installing ez locker right now. have question

[holley2346]

I am installing an ez locker a Dana 44 is it normal for it to be able to move on the carrier bolt? It is a little loose and was making sure this was normal.

Thanks

[will e]

That doesn't sound normal

What do you mean 'Move on the carrier bolt'?

[j20brett]

There should be clearance specs in the instruction manual. And i believe you are referring to the cross shaft the goes through the carrier. No, it should not be loose. Does the cross shaft look worn or damaged?

[holley2346]

The bolt is not damaged and the locker is fine when you press it togethee but while the springs are holding it apart its loose. The bolt itself doesn't move the locker just isn't tight on the bolt.

[j20brett]

How loose is loose? how far does the locker rotate til the cross pin stops it?

[holley2346]

I think it will be fine. When the two sides engage and close it doesn't move but about a quarter inch. We will see how well it does when I get my new bearings in.


Thanks!

[fulsizjeep]

Not familiar with the EZ Locker - I recently bought one, so will be some day. I would consult the vendor you bought it from. Anyone who replies with advice and does not have personal experience with that product - well, you get what you pay for. ;)

[j20brett]

i guess i am assuming that they should be tight, but i put in an aussie not an ez locker but its the same concept. anyways, as flint said you get what you pay for.

Found the install manual, it says the clutches must fit loosely against the cross pin, but loosely is a relative term. So good luck :)

[Sambo]

i would go ahead and order a new cross shaft! that is the reason they "recommend" buying a new one when you get a lunch box locker;)

[holley2346]

I purchased my EZ locker from BJ's. Sorry about any typos. I was doing this from my phone at the shop today. I think it will be fine. The bolt was a little worn from where the spider gears were riding on it. But now nothing is riding there as the mini spool (ez locker) rides on the middle (unworn) part of the shaft. I talked to many people and dealerships today about getting a new shaft, but it sounded like more trouble than it was worth. Right now I'm just doing some light wheeling until mud season opens up in the spring.

Thank you all for your help.

[Gambler68]

Dude..they're like 12 dollars. Why run your stuff all loose and sloppy.

[jeepjseries]

Twelve dollars is a lot right now no thanks to the depression.:mad:

[jeephabit3]

Sorry for the hijack but I am about to do this install on my 83 Chief with the D44 front and AMC 20 rear. Does anyone have the part numbers for the cross shafts and where they can be purchased?

Twelve dollars is a lot right now no thanks to the depression.:mad:

[TPICherokee]

Sorry for the hijack but I am about to do this install on my 83 Chief with the D44 front and AMC 20 rear. Does anyone have the part numbers for the cross shafts and where they can be purchased?

For a Dana 44, you want number 29:

http://www.bjsoffroad.com/CartGenie/prod-1029.htm

I am sure we can get an AMC 20 cross shaft as well, just don't have one listed on the site.

[holley2346]

Well for those interested, I broke my EZ locker today. I am going to try out some mini spools. The thing was annoying as heck going down the road engaging/disengaging (sometimes very roughly) and ended up breaking on a level trail. (it just slips... my definition of slipping - grabbing at low torque but at higher tourque tries to grab but slips and pops like crazy). I still have not taken it apart as I was pretty aggrevated this afternoon after working on this thing for a week or so.

Something I've learned doing all this. Most of your time is spent waiting on parts.... and here I am again, waiting on parts. :mad:

[Casey]

Well for those interested, I broke my EZ locker today. I am going to try out some mini spools. The thing was annoying as heck going down the road engaging/disengaging (sometimes very roughly) and ended up breaking on a level trail. (it just slips... my definition of slipping - grabbing at low torque but at higher tourque tries to grab but slips and pops like crazy). I still have not taken it apart as I was pretty aggrevated this afternoon after working on this thing for a week or so.

Something I've learned doing all this. Most of your time is spent waiting on parts.... and here I am again, waiting on parts. :mad:
:rolleyes: No surprise here. The Detroit E-Z is junk IMHO. This will one of many complaints to come...

It's mall rated.

And yes, Flint, that's from experience.

