Air lock rear axle

[hopewell3]

Need help! 06 Sterling fire truck w/catc7 eng.
Truck has Meritor RS-26-185 rear axle w/air lock diff. Appears to stay locked
at all times. Have removed air line at axle, Cab valve releases properly.
Truck has 3500 miles, have been told will loosen up with more driving?
Dangerous driving on wet/slick roads-pushes straight not wanting to turn.
No help from dealer-out of warranty!

[txgp17]

First off, my experience on the inside of a truck's differential is very very low.

Have you checked the fluid?
Is the fluid in it the proper viscosity and grade?

I'd be very weary of driving that rig. If you snap an axle shaft you'll really be in deep $$$. To make things easier, I'd remove every pound from it that I can. Water, equipment, everything. A lighter vehicle would break traction easier than a heavy one, and every time you turn it, you're breaking traction.

If you can't get it to unlock at all, I'd pull one shaft and reseal the exposed axle tube with a home-made plate of some type. Using the end of the axle shaft as a template, I could drill one out of aluminum plate with a cordless drill.

Then I'd get it to a competent mechanic pronto.

[FIREMECH1]

Need help! 06 Sterling fire truck w/catc7 eng.
Truck has Meritor RS-26-185 rear axle w/air lock diff. Appears to stay locked
at all times. Have removed air line at axle, Cab valve releases properly.
Truck has 3500 miles, have been told will loosen up with more driving?
Dangerous driving on wet/slick roads-pushes straight not wanting to turn.
No help from dealer-out of warranty!

You will need someone to pull the pumpkin off the axle and move the linkage back to neutral, and reinstall. Or leave it, and take it to a shop capable of working on air lock rear ends. Either way, it needs to be taken care of. Driving it will NOT, loosen it up.

FM1

[hopewell3]

Thanks for the input, hoping for an easy solution, but really I new better.
Truck was build by Elite Apparatus-and then promptly filed for bankruptcy.
Again, Thanks H3

[ffp20]

Thanks for the input, hoping for an easy solution, but really I new better.
Truck was build by Elite Apparatus-and then promptly filed for bankruptcy.
Again, Thanks H3

Even if they were still in business, its a commercial chassis issue, meaning if its still under warranty, its gotta get to a proper warranty service place.

[FWDbuff]

Need help! 06 Sterling fire truck w/catc7 eng.
Truck has Meritor RS-26-185 rear axle w/air lock diff. Appears to stay locked
at all times. Have removed air line at axle, Cab valve releases properly.
Truck has 3500 miles, have been told will loosen up with more driving?
Dangerous driving on wet/slick roads-pushes straight not wanting to turn.
No help from dealer-out of warranty!

3500 Miles?? Out of Warranty???? Esplain, Lucy.

[islandfire03]

3500 Miles?? Out of Warranty???? Esplain, Lucy.

Most have a 3 year or 36000 mile warrantee .

Elite is out of business , as is Sterling.

However Meritor is still suppling axels, Might they contacting them to see if they can do anything to help with the repair.

[GhostRider73]

You might try the local Freightliner dealer as Sterlings were usually sold by them.

Matt

[FIREMECH1]

As long as you can find a reputable Meritor axle re-builder with knowledge of air lock axles, you should be good to go. Vehicle its self has no bearing on it.

As for the warranty, usually it is as noted above, at 3yrs or 36K miles. He has passed the warranty. But... Some will play nice, and do it under warranty.... if you ask nicely.

FM1