best front locker/ls?

[R.J.]

my 91 navajo, i might be having problems with my aussie locker. ym truck's in the shop and if he says the locker is broken/worn what should i go with? i like the aussie when it worked, but my diss guy says they wear out pretty quick and that it could be the cause of my hubs breaking so much (they break all the time) because the locker doesn't allow a c clip. i like heving the front end fully locked when i need it, but steering would be a little easier and not as hard on my front end with a limited slip.

whats the best for a first gen front end? will it not loose that much going to a limited slip? is there a really good locker for the front?

just wanna know what paople like, and what people hate


yes i did search, im on here all the time searching

 

[IZwack]

I think you just need to ease off on the gas a little

Did you by any chance witness RockRanger's idle crawl?
It was right after this shot was taken, RockRanger took his foot off the gas and it climbed right up the next ledge:

 

[R.J.]

rockranger has a boubler, so he has a low range for his low range, which is freakin sweet. i know i gotta take it a little easier. my diff guy was saying that the moves in and out of the diff cause there's no c clip or snap ring with an aussie.

no matter waht, i have to eas up on the gas pedal

 

[R.J.]

oh and i just want to say, rockranger is the man

 

[Exploderpilot]

you absolutely cannot go wrong with the ARB.....lots of money, but worth it. or what about an E-locker? you can drive around limited slip, and lock her up when you want? remember, you get what you pay for....

 

[R.J.]

i was thinking about that too. have people had good results with the e locker?

 

[Exploderpilot]

I know one guy with an E-locker in a saleen mustang. he drag races with it, and his car is making a LOT of horsepower. never broken anything, but that is the rear end. depending on the power going to the hubs, you might keep breaking them, but i think you can blame that more or less on your right foot.....

 

[R.J.]

my right foot ways alot. i've heard not to lock the d35, but i wanna know is someone's had really good luck with one thing or another

 

[Exploderpilot]

i think if you spend the money to beef the outers, like do the d44 outers, or the warn premium hubs, you will have nice results with a locker in the front. i think that when your diff is the strongest part of the drivetrain, that makes the hubs and axles a liability. maybe you should look into that.

 

[mounty71]

The E-locker is like $900 though isn't it? And the arb you need to mess with airlines and compressor. BTW RJ, did you find what that squeaking was in the rearend? And exploderpilot, i would think it is more convenient to have the weakest link in the drivetrain be the hubs where they are easily accessible and replaceable.

 

[colindo94]

What about an OX locker?

 

[BLOODBANE]

I had looked at the Auburn ECTED's. Electric locker and you run LS when not locked. I will run these in my 44 and 9".........If I remember correct Randys had them for 750.00 or so........

 

[R.J.]

im really curious about the ected locker, about $720. i just don't wanna get something that i later find out to be a bad product. i wanna hear from someone thats had one before getting anything. ox lockers are about the same price as an arb, so either of those would probably work really well, but for a high price. i think i might be getting upgraded axles, and do they make premium hubs for the d35?

 

[R.J.]

matt, no i didn't. there's to many squeecks on my car to find them all. and i didn't hear it the rest of the trip or ride home, so im not worrying about it

 

[IZwack]

What about a Detroit Locker?
A bit cheaper than the ARB and is one of the most dependable lockers out there.
$571 from 4WS : http://www.4wheelerssupply.com/cata...70982?osCsid=eb73b1a67c53c49bc8cb4ce6080ff43f

I run this locker in the 14bolt and it's been awesome so far. If you really mash the gas, it will spin the tires like there's no tomorrow. But again, for you RJ, put a brick under that gas pedal so it can only go down half-way

 

[Dannyboy]

RJ, you aren't going to change the way you drive. Trust me, I'm like 10 years older than you and my driving pattern hasn't changed much. I do know when to say when and I also have chosen to use components that will not fail me (ie taking my locker out of my Dana 35 back in the day). I chose it's better to not be locked, use a little more gas on some obstacles and have the truck continue to do what I need. Especially in the D35, there is no such thing as a trail fix inside that pumpkin.

Not a lot of people try to run balls out, jump their truck and then want to rockcrawl up an obstacle but you and I both fall into this catagory. If this is your forte then I say something that is selectable (which I have no experience).

I've broken probably close to ten hubs, some really hard on the gas, some with the wheel just forced into a rock with no wheel spin. EVERY hub was broken with a locker.

My verdict, no locker and pick lines accordingly. Are you locked in the rear? I have been locked front only, front and rear, rear only.


Having a locker means you can finesse your way up a hill nice and slow versus needing to give it some gas, especially in an instance where one wheel is going to lose traction. The other way is to use momentum to get up the hill or over the rock. This is called inertia, objects in motion stay in motion, object at rest, stay at rest. I've found this method can get expensive but works well for me.

 

[IZwack]

Good points Dannyboy .. it really is mostly about the line

 

[PCola]

locker and nothing but

If you want to be easy on your rig, go with a locker. I don't know what your diff guy means buy not having a c-clip caused your problem. I haven't used a c-clip for 15 years on the front of my Rangers. When you don't use the c-clip you need to have a spring (preferably a valve spring) in between the short shaft and the long shaft on the passenger side. Even if you don't have that spring your axle will only walk a little bit and that should not be your problem with your locker. I'm a big fan of the Lock-rite brand of (lunch box) type lockers. The only problem I have with a Detroit is that if and when you snap a axle shaft you usually take out the Detroit also and that starts to get expensive. I have never broken a Lock-rite in 15 years of hard 4 wheeling. Good luck!

 

[Exploderpilot]

honestly, if you are locked in the rear, i say buy upgraded axleshafts and hubs, and run a high quality LS up front. like dannyboy said, you are only gonna change your driving style if you take izwack''s advice and shove a brick under your gas pedal, and in a pinch, like high traction in a jammed spot with one wheel stuck, lockers are just gonna keep spitting out hubs....and lunchbox lockers suck.....

 

[R.J.]

thanks for all the info guys! i understand inertia, most of the time i rather drive in 2wd anyways, i think its alot more fun cause of the way you have to drive. the only reason i want a locker is for when there's a time that i can't go fast, and i need to pretty much stop at the obstical and pull myself over with the front wheels.


ok so jim talked to the diff guy, he says the locker is fine, the transfer case is bad! so i guess i should search abotu transfer casses.


just in case anyone knows, is there an upgrade or different transfer case to put in? the shop said $1100 with a one year guarantee