Topic: D30 Aussie Installed!

[chrisfranklin]

Had an appointment today and finally got the D30 Aussie installed.  Place that did the work was 4x4Doctors.com in Burbank.  Place was recommended to me by a manager over at a 4 Wheel Parts store (thanks SMC; you mentioned 4x4doctors and 4 wheel parts, too).  I thought I had tried to contat 4x4doctors before, but I dialed the number I had and it gave me a "not in service" -- must have had wrong number first go around.

Anyway, cost for the work was $155 total.  A week ago, I was getting quotes from other shops in Orange and LA County ranging from $300-800 (althought the first outfit that quoted $300 quickly dropped to $200 as I was turning to leave their store).  Anyway, 4x4Doctors is the kind of shop I was looking for.  They don't really deal in parts (so no, "if we don't sell it we don't install it"). They basically just do custom repair, install, swap work on 4x4s.   When I was there today, they had an old Wagoneer that someone was paying to have an LS1 installed in -- engine looked great in there.  

If you are in So Cal, I highly recommend using 4x4Doctors, Burbank.  While your work is getting done, you can walk across the street, rent a hangun  and kill time at the indoor shooting range there, too :) As for the other 4x4 shops in OC and LA, they all mostly did installs on the parts that they carried and their prices were seemingly inflated. Sure, quality install issues may rear their head.  But, if they can do an LS1 swap, I'm sure they did this ok  

I talked to Bill Cole, Pres. of Aussie, by Email (he answers everybody's email who's interested in Aussie) and mentioned the difficulty i was having finding an installer -- also asked if Aussie had really started to penetrate the So Cal market at all with retailers.  Gist of his response was that he wasn't going to use retailers, online or otherwise, who didn't do installs of the Aussie locker.  So, sounds like any shops in So Cal he pitched to were looking to sell Aussies but not install or something.  Taking off early and seeing if I can make the 30 mile drive to Rowher Trail so I can test this thing out :)

[SMC4WD]

Glad to hear that Mike Duncan and his crew at 4xDoctor helped you out.  They are get guys there and I'm glad my recommendation helped you...   Tell him Scott said hi!  

I like to recommend shops like this to anyone.

[chrisfranklin]

Used Mobil 1 Synthetic Gear Oil.  Locker is practically invisible in 2WD, silent, no clicking that I could detect.  Took my ride to a local patch of uneven terrain in Griffith Park  and engaged 4WD Low.  Again, no sound that I could detect, steering seemed to tighten up a little, but that's about it.  Worked like a charm.  

Will keep yah posted on any other developments with it.

[chrisfranklin]

Just a follow up.  Yesterday, I made it up to Rowher Trail near Santa Clarita, Ca. at about 6pm after work.  Rowher is in the mid-level of Difficult Trails in So. Cal. (according to Charles Well's Guide to BackRoads and 4WD Trails in So. Cal.  Its only about 30 miles up from LA, so its probably the hardest "close" trail to me.  

Thing is about the front Aussie, after having it for a day both on and off-road, is that I haven't heard it at all except one when I did a full-crank u-turn.  My Jeep understeers a little bit on the road when performing hard, high speed turns on mountain roads. But, otherwise, its invisible in 2WD. Cool thing is that your traction improves going both uphill and downhill with a locker installed -- had times where, with no locker, my Jeep would go into a "freefall" when I lost traction on a steep downhill descent.  This never happened yesterday with the locker installed, because I always had the front wheels getting power, even on huge downhill ruts.  

In 4WD, it's still invisible, but the traction in the front is frigging amazing.  I did the full length of Rowher.  Only trick was that I was still on the trail well after it got dark, of course, because I started late :)  But, that was manageable as long as I stayed slow and crawled in 1st low downhill.  

Like I said in another post, I spent $250 on the locker including shipping (Northridge 4x4) and $155 on the install (4x4 Doctors, Burbank).  So, basically it was $400 total and it's the best, most fun mod I have done with my rig.   It doubled my love for my Jeep :D   Probably do the rear in about 6 months or so.

[BK2LIFE]

the rear is nice, but there is nothing cheaper you can do for the great performance like doing the front first.  i always recommend people to do their front axle first.

ps thats my yellow yj in the mud puddle behind my buddy jack here in honolulu:
http://www.4bangerjp.com/forums/index.php?sid=ebd204b809b7c4e9b6d3447c4a11a5d7

[SMC4WD]

I just talked to Mike at the 4xDoctor...  I read him this post, and told him all the praises and compliments…    

Sometimes I’m such a kiss a$$...

[Jeffy]

Does Duncan need a bigger head?

[SMC4WD]

In any industry or field, when things go good, people just mosey along...  If you work in retail and you sell 100 items to 100 people without any problems or issues, you'll probably never hear anything about it.

But if something goes wrong, oh man!!  That person screams loudly.  That person tells his friends all about the raw deal, or the screwing he just got from so and so.  Someone who has a problem gets on the Internet and posts to anyone reading all about the screwing he just got.  They'll usually never tell of the 'attempt' to make things right.  They'll never sway the story to the business' side of view.

So remember this from the establishment you continue to do business with.  If you get what you want without any problems, let them know.  Give credit when credit is due.  Especially if the service was simply 'what you expected'.

Does Mike deserve a bigger head?  Sure he does!!  And Jeffy...  You do to!!  You've got a great site here!  Fun to write, chat and get information.  Things go well here all the time and the credit goes to you to!

[SKI BOY]

Hey Chris,

   How's your 'Aussie' working out!! Did you do the rear diff!! I'm looking at lockers myself, any updates on your set-up!!

[chrisfranklin]

hey SkiBoy,  

The front Aussie D30 has been working just fine.  I was talking to a guy with a V8 Grand Cherokee on a recent trip to Rowher Trail in So. Cal. with Guardian7's High Desert club.  Guy said that he had an Aussie in the rear of his Grand Cherokee (open front) and that it would "click" alot on turns.  I never really got to hear the guy's Aussie's "click" sound myself - we were all too busy driving the trail.

I'm not too in to locker noise.  But, frankly, even if I bought a rear Aussie, and it clicked, my cat back would probably drown that noise out anyway  

But, I haven't noticed any noise on the D30.  On the front, my Aussie is invisible in my experience.  So, I'm probably going Aussie in the rear, too, quite soon.

If clicking isn't your thing, I've read that the Powertrax No-Slip is a pretty quiet lunchbox - just, its more expensive than the Aussie by about $150.
Picked up my front Aussie w/free shipping at www.Northridge4x4.com - they also have good deals on the thicker diff covers, too.  You buy the Aussie, and you'll probably dig it pretty well! Good luck.  :D