Hey guys, I just wanted to let everyone here know about the problems I have been having with a No-Slip I installed in my Jeep last month. I don't want to come off as a whiner, but they have refused to warranty my claim based on "installation error." It worked fine though for 2 days despite them claiming it was broken during the initial install. I have foudn 2 other people who have also had claims denied, one of which had teh exact same failure as me after 2 months (once again it was "installation error." If you want the full scoop follow this link.
http://bbs.off-road.com/wwwthreads//showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=offroadjeepshort&Number=597359&page=&view=&sb=&vc=1

It is the off-road.com bbs and the 1st reply I recieved is a very interesting one, it came shortly after I email the link to powertrax and sounds suspicially like their email i recieved which called me "immature" for letting the world know about my experience. Anyway, you are all adults and can make your own decisions about what is posted there. Thanks for the time and space,
Nick Hagen

I have them f&r and have had no problems. It sounds like "maybe" it was installed wrong. I say this because running for two days then breaking does not necessarily mean it was installed correctly in the beginning. Did you use the spacer thingy after it was in? Sounds like something bound up then you got on it and it gave. I worked in a gear shop for several years and it was always a tough call to make when someone brought parts back like that. You waver between taking care of the customer or being taken advantage of. Not insinuating anything, mind you. You needed to pound out the cross pin, right? I can't think of what piece would hold that in so tight even under complete breakage. The springs sit against the pin to keep pre-load on the couplers. Maybe your open carrier was bored incorrectly thus creating a bind. I've seen it before with standard spiders bound so tight they work like a weak positraction. Bummer though. Have you tried contacting someone with more authority than the tech?

Detroit in the rear and ARB up front. The only way to go!

Why would anyone on the PoR BBS run a Powertrax No-slip? The lockright is the same thing, a lot cheaper, just clicks more. Who cares about noise???

And, screw an ARB up front too, Detroits at both end!

have fun turning with a detroit:flipoff2:

Mine have been in for 1.5 years. Never had a problem. Use the gas pedal to lock/unlock. Simple.

Our 99 XJ has Powertrax front and rear. Of course they were professionally installed. Have had them in since Easter Jeep this year. Never had a single problem them.

My No-Slip cross shaft blew just 180 miles after "professional" install. I made it as far as driving from the Bay Area to outside of Chico on I-5, when the cross shaft end broke off at the cold rolled pin hole.

Thanks to Mike Ladd, Bent and Twisted, for saving my ass and fixing the rig in a few hours.

Powertrax denyed my claim and stated that they would not accept Mike's word on how the damaged was caused. That the cold roll pin was still in the carrier and the it broke at the pin hole. They expected me to tear out the carrier, ring and pinion, and locker and mail it back to them for evaluation.

I asked them what types of testing they were going to due and they said they would measure the diameter of the shaft and hardness and if it was in specification that it was installation error. Since I didn't want to pull the rear out again, I asked If I could send them the cross shaft that broke and they could do the testing on it. I was told all or none.

So I asked their Warrenty Engineer point blank "Are you telling me to go pound sand!" He relyed "If thats what you believe, then yes!" He also told me that they have a 0% failure rate on the No-Slip Product, which I find hard to believe.

My only advice is that if you do buy a Powertrax unit, do expect that they won't stand behind the warranty. Just think of it as a disposable unit because dealing with them will just frustrate you.

http://www.geocities.com/jyd4wdc/ledjer/images/cs1.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/jyd4wdc/ledjer/images/cs2.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/jyd4wdc/ledjer/images/cs3.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/jyd4wdc/ledjer/images/cs4.jpg

"Just think of it as a disposable unit ..."

Another reason to either weld or do a LockRight instead of a No-Slip. I still don't get it, why are people installing the No-Slip at $200 more to buy it?!?!?! For that, do a Detroit and your troubles are gone.

A lot of people who install No-Slips, Lock-Rights and other lunch box lockers do so because they don't know how to adjust the full case lockers and don't want to go through the expense of having someone install them. Most of the time, for 33" tires or smaller, they work fine. I've had a Lock-Right in an old Blazer and I'm running a No-Slip in my XJ. No trouble from either. I chose the No-Slip over the Lock-Right because I was driving between 80 and 150 miles a day for work. The No-Slip has better on pavement manners than the Lock-Right and for me was worth the extra $100. I've been running with the No-Slip for about a year.

RR3

Originally posted by TornadoTJ
"Just think of it as a disposable unit ..."

I still don't get it, why are people installing the No-Slip at $200 more to buy it?!?!?! .

Because it was being placed into a Tracloc Limited Slip. No-Slip is the only unit on the market that can do this.

