ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: wiretap_MD on September 30, 2003, 03:56:31 AM
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I'm contemplating on getting one so I'd like a few words of enlightenment:
1. Could you clarify to me how the lockrite works. This is how I understand it: From a standstill while on paved roads, the lockrite locker is disengaged. So even if I drive the vehicle straight or make some turns, it remains disengaged, thus the my differential is basically an "open" type. However, once I'm driving offroad and one of my rear wheels loses traction, spins unnecessarily and slips, that’s when the lockrite differential locks. Since it is engaged already, whenever I do some turns, I would hear the "clicking" sound wherein the lockrite allows the inner wheels to rotate less than the outer wheels while assuming a turn so as to prevent a "binding" effect. Am I right?
2. Is this clicking sound continuous? Or shall I hear just one click when the lockrite engages and another click when it disengages?
Thanks in advance!
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Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick as long as you
are going around a corner, or until you
gas it :D then rubber squeals and Tick stops
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You basically have it correct. The only time you hear the clicking is when you are cornering, unless it locks. Then as wildgoody said, you get a thump and tire squeal as one wheel slides on the pavement.
Occasionally, you will get a loud bang as it releases when you are cornering under power, and the vehicle will change direction very subtly as the power vector goes from being on one side of the vehicle to the center (or vice-versa)
The Lock-Right will lock up when one wheel rotates faster than the other, and power is applied. It takes a slightly different driving style to keep it from locking up on every corner, but if you offroad, the locker is worth it's weight in gold.
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Loud bang is an understatment. Dont get me wrong , I agree the lockers are great. Just try not to pee your pants when it engages hard for the first time. If I hadnt had ridden in a locker equipped vehicle before I put mine in I would have swore I broke an axle or something. Oh and get used to alot of funny looks , and people telling you that you have something broken in the rear end.
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Yeah, I should have been a little mor specific about the loud bang. Take a sledge hammer and smack your rear differential. That's the kind of loud bang we're talking about :o ! Scares the isht out of passengers when they hear it for the first time. ;D
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Ya, Big Bang Theory, I keep thinking one of these days those
little pins are going to shear and then I'll have 3 forward
speeds going nowherel :o (Auto Trans) I get a few Clinks too.
And those tiny little springs, how could they do anything???
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The little springs keep a slight pressure on the couplers to ensure that they engage when torque is applied. If they were any stronger, the locker wouldn't release at all. All of the springs provide pressure in the lateral direction, so they aren't subject to the torque the axle sees. The four small springs that butt up against the center pin keep everything from slapping around and rattling. They don't have to be strong to do their job.
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Hey all, :)
I was wondering, is this lock-rite operation similar to how a Detroit gearless works, or is it a completely different principle? Was wondering cause a rear locker is on the winter project list for the sami. Any pro/cons between the two would be helpful.
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Ive installed bolth the lockright and the detroit ez locker, and to be honest I could not tell the difference. They even looked to be made by the same company.I.E. the boxes were same exact dimensions even just diferent colors. Now that reider racing owns the lockright the box has changed but contents are the same. Personally I run the powertrax locker cause I can order em through work but I think there identical.
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Hmm, never heard of Reider Racing.  According to Powertrax's website, they are now owned by Richmond Gear, and when I just got the 3 I installed, all the paperwork and stickers were from Richmond Gear. ÂÂ
Maybe they outlet them through Reider Racing on the west coast? ÂÂ
Yeah, and they pretty much are identical to the Detroit. Same principle, very similar design, same operation.
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No your right. It is richmond gear. Sorry I work in a parts store for a living and when I am home I get names mixxed up. Gotta stop smokin the crack I guess.
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I got the Detroit, was told by the 4x4 shop
that it was the same maker as EZ locker
just different distributor, works anyway, did
the install myself, easy to do if you got some
mech apptitude. :)
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So with a locker what happens when you hit an off ramp going 70mph  (i have a X90, not a Samy) and are doing some hard cornering on pavement, will you be OK as long as you don't spin a wheel? Or do you have to stay off the gas entirely? Been thinken about a locker but don't wanna go sideways in any nasty turns off the interstate
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I'm contemplating on getting one so I'd like a few words of enlightenment:
1.  Could you clarify to me how the lockrite works.  This is how I understand it:  From a standstill while on paved roads, the lockrite locker is disengaged.  So even if I drive the vehicle straight or make some turns, it remains disengaged, thus the my differential is basically an "open" type.  However, once I'm driving offroad and one of my rear wheels loses traction, spins unnecessarily and slips, that’s when the lockrite differential locks.  Since it is engaged already, whenever I do some turns, I would hear the "clicking" sound wherein the lockrite allows the inner wheels to rotate less than the outer wheels while assuming a turn so as to prevent a "binding" effect.  Am I right?
