Powertrax lock right. Cross pin? Grinding ring gear!?

[Dirtman]

I picked up a powertrax lock right for my 7.5" and been doing some reading before installing it and I'm finding people saying you have to grind a tooth on the ring gear to remove/install the cross pin on 3.73 and up ratios. (I have a 4.10).

This can't be the legit way to install these things.... I looked up buying a notched cross pin but they state (not for use on powertrax lock right lockers)

So what's the deal here?

 

[Curious Hound]

I have Aussie lockers. Similar style. I had to grind a bit off one or two teeth to get the pin to clear 4.56 gears. It's not significant and won't hurt anything. Just take off the bare minimum amount of material, mostly from the top of the gear tooth closest to the inside diameter. You just need enough room for the pin to slide into it's hole. And, of course, clean up all the debris so you don't have grit and metal filings floating around in your oil.

 

[BlackBII]

I did this on my 7.5" with 4.56 and a lock right about 10 years ago. Still working great.

The notched cross pin won't work, so grinding a couple teeth and using a solid cross pin is the only way.

 

[Dirtman]

the whole reason I decided on the lock right was so I didnt have to mess with removing the carrier and then shimming and adjusting everything. I guess grinding the edge of a tooth or two is a fair trade off. Just wanted to confirm this was the true way to do it and not some redneck half assed trick.

Thanks guys!

Dumb question but since I have 4.10's is the factory cross pin notched? I.e. do I need to buy a non notched pin to re-install?

 

[Curious Hound]

Not sure about your original pin. If it were me, I’d get a solid pin to have ready for the job.

 

[Dirtman]

Roger that... autozone actually has one in stock for some miraculous reason! I can't even get the right spark plugs from those buffoons but they have the random cross pin I need.

Only 31 bucks too.

 

[4x4junkie]

The factory pin is notched, but not in such a fashion that would work with a Lock-Right unit. Notched pins of any type are weaker than solid pins anyway, you want to have the carrier & pin assembly be as strong as possible to put up with the forces a drop-in locker puts on things.

I ground the 5.13:1 ring gear for a solid pin on my 8.8" back when I installed it in 2004. It's been all up & down the west coast on some decently technical trails. No problems with the gear or anything else. The pinion does not normally contact the gear in the area you would grind away, so it should have no effect on strength or noise.