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Locker comparison

1745 Views 8 Replies 1 Participant Last post by **DONOTDELETE**, Jan 17, 2000

130

Discussion Starter · Jan 15, 2000

I swear this is the ONLY time I'll ask this! Since I want my Jeep to be fairly capable off-road while I gather all the things together that will make it great, I've decided to put a set of cheap lockers (wow thats an oxymoron) in the front and rear axles. It is going to take a few years to get all this stuff together though, so they will need to be pretty durable. I plan on using my 30/35 axles along with all the other equipment I'm replacing (everything) in another project, so I can rationalize the expense this way. I'm only running 31x10.5 tires and spinning them with a 258 with the Weber 38deg carb. Almost all there is here in Florida is sand and mud, so its not going to put as much stress on things as rocks. An Auburn LS, Detroit Gearless, Detroit EZ locker, or Lock-Right? Which locker in which axle is the most cost-effective while performing well? Thank you in advance.

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· #2 · Jan 15, 2000

I found a lockright in the front axle will get you father in 4wd than one in the rear. I've seen jeeps with a locker in the rear go 2wd into the Fl mud (I'm in Daytona, wher're you?) and not go any further when they put it in 4wd, where as in the opposite case, if you've locked the front and not the rear, you'll get a hell of a lot more pull. I've run lockrights in my cj both front and rear with 35X14.5 thornburgs, and I can't complain about them not performing perfectly. very reliable and not harsh I'd say in my experience. I'm putting the gearless in the new axle, so I'll give a report as to how the gearless does... so far its a pain in the a** to install... I'd say either ez locker or lockright.

Florida Mud CJ-5
'77 RB304, t-150 D20 4" 35" swampers

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· #3 · Jan 15, 2000

I looked into the detroit gearless some time ago, and according to several shops, they are being recalled. Some guys on the board pointed me in the direction of a few web pages http://members.home.com/rough-riders/tech_page/gearless_locker/gearless_locker.html that addressed the weaknesses of the gearless. I have read bad things about the ez locker (and the tire size limitation on the warranty tends to make me wonder)... I have a lock-right in the rear axle of my 95 f-150, and it survives my 300 I6 and 31x10.5" tires quite nicely. I haven't put a locker in my jeep yet, because I want to ride in a vehicle with that short of a wheelbase and a locker before I commit to one. Durability wise, however, the lockright seems great. While I certainly wouldn't reccomend a lincoln locker, have you looked into the world of spools or mini-spools? Dependability, simplicity, no unpredictible driving habits...but you get that tire wear and chirping around the corner (but to a certain extent, any locker or tight L/S will give you that anyhow). So avoid the detroit "gutless" locker, and probably the ez locker as well.

Measure once, cut twice...or is that the other way around?

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· #4 · Jan 15, 2000

While it seems to be counter-intuitive that the front axle would do better than the rear locked (pulling vs. pushing) I've heard that mentioned before...I wonder if it is because the front is actually going through everything and having both wheels churning means nothing just being drug through the muck, whereas the rears tend to follow in the tracks from the front... Anyone know for sure?

Measure once, cut twice...or is that the other way around?

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· #5 · Jan 15, 2000

I found that the locker in the front took me alot further than when I put a locker in the rear. I can't explain it, but it just did. I could climb hills like it was nothing, smash my way throught the mud, etc. I happened to come across a rear lockright used for $50. Not wanting to put too much in the 20 cuz I was planning on swapping it eventually, I thought that this would be a good move. on road suffered alittle, but not horribly, you just have to be a little more concious... it helped in the trails, but not as noticably as the front. For veichles with front hubs I'd strongly recomend a full locker in the front. for the y/tj's, I'd still recomend the hub conversion, and permanently slide your sleve over the disconect, and a full locker. Other than that I'd say limited front or rear...

Florida Mud CJ-5
'77 RB304, t-150 D20 4" 35" swampers

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· #6 · Jan 16, 2000

Having the locker in the front helps more because with both front tires spinning your not tring to plow through the muck with one of the tires, in the rear it doesent make much of a differance because the front tires have already cut a path

does that make any sense?

Jeff
'83 Toyota long bed
"look Ma no doors!"

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130

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 17, 2000

why do VW bugs do so well with only the rear tires spinning? all the weight is on them! when I' blew my rear driveshaft I had to drive BACK through everything that it had taken me 4wd to get through to leave. I did it in front-wheel drive just fine. That weight makes a huge difference

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· #8 · Jan 17, 2000

Since you have a wrangler with the vacuum disconnect style front axle, I would suggest an ARB air locker for the front. You won't get any steering querks with this. If you want a front locker (but not the arb) then you will have to go with a hub conversion, this is very costly. The dana 30 front axle limits you as to what will actually work and still be driveable on road.

The rear is limitless. If you don't plan on rock climbing, both tires will pretty much stay on the ground, and you don't want the bad on road manners of a locker, then I would go with the Auburn L/S. It is a good unit. However, I don't think they make it for a Dana 35 rear axle. I had to go with a Dana trac-lock. Does fine in lite mud. But get in a rut and it tends to act like an open diff. The clutches also tend to wear pretty quick.

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· #9 · Jan 17, 2000

The Detroit EZ Locker is almost an exact copy of the lock right. There is no reason to avoid it as the previous poster suggested, it has nothing in common with the Detroit Gearless Locker.

If you settle on a lock right/ez-locker type locker, I would shop them both strictly on price.

Jim O'Brien
[email protected]
My jeep page

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