[Gambler68]

I'll sell ya another Detroit ez-locker for 50 bux :p Otherwise it's gana gather dust.

Waiting to install an Aussie lunchbox locker in mine..we'll see if it survives Moab this spring..machining between the two is night and day when you compare them, Aussie looks nice, detroit looks like it was made by McDonalds' dropouts.

[will e]

I have the aussie in mine in front.

Works like a charm. Pulled me up some pretty difficult stuff no issues. That's with D44 4.56 gears and 35" tires. I am light on the throttle.

I also have an ARB in back. It wasn't working that day so I had to rely on the Aussie.

I have the ARB working again. I can't wait! i have not taken out the new jeep locked front and back.

[orangebike]

yep they are crap.....unless you run smaller then a 33 tire then i know people that are happy with them.....

[fulsizjeep]

:rolleyes: No surprise here. The Detroit E-Z is junk IMHO. This will one of many complaints to come...

It's mall rated.

And yes, Flint, that's from experience.Did I say something? ;) Oh well, I got one for Krista to try. We'll see... :drivin:


I would never put one of these lunch box deals in without the hardened center pin. Curious to see what broke in Holley's rig.

[rocklaurence]

Ive run two types of EZ lockers both in front and they both have worked flawlessly. The Detroit is 15 years old and has seen a lot of work and 37" Boggers. I also have their Elocker and its great. The issue here was the install not the product.

[Casey]

Did I say something? ;) Oh well, I got one for Krista to try. We'll see... :drivin:


I would never put one of these lunch box deals in without the hardened center pin. Curious to see what broke in Holley's rig.
ok...I've installed dozens of Lock Rights. At least 5 FSJ rear axles and a couple of fronts. A few CJs a YJ and 2 or 3 XJs... Never had a problem running tires as large as 37". I never once installed new ring gear bolts :o or changed cross shafts (unless it was specified and provided).
But, usually when there is a axle with a LR failure it's caused by a broken cross shaft or case part. Rarely ever a LR part.

Fred, my neighbor, installed an E-Z in the rear of his 78 Cherokee and the thing came apart. He was running 34" LTBs. There were zero install problems, it goes together just like a LR, I watched him put the thing together. It ran a few trails without trouble. Then one day...BANG.


I don't know how anyone that wasn't there could say for certain that this was an install problem.

[holley2346]

ok...I've installed dozens of Lock Rights. At least 5 FSJ rear axles and a couple of fronts. A few CJs a YJ and 2 or 3 XJs... Never had a problem running tires as large as 37". I never once installed new ring gear bolts :o or changed cross shafts (unless it was specified and provided).
But, usually when there is a axle with a LR failure it's caused by a broken cross shaft or case part. Rarely ever a LR part.

Fred, my neighbor, installed an E-Z in the rear of his 78 Cherokee and the thing came apart. He was running 34" LTBs. There were zero install problems, it goes together just like a LR, I watched him put the thing together. It ran a few trails without trouble. Then one day...BANG.


I don't know how anyone that wasn't there could say for certain that this was an install problem.

Yeah I agree. That was rude. I'll likely take this rear end apart Monday and see what happened.
Thanks all for your opinions. I wish I would of known about the quality of this product before I purchased it.

[Casey]

I warned ya here....

post #5

http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=108618&highlight=Detroit+E-Z+Locker

[Tatsadasayago]

Being a PowerLok and DetroitLocker fan I've never run the EZ. Something to be considered is the 'slop' in the entire axle assembly when considering why a part failed.

You can blow up a brand new open carrier/spider setup on 29-9" tires if your right foot overcomes common sense.

I've seen guys murder Dana 60 front and rears doing mild wheeling on the Rubicon and Fordyce trails for years and it still boggles the mind.
Back when I first started rolling through the 'Con in 1968, the common rig was a 40s CJ-2A and CJ-5. As you know, most of those rigs had model 20, 30s and 44 Dana diffs. Back then, the 'KILLER' tire were the Sears Suburbanite and the Desert Dog tires at 29" or 30" x 10.50". The guys who broke their stuff were usually the IDIOTS and the unfortunate. The IDIOTS were usually inexperienced or drunk....or a combination of both with a few add-ons.

