Power Lok gurus.

Yes. I didn’t have to remove the hub or spindle, the axle shafts slide right out.

 

okay
so the spindles are machined properly then.
I think we've narrowed it down to a length or spline problem
with the flanges installed, I think my axles are just flush with the end of the flange.

 

That is the problem then, mine are sunk in quite a bit.
Since I’ve got it all apart I’ll slide a flange onto the axle shafts and see if it’s bottoming out prematurely.

 

Ok, had a look and this is the other end of the axle shafts.



You can kind of make out from the wear pattern that the shafts are not fully engaging the flange.
Here is the flange that got stripped out.



Again you can see where the shaft is not fully engaging it.
I took the good flange and slid it onto both axle shafts and it will but up against the shoulder on this end and when it does it’s nearly flush with the outside surface of the flange.
I’m thinking this is just a matter of assembly. I think when I reassemble everything that I will insert the axle shafts just to make sure the splines at the side gear / collet are lined up then pull the shaft out a bit to install the flange making sure it goes on fully. Then reinsert the axle shaft and bolt it down.

This is the Mile Marker lockout it broke, BTW.

 

So far so good. At least the popping and banging are gone.
The assembly I described work well, I did have to jack up each side to rotate the tire a little bit and get things aligned when reinserting the axle shaft though.

 

Can't help with this, but it was interesting to follow. Good pictures BTW.

Sounds like you were successful Woot!

 

I went ahead and assembled it without the spacers. Seemed to be the consensus that they aren’t needed for an FF converted axle.

 

did you change the number of clutch plates in the unit ?

 

I put it back together pretty much the same way it’s described here for the Dana 44 assembly.

http://www.vernco.com/powr-lok/id692.htm

The only difference is I replaced one of the flat plates, #4, with a Belleville plate in each pack so that each now has two Belleville plates, #2, two discs, #5, and one plate, #4.
I think it’s nickmil that has suggested this in the past for more positive engagement.

 

Yeah, that will tighten them up considerably. Just make sure the clutch plates are the same thickness and you should be fine. I set most of the ones I build up that way unless someones needs are different.

 

so did we firgure out what the problem really was then ?

 

The passenger side clutch pack in the Power Lok was fouled with metal flakes and I believe this was locking it up and causing it to hammer the drivers side flange whenever I started letting out the clutch.
I believe the metal flakes came from the ends of my axle shafts because they were shoved too far in causing them to rub on the cross shaft in the Power Lok. When I assembled it I just slid the axle shafts into place then pressed the flanges on and bolted it down. The tell tale sign was that my axle shafts weren't flush with the outside of the flange so they weren't fully engaging the flange and I'm sure this didn't help any with everything else that was going on.
I guess that makes sense because this problem didn't happen immediately. I actually drove it around for a while before it started giving me problems.
Anyway, that's my theory.

 

Who sells individual plates for the powr-loc?

 

Herm sells the whole clutch pack:

http://www.hermtheoverdriveguy.com/id2.htm

Walck's does too.


You could ask if they would sell individual plates.