Diff Locks

sarmadq · Unread post by **sarmadq** » January 3rd, 2009, 4:56 am

I wanted to know if anyone had tried putting diff locks on their Mutts? If so, then is there too much of alterations required

Unread post by **rickf** » January 3rd, 2009, 10:30 am

If you buy that kit from Mil-plus then it is a bolt in, abiet avery expensive one! You will find that most of us here in the US do not off road our Mutts like you guys do over there so we do not get into the very expensive modifications like that. Hell, I could build a complete CJ-7 for the price of a Mutt locker and low range transfer adapter!

Rick

tokarev · Unread post by **tokarev** » January 3rd, 2009, 2:54 pm

Sure would be nice to have that option if needed though - the lockers avivated with hydraulic's are nice in my Pinzgauer 712.

sarmadq · Unread post by **sarmadq** » January 3rd, 2009, 4:43 pm

Not many people do off road here either. But then my phylosophy is if you have something made for something, then why not. Obviously its taken well careoff & I'd never put my rig in a position that might cause harm in anyway.
We have CJs for that

baios · Unread post by **baios** » January 4th, 2009, 4:21 am

I wish I had a Cj I love them!!!!

MUTT Vet · Unread post by **MUTT Vet** » January 5th, 2009, 10:04 am

sarmadq wrote:I wanted to know if anyone had tried putting diff locks on their Mutts? If so, then is there too much of alterations required

I've done it.

rickf wrote:You will find that most of us here in the US do not off road our Mutts like you guys do over there so we do not get into the very expensive modifications like that.

Hey sarmadq, I'm one of those few people who do off road with my Mutt pretty extremely. I've spent a lot of money modifying it.

I've changed my air filter out to use the K&N air filter, I've had the engine ported and polished like shown on mutt motor pool.

I've also had the rear shock mounts modified to accept modern shocks, I've bolted down the coils so they can't pop out and i've installed straps to keep the suspension from extending too far.

And just recently I had my diffs modified into selectable locking diffs. The front and rear are both selectable. I didn't go with the auto locker because i don't want the diff telling me when to lock, I like to choose.

If you do chose to go with modifying it there are many people here who will be glad to help. That's where i got all my help, and they can keep you from making some stupid mistakes like i would have without them. Thanks guys.

I take my Mutt everywhere, with the locking diffs it's absolutly unstoppable (knock on wood). The next thing i want to do is put some skid plates underneath as i have put some dents in the bottom and even a hole that i had to have welded.

rickf wrote:Hell, I could build a complete CJ-7 for the price of a Mutt locker and low range transfer adapter!

Rick i know you keep advocating the use of a CJ-7 but as i've said many times before, why would you want to drive a CJ-7 when you can drive a Mutt.

If you love your Mutt then why not fix it up. There are those die hard traditional people they don't mod them so they can show them and that's great, I'm looking for a new one to restore myself, but i drive my current one on a daily basis.

Modifying a CJ-7 is very easy and very cheap, but everyone and their brother has one. There's a thousand driving around where i live and no one pays them any attention, but when i drive my Mutt i get noticed...it's kinda cool.

In the end it's your jeep, roll how you want to.

sarmadq · Unread post by **sarmadq** » January 5th, 2009, 10:17 am

Eric, I love your signature quote

Unread post by **rickf** » January 5th, 2009, 10:42 am

Eric, What locker did you go with?

Rick

baios · Unread post by **baios** » January 5th, 2009, 2:22 pm

rickf wrote:Eric, What locker did you go with?

Rick

Me too I m very interesting for those lockers PLEASE tell us how u did it???

MUTT Vet · Unread post by **MUTT Vet** » January 5th, 2009, 3:40 pm

rickf wrote:Eric, What locker did you go with?

Rick, I finally broke down a paid the ridiculous price that mil-plus was asking for their locking differentials. http://www.mil-plus.com/DesktopDefault.aspx

Here is a quote from the email they sent me:

Mil-Plus wrote:Diff lock kit: we sell the diff lock kit in two solutions:
1. diff lock kit casing , axle drive shaft shrtened with NOS ujoint installed, ready to be applied on your old differential (front or rear) :950 euro+shipping. (no leverage command included)
2. differential overhauled with diff lock kit installed, all it's ready to be bot on your M151 (if you're a mechanical guy, ok otherwise we strongly suggest the solution 2!). : price: 1350 euro+ shipping.

