INSTALLING NEW ELECTRAC LOCKING DIFFS!

[FSJ-Earl]

Well I finally decide to bite the bullet. This is probably my most drastic move to turn my daily driver / weekend warrior (1989 Jeep Grand Wagoneer) to off roader only. I decided to install selectable lockers and new gears front and rear. I went from an open front and a toasted trac-loc in the rear with 3.31 gears to Electrac lockers with Dana 4.10 gears. All the parts finally arrived, the stars aligned and the work began. We pulled my Grand Wagoneer into the shop at about 8 pm on Thursday eve. and started to tear it down. We pulled the wheels, axles, dif covers and diffs. Then we set out all of our pieces and parts so we could be ready first thing Friday AM. I needed to get this done by Sunday due to the fact that this was my daily driver and Sunday was Mother's Day. If I was not going to get it done, I might as well not go home, EVER! We got to the shop on Friday, put the ring gear on the diff and low and behold, the bolts for the ring gear will not fit through the holes in the diff! The holes in the diff are 3/8 and the holes in the ring gear where 7/16. What the &$%@ ?!?!?!?! No big deal, we will very carefully drill them out on the drill press. Well, NO DICE, hardened steel does not drill well. So off we go to the local machine shop. Well, no dice there either. It was too hard for even him to drill. So we go back to the shop and break out the phone book. We called about 3 - 5 shops and NOBODY can do this on a Friday while we wait, I can't blame them, but this was my Jeep **** it! We finally found a machine shop that said "no problem." So we show up, give the diffs to the guy there, he runs a file over them and laughs! I was worried. He said that they were at least a "50 or 55” To me, that means NOTHING. Well that is a hardness scale. 50 - 55 on the Rockwell is HARD STUFF!!! He took it over to an end mill machine, took some measurements, got a carbide bit and went to town. Well about 30 minutes, twenty holes and one carbide bit later he was done. CARBIDE BITS ROCK! There were sparks, molten metal, and all kinds of stuff flying around! Back to the shop we go. We started putting the pinions in, we put our shim packs in, took some measurements, took the pinions out, readjusted our shim pack, put the pinion back in torques them, took more measurements, and so on and so on times about 10! Finally we got that correct and started on the diff side bearings. I cannot fathom the fact that you measure the shim backs with a micrometer to .003" then press the bearings on with a press or smack them on with a HAMMER! Then it gets even more ignorant and when you put the diff in the housing you smack it with a deadblow hammer or a 2 x 4 and a sledge hammer! Why take such precise measurements and them break out the sledge?!?!?! But hey, that is why I am an Elementary School Principal and not an axle builder! Well FINALLY we get both diffs set up and installed. By now it is sometime on Saturday. I lost all track of time, food, my name, etc. I clunk my head under my Wag SOOOOO many times, that at one point in time Zack handed me a hard hat! Finally it was time to put the diff covers back on and fill with gear oil. No problem there, getting the shift fork on the cover to line up with the activator ring is a bit of a chore, but not too bad. We did not have time to run the power to them due to time constraints and the wiring harness is set up for a slightly smaller vehicle than a Grand Wag, so I have a bit more work to do, but that should not be too much of an issue. So right no I have two AWESOME limited slips in the front and rear with 4.10s I can actually chirp my 33" BFG Mud Terrains. I have NEVER been able to do that. I will post more when I get the power hooked up! I want pass on a HUGE thanks to Zack Heisey from ZM Jeeps that did the lion share of the highly technical work and kept me on task, that is a MAJOR job in itself. If it were not for Zack this job would have never gotten done and I would have never even thought about doing this job
. If none of you have ever dealt with Zack and ZM Jeeps you should. He knows his stuff and is a great guy to work with. Yes, he is a friend of mine but I am very sincere with my saying that he has gone above and beyond in helping me out with all my problems, concerns, and stupid questions. Stay tuned for more after I run power to the Electracs and I get to find out their FULL potential!

[Sycho15]

Awesome- how much did the ETracks set you back? It sounds like something I might consider putting in Timex one day if they make them for an AMC 2.72 gear set...

[Elliott]

Sounds like you made to yer mom 'n 'ems too, good work

[FSJ-Earl]

I will need to check on the prices, I got master install kits, ring and pinions, pretty much the works. Ye, I did make it back for Mother's Day festivities! That is why I am still alive and able to post!

[FSJeeper]

FSJ-Earl, I think you have picked the best possible setup for your axle types. I can't wait to hear how they perform. My non-FSJ buddies who have installed that locker absolutely love it, and the write ups are fantastic. I think you did very well.

[Kenall]

ok
why are the holes in the diff different than the bolts for the gear?

shouldnt they be universail, standard?!

[zmjeeps]

Because some of the later D44 ring gears are now coming with 7/16" bolt holes instead of 3/8" which has been the standard forever. Several locker install instructions now have a note saying you may need to drill out the carrier. I know all the new Rubicon D44 gears are 7/16".

[Kenall]

is this sumtin the locker people will catch up with or is it:
buyer beware.

cuz i want to buy some elec lockers and 538 gears. im just waiting on earls report.

[Stuka]

Normally they are listed as "rubicon only" gears if they have the larger holes. Or at least Yukon gears are listed this way.

[youngjeeper]

i heard only difference in rubi gears is that they have 8 little spacers that you chunk out..i hope at least..i have a set sitting in my garage