Rubicon locker controller

[casm]

As something of a follow-on from this thread, I'm looking at building up a rear axle. This includes lockers, and the Tractech Electrac is looking interesting.

Having driven a Rubi about a year ago, I seem to remember that it used a momentary switch to select the lockers - one click, rear's locked; another click, the front's locked; one more click and both axles are locked; click again and they're both back to being open. Pretty simple arrangement, and one I'd like to reproduce on the XJ. So, questions:

- Is this a divorced unit? I.E., does it run independently of the ECU and other systems?

- Does it have any provision for only locking the rear? I figure that I'm only going to lock the rear at first for budgetary reasons, so wonder if it can cope with only one axle being lockable.

I like the way it works, but am basically wondering if it's 'independent' enough to work in an XJ. Please clue me in if you can.

 

[87manche]

It may be easier to find an electronics dork and just build a flip-flop circuit for it. Could all be done with one or two ICs and some relays. That sounds like all the rubicon unit is.

 

[casm]

It may be easier to find an electronics dork and just build a flip-flop circuit for it. Could all be done with one or two ICs and some relays. That sounds like all the rubicon unit is.

Understood, and I could probably throw one together myself; it's fairly low-complexity. I guess that what it really boils down to is that I want to be able to just grab something off the shelf and throw it in - and besides, I could then put the factory 'Axle Lock' switch into that spare slot I've got in the 4-switch bezel that's headed my way

Really, though, I'm just being lazy about it and not wanting to build something from scratch. A couple hours' worth of tearing apart the interior (which I'd have to do anyway) to do a plug & play install just sounded more appealing than having to build the unit as well.

 

[CRASH]

What happens when you only want the front axle locked?

 

[casm]

What happens when you only want the front axle locked?

Two clicks, IIRC. First click is rear-only, second click is front-only, third click is both, and fourth click is back to fully-open.

 

[bobby_hill]

It sounds simple enough, only bad thing is that the Elec-Trac isnt the greatest selectable locker around. As far as making switches, even going with 2 seperate switches for front and rear would be easy. That way you could more easily choose which one you want to lock, and click them both up or down to be locked together or unlocked.

 

[ECKSJAY]

Two clicks, IIRC. First click is rear-only, second click is front-only, third click is both, and fourth click is back to fully-open.

Negative: One click is rear, second click is both, third click is off. Have had many complaints in the shop about that one.

 

[JEEPZZ]

Negative: One click is rear, second click is both, third click is off. Have had many complaints in the shop about that one.

Yep, and only in low range at that.

 

[CMNCHE]

Yep, and only in low range at that.

They can be enaged in 4 HI with a simple wiring trick.

 

[ECKSJAY]

Yep, and only in low range at that.

Ah, thanks...I *knew* there was something I was missing.