2.  Is this clicking sound continuous? Or shall I hear just one click when the lockrite engages and another click when it disengages?
Thanks in advance!
This is weird this isn't my post, but it
came up in a post window on my screen
LOL so I'll send it.
Wildgoody
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So with a locker what happens when you hit an off ramp going 70mph  (i have a X90, not a Samy) and are doing some hard cornering on pavement, will you be OK as long as you don't spin a wheel? Or do you have to stay off the gas entirely? Been thinken about a locker but don't wanna go sideways in any nasty turns off the interstate
If you stay hard on the gas, the locker will stay locked and you will slide one tire. If you let up on the gas, the locker will release. I drive my Sammy pretty hard (as hard as you can with a 65hp motor ::) ) and I've never had an issue with it cornering at speed. The corners I notice it most in are when I turn after coming to a stop at an intersection. Then I get wheel hop and tire chirp if I forget to start the turn before I get in the throttle.
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I would say either stay on or stay off
the throttle, as when you transition
from one to the other you get torque
steer, which will cause you the most
trouble at high speed, the back end
feels like it wants to go right then left
or vise versa, I don't pay any attention
to it any more, I'm used to the feel and
drive accordingly, tho my wife looks at
me with great consern every time it goes
BANG !!, and I just ignor it
;)
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I had a lock-rite but after talking to some poeple I now wheel with ,I ended up spending a few more bucks for the ARB (Plus you will have an onboard air source). Its there when you need it and no X-tra wear on your tires or drivetrain especially if you use it for a daily driver.But thats just my 2 cents.
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I had a lock-rite but  after talking to some poeple I now wheel with ,I ended up spending a few more bucks for the ARB (Plus you will have an onboard air source). Its there when you need it and no X-tra wear on your tires or drivetrain especially if you use it for a daily driver.But thats just my 2 cents.
I'll admit, we too took our out spool and are opting for the ARB air locker. The eventual extra wear on tires and axle shafts wasn't worth the savings on a cheap solution. (We coulda had an ARB installed for the price of tires and axles, gear oil and labor we spent in the past 8 months maintaining the spool).
~Nate
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I have a spool in mine and have drive it to work and back with no problem. With the air pressure at 25psi it would kindof jump and squeal going around corners so I upped the pressure to 35 psi in the rear and I have none of the squealing or jumping. It runs real smooth now. Really I cant even tell its locked up on the street, but in gravel I can. The ride is more stiff at 35 psi but I dont mind.
Later,
Bill
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Hey all, :)
 I was wondering, is this lock-rite operation similar to how a Detroit gearless works, or is it a completely different principle? Was wondering cause a rear locker is on the winter project list for the sami.  Any pro/cons between the two would be helpful.
The Detroit geraless locker is one of the smoothes if not thee smoothes automatic locker out there (Not counting the GMC GovLoc.) There is no clicking and little to no banging. It's like a limited slip and a locker in one. Instead of gears it uses clutch packs (can you say smooth operation! ;).. For those of you familier with motorcycle wet clutches. Think of it as a spool with a wet clutch pack on the ends of the spool where the axle shafts enter. As long as your traveling in a straight line both clutch packs are engaged. If you turn left, the right clutch pack will disengage allowing the right wheel to spin faster than the left and vis versa. It's also adjustable. You can change the spring rates so that if the locker is chirping the tires to much in the turns a lighter spring rate may help. The same rules that apply to other automatic lockers (Not counting the GMC GovLoc) apply to the Detriot Gearless also. The one exception is that you get away from the clicking and banging. The GMC GovLoc is a locker that runs as a open diff untile one wheel spins out from loss of traction. It then trasfers power automaticaly to the wheel that has traction slowly untile 1)The vehicle starts moving.  2) Full lock up is acheived. It uses governors and flyweights (Not air or electricity). It also will not lock at all at speeds above 25mph so road manners is not realy an issue. If only they were available for Zuks. I hope this helps. Sorry for going on so long but i get excited with technical stuff lol.... ÂÂ
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I don't know about all you guys and your lockers. I think i will stick with my mini spools.
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My Tracker sways around on and off the gas when going straight too. If I'm cruising at 55 in 5th and let off and get back on it ("it" being what an 8v can do) it dives for the ditch and the other lane. That may be a little exaggerated, but this is my first locked vehicle and I think I would go ARB if I had the $. But I'm not familiar with the strength of them maybe someone can chime in on that.
You get used to the clicking and banging after awhile and sometimes I expect my other rides to do it. You sort of expect to hear it on every corner.
But if you do anything off road it's amazing. I've had the rr off the ground in 2wd and it just keeps motoring along. With the tires and locker in my Tracker you would have to be pretty stupid to get stuck.
But I keep trying! 8)
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Being locked in the rear end, no matter which choice you decide to go with, is definately awesome at times.