which locker should I get?

[mikedashg]

Yes, another locker thread. I'm not a noob though, I just can't decide which one. Please read!


For those who know me, know I've been wheeling for a decade sans front locker in my dana turdy. I'm pre-approved for one sometime this year, probably May at the earliest.

The trouble is, I can't make decisions! Especially when there is mixed feelings about the brands/kinds. It's not like it's RE vs Rusty's or Thornbirds vs Creepy Crawlers. Maybe ya'll can help me come to a conclusion...


About my rig: I'm on 35" tires with 4.56 gears, automatic. It's got a full detroit in the back now, and the currently open 30 has alloy usa shafts, full circle clips 760's. No vacuum disconnect, but there was one before I went to alloy's.

How much I use it: It's not DAILY driven all the time, but it gets driven to the trail, every-time, no matter how far. I'm usually out wheeling once a month, but sometimes every 2 months. Once in a while I'll go out twice a month. It varies (depending on how TOGETHER my rig is, or what else is going on) I also drive it once every 2 weeks to work least just cause. And if my daily driver is down (or my wife's daily driver), I have to drive the Jeep, sometimes for up to a week daily.

How I use it: It's usually split for difficulty, half the time I'm doing the hammers or the toughest trail at the park, the other half of the time I'm doing something I don't need a front locker for.


I first have to decide if I want selectable or not, and then which one of the selectable or non-selectable.

I'm thinking of one of these:

• Ected
• OX
• ARB
• Aussie
• No-Slip
• Lock-Right
• Something else?

What I'm thinking for the selectable...

Back before the ected came out, I was thinking about going with that, but I heard a few people having problems with them. I've also heard some of that BS was people with their undies bunching, some of it was installation error, or some of it was factory error, and they replaced. Or any combo of those.

I thought about OX but I've also heard crap about those too. Cables melting, hard to engage, cable hard to put in. I've also heard some of that crap is fixed too.

ARB, most of the time I hear good stuff about these, except when the air supply gets messed up somehow, leaks, compressor going out. Then your SOL. It seams like most people have no problems, but I do hear about the problems occasionally.


and non-selectable...

Aussie, really haven't heard anything bad about these, only downer is you can't shut it off. I'd really like to be able to turn the front locker on and off. Mostly for steering of-road, but possible on-road woes too? Especially in snow? Not that I drive in snow a lot. The price and ease of install is REALLY inciting for me to forget about all that. But it's not a HUGE factor.

No-Slip, see Aussie (except price)

Lock-Right, see Aussie.

Something else, you tell me?

 

[98XJeep]

wish I could help, I'm in the same boat,got it down to ected or ox, just can't decide:dunno:

 

[gcurtis]

Mike, I vote simply for ARB.

Reliable. Simple. Selectable.

I like being able to try things open until I NEED lockers. I run open a majority of the time.

With my OBA system, the ARB is a cinch. Air up the tank and wheel most of the day without ever reairing.

 

[99xj4x4]

ARB if you really never plan to get rid of the d-30.

Id really recomend an Aussie because it the cheapest and its dependable, and when you toss the 30 in the scrap pile you are not out a bunch of money.

Thats the advice I was given when I asked what to stick in my d-30 w/ 4.56 also turning 35s. Now that Im swapping in 60s im glad I listened to it.

 

[lamula]

I have the ECTED and great. Flips on and off like a light switch.

 

[Goatman]

Mike, if you have the money for the selectable you'll probably regret not getting it. However, if money is an issue, plenty of folks are driving around with non-selectable front lockers with nothing other than minor clicking now and then.........you'll never feel it.

There is always the possibility for problems with a selectable, either cable adjustments with the OX or air issues with the ARB. Don't know much about the Ected.

What is your comfort level for an occasional problem, verses your very slight possible annoyance with somewhat slight front end noise?

