Yukon blog
New Product: Yukon High-Capacity Aluminum Allison Transmission Pan
Superior cooling is essential for reliable transmission shifting, whether you're on the road, on the trail, or towing heavy loads. Yukon's high-capacity transmission pan is designed with an impressive 11- to 12-quart capacity and strategically placed ribs to significantly enhance its cooling capability. Made for Allison 1000, 2000, and 2400 series automatic transmissions commonly found in 2001-2019 Chevy 2500/3500 pickups, this transmission pan not only performs exceptionally but also looks the part. It features a durable black powder coat finish, high-quality aluminum construction, a magnetic stainless fill plug, and an additional 1/8" NPT plug. While it might seem like you’ll need to flip your truck to impress your friends, your mechanic will certainly appreciate the innovative design and top-notch quality of this transmission pan. It's a valuable addition for those who demand optimal performance and reliability from their transmission.
Yukon Total Takeover
The Yukon Total Takeover, a nationwide one-day event held March 18, afforded shops the opportunity to provide special pricing on Yukon gear sets and installation. More than 50 shops participated in the program. The Takeover was the culmination of eight weeks of hard work and coordination, developing a program that highlighted both Yukon parts and the skill and competency of participating shops. The shops were also able to create awareness for their business on a regional and national level. It was a successful day as many shops offered live music, raffles, meet and greets, and more for their local communities and as a result, are now booking and extending discounts weeks past the event date. Keep an eye out for the next Takeover and be ready to get involved.
Axle Measuring 101
How you go about measuring an axle depends on the axle type: Axles with yokes (front axle shafts) are measured from the center of the u-joint bore to the end of the splines. Semi-float and C-clip-equipped axle shafts are measured from the end of the shaft to the outer edge of the mounting flange. Full-float designs are measured from the spline ends to the front surface of the mounting flange. Check out the accompanying schematics for more on how to measure each axle type. Shop Axle Kits
Breaking In Your Ring And Pinion
Gear break-in consists of controlled heat cycling of the gear set in a way that properly seasons or hardens the gear’s contact surfaces. It is a series of test drives. These critical first few miles of drive time can be the difference between a gear-melting headache and years of carefree driving. Failure to properly break-in your gear set can result in damaged, failing gears, and a complete re-do. Read this article in Español Once the wrenches have been laid down and the gears have been properly installed with pinion depth, backlash, and preload correctly set there’s still more to do. The break-in process is really important if you want to have your gears last a long time and perform the way you want them to. The First Drive In the first couple of miles you will want these to be in-town speeds, 15 to 20 mph. Drive for 20 minutes or so, let the diff cool off for about a half an hour, and then repeat the process. Next time you drive your vehicle you’ll want to do some freeway runs. Drive about 15 miles, then pull over and let the drivetrain cool down for about 20 minutes and do this for about 45 miles or so. It may seem like a headache, but it is worth it to ensure the gears are broken in properly instead of burning them up and creating a bunch of metal sledge in your differential. Proper Oiling The next important component is to ensure you have proper lubricants. For the first 500 miles run 80W-90 conventional oil, drain it, and then refill the diff. RANDYS recommends a non-synthetic oil if your set-up features a Dura Grip clutch-type limited slip differential. If you’re running a helical LSD or a locker, synthetics are great for those applications. Break-In For Rigs That Tow Towing with your vehicle or using it for extreme off roading adds additional pressure to the pinion and can slightly change its position on the ring gear teeth. This means you are essentially hardening a new spot on the gear. Therefore, we strongly encourage drivers to follow the same break-in procedure while either towing, hauling, or driving off road. Even if you’ve already broken in the gear set with no addition load follow the same speeds and distances of your previous break-in drives. Start with in-town speeds of 15 to 20 mph, cool down, and repeat. Then hit the freeway and drive 15 miles at 45 to 50 mph, cool down, and repeat for 45 miles. Long distance hauling is the killer for any ring gear set as you are constantly generating heat without cooling which will break down the gear oil and burn up the gear surface. This is why we recommend a gear oil change after the first 500 miles. If you want to protect your investment and get the best performance out of your gears, then proper break-in is critical. Following the guidelines outlined here will ensure you get the expected results.
Lock & Load With Yukon Traction Devices – Dura Grip LSD, Zip Locker, Grizzly Locker
Yukon has tried-and-proven traction devices designed to handle all types of tough terrain. Choose from the Yukon Dura Grip limited slip differential, Yukon Zip Locker, or the Yukon Grizzly Locker. In order to make a more informed choice, here are some factors to consider when looking at traction adders. Differences Between LSDs & Lockers In their static state, limited slip differentials are pre-loaded and provide traction to both wheels. When the LSD is further loaded under acceleration, in a fast corner, or when wheel slippage occurs off-road, the clutch packs limit wheelspin across the drive axle by permitting the axle shafts to spin at different speeds while continuously trying to balance the application of torque between the two axles. This results in transferring more power to the wheel with the best traction. Lockers produce 100% lock-up where all the power is directed to both tires when the unit is engaged. Lockers are tougher than limited slips. Limited slip differentials do not generate 100% lock-up and do not require activation from the driver. Their engagement is mechanical, reacting to driving conditions such as load and wheel slippage. Yukon Dura Grip LSD The Yukon Dura Grip is a great choice for transforming an open differential into a highly capable unit that can provide two-wheel grip when needed. Engineered for long life and completely rebuildable, Dura Grips feature a high-strength nodular case, forged 4320 chromoly spider gears, and composite clutches. In clutch-type LSDs like the Dura Grip, the spring array applies pressure to the side gears, which puts pressure on the clutch packs in the outer part of the carrier. Both axles receive equal pressure and traction. When a tire starts slipping, the clutch packs engage with different resistance to maintain synchronization between the tires, transferring more torque to the tire with the best grip. Rebuilding a Dura Grip involves replacing the clutches in the unit. Clutches can be replaced to restore original performance, or non-stock clutches and springs can be used to fine-tune performance for specific driving or racing styles. Shop Yukon Dura Grip LSD Differences Between Yukon Zip & Grizzly Lockers The primary difference between these two lockers is actuation. The Yukon Zip Locker is air actuated, while the Grizzly is a mechanical locker. An advantage of an air-actuated locker like the Zip Locker is the ability to choose when to engage the unit, along with superior on-road performance. A drawback is the need to purchase and plumb an air system to operate the locker. Mechanical lockers like the Grizzly are always active, providing 100% lock-up at all times, including on the road. On-throttle conditions induce locking, while off-throttle situations partially unlock the unit. During turns, the unit may produce a loud clicking sound as the gears ratchet, which may be undesirable for vehicles that spend significant time on the street. The bottom line is that Yukon is a one-stop traction destination, offering products for all levels of performance, from daily drivers and weekend warriors to dedicated rock crawlers and drag racers that demand maximum traction. Shop Yukon Zip Lockers Shop Yukon Grizzly Lockers