PRELIMINARY AXLE DISASSEMBLY STEPS
NOTE: the following steps and paragraphs are suggestions that we provide to help you with the successful
installation of your new Aussie Locker. You are ultimately responsible for the safe installation of your new
locker and the safe operation of your new locker-equipped vehicle.
The following general steps are done prior to removing the rear differential; similar steps are used for the
front unit. They are meant only as a guide to be used in disassembling the axle for your particular vehicle.
Consult your shop manual for the exact steps that are needed.
1. Position the vehicle on level ground and block the front wheels.
2. Loosen the rear lug nuts by 1/2 turn if the tires will need to be removed. Generally, for C-clip axles, the
tires can remain in place.
3. Release the emergency brake and put the transmission and transfer case in neutral.
4. Carefully jack up the rear axle and place it on jack stands.
5. Remove the tires (if needed).
6. Loosen the bolts around the differential cover or the around the third member. Drain the gear oil. Remove
the cover.
7. If you have determined that your vehicle has a C-clip differential, proceed directly to the section below
entitled C-Clip Axles.
8. Observe the ring gear to see if it is thin enough so that you can pull out the pinion shaft. If so, proceed to
the section below entitled Thin Ring Gear.
9. If the ring gear is too thick to be able to pull the pinion shaft out past the teeth, proceed to the section
below entitled Thick Ring Gear.
Notes:
1. The pinion shaft is usually retained by a special bolt or by a roll pin or even by a solid pin. In some
differentials a bearing cap must be removed to enable the bolt or pin to be removed using a small wrench
or a long punch Consult your shop manual for the exact procedure.
2. If you find one thrust washer, there are two (1 per each axle gear). Sometimes they “stick” to the backs
of the side gears or to the case and one seems to be missing. Check very carefully.
REMOVAL OF THE DIFFERENTIAL—C-CLIP AXLES
The following steps are a general guide to removing the differential assembly from C-clip axles. Consult
your shop manual for the detailed steps required to open up the differential housing to expose the
differential. C-clip axles are the easiest design for differential replacement; in these axles the differential
case remains in the vehicle and the installation of your Aussie Locker is done in the vehicle rather than on
the bench. Note that with only one person, removal of the tires makes sliding the axle shafts in and out
easier.
1. Remove the pinon shaft.
2. Remove the thrust block (if present).
3. Push the axle shafts inward and remove the C-clips.
4. Pull each axle shaft out by about three inches.
5. Remove the spider gears and side gears and all thrust washers.
6. Proceed to the section below entitled Examination and Preparation of the Parts.
REMOVAL OF THE DIFFERENTIAL—THIN RING GEAR
If you have determined that the ring gear is thin enough so that the pinion shaft can be removed without
further disassembly, do not remove the differential case from the vehicle. Your new Aussie Locker can be
installed with the differential case remaining in place. If your differential is in a third member with no
removable cover on the axle housing, remove the third member from the vehicle and place it on the
bench. If the ring gear is thin enough, follow instructions 1, 3 and 4 below but do not remove the
differential case from the carrier. (As an example, this describes Land Cruiser front differentials which
have full-floating axles.)
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