Yet Another "Best Locker for Me" Thread

[verrive]

Hey,
I know nothing about lockers and was curious what would be best for me. I plan as of the moment getting one locker for the time being but I know nothing about them. I have a 92' running 31"s that is my daily driver running 3.55 gears(I believe) D30 in front, D35 in rear. It's really snowy here in the winters and I have heard some don't handle so well if you're not careful. I don't wanna go all out for airlockers or something of the sort atm(although I want to in the future) as I plan on upgrading to D44, 33's, and different gears. Just curious what everyone thinks

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[Rawbrown]

I have a good used Truetrac that would be fine for you... or you could go with a lockrite. but i wouldn't spend much more money on the D35.

 

[verrive]

I have a good used Truetrac that would be fine for you... or you could go with a lockrite. but i wouldn't spend much more money on the D35.

Yeah, my main concern is putting lockers in something I'm gonna swap out in not too long. Is it preferred to lock up the front or rear?

- Kevin

 

[Atl XJ]

Sorry to get off the subject here, but the True Track is limited slip, is it not?

 

[verrive]

Sorry to get off the subject here, but the True Track is limited slip, is it not?

I looked around and I think that's what I was reading, not really reading in depth. Either way, something decently quiet and good on and off road is great. If it fits those I could care less

- Kevin

 

[Çrestfa||en]

Get A Lockrite Now Right Now Soldier Go Go Go!!!!

 

[xjrugger]

In my opinion "do it once and do it right". I n the end it will save you more money. Although it might mean some nights of cheap beer drinking i think you should just scratch the idea of putting any $ in a chincy D35 and buck up for a salvage yard D44 out of an 87 XJ and put a locker. i run a detroit b/c I wanted the most proven, but i do pay for it in the snow. Still i prefer it over the ARB cause I like to rid of excess and I wanted to never have any problems with any airlines. get the 44 and choose a locker, someday upgrade to lower gears. If possible just do the gears too, otherwise be happy with the stronger axle and the locker.

 

[verrive]

Are they very common? I spent a while at the local junk yard and didn't see even a single Cherokee. Saw a few D44's but they were all too big.

- Kevin

 

[kirby]

Not very common, but you will see someone every now and then selling one on the for sale column on this site. I've looked in the yards before and they're about impossible to find.

 

[rj454]

Is the D35 really all that weak? Or are you recommending the D44 upgrade for rockcrawlers and carnage seekers? I got a '93 and I don't think I'm gonna want to go out and kill it, but then again; I don't want to break an axle at 'XJ Fest 2004' here in Colo. I'll want to try some challenging trails, but doubt I'll do a 5. Am I needing to think D44 or will a D35 survive Black Bear/Imogene, Old Chinamen's, Wheeler Lake and 21 Road? I will have an EZ-Locker in by then.
(Hmmm...I could pull the D44 w/ limited-slip outta my Trooper... :wierd: )

 

[pfogle]

Is the D35 really all that weak? Or are you recommending the D44 upgrade for rockcrawlers and carnage seekers? I got a '93 and I don't think I'm gonna want to go out and kill it, but then again; I don't want to break an axle at 'XJ Fest 2004' here in Colo. I'll want to try some challenging trails, but doubt I'll do a 5. Am I needing to think D44 or will a D35 survive Black Bear/Imogene, Old Chinamen's, Wheeler Lake and 21 Road? I will have an EZ-Locker in by then.
(Hmmm...I could pull the D44 w/ limited-slip outta my Trooper... :wierd: )

Be surprised if Chinaman's or Wheeler would break it. Took my 96 XJ up Wheeler totally stock..

21 Road on the other hand...

 

[mattk]

I would suggest that if you really must have a locker now get one of the cheap lunchbox lockers. Then get the 44 and a good selectable locker like the ARB or OX locker. The truetrac is nice but really doesn't lock completely, it's expensive and you have to re-set your gears if you use it.
Mattk

 

[rj454]

:spin1:
Ok, are you saying the Detroit EZ Locker (made by TrueTrac?) is not a lunchbox locker? I thot it was and that I could install it myself with a screw-driver, a crescent wrench and a mallet. :bs:

The cheapest EZ-Locker I can find is $250, and if I'm not keeping the D35; I think I'm gonna go with the TracLoc for $200 from (don't flame me) 4WPW. It's the cheapest I've found and should last until I get the glorified 44, which I think I want a reg. Detroit Locker in. Is the Trac-Loc a "true" locker? I'm fairly sure it's an ez install one.
21 Road is a mother, huh? :shiver:

 

[ZAC]

Yeah, my main concern is putting lockers in something I'm gonna swap out in not too long. Is it preferred to lock up the front or rear?

