i just payed a guy to install my detroit locker into my 8.8 - hes a pretty reputable guy with a nice legit shop and all.. i have a 93 yj with a automatic trans (999) since the swap i noticed that when i shift into drive or reverse it clunks hard and its pretty loud. a buddy of mine looked at it last night and said it has to much lash. when i put the tranny in neutral and turn the drive shaft in forward to reverse (to check the "play" ) it moves quite a bit i would say around 20 to 30 degrees.. anyone have any input? i have yet to pull the cover as i just discovered this late last night.. I brought up the "clanking noise to the installer and he said its a "typical detroit locker clunk" this is the first locker i had with an automatic trans so im really starting to wonder if its set up right.. do detroits clunk hard like this? WTF?

Never heard of them making noise when you put it in drive. They will make noise and pop around corners. Check your u-joints to see if they are worn out, if not it may be to much back lash.

Well if you catch the locker while it is in a rachet position, it will snap when you put some torque to it. Detroits are noisy either way you slice it.

If you are unsure, pull the cover and make sure that the backlash on the ring gear is around .008" or so. I doubt the detroit is messed up.

All lockers except for the selectables have a ton of play in them, that is how they work.

ok,, i bought this thing used thats another reason im concerned. im aware of them making noise around corners and stuff but i just want to make sure.. it acts like a locker to me it just bangs HARD when in neutral or park to either forward or reverse.. and for those that maybe be wondering, my idle isnt set high either..

thanks

YOU CANNOT CHECK BACKLASH WITH THE DRIVESHAFT.

some people seem to think you can, pull the cover and use a dial indicator like your supposed to.

if your tires aren't perfectly alike, you will get an absolutely horrific bang while driving, even in a straight line

For some reason, detroits sound like they are exploding when they catch a tooth on the ratchet under power.

if your tires aren't perfectly alike, you will get an absolutely horrific bang while driving, even in a straight line

For some reason, detroits sound like they are exploding when they catch a tooth on the ratchet under power.

yeah, totally know what you are saying - tires are cool and it acts like a locker im just not sure about the hard bang,,, but now that im thinking a about it i had a muscle car back in the day with a detroit and it banged hard also but thats when i didnt give two shits..

*** if you want to enlighten me on how to check the lash with a dial indicator that would be cool,, i hear what you are saying,, i wouldnt be here asking this question if i did know how to set up gears.. thats one thing i never got into 9unfortunately) when it comes to wrenchin' ...

search yahoo, there are plenty of writeups

I think the 14 bolt bible has a section of checking backlash in the pirate tech section on the homepage

You will put a dial indicator against one tooth on the ring gear

Then wiggle it back and forth to see the amount of play between the ring and pinion

It should be somewhere between .006 and .012 (don't know what an 8.8" calls for) any more than that you have excessive backlash

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Gear_Setup/Figure_27.jpg

Mine does the same thing. No big deal. Been that way for 3 years now and has never had a problem. TJ with D44 and 4.56s.

right on bro,, i appreciate all the help...

i just payed a guy to install my detroit locker into my 8.8 - hes a pretty reputable guy with a nice legit shop and all.. i have a 93 yj with a automatic trans (999) since the swap i noticed that when i shift into drive or reverse it clunks hard and its pretty loud. a buddy of mine looked at it last night and said it has to much lash. when i put the tranny in neutral and turn the drive shaft in forward to reverse (to check the "play" ) it moves quite a bit i would say around 20 to 30 degrees.. anyone have any input? i have yet to pull the cover as i just discovered this late last night.. I brought up the "clanking noise to the installer and he said its a "typical detroit locker clunk" this is the first locker i had with an automatic trans so im really starting to wonder if its set up right.. do detroits clunk hard like this? WTF?


This is normal operation for a Detroit, especially in an automatic vehicle. The slop you're feeling is not gear lash, it's inside the locker itself. I've had 3 detroit lockers in 2 different axles in my TJ, all 3 installed by different people and they all had the "clunk".

I think its safe to say that if both tires are still able to turn, you don't have an issue.

Now if you drive down the road in a strait line and it bangs a lot, yeah that could be an issue, but just doing it when you put power to it, i dont think that would be grounds for a shitting a biscuit.


I dont know anything about them but from what I have read in the past and by gathering knoweldge in commen sense and suhc form ahisasdf I pooped my pants.

The issue is that it clunks when going from Drive to Reverse, or from Neutral/Park to Drive or Reverse. You'll also feel it sometimes when you accelerate and then coast and then hit the gas again.

Normal operation for a Detroit. It's just more obvious in an auto than a manual.

The issue is that it clunks when going from Drive to Reverse, or from Neutral/Park to Drive or Reverse. You'll also feel it sometimes when you accelerate and then coast and then hit the gas again.

Normal operation for a Detroit. It's just more obvious in an auto than a manual.


yup, exactly - cool thanks i feel much better now..

After a gear install I like to run a gear pattern check just to see if the gear install was 'worth it'.