ANSWERED - D.I.Y. Locker install question

[delloro]

I bought a Harrop rear locker, new carrier bearings, and a mini installation kit. Will do this myself. Reusing the gears.

For those who have installed 5th rear gen lockers, did you need to R&R the pinion for a correct contact pattern?

I have <70,000 miles, and don't care to mess with the pinion if I don't have to.

Thanks!

 

[Jodeckm]

You shouldn’t need to remove the pinion.

ARB has instructions on measurements required and calculation for side bearing shims. You take measurements of the old vs the new carrier, then make adjustment to the original side bearing shims thickness using supplied shim packs.
You need to be thorough and repeatable with your measurements. If you measure your backlash before disassembly and can reassemble with the same backlash you should be good.
I picked out a large socket of proper size to fit where the side bearing would be. The bearing seating shoulder should rest on the mouth of the socket. I bolted that socket to a metal table as a “zero” stand. I sat the carrier, minus side bearings, in the socket with ring gear mounting surface down. Using a magnetic dial indicator stuck to the table, I then zeroed a dial indicator on the ring gear mounting surface. Swap new carrier into the socket and read the difference in the dial indicator reading. This gives the difference in the new vs old shim on the gear side.
Use the same process putting the indicator on the opposite carrier bearing seating shoulder to determine the difference in the actual width of the carriers. This measurement is the difference in the opposite new vs old shim.
Do this multiple times and shoot for repeatable measurements.

 

[delloro]

Bump

 

[delloro]

Answered

So I installed the locker last weekend.

I did not need to address the pinion depth, the contact pattern was fine.

Backlash on teardown was 0.007", I set at 0.0065".

All day job, but I work slowly, and did the wiring too.