Date:         Wed, 5 Mar 2003 13:00:19 -0700
Reply-To:     Jeff K <kennedy@THERIVER.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeff K <kennedy@THERIVER.COM>
Subject:      Diff lock in a 2wd
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

I've been meaning to do this for some time, but here goes...

Last fall i had the opportunity, if you can call it that, to have my transmission rebuilt. I opted to go all out and have a locking differential installed, by Daryl at AA transaxle. Its the factory VW air locker, same as on the syncros. It necesseitated a new housing to accomodate the controls. Cost: $500 above the cost of the rebuild.

Only after having this done did I realize all the ancillaries would end up costing another $300 or so. For a van that didn't have a locker previously, one needs to add several items, including a vacuum tank, check valve, actuator valve, and vacuum lines. VW taps into the brake booster line in the engine compartment, runs the vacuum up to the dash, and then runs two vacuum lines back to the tranny(one for on, one for off).  Being the resourceful (read: cheap) guy I am, I found a vacuum servo from a subaru loyale (actually two servos) - $10 U-pull-it price, $260 dealer price. So, I put a T into the brake booster line, running vacuum over to the servos, located in the engine compartment, and to the actuator on the tranny. A total of 6 feet of vacuum line, instead of 25. The vacuum servos are actuated electrically via a switch on the dash (a recycled rear defrost switch located in the blank spot below the rear wiper switch). Total cost: $15. Still need to wire up the indicator light, but soon...

The end result? the van mobs! Had the opportunity recently to test it out on some old-fashioned "jeep trails" (as marked on the USGS topo). Nearly impossible to get the rear wheels to spin. Steep hills, mud, river crossings - no trouble at all. Really happy with it, and feel like its a big improvement over the standard 2wd van. The next best thing to a syncro! (or better, for me!). I also think its better than some of the other lockers i've heard about (i.e., lock-rite) 'cause of the fact that you can turn it on and off. 

Between the locker and the Tiico motor it really feels like the van will go anywhere - at least anywhere i want to go - I drive gnarly roads to get to remote spots for climbing and skiing, not for the fun of it. Just thought I'd throw this out there, in case anyone else was considering it...

Jeff 
Bisbee, AZ