Had the No-slip for 1.5 years and had no problems. Easy install, I can't see how you can fawk it up, other then not seating the little springs that preload it. Works great. Selling it to someone now as I install my 9" and detroit in the rear/ARB in the front.

SeanP

My experience and those of fellow club members has convinced me that "lunch-box" lockers will not survive in rear diffs on vehicles with 33" and larger tires that get moderate abuse. I blew up two Lock-Rites in the rear before I tossed the D35 and put a D44 with a Detroit in the rear. I do run a Lock-Rite in my front D44 and it's survived several years. A Lock-Rite is worse turning than the Detroit! Someday I'll afford an ARB.
To Lock-Rite's credit, they replaced my unit the first time no questions asked, and it was 1 month after the end of the warranty.

Originally posted by withamc
My experience and those of fellow club members has convinced me that "lunch-box" lockers will not survive in rear diffs on vehicles with 33" and larger tires that get moderate abuse. I blew up two Lock-Rites in the rear before I tossed the D35 and put a D44 with a Detroit in the rear. I do run a Lock-Rite in my front D44 and it's survived several years. A Lock-Rite is worse turning than the Detroit! Someday I'll afford an ARB.
To Lock-Rite's credit, they replaced my unit the first time no questions asked, and it was 1 month after the end of the warranty.

You are the first person I have ever heard get a warranty honored. You must be blessed.

Originally posted by withamc
A Lock-Rite is worse turning than the Detroit! Someday I'll afford an ARB.

1. Yup, that's been my experience too. I like the Detroit in mine a lot better than the Lockright or EZ Locker fronts I've driven.

2. You can never "buy" an ARB, it's an ongoing expense. :)

Originally posted by SeanP
Had the No-slip for 1.5 years and had no problems. Easy install, I can't see how you can fawk it up, other then not seating the little springs that preload it. Works great. Selling it to someone now as I install my 9" and detroit in the rear/ARB in the front.

SeanP

I completely agree with you Sean. Putting in a Lockright or No-Slip is extremely easy, any bone head can do it.

That is one of the reasons why I get so despondent with Powertrax. They always use the same explanation for the failure of their product...."Installation Error".

In my opinion, there is basically nothing you can do wrong in the installation to cause it to explode or the cross shaft to break, unless there is a flaw in the locker/cross shaft itself due to poor quailty control or workmanship.

In my case, the flaw cost me a new new ring and pinion. The funny thing is that the cross shaft didn't come out of the carrier, only the tip of metal above the roll pin hole few out. I was able to reuse the locker with a new cross shaft. The locker had no damage because the cross shaft didn't come out of the carrier. So again, in my opinion it was not installed improperly, but poor quality or workmanship are to blame.

But according to Powertrax they have a 0% failure rate on their products.

If you never warranty a product thenb you have zero failures. had problems with mine during the install, one of the side gears was machined wrong, wouldn't fit inside the carrier, sent it back to costa mesa as advised by them, they sent it back a week later saying my carrier was at fault. called them up to discuss the problem and was basically told that I didn't know what I was talking about. so I guess the past twenty years as a heavy equipment mechanic didn,t mean anything. so I packed it back up in a box with some of my chocolate labs finest and sent it back to them with a nice letter telling them were they can pack it.

:mad3: :mad3: :mad3:
Well today while driving my jeep to the storethis afternon my Powertrax :skull: No-Slip grenaded :nuke: for the SECOND time. I made it about 1/2 block from my house, when the rearend came to a screeching halt.

I was able to get the jeep home by removing the rear driveline and dragging the thing home on a floor jack by my front axle.

I haven't had a chance to pull it apart yet, but from the way it felt, I can only image that I have lost a second ring and pinion due to this P.O.S.

If anyone has any interest in the No-Slip, please don't bother. A lockright, EZ Locker, or Quikloc would be a better choice for a lunchbox.

Better yet, do as i'm doing. A spool, detroit or ARB.

:mad3: :mad3: :mad3:

a power trax holds up a hell of a lot better then a ARB for a dana 30 ive seen a guy blow a lockright then switch to arb and blow 5 of those then he got a no-slip and hasnt had a problem since.

Originally posted by trailhawg
a power trax holds up a hell of a lot better then a ARB for a dana 30 ive seen a guy blow a lockright then switch to arb and blow 5 of those then he got a no-slip and hasnt had a problem since.

Well the next time you see this guy tell him congratulations for me!!

Many people have luck with this unit, especially those who put them in the front axle vs. the rear, those who rarely go off-road, and lost with little tires.

I personally think the Lockright is a good unit and better than the EZ or Gearless Locker. But with me loosing 2 No-slip lockers, and 2 sets of ring and pinions within six months. I would at least warn anyone who cares to listen.

