Aussie locker install - Had to clearance the carrier!?

SJDano · Feb 5, 2015

Just curious to know if anyone else had to clearance the carrier a little for the case gears to fit?

I have the factory carrier - so I would have thought that using the JK specific Dana 30 locker would have been an easy fit.

I used the thrust washers that came with the lockers as they were just a shade thinner than what I had in there. If I recall correctly, the original thrust washers were around an 0.071 and the Aussie washers were around an 0.064.

So measuring the gap between the pin and the spacers, as directed measured out to be a 0.015. Means, had I used the original thrust washers, the fit would have been even tighter than it was.

However, fitting the case gears between the axle gears wasn't really the issue. The case gears themselves simply wouldn't fit into the carrier... whether or not the axle gears where in place.

So... I took the time to clearance the case... didn't have to remove too much, but still unexpected.

Anyone else experience this?

jk_perdido · Feb 8, 2015

I installed a Lokka which is basically the same as an Aussie. I remember it being finicky and tight nut didn't need to clearance the carrier.

Rubicon_35 · Feb 9, 2015

I had to remove the carrier from the axle and also remove the ring gear to get mine in. I did have to fiddle quite a bit to get all 4 pieces into the carrier though.

jk_perdido · Feb 10, 2015

Yes to clarify I had taken the carrier out as well - there was no way it was going in while still in the diff. OP - did you take it out of the diff or were you installing it while in the diff?

SJDano · Feb 10, 2015

Yes to clarify I had taken the carrier out as well - there was no way it was going in while still in the diff. OP - did you take it out of the diff or were you installing it while in the diff?

Definitely had to remove the carrier from the diff housing as the ring gear had to be removed to remove the carrier pin. Possibly if you're running a set of stock gears, the ring gear is thin enough to where the carrier pin will clear the ring gear and then installing the locker it can be done without removal.

I too "fiddled" with the locker for a while to see if I can position it to clear the carrier itself. Bottom line... it wasn't gonna happen. I didn't have to remove too much material but I would have expected that since it was a "JK specific" application, it should have just fit.

I think what I've learned is that the specificity is driven by the thrust washers they provide more so than the locker itself.

Seeing that the carriers are cast vs. some other metal forming process, it's quite possible that the actual final shape of the carrier for the exact same application can/will differ. This plus the designed tight tolerance between the size of the locker and the carrier opening itself... you may or may not have to clearance the carrier.

I'm going on 5 days of driving plus one trail ride with the Aussie installed... no real issues. It's bit more "clunky" than I would have expected, but no real ill effects. Making tight(ish) turns however does get your attention.

Grimscale · Feb 10, 2015

Did you have the 3.21 carrier or the 4.10+ carrier? I believe there is a difference depending on which gears your Jeep originally came with.

on my '07 that had stock 4.10 gears, they did not have to clearance the carrier to install the aussie. it went in easily.

b1pig · Feb 12, 2015

when i put an aussie in a ZJ D30, i had to shave a bit on one edge. didnt take much.

SJDano · Mar 30, 2015

Mine came with 4.10s originally... But I had/have 5.13s at the time of the Aussie install.

I was just thinking the other day.. Given how tight of a fit it was, I'm now wondering if the locker isn't fully disengaging when turning, thus the excessive binding.

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Aussie locker install - Had to clearance the carrier!?

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