General vehicle thread

[Irving]

On another note, I got my front Lokka installed.







Have to measure stuff.




Still need inside axle cup. Half the vehicles at pull n pay have the aftermarket. Worked on one for an hour before I noticed it had the wrong damn cup. Now I need another bearing as well from the long side of the front axle. When I finally drop an axle at the pull n pay, I plan to take as many of the relevant parts as possible while I'm there.

[ray1970]

I?ve been lots of places in my truck with zero suspension mods. You just have to know your limits.

One of the most entertaining things I watched out on the trails was a guy with a lifted suburban going somewhere he shouldn?t have gone. He messed that thing up pretty good on some big rocks mostly because of the long wheelbase and the horrible approach and departure angles. Two guys with Jeeps finally helped get his unstuck but not before plenty of body damage.

[brutal]

I see grease on the ring gear.

Doesn't this diff require pinion depth and backlash adjustments once you change things?

[Irving]

I see grease on the ring gear.

Doesn't this diff require pinion depth and backlash adjustments once you change things?

Yes and yes. In this case you remove the ring gear, but you don't touch the pinon which sets the backlash. So everything should be the same. The instructions, and all the install videos, have people using grease to install the locker. I haven't put it back together yet beyond the last photo, so I can still clean that grease off. When I put everything back together, it all spins fine, but feels a little more "sticky" than before. Not sticky like a mechanical interference, just sticky like I wiped a lot of lube off during the break down and it got replaced with grease. I put grease on that ring gear to see if there was a difference, but I couldn't tell. I need to research if I need to clean that all out before I put the diff oil in. Good to point it out.

[Irving]

After two days and probably four hours of rolling around in the mud at the pull n pay, buying a few new tools, ruining some clothes, and getting a hand from at least one random dude walking by, I finally was able to drop an axle and get what I needed. I really didn't want to go this way, but after buying and returning at least four different axles, and looking at, at least two others in store without buying, I was able to determine that I can't buy the OEM style inside cup. Having this weekend project turn into something that was taking a month was really pissing me off and gave me the motivation to just man up and get it done.

I would have grabbed the entire diff in case I screwed up my locker install, but the gear ratio is different in most other models. Same diff though.


Parts I need!


Oh baby.


Pulled the long section of the axle as well, since I screwed up a bearing on mine.


Progress finally being made. Diff drop brackets. I posted up all the paint colors I had on my Instagram and told people to pick. Of course all my friends picked Wildflower blue for the brackets.


Here I am using the tip I read on the internet. You use a zip tie to hold inside snap rings tight. Then when installed you cut or burn the zip tie out. Worked pretty well, but I'm not at all confident that I got all the pieces of the zip tie out. I'm also not worried about it since the bearing spun freely and the only part seemed to be melted into the eye of the snap ring.



Now I can finally start putting everything back together and finish the suspension.


I'm going to make a goblet out of that freaking after market axle cup. I deserve it after this stupid goose chase.


I'd rather use the OEM style though since it'd hold more beer. Maybe I'll grab one off some other truck the next time I'm at the yard.

[Irving]

Side note: Here is how the 4wd is actuated on this vehicle.

The top part is what connects to the outside axle cup, and therefor spins with the CV axle.


There is a ring with a groove in it. A two prong fork slides around that ring.


When you push the 4WD button, the fork is vacuum actuated and slides the ring up over the top shaft, connecting both shafts. This means that the transfer case is ALWAYS spinning the front driveshaft, front diff, and this long shaft, at all times. Only when the 4WD button is pushed are the CV axles engaged. This is also why you don't really save any gas mileage by getting manual hubs. It makes the steering a bit lighter, but you don't feel the increased peppy-ness that you do when you disconnect the front drive shaft.

[Irving]

If anyone ever sees this car up in Fort Collins, it's my buddy!

[MrPrena]

^ May I ask what is it made with/outof?

[Irving]

It started life as a 4th gen Camaro. Like this. I saw it the day he bought it. He swung by and had two wheels strapped to the top of the trunk lid.

[MrPrena]

Wow!
Never imagined it was from Camero. My initial guess was from Civic Si or Golf.