rear and had probably about 30k miles on it and still worked great when offroad. The lock rite was in the front so it only saw use when wheeling. The spartan locker was also in the front but i only had two wheeling trips on it before the truck was stolen. I just remember the 4 small pins being 1.5-2x larger diameter than the aussie or lock rite. I've also ran a detroit in one of my trucks and was surprised that my lunch box lockers had much better road manners than the twice as expensive detroit.

 

[MountainMichael]

I have experience with lock rite, aussie, and spartan lockers. That was all in my toyota wheeler though. The aussie locker was in the rear and had probably about 30k miles on it and still worked great when offroad. The lock rite was in the front so it only saw use when wheeling. The spartan locker was also in the front but i only had two wheeling trips on it before the truck was stolen. I just remember the 4 small pins being 1.5-2x larger diameter than the aussie or lock rite. I've also ran a detroit in one of my trucks and was surprised that my lunch box lockers had much better road manners than the twice as expensive detroit.

Excellent info.

30k miles is impressive. I know you said Toyota but rather than assume.. What approximate power level?

Thank you.

Looking at the stock photos for the Aussie and Spartan accompanying the 8.8 ads, it appears either of these 2 for 8.8 may use a single cross pin of similar diameter. And if the stock photos can be trusted, the Aussie for 8.8 may or may not have much thicker side gears.

Problem is, both ads say it's a stock photo and the actual product may look significantly different. I seem some 8.8 install vids in YouTube. I'll see if I can decide which looks stronger if I can find such a vid for each brand.

 

[lethe]

87' toyota with a 22re that was rated at 116hp at the crank when new haha. Even though it wasn't subjected to a lot of power it did run everything from a 31" tire up to a 39.5" tire.

 

[MountainMichael]

Thanks again.

Digging around in YouTube, I found hundreds of wheelers with lunchbox lockers none describing power mods.. but only one muscle type app; a fox body with a vortech blown 331. It was an Aussie Locker. No vid of the car moving but no notes of any problems with the locker. Says the car really rips and dynoed at or near 600hp. Manual trans car. Has drag slicks on it in the walkaround vid.

Found a wheeler vid with a vid cam mounted behind the 8.8 while driving. He said it was pretty obnoxious when cornering under power but otherwise not bad. 'Course with the cam that close, cornering sounded pretty loud. But then, no one rides there obviously.

My 32 had one of the later new gen Detroit Lockers. Those evolutions were supposedly quieter. It was very mild with only some minor ticking on sharp low speed turns. But again, an extremely light car and a/t so not much in common with my s197.

I may email some of the makers and see what they think of this app. Otherwise, waiting to hear if anyone is using a lunchbox locker in a decent powered s197...

 

[MountainMichael]

I just submitted this on the contact form to Aussie Locker. I'll submit something similar to Moser.

"I own a Whipple supercharged and intercooled 2006 Mustang GT manual trans with a 31 spline 8.8 differential. Whipple claims about 550hp for this blower kit. The car is fairly fast and just used up another OEM Ford differential clutch pack.

I note that your application guide only lists trucks and that I found only one fast passenger car (A fox body mustang) in YouTube with an Aussie Locker.

Is an Aussie Locker suitable for a mostly street driven fairly snappy Mustang? The rear suspension is modified so that wheel hop is a rarity and only slight if it happens. I don't drag race the car with race compound tires but might occasionally do so at some point in the future.

I've owned a 32 Ford roadster with a later gen Detroit Locker and found that to be very mild on the street.

I participate in the s197forum (late model Mustang forum) and several of us are curious if your locker for 31 spline 8.8 might be street worthy in our cars. A maximum estimated power level would be appreciated, too.

Thank you,

Michael S.
s197forum screenname: MountainMichael"


edit: In their online description, Richmond describes their "Lock Right" product as being for "...brute force 4x4 applications...". Later, they allude to on road and off road usage. But again, their app guide shows only wheelers; no passenger cars. I know it'll fit... but I think they don't intend it for this app. Ok, waiting to see what Aussie Locker has to say - if anything.

 

[MountainMichael]

Rec'd this reply from Bill Cole at Aussie Locker today fwiw:

"Thank you for your interest. We do not test for horsepower limits because the vast majority of our sales are for off road vehicles. The highest horsepower that we are aware of was in a mud truck that had 400Hp. That is not to say that an Aussie locker might have been installed in a vehicle with more. Since we have no quantitative data on performance under high horespower, compound tires, etc. we are unable to recommend our product for those environments."

 

[lethe]

That's kind of what i figured they would say. Lunchbox lockers seem to almost exclusively be used in wheeling.