[atari4x4]

hey hey,

have a bit of a weird one with my RD88 air locker in the front of my vitara, the bastard will not disengage.

any ideas on what would cause it to stay locked, it's been in there for around a year & has never given me a problem, usually it unlocks as soon as the load comes off the drive train.

[joeblow]

been driving a little harder than normal lately?

[shep]

ya dont get that problem with a lockright

[atari4x4]

joeblow wrote:

been driving a little harder than normal lately?

nah, same type of terrain that i usually use it on & only used it when i need it. it had been a couple of weeks since the last time it had been used, used it for spazmotically for a couple of hours, had some lunch when to do some more wheeling & it didn't unlock.

there is the same amount of air being release from the solenoid when hitting the switch, no oil coming up the line & the diff breather is clear.

[lump_a_charcoal]

SHould they be used every few weeks? I haven't used mine for a few months...

[atari4x4]

regularly i activate it in traffic with the hubs unlocked & in 2wd just to hear that cool pssssst noise

[redzook91]

bit of wind-up keeping it under load? a mate of mine had a similar issue with his truck but as i remember after a few days it sorted itself out

[Bucket]

I think the princess is just a bit upset she hasn't still got her "soft bits" that she was born with anymore.

To fix this, I can swap you my complete front diff with yours, FREE OF CHARGE; you'll just have to pay shipping.

[hutch]

My arb air locker did the same. Turns out is was the slighest kink in an airline that restricted the "pssssst".

[atari4x4]

hutch wrote:

My arb air locker did the same. Turns out is was the slighest kink in an airline that restricted the "pssssst".

no kinks in the air line.

[atari4x4]

Bucket wrote:

I think the princess is just a bit upset she hasn't still got her "soft bits" that she was born with anymore.

To fix this, I can swap you my complete front diff with yours, FREE OF CHARGE; you'll just have to pay shipping.

sure

[atari4x4]

redzook91 wrote:

bit of wind-up keeping it under load? a mate of mine had a similar issue with his truck but as i remember after a few days it sorted itself out

it's the front diff, with it in 2wd & the hubs locked & it switched off it still "pushes" like when it's locked, with 1 hub locked & in 4wd it's locked & putting drive to the locked hub when the switch is off.

it's got me stuffed.....

[hutch]

atari4x4 wrote:

hutch wrote:

My arb air locker did the same. Turns out is was the slighest kink in an airline that restricted the "pssssst".

no kinks in the air line.

Do you hear the Pstttt noise from the soleniod/pressure switch fine?

[redzook91]

I think bucket is right, it's broken. $20?

[atari4x4]

yeah, the psst is the same as it was previously to the no unlock issue.

[joeblow]

jack it up, wheels off the ground. ondo the bulk head fitting and see if the wheels will spin opposite. if still no luck you more than likely have a broken piston. i have not come across these very often and usually is a restult of engaging with one wheel spinning more than the other. let me know how you go.

[lump_a_charcoal]

Joe, should they be activated frequently when not in use?

[atari4x4]

joeblow wrote:

jack it up, wheels off the ground. ondo the bulk head fitting and see if the wheels will spin opposite. if still no luck you more than likely have a broken piston. i have not come across these very often and usually is a restult of engaging with one wheel spinning more than the other. let me know how you go.

thanks joe, i'll give that a shot.

i've never engaged it with wheels spinning, i do have a fair bit of mechanical sympathy

[joeblow]

lump_a_charcoal wrote:

Joe, should they be activated frequently when not in use?

no, not really. the main thing to do is engage the front every so often (not 4x4 though) so you don't end up with a rusty 'tide line' on the crown wheel and locker bulk head.

[lump_a_charcoal]

yeah cool thanks.

[atari4x4]

joeblow wrote:

jack it up, wheels off the ground. ondo the bulk head fitting and see if the wheels will spin opposite. if still no luck you more than likely have a broken piston. i have not come across these very often and usually is a restult of engaging with one wheel spinning more than the other. let me know how you go.

Hmmmm, just did the above test & both wheels spin the same way with the bulkhead fitting removed.

On the weekend I'll drop the oil & go from there!!!

[tanshi]

i had the same issue with my rear at one point. the little plastic tabs on the piston that hold the gear had snapped off. i suspect that the previous owner has run it with low oil and over heated the plastic.. was a 14 dollar part when i bought one last.

[atari4x4]

tanshi wrote:

i had the same issue with my rear at one point. the little plastic tabs on the piston that hold the gear had snapped off. i suspect that the previous owner has run it with low oil and over heated the plastic.. was a 14 dollar part when i bought one last.

it was BRAND NEW & has been in there for about 12 months, fitted by a diff specialist!!!!

[tanshi]

the piston is plastic, all it would take i would say is to be still slightly rolling when you engage or disengage it and the the tabs could crack off.

[joeblow]

tanshi wrote:

the piston is plastic, all it would take i would say is to be still slightly rolling when you engage or disengage it and the the tabs could crack off.

rolling is not the problem, its engaging with both wheels spinning at different speeds. it may be worth doing a warranty claim if the piston is damaged. that way they can see the piston and determine material failure or driver neglect.

[atari4x4]

joeblow wrote:

tanshi wrote:

the piston is plastic, all it would take i would say is to be still slightly rolling when you engage or disengage it and the the tabs could crack off.

rolling is not the problem, its engaging with both wheels spinning at different speeds. it may be worth doing a warranty claim if the piston is damaged. that way they can see the piston and determine material failure or driver neglect.

do you think they would kick up a stink seeing i'm running 31's on my vit?

[appsie]

dont they cover them up to a 31" tyre.i remember when my dad was having troubles with his mq rear locker.They said take the 33s off and bring it back for warranty

[atari4x4]

so the legendary air locker has plastic internal parts, bit of a disappointment

parts replaced:

Quad Ring, XR133V75 x 2
part number 160235

Locking Tab 6mm x8
part number 150402

U Ring - RD 75/87/88/118 x 1
part number 160306

Piston, G Type x1
part number 040201

[shep]

someone has to say it.

gee my lockrights are great value for money and work all the time.

[joeblow]

atari4x4 wrote:

so the legendary air locker has plastic internal parts, bit of a disappointment

if it were a steel piston it would be a heap less forgiving. the plastic one actually puts up better with shock loading to a point.


been doing some more digging........seems the piston will do that when engaging the diff with one wheel spinning......or 'crash locking' them going around corners.