 

[XJsurf]

Mike, for yesterday being my true first time out and I was impressed with my ARB's. Little worried with the addition of the hose kit addition I might have a small leak. Not to bad. I think I could have counted how many times the compressor kicked on at the trail. But it might be something leaking out of the locker. It just got overhauled. If my memory serves me right it was somewhere around 150 bones for the rebuild kit. So with that being said, Selectable wise I would go with the ARB. Money well spent ( can't really say that it was already in the Jeep, when I bought it)

 

[SanDiegoXJ]

Selectables is a tough choice...

Maybe I'm the odd one in the bunch, but I always hear about problems with ARBs. In fact, I have yet to wheel with someone with an ARB that doesn't have some issue or another (generally punctured/torn/rotted air lines or a crapped out compressor). Corral Canyon was prime example. XJSurf had to fiddle with it to get them to work in the beginning, then his compressor crapped out at the end.

The only problem I've heard with OX lockers are generally related to a poor install. However...I know the guys that make the OX...and they're bright guys...but they suck as businessmen...fortunately, they don't deal with the public anymore...so that's kind of nominal as all warranty or manufacturer flaws will likely be dealt with at the vendor level.

Ected....don't know much about them so can't say squat really. I'll just add, Auburn Gear has always performed well for me.

So like I said, selectables are tough...not too mention the cost.

As for the lunchbox lockers....Aussie, Lockrite, Powertrax...they're all the same. I have yet to wheel on my aussie, but from the looks of the kit, you could repackage it in a lockrite box and nobody would likely know the difference...powertrax isn't worth the extra money. But basically, if you're going lunchbox locker, I'd say go Aussie and keep it under $200. For that price, you can afford to sheer a pin here and there. =)

On a side note though, I know Lockrite and Powertrax will not warranty their product if using over 33" tires...probably aussie too...and while I have never seen an issue on 33" tires, I have seen two (lockrite and a powertrax) sheer the stabilizer pins on 35" tires. I migh also add, both times it was a rear locker installed in a D35c and the shafts survived...so if the D35 isn't going to hold up to your wheeling, lunchbox lockers might not either.


So did I just make your decision easier or harder? :doh:

 

[Jump This]

Mike.....uke:
Detroit, there is NO FARKING option.

I should bitch slap you here and now...come on over!!

:wstupid:

 

[Clean Racing]

Mike I can see your delima with being a Daily driver and all. I run a truetrac in the front, not a locker but a good LSD. If I had to do it all over I would get the auburn Ected since seeing one of these in action in the snow and Ice is unreal the grip it provides.. I vote Ected...

 

[mikedashg]

Rick: wow, I forgot about a detroit. I wonder why, I've already got one. I guess if I'm gonna spend that much on a locker that needs the R&P re-done, might as well get one selectable for a little bit more.

CleanRC: Yeah, no LSD for me, it's locker or nothing. I'd like to hear more responses from people with Ected's I guess. Starting to lean towards that.

 

[IGOCOMMANDO]

myself being on a nearly non-existant budget decided to do the poor mans selectable. I went with a Teraflex 2 low kit and a Powertrax off Fleabay cheap. Doing the instal right now so, I don't have any performance data yet. Decisions, Decisions....

 

[SanDiegoXJ]

Rick: wow, I forgot about a detroit. I wonder why, I've already got one. I guess if I'm gonna spend that much on a locker that needs the R&P re-done, might as well get one selectable for a little bit more.

Just remember, Murphy's Law is no more prevalent than in off roading.....if it can break it will. The more parts and switches you add, the more you risk a chance of failure.

I will say, I had a Detroit No-Spin front and rear in my YJ and I loved it!!!

I got a little axle steer from the rear and some clicking wheel jerk on the front when making TIGHT turns. But as for freeway and the majority of my driving, it didn't phase me in the slightest. I know selectables are the ultimate hypothetical....but like I say, they always seem to fail and the worst possible times.

Of course, you could always just spool it and deal with a little wheel hop. =)

 

[bj-666]

i have arb and ected love the arb and the ected ehhh not so much. you can search for some of my posts about the ected but basicly it isn't a full locker it just pushes clutch packs together really hard, good for most but if you say your running hammers you'll prob get it to slip. mine has been back to auburn twice and i can still get it to slip.

