LOOK!! NEW SELECTABLE LOCKER!!

[PekingMan]

I just recieved my Dec 2002 issue of Peterson's Off Road and there is an article about a new type of selectable locker that competes with the ARB, Eaton, and OX. Its from Germany and its just now being sold in the US since the company started selling it out of Southern Cal.

THEY MAKE ONE FOR EXPLORERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FRONT AND REAR!!!!!!!!

Peterson's raves about this sucker. This new locker uses a vaccuum acuator to lock and unlock. The accuator is built into the rear differential cover that comes with it and uses a shift fork, much like the OX locker, to lock. Its also strong as hell, since its CNC machined and it uses 8 steel pins to lock, which means you would have to shear 8 steel pins to break the sucker. Anyway, I could go on, but the website for it is www.killeraxles.com. I recommend getting the magazine and reading more about it. What are everyones opinions of this? Oh, the price, cheaper than ARB (after compressor), Eaton, and OX....$689

 

[Robert]

I bet that's the locker the guy from Germany came on here and talked about maybe a year or so ago. It showed a lot of promise. He did say he was working with some U.S. companies to distribute it. I think now, I'll sit back and wait for some people to try it out. Hopefully I'll see some good reviews before I get my income tax next year.

 

[DesertSpive]

There are about 3 or 4 posts on here about it. Some of us are wary of the vacuum actuation.

--Sean

 

[PekingMan]

What's wrong with the vacuum acctuator?

 

[PekingMan]

OK, I just read the previous threads on this (I must have missed them somehow because I don't remember them at all) and I don't see any real problem to vacuum actuators more than other selectable locker methods; the vacuum setup seems more reliable to me.

I'm curious why more people aren't excited about this. The price will come down now that Wolfgang can ship from California. It seems like a good design, strong, and very competitively priced. I personally feel that Peterson's is a quality magazine and would not have given it so much praise if it wasn't deserving. Or am I just overly nuts?

 

[CoryL]

It's new and not from a major company. That ususally scares people into thinking it is lacking quality. I seriously doubt that it is.

There is no difference between this locker, an ARB, the E-locker and the OX locker. All have things that can be torn off or pulled loose.

Once the price comes down some more and people actually run it, they will probably be happy with them.

 

[tenikiwon]

Auto vs Manual (vacuum)

Whats the difference? (please not just a short answer I know the difference between automatic and manual, just not why you'd want to go one way vs the other except personally preferance.)

Also, with this do you swap axles or modify them?? I've never done many mods, especially of this type until I meet eveyone here. Now, I feel I'm :redexp: GOD and can do ANYTHING!!!

I would love a locker, just don't have a ton of cash and trying to find more info.

 

[94EBexplorer]

a guy i know runs for pirate4x4 and he has met these people from this company... and watched their trucks run... he had nothing but good things to say about them... i would love to see this selectable locker in action.

 

[DesertSpive]

I love my PowerTrax No-Slip in the front of my truck. I can do everything in it that I can do with an open diff too. No drawbacks and I don't need to worry about leaking air lines, shorted wires or leaking vacuum lines.

--Sean

 

[94EBexplorer]

honestly though..... youd have to be pretty not mechanicly inclined to find a vac leak? geez its not like its gonna break every 5 min.... i mean who cares if some where down the road you develope a vac leak? replace the hose.... the lockers have a 5 year warrenty.... its worth it just to be selectable in the front.... i would take this over powertrax no slip anyday.

 

[PekingMan]

I am really interested in this and I may go ahead and try it out for us all. Need to get the cash first and I'll talk to Wolfgang. If its as good as it sounds, would anyone be interested in a group purchase?

 

[William Schumacher]

it's much more $ than you think !

they want $860. for the front locker,don't know if that is more than the rear though,wolfgang sent me an e-mail
on this in august,that's too much for me to spend.

 

[94EBexplorer]

he has a 93... 1st gen so i think the price will be differant.

 

[DesertSpive]

Thats more than my No-Slip was installed.

And what's the problem with vacuum? Well, ever heard of PVH? Or how about vacuum hubs that always seem to be failing on Jeeps? I have seen that more than once.

--Sean

 

[Monty'01]

Re: it's much more $ than you think !

Originally posted by William Schumacher
they want $860. for the front locker,don't know if that is more than the rear though,wolfgang sent me an e-mail
on this in august,that's too much for me to spend.

That's a pretty competitive price if you consider you need a compressor with the ARB. But since nobody makes a selectable locker for the SLA 35, the price will be kinda high b/c of lack of competition to bring the price down.

The Ofrotec locker seems to be a good, and only, choice for the x guys with auto 4 wheel drive.

 

[Jason_25]

Re: Re: it's much more $ than you think !

Originally posted by Monty'01
That's a pretty competitive price if you consider you need a compressor with the ARB. But since nobody makes a selectable locker for the SLA 35, the price will be kinda high b/c of lack of competition to bring the price down.

The Ofrotec locker seems to be a good, and only, choice for the x guys with auto 4 wheel drive.

If you do a search on the site you will find a thread on which we found out how to disable the front clutch mechanism in the transfer case, so non-selectable lockers are a viable option for the auto 4x4 guys too.

 

[Monty'01]

I wasn't aware of that. Can that be done to the all wheel drive case in V8 trucks?

 

[Jason_25]

No, because the AWD case is not electronically controlled. The torque split inside it is entirely mechanical because it is a viscous clutch.

 

[RangerX]

Originally posted by PekingMan
I am really interested in this and I may go ahead and try it out for us all. Need to get the cash first and I'll talk to Wolfgang.

Chris , why not talk to Wolfgang about giving you a 'demo' price, since you would be testing it for thousands of Ex's on this board!

 

[PekingMan]

Originally posted by RangerX
Chris , why not talk to Wolfgang about giving you a 'demo' price, since you would be testing it for thousands of Ex's on this board!

Good idea, I will email him and see what kind of response I get.