COMMANDS: all the leverage command are a plus.
you can choose between-

* Manual command: like the hand brake for instance : including wire cable and returning springs for 150 euro
* Pneumatic command with actuator (it works getting vacuum from the air intake) with plastic tubings, and joystick valve: 450 Euro

I went with option number 2 with a manual command for the front and rear so i can lock either independantly.
I'm not sure exactly what locker he used. But here are two pictures:

Something i had to figure out for myself was where to mount the levers for the lockers.
The best place i found was right under the transmission hump on the floor, there's just enough space between that and my ammo can arm rest. The levers kind of look like the emergency brake handle but shorter.

As far as installing them, the option i went with was just a simple bolt on. The actuating levers for the lockers was just an issue of running the wire cables from the diffs to the lever linkages, and installing the return spring, which was more time consuming than difficult.

And while i was at it i finally installed that diff vent intake hose i was talking about in previous posts. I just took off the existing diff vent and went to lowes and bought a fitting that screwed in the hole an attached a small rubber gas line tube and ran it to the air intake and installed two more of the valves so i could attach the tube directly from the diff to the air intake. I did the same thing for the front diff.

If anybody is interested I have the part numbers and lengths if anyone wants them. With the tubes installed there is no need to change the diff fluid as long as you have good seals. I've tested it and i don't get a trace of water in the diff fluid after fording.

I know this might not help in doing it yourself but I will say it was worth it. Places i had issues before are a thing of the past.

If you want to do it yourself you could go with the auto locker that mutt motor pool talks about, its a modified Lock Right Powertrax locking differential (http://www.richmondgear.com/powertrax/lockright.html) here's the website for mutt motor pool- http://www.muttmotorpool.com/difftest.html

Eric.

tokarev · Unread post by **tokarev** » January 6th, 2009, 12:15 am

Eric,
Thanks for your experience with the locker - to bad it so expensive. Being able to lock the diffs manually is the way to go.

baios · Unread post by **baios** » January 6th, 2009, 4:09 am

My idea also is to go with manually engage the locker!!!Still want to know more about the instalation and what products must order from where and try to make it!!!PLEASE NEED MORE ADNICE!!!

MUTT Vet · Unread post by **MUTT Vet** » January 6th, 2009, 9:33 am

baios wrote:Still want to know more about the instalation and what products must order from where and try to make it!

You'll have to call or email Vittorio for a price quote. He's constantly changing the prices.

Here's his info-
Vittorio Boccalate
Phone: +39-328-2827147
Fax: +39 02-391-95594
email: milplus@gmail.com
email: info@mil-plus.com
website: http://www.mil-plus.com

You may want to hurry because he told me that he was thinking on greatly reducing his Mutt modification kits.

The setup i bought from him was the overhauled differential that already had the loker installed. It's just a simple bolt on. You'll take off the old diff and bolt on the new diff. The price for me was 1350 euro plus shipping which was about 300 euro. That's about $2,200 US dollars, I bought 1 for the front and 1 for the rear...$4,400!!! That's more than I payed for the jeep itself. The price is an atrocity but it's the only place that has them.

The manual command setup was an additional 300 euro (about $400 USD).

He ships exact instructions on how to install the setup from beginning to end.

I know it's ALOT of money and ALOT of people will tell you to just go with a CJ-7 but it's your choice. I would rather drive a Mutt any day than a CJ-7. I've beaten every CJ in town that has tried to hang with me off road, as long a speed wasn't a factor.

baios · Unread post by **baios** » January 6th, 2009, 10:09 am

Yeah I know the company from Italy isn't far from my country but....I was wondering that he won't be the only one that made that differential locker!!!!!!I mean there in USA must be a place or shop that can do that locker

Anyway the price from mil-plus is too high nevertheless i will make him a call!!

MUTT Vet · Unread post by **MUTT Vet** » January 6th, 2009, 1:55 pm

baios wrote:Yeah I know the company from Italy isn't far from my country but....I was wondering that he won't be the only one that made that differential locker!!!!!!I mean there in USA must be a place or shop that can do that locker Anyway the price from mil-plus is too high nevertheless i will make him a call!!

I have looked many places and i haven't been able to find a place that sells the diffs already modified with the locker installed.

Any local off road shop could install manually locking diffs or even modify your existing diffs to be manual lockers, there just might be more frame or body modification than you would want.

I would check with the local off road shop and see what they can do for you.

Keep us posted with the process if you go through with it.

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