 

[C85D4x4]

love my ARBs

 

[Daedalus454]

My Aussie locked D30 is great, I have no complaints and it makes an amazing difference offroad. I do DD my XJ.

Goatman is correct (as usual) in his assessment. My Aussie clicks audibly when going around corners, loud enough that you can just hear it with the windows up. I have had passengers ask what the noise was.

Other than that, I have had no problems whatsoever with the Aussie. I'll gladly put up the noise in exchange for the low price. I'm not holding my breath but I hope they get an 8.25" model out soon.

 

[jeepnuts311]

I also have a detroit in the rear (super 44) and i went with the ARB in the front (super 30)

The only problem i have ever had with the ARB is the nylon air line melted, but i had some compression fittings and fixed it on the trail. air lines are pretty simple to repair. If you have a selectable in the front....you will have some chance of some moving parts breaking...if you dont want it to break ever get a detroit (thats what i woulda done if i didnt drive it on the highway so much)

ARB is a company I trust. in fact, in the install and operation manual for the locker, it tells you how to trail repair it if it does break

i run open about 90% of the time, until the front wont climb, then i push the blue button and climb, if i have to cut the wheels i turn it back off.

-Tim

 

[Monkey55]

Mike,

Your thread was TOO LONG.. I stopped reading your post after the 4th line.. :gag: lol

Anywho.. I would like to get a selectable up front too. ECTED and OX are on top of my list.

I'm going to steer away from ARB. I never ran them, but I've been on the trail with enough guys who had problems with ARB. I'm not bashing them at all. I know other guys who have run them forever without any problems..


BTW - Don't let Rick talk to you like that... :twak:


E

 

[HTeK]

I run ARB's in both axles and couldn't be happier. Of course, with the benefits of the selectable locker comes the trade-off of added complexity. But of course you already knew that.

I dont worry too much about getting air to my lockers. I always carry a spare piece of air line and double ended fitting so I can splice in a section. At this point I also have redundent air supplies. I initially shyed away from the ARB compressor becuase I felt an all pnuematic system (no electric solenoids) would be less prone to problems. I ran off my OBA (converted A/C compressor) with air switches. I worked great but always had problems blowing oil into the cab when I turned off the locker and the switch exhausted. I planned on just fixing that with another seperator, but as luck would have it, I got a new ARB compressor (the new small one) for a birthday present. I ditched the air switches and haven't look back - lovin it so far with no problems. I did keep the air switches hooked up to a small chunk of plumbing - If something does go wrong with my ARB compressor, I can change it over to use my OBA in about 2 minutes.

ARB is a company I trust.

I couldn't agree with this more. When installing my ARB compressor, I stripped out the threads on the aluminum manifold due to overtightening. I called to order a replacement expecting to pay whatever necessary, since after all, it was my fault. I called ARB USA and in less that 5 minutes on the phone, they were sending me out a new manifold free of charge, no questions asked. It was one of those experiences that makes a $700 locker feel like not such a bad decision. While I hope I never have to call ARB for replacement parts again, I can honestly say I am confident in the service I would receive if I had to.

I vote for ARB. Just understand the vulnerabilities in the design (i.e. air lines can break or puncture) and compensate for those - and you wont look back.

-JM

 

[djblade311]

I vote Ected for the following reasons:

1. I have one and I love it.
2. Its super quiet...seriously I can never hear it on the street.
3. Its super smooth on the street. no clackety clacks or jerking around tight turns.
4. Its LSD when its not engaged and so most of the time you wont even need to engage it. I locked it ONCE on clawhammer.
5. No stupid air lines or a compressor needed. just 1 wire.
6. did I mention just 1 wire? because of that, you only need 1 switch. No need for another one for your compressor...
7. the locker only needs power when you wanna lock it and you dont have to depend on the air compressor.. You'll always have 12v handy.
9. i've seen lots of ARB lines leak either at the compressor or at the locker; melted lines, etc. Do the air lines get brittle in JV winters? I dunno.
10. out with the old tech and in with the new.... k...Now Im pulling crap outta my arse