Build is done and just got back from Moab for the EJS and it was a blast!!! all went well and I love the clearance and gearing on the axles.

Problem, going up escalator on hells revenge I noticed my rear axle was not locked. I went and pulled on the locker lever and it just moves freely (no spring return or anything). I am wondering if I broke the fork?

Question 1.

What is the common thing that brakes on the locker actuator assembly?

Question 2.

How do I take the 3rd out to check it, if I can't engauge the locker so the collar does not fall into the case? I've read the horror stories about this!

Thanks for the help guys!

The linkage could have been bent or not adjusted properly. Or you could have broke the collar that actually locks the axle in. If the locker is not fully engaged the teeth on the collar will break off. To pull the third you have to pull the axles out. Just unbolt the 4 bolts that holdon each outer and pull the whole outer, box and axle off as an assembly. Then unbolt the third and pull it out. It has to be rotated some to line up with the clearanced spots in the housing.

Dont worry about dropping the collar because it may already be in pieces and either way with the third out it will be sitting right there in the housing.

just had this prob with my mates tomcat on mogs (who tried to force the locker in with a pry bar) he broke the actual lever and you have to strip it down to replace the lever (which takes 5mins once the pig dif is out)
to answer your question i spun the diff clockwise so the locker collor/shoes fall into the bottom of the case then spin it back anticlockwise thought 180 degrees so the diff comes out (if you have never stripped one then theres two dowl pins that locate the diff i drift these into the case it helps when you spin the diff )

When I broke my rear locker it turned out that i had simply sheered one of the fork tines off of the input end of the locker collar engagement fork. You will still need to remove the third to repair this but I just welded up the fork and added a small gusset and it has worked perfect ever since.

If the parts are not repairable I think EI quoted me like 100-120 ish for the repair kit which is a new collar, fork and shoes.

Thanks for the info, Ya I'm anxious to find out exactly what the problem is. I am going to pull the 3rd and I will let you all know what i find!

Once you get the diff out...grind new cut-outs on the housing so if you have to pull it ever again it will come right out! Saves time and alittle of the cuss'n!

Well after I got it out it was the small tine on the spring side of the locker collar fork. Too much pressure when the locker was engaged broke the tine.

This makes me nervous about adding an air ram system as planned? How much PSI do people run so you get enough engagement but not so much that you brake the fork?

I kept the locker collar on the axleshaft to keep it from falling into the case and jamming against the 3rd, and that process worked great!

I have not grinded any channels into the housing yet so I can install the third without rotating it. When this is do is it done offset to miss the screw holes? It looks like the lower portion of the housing has more meat to grid away at. Have you done most of the grinding on the lower portion of the housing?

when I welded that tine back on my fork I put a small plate across the bottom. At the time I figured that if I needed to I would grind the excentric pin on the bottom of the engagement lever shorter if I had too but everything fit fine after I added the brace. I figure the weakest thing in that assembly is now that pin on the bottom of the lever and if it breaks off you can simply replace it without removing the complete third. Also that cavity in the third should keep the broken pin from ending up in the geartrain but I had figured if/when mine breaks again I would start there and hopefully I will be able to fish the pin out with a magnet and not have to remove the complete third.

Of course things could still go horribly wrong... I'm not sure exactly how but it's always a possibility.

when I welded that tine back on my fork I put a small plate across the bottom. At the time I figured that if I needed to I would grind the excentric pin on the bottom of the engagement lever shorter if I had too but everything fit fine after I added the brace. I figure the weakest thing in that assembly is now that pin on the bottom of the lever and if it breaks off you can simply replace it without removing the complete third. Also that cavity in the third should keep the broken pin from ending up in the geartrain but I had figured if/when mine breaks again I would start there and hopefully I will be able to fish the pin out with a magnet and not have to remove the complete third.

Of course things could still go horribly wrong... I'm not sure exactly how but it's always a possibility.

Good Idea with welding a plate on the bottom of the tines! I will do that for sure now that I have everything out!