The locker works by becoming a spool under power (locking up) and differentiating around corners (disengaging). Torque from the driveline will lock it up, but torque from the axle will disengage it. The locker disengages (differentiates) when an axle spins ahead of the carrier, so an axle can spin faster than the carrier, but not slower.
Recently it feels like my rear lunch box is behaving differently than it used to. Feels like it's not disengaging at all in tight turns, but staying engaged. Either under power or coasting it feels neither tire seems to disengage. (Actually, this started after getting stuck and using a lot of skinny pedal trying to get out, so maybe I screwed something up?).
That description above is what I understood about lunch box lockers... that an axle can spin faster than the ring gear.
So, I was thinking I could test the locker by jacking up both wheels, holding the drive shaft/pinion stationary, and spinning a tire. I would assume I could hold the drive shaft stationary, and spin a tire freely... as that would mean the axle is spinning faster than the ring gear.
But if I hold the drive shaft stationary, I am unable to spin either tire freely. If I try to spin either tire, it is locked to the drive-shaft. If I spin a tire, the drive-shaft spins also, but the opposite side tire does disengage. I assumed the tire I was spinning would disengage instead.
Is there something wrong with my locker... or am I misunderstanding how they should work?
I've taken the diff cover off, and nothing looks broken.
Thanks,
Mike