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front or rear locker first?

1273 Views 13 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Pete88YJ, 
dennisuello
I'm on tight budget right now, after getting a lift, SYE and a new driceshaft, and needing new tires soon. I was going to get a "locker", but probably one axle at a time. Should I go with a front one of rear first. I have D35 in the rear and didn't really wanted to dump a lot of money into it, possibly upgrade to D44 later, so I am leaning towards getting a front "locker".
Anyone thinks otherwise?

<>< 1992 Jeep YJ
4.0 I6, RE 4.5 ED, 2 BL, 32x11.5 ATs
http://dennisuello.tripod.com/
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G
Get a lockrite for the front and weld up the rear and your done!! Least till it breaks!!

It's as close to a 1ton as it can get and still be a jeep!!! Gotta love it!!
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pbmcauliffe
my thoughts as well. Lockrite the front, weld the rear.

pbm
74 cj5,304,t18,2.46 ts d20,30f,44r,soa,MORE buggy front,35's,Rci's,5pt,full cage,air,etc.

Support Search and Rescue.......Get Lost! /wwwthreads_images/icons/shocked.gif
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JEEPN
Same here, and if it breaks, then upgrade, if not, beat the snot out of it.

JEEPN
Winter Harbor, Maine
'81 CJ-8 Scrambled, It's a Jeep, Chevy, IHC kinda thing!
'88.5 Zuki, 5" Calmini, Locked, Swamped, Rolled, and just generally broken in right!
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G
At least with my '88, the front axle is much more apt to break under the stress of being locked than the larger rear axle. One reason I'm waiting...

Also, assuming your doing trails and stuff... you'll really need the lockers going UP hill, so I'd guess that a rear locker would help more (since the weight is shifted back).

Ohwell, just my 2 cents. I don't have any lockers yet :(
Hoping to go ARB when my ship comes in. :)

Sam88Jeep

'88 YJ 4.2L, 32/36 Weber, HEI, 2.5" spring lift, 31" BFG ATs.
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G
I have ran a front locker for almost a year. I think it works great. When you are going uphill more than likely one of your front tires will come off the ground. If your diff. is open then only your back will be pulling. I think when the front is locked you at least get one tires pulling in the front and one pushing from the rear.

Jason


Jason
'86 CJ-7
3" Rancho lift, 33x12.5 Pro Comp M/T,
4.10 Gears, and locker in front, Weber, Rebuilt 258
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Pete88YJ
3
A rear 35 is not worth putting money into.

A front 30 can be a good axle locked up - you can get the stronger 95+ larger ujoint half-shafts, or warn shafts, or the full warn hub kit, etc.

Keep in mind if you lockrite the front, the front driveshaft is gonna turn all the time, 4 wheel drive or 2.

Good luck
Pete

88 YJ - trails/beach trips only!/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif
79 4WD F250-hauler/tower of my toys
70 Jaguar E-type - the best car England ever made. /wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif
90 Honda CRX - Daily pavement-pounder. 42 MPG. /wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif
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JEEPN
Just like in a TJ.

JEEPN
Winter Harbor, Maine
'81 CJ-8 Scrambled, It's a Jeep, Chevy, IHC kinda thing!
'88.5 Zuki, 5" Calmini, Locked, Swamped, Rolled, and just generally broken in right!
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I
UH.... Am I missing something here?? Why is his driveshaft going to turn in 2WD? No lockouts on his D30? If you unlock the hubs, what will cause the front to turn?

DREW
IN2DEEP 78 CJ5
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Smokngun
Drew, YJ's don't have manual hubs like our CJ's do. They have a vaccum disconect that slides a sleve over or away from the long shaft in the front axle housing. When this system disengages, the one wheel that is still connected spins the spider gears in the open diff and the driveshaft doesn't turn. With the diff "Locked", the rotational motion can't spin the spider gears so it rotates the ring/pinion/driveshaft. Hope this explained it.

Mike H.
1983 CJ-7 Laredo,It's Orange! Now I just have to put it all back together.
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Pete88YJ
3
Yeah, JEEPN, why did they do that with the TJ? I thought one of the benefits of a front axle that was unlocked somehow (hubs, disconnect, etc.) was that you weren't spinning the whole front assembly - driveshaft, etc. Also with front driveshaft balance at high speed.

And yes, if you got manual hubs, you can unlock the front. On a standard YJ 30 front, the front driveshaft will spin all the time with a lockrite installed.

Pete

88 YJ - trails/beach trips only!/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif
79 4WD F250-hauler/tower of my toys
70 Jaguar E-type - the best car England ever made. /wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif
90 Honda CRX - Daily pavement-pounder. 42 MPG. /wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif
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G
I'm not JEEPN, but i think i have a few reasons for ya...

1. Its cheaper to build it that way. that means more money for D/C.
2. Its more reliable for the short run. Less warranty repairs = more money for D/C.
3. D/C doesnt pay for the 1 or 2 mpg's it costs you to turn all that mass.
4. You will hopefully wear out these parts and take your TJ to the dealer to be fixed. Again, more money for D/C
5. Get the feeling its all about $money$?

thats about all i can think of for now...

mike

Give me Jeep or Give me Death!!!

(Will trade functioning organs for CJ-7 or flatfender)
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JEEPN
That about sums it up.

JEEPN
Winter Harbor, Maine
'81 CJ-8 Scrambled, It's a Jeep, Chevy, IHC kinda thing!
'88.5 Zuki, 5" Calmini, Locked, Swamped, Rolled, and just generally broken in right!
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Pete88YJ
6
OK, thanks guys. /wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif I never knew why they did that. Didn't make sense to me. ....now I'm all depressed though. /wwwthreads_images/icons/frown.gif I thought there was some reason they did it - not that it was all about the money.

Silly, silly Pete. /wwwthreads_images/icons/laugh.gif

88 YJ - trails/beach trips only!/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif
79 4WD F250-hauler/tower of my toys
70 Jaguar E-type - the best car England ever made. /wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif
90 Honda CRX - Daily pavement-pounder. 42 MPG. /wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif
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