- Kevin

I'm curios about this one too. which would be better to put a locker in front or rear? also if you were to put one in the front when you are in two wheel drive would the front be "disengaged" so as to save on wear and tear on the locker for the DD.

 

[Rawbrown]

I have a powertrax no-slip both front and rear. well, I did. putting a detroit in the new rear. but in my 8,.25 I ran a no-slip for 4 years. the one in the front is virtually invisible. in 2wd. and its staying up there for a while.

I'm curios about this one too. which would be better to put a locker in front or rear? also if you were to put one in the front when you are in two wheel drive would the front be "disengaged" so as to save on wear and tear on the locker for the DD.

 

[woody]

:spin1:
Ok, are you saying the Detroit EZ Locker (made by TrueTrac?) is not a lunchbox locker? I thot it was and that I could install it myself with a screw-driver, a crescent wrench and a mallet. :bs:

The cheapest EZ-Locker I can find is $250, and if I'm not keeping the D35; I think I'm gonna go with the TracLoc for $200 from (don't flame me) 4WPW. It's the cheapest I've found and should last until I get the glorified 44, which I think I want a reg. Detroit Locker in. Is the Trac-Loc a "true" locker? I'm fairly sure it's an ez install one.
21 Road is a mother, huh? :shiver:

Tractech is the mfgr. of Detroit Lockers, TrueTracs, EZs, ElecTracs etc... Pretty sure that Trac Loc is made by Dana/Spicer.

The True Trac is a gear driven limited slip, and the Trac Loc is the (rebuildable clutch/spring-type) Jeep/Dodge OEM Limited Slip. Both are full-case units...and will require the gears to be reset during the install.

Detroit EZ , Aussie, and Powertrax Lock-Rite (& No-Slip) are 'drop in' lockers that replace the side & spider gears inside the open diff case.

For a 35 that sees semi-serious wheeling, I'd get what's cheapest...and EZest. Be sure to get the right model for that diff (search back a few weeks...) An EZ type up front will double your fun, especially if the rig isn't extra flexy. Dual lockers might be some bad squirrely on the road in the snow/ice?

For a daily-driver 'winter car' that won't see a lot of wheel-up off-road action...and especially with a 242 full-time case, dual limited slips would be nice. The only front 30 L/S option is the True Trac(?) at $350 approx & 2 different models for 3.55 down/3.73 up. + the regear &/or setup.

 

[REDXJ4FUN]

:spin1:
Ok, are you saying the Detroit EZ Locker (made by TrueTrac?) is not a lunchbox locker? I thot it was and that I could install it myself with a screw-driver, a crescent wrench and a mallet. :bs:

The cheapest EZ-Locker I can find is $250, and if I'm not keeping the D35; I think I'm gonna go with the TracLoc for $200 from (don't flame me) 4WPW. It's the cheapest I've found and should last until I get the glorified 44, which I think I want a reg. Detroit Locker in. Is the Trac-Loc a "true" locker? I'm fairly sure it's an ez install one.
21 Road is a mother, huh? :shiver:

IIRC the trac loc is a fastory limited slip not a true locker.

 

[rj454]

Thanks Woody & all; this (and alota archive reading) cleared this up for me

 

[motorcityxj]

Hey,
I know nothing about lockers and was curious what would be best for me. I plan as of the moment getting one locker for the time being but I know nothing about them. I have a 92' running 31"s that is my daily driver running 3.55 gears(I believe) D30 in front, D35 in rear. It's really snowy here in the winters and I have heard some don't handle so well if you're not careful. I don't wanna go all out for airlockers or something of the sort atm(although I want to in the future) as I plan on upgrading to D44, 33's, and different gears. Just curious what everyone thinks

Thanks,
Kevin

Well since the snow season is just about over and you have atleast 6-7 months before you have to worry about that again, i would forget the D35 and upgrade to a Ford 8.8 and get disk brakes and all around better axle for $250-450 bucks. Then if i was to get a locker i would get one of the Electronic lockers either auburns or Detroit Electrac, the electrac is a limited slip when not activated and can be activated to a locker. Something like this seems great for a daily driver in snow country, better than an arb which is either open or locked. Since you have plenty of time to decide and build it re up on it and decide between an 8.8 and a D44 but i wouldn't put ANY money into the D35 if i was you. well except fluids... anymoney building a d35 up is a waste.

 

[verrive]

At the moment I'm deciding to lock up the front(D30). I was looking around and heard the Lockright mentioned a few times? What's the best for the $$$? LSD would be nice but from what I've seen it's atleast $100 more. Is there any locker I wouldn't have to upgrade once I install new gears because of the different carrier?

Thanks,
Kevin