detroit locker tear down?

[gijohn40]

Has anyone every taken a detroit locker apart? I have to do this and replace the side gears. I just need to know what the spring pressure is going to be like? there are two ways of doing it I have been told...

1) use a bolt and two washers going thru the locker to keep the two halves together while undoing the 8 bolts holding the case together...

2) put the locker in a vise and undo the 8 bolts then slowly open the vise until the spring pressure is gone.

So I just need to know how much pressure the springs are holding...

 

[I Lean]

It's a pretty strong spring. You can probably push it together most of the way with your hands and body weight, so it's maybe a couple hundred pounds? The last one I took apart (was a LONG time ago) I used the vise method to take it apart, and the allthread/washers/nuts method to reassemble. That's because my vise wouldn't open far enough to release all the spring pressure, and it ended up exploding all over trying to get it out of the vise in a controlled fashion.

 

[skippy]

The last one I tore apart I used my press to keep it compressed, it worked really well. and had enough throw to avoid the catastrophe that Carl explained above

 

[neagtea]

The last one I tore apart I used my press to keep it compressed, it worked really well. and had enough throw to avoid the catastrophe that Carl explained above

X2
Have also used the stud with washers and nuts, and reassembled with hand pressure on the bench.

 

[gijohn40]

I bought a 3/8 alltread 36 inch long and two nuts and some washers. and will be doing this this weekend.
I was able to drill a half inch hole thru the axle shaft that is stuck in the side gear.

 

[ZUK]

Hi John-
I have taken about 6 of them apart to inspect them for the customer while in there doing a gear install and it only is about 20 or 30 pounds pressure. How did your dis-assembly go? Did you find that it was a minor PITA to get them back together....not so much from the pressure required but they just don't line up just right for about 5 tries?
ZUK

 

[gijohn40]

I found the hold out tab broken and haven't been able to find a replacement so guess I will be buying a new clutch side. that has the hold out tab attached to it. I have tried a few times to put it back together and the washers on both sides keep falling out of the slots. I have tried assembly lube to hold it but not working. I think a few springs holding the washers in place should work...