Ok, simple problem, simple solution. I put some sheet rubber under the diff so it doesn't directly contact the plate. Works great. I got the idea from the stock xfer plate which uses that idea.

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Mike

I think it would be more likely to break under the situation of a stuffed front wheel and the need for an engaged front locker, I'm trying to picture situations where the front wheel or wheels would be stuffed and there would be the need to engage the front locker. Most of the time when I engage the front locker I'm going up a steep incline and the truck's weight is shifted to the rear. Under that condition the front wheels don't have enough weight to stuff them.

One situation would be where the truck is going down a steep gully and hitting a sharp climb up the other side. Another would be climbing a steep incline in reverse.

That's a great point. Many people break the CVs while trying to climb stuff. A bit of bouncing and full droop might be the recipe. What do you think if one wheel is stuffed and the other dangling, front locker engaged? Which side would break? The dangling one that might bounce off the rocks or the stuffed one with weight on it? With a locker you only get bounce if both wheel are slipping so it's hard to say.

I'd guess in that case the stuffed one would be most likely to break especially if there is a hard turn thrown in. I guess that's more of a rock crawling situation where you would need both axles locked. I'll probably try to get by with just the rear locker engaged if I get in that situation, plus it's so hard to make a turn with the front locked.

I agree that it would be more likely to break the side with the stuffed wheel. The engine can put more torque to the front axle than what it can withstand. The drooped wheel would slip before the axle broke.