The same seems to hold true today even though the equipment has improved alongside tire diameter and commonly available horsepower.

My point to this is that a GOOD and COMMON SENSE driver can usually take ANYTHING out and wheel the daylights out of it without breaking things. The reverse is that No Hardened Dana 60 Rock diff is going to stand up to much abuse by a throttle-happy moron with tons of power and little common sense.

I may offend some or many with my comments and that is to be expected....but not many people can say they have wheeled hard to places the BIG DOGS have gone without E V E R breaking an axle, carrier/locker, U-joint, driveshaft, transmission or transfer case.

Just don't ask me about the many destructions that have occurred just getting to and from work.....

Just sayin......

[Stuka]

It sounds to me as though something was up. There should not have been as much play as you describe. And that play will cause it to act up more so than it should (as you described). When you open it up, post up and let us know what broke.

I will say the aussie is a higher quality part though.

[shackwrrr]

I have the detroit ez in my suzuki sidekick. It has the slop. The slop lets it disengage around turns and then when you give it power it jams the two sides apart and locks it up. I dont like mine It looks like I dont know how to drive a stick when I try to turn into a parking spot. I got it cheap and a spool would have been better

[Casey]

pics of a busted EZ...sorry for the quality of the pics...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v189/rcasey/FSJ/005-1.jpg

what it should look like...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v189/rcasey/FSJ/004.jpg

This was in a '77 Cherokee with 360/T-18/D20 and 34" LTBs. Two maybe three runs until it went south. Since it had been over a year since the purchase date they would not warranty the part. Even though the thing had fewer than 1000 road miles on it.

I'm curious to see where the OP's EZ failed.... ;)

[Tatsadasayago]

Why does the main housing look suspiciously like powdered iron?

I think a mini spool would be stronger.....

Casey, it's been awhile since I messed with the Detroit EZ. If I recall that slot where the destruction happened is where one of the big spring pins go. I just can't see how it would break there and not on backside where the side gears come into contact with that plate. The only reasonable explanation I can come up with is that the pin somehow came out and cocked at an angle. Then when power was applied the side gear was slammed into it causing the pin to blow out the side there.

Pretty wierd.....

[Casey]

Yes it is where the spring goes and pin installs through that oval slot. Strange place for it to break is just what I said. After the break it took a while, but then the spring popped out and then the pin. Then it was no bueno por caca.

They seem to be made from the same material as the Aussie and Lock Right. :rolleyes:

BTW, the same Jeep has always run a Lock Right in the front and now sports 36" Swampers and a mini-spool to replace the crap EZ.

[Tatsadasayago]

I was looking at the Richmond mini spools recently. I would suppose by looking at them that they would either split in two or twist an axle.
I think I'll add one in the rear and see how it goes.
How long have you run yours?


Yes it is where the spring goes and pin installs through that oval slot. Strange place for it to break is just what I said. After the break it took a while, but then the spring popped out and then the pin. Then it was no bueno por caca.

They seem to be made from the same material as the Aussie and Lock Right. :rolleyes:

BTW, the same Jeep has always run a Lock Right in the front and now sports 36" Swampers and a mini-spool to replace the crap EZ.

[Casey]

I was looking at the Richmond mini spools recently. I would suppose by looking at them that they would either split in two or twist an axle.
I think I'll add one in the rear and see how it goes.
How long have you run yours?
Not my rig, the Cherokee belongs to one of our club members that happens to live across the street from me.

He's had the mini-spool to URE and Tellico. He beats on the Jeep and so far everything is working great. It's been on 36s for a couple of years now.

[fulsizjeep]

I'm curious to see where the OP's EZ failed.... ;)ME TOO! :cool:

[holley2346]

The damage to mine looked EXACTLY like caseys. It was just barely chipped on 2 out of 4 of the spring holes. Everything else was just like new. It's hard for me to understand how that would chip right there..... Oh well, I have a mini spool now and wouldn't trade it for anything. :)

I don't have any pictures of the broken ez locker right now, but I do have some of the mini spool installed :)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4233916088_10da8b3ca1.jpg