Diff drop and skid plates.

[Frogstar7055]

Did the diff drop when I put the Lokka in.
Now I've got the Shrock skid plates bed lined and ready to go.
Looking under truck and seems to me it's gonna hit when I mount it up.

Maybe have to space it down in the front?
Anybody else run into this?

 

[Frogstar7055]

Wow, really hate to say it but.......
Couple times I've asked questions here and CX I got answers on CX and not here.

Just sayin'.

 

[obi_krash]

Potentially dumb question, but have you tried to see if it works?

I only ask cause your follow up post picked my interest as to why no one said anything. So I did some googling and literally found nothing related to it.

 

[robcarync]

I have read about that somewhere through the ages...but don't remember specifics...

so.... why don't you share what you found on CX? I think CX has more traffic and is more straight tech discussions as opposed the more social atmosphere here.

 

[Macland]

Are you talking about a question directly related to the lokka? Because that's not a common purchase. That may be why you haven't got a response.

 

[robcarync]

Are you talking about a question directly related to the lokka? Because that's not a common purchase. That may be why you haven't got a response.

Not so much the Lokka as it is the diff drop. The front diff sits lower now so the ski plates can't sit flush the way they were designed to mount.

I think someone else spaced it with washers or a steel sleeve cut to fit

 

[obi_krash]

I could see using some washers or something to offset the difference. But, just wondering, if this is something that is common do we think one of our supporting vendors like P&P or someone could fab up so spacers for these?

 

[Frogstar7055]

Made two sets of spacers at work today (aircraft aluminum,two hole fits on u-bolts) one set 3/8 and one set 1/2.
Got down to installing it. Without spacers definitely hits,with 3/8 still touches,with 1/2 it has about .100 clearance.
U-bolts too short with spacer and have another issue.

The one on the driver side lines up on the mount on the cross member for the diff cover. Even without the spacers
the cross bar that goes on the u-bolt would not fit square in the mount. If it went on at all the u-bolt would be crooked as hell.

 

[xterror04]

My skid plates rest on the diff...no issues and it's been years

 

[Frogstar7055]

Ya but what about that mount on the driver side?
That's what has me well...not stumped but certainly wondering why its like that.

 

[Roadwarrior]

Can you measure the mounting holes? I wonder if they are ever so slightly off?

Sent from space and stuff

 

[TJTJ]

Not so much the Lokka as it is the diff drop. The front diff sits lower now so the ski plates can't sit flush the way they were designed to mount.

I think someone else spaced it with washers or a steel sleeve cut to fit

The skid goes UNDER the cross member, the diff is on TOP OF the cross member...how could the diff on top of the cross member interfere with the skid below the cross member?

 

[Frogstar7055]

It does TJ.
When you put the diff drop bushings in the diff (specifically the spot where the drain is) sits lower and will hit the skid plate.

 

[TJTJ]

The skids came with spacers for the diff skid anyway....those were not enough ?

I ask because I had the drop, and the skids on....and it was fine

 

[Frogstar7055]

I didn't get any spacers with my skid (eng/trans).
I made my own,without them skid would have hit bottom of diff before front bolts were tightened up.

 

[TJTJ]

Not sure why yours is an issue. It could be an individual clearance thing as mentioned by an earlier post? You are essentially reporting that the diff drop's drop amount would not have mattered, and that you hit even with spacing the plate away by that amount...so the drop made it hit MORE, but that it would have started out hitting even w/o the drop....is that correct? (Hits WITH 3/8" skid spacer)

The offset holes can be confusing...the bushings you put on the diff go hole up, and the ones on the (Front?) cross member hole down, IIRC....or maybe one was the opposite of the others? (so if you do them all the same, or reverse the up/down, it might tilt the diff and be a potential issue?)

I did mine back in ~ 2003-2004 or so, and didn't think to do a write up or take pics, etc...and I'm a bit dyslexic...but think about the offset hole orientations and if that might be at play.

Basically...the idea is to lower the diff, and, some of the locations its being held up...so, lowering the hole lowers the diff, and, some the diff is holding it self, and, raising the hole lets it down.

I'd have to look again to remember which is which...but, now that I'm thinking about it...it might be one goes the other way...and the way to get which is which...is to look at it, and see if the hole needs to be up or down to lower the diff. The ONE that goes the OTHER WAY could be the problem, logically.


I hope that's not too confusing.

:sure:

 

[Frogstar7055]

Without the diff drop their would have been maybe 1/4" between skid and bottom (where the drain is), with drop it would hit.
Only spacers are with the T-case skid from Shrock.

 

[TJTJ]

So, which bushings did you mount hole up, and which were hole down?

 

[robcarync]

The only bushing to be hole down is the one bolted on top of the front cross member

There is 2 bushings mounted hole up on the rear cross member near the input flange to the front diff.

There is one bushing mounted hole up attached to the front casing of the diff.

There is one bushing mounted hole down that is bolted to the bracket on the front cross member, not attached to the diff.