Caveat Emptor - Let the Buyer Beware!!

Originally posted by withamc
My experience and those of fellow club members has convinced me that "lunch-box" lockers will not survive in rear diffs on vehicles with 33" and larger tires that get moderate abuse. I blew up two Lock-Rites in the rear before I tossed the D35 and put a D44 with a Detroit in the rear. I do run a Lock-Rite in my front D44 and it's survived several years. A Lock-Rite is worse turning than the Detroit! Someday I'll afford an ARB.
To Lock-Rite's credit, they replaced my unit the first time no questions asked, and it was 1 month after the end of the warranty.

An ARB, being a "spool" when engaged is far worse for turning than all of them! I know, I know, you can turn it off...try it when your on the trail in a tight spot with your driveline all bound up.

Perhaps the Powertrax units that are made to fit the Trash-Loc carriers are significantly different enough from the open carrier ones to cause issues?

Originally posted by CJSteve
Perhaps the Powertrax units that are made to fit the Trash-Loc carriers are significantly different enough from the open carrier ones to cause issues?

No real different, just a little wider to fit the carrier where the clutch plates once rested.

Both of my No-Slips that grenaded were in open carriers. I sold my track lock unit after I found out that my Scout II Dana 44 Trackloc had C-clips on the cross shaft.

Hell - I dunno!
I just installed a Powertrax (AMC 20) and it works good so far. I can't imagine it is possible to install it incorrectly.
Plenty of people are having good experiences with them - I've only heard of you and the other guy in this thread having problems. The issue the other guy had with the unit not fitting the case is understandable since the case is cast and some may have extra "flashing" that may need to be ground away to allow the unit to install.
I will definately let everyone on this planet know if I have trouble with mine though!

Steve

Originally posted by CJSteve
Hell - I dunno!
I just installed a Powertrax (AMC 20) and it works good so far. I can't imagine it is possible to install it incorrectly.
Plenty of people are having good experiences with them - I've only heard of you and the other guy in this thread having problems. The issue the other guy had with the unit not fitting the case is understandable since the case is cast and some may have extra "flashing" that may need to be ground away to allow the unit to install.
I will definately let everyone on this planet know if I have trouble with mine though!

Steve

Mine worked fine until it went!! I've never lost one on the trail. Only on pavement. I have read about many more people have problems. Everthing from the cross shaft too large and won't go into the hole, to the teeth and pins sheering off the plates.

I still have a lockright in the front and it has work flawlessly.

I was quite surprised and disappointed that my rear locker went for a second time. I was hoping that it would have been a one time thing, but obviously I was mistaken.

You get what you pay for cough up the $$$ and buy a detriot or an ARB and you will never have this question.

Originally posted by CA_YJ
You get what you pay for cough up the $$$ and buy a detriot or an ARB and you will never have this question.

I'm still going cheap!! Spools from me in the rearend!!

Originally posted by CA_YJ
You get what you pay for cough up the $$$ and buy a detriot or an ARB and you will never have this question.

Well, I coughed up the money and am going Detroit front and rear. Figured that since the ring and pinion are toast I might as well upgrade to lower gears for taller tires.

You might want to rethink the front locker. You will have issues with steering in tight areas with a detroit. Spend the extra $200 for an OX.

Originally posted by SeanP
You might want to rethink the front locker. You will have issues with steering in tight areas with a detroit. Spend the extra $200 for an OX.

I have a Lockright locker in the front axle now and the Detroit won't be any different than that. I can live with the minor steering issues.

Plus OX has not been on the market long enough to gain my confidence. I have seen pics of people that had them blow apart, problems with the OX not fitting and the pinion needing to be ground down, and shift rail issues due to think or think gaskets. I'll wait until all bugs are worked out with them before trying.

What size tires do you run ? If you told Powertrax you run any tire over 33inch they wont warrnaty it, So intern you should always lie and say you run 30x9.50 :D :D :smokin:

Originally posted by Jeepmangled87
What size tires do you run ? If you told Powertrax you run any tire over 33inch they wont warrnaty it, So intern you should always lie and say you run 30x9.50 :D :D :smokin:

As you can see from my tagline, I run 33's. They never asked what size tires I ran.

By the way..

Detroits can be had for under 400 dollars for 44s and what not..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=598850900&r=0&t=0


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=598845416&r=0&t=0

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=598716761&r=0&t=0

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=598700504&r=0&t=0


Detroit locked front and rear.. I bought the rear one new, and the front one off ebay, Paid 300 for it shipped to my door and it was still in the orginal box and had the origninal packing crap on the locker..