Safe to get front air locker?

Travis85904 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 23, 2015 11:24 pm **Posts:** 39

So I'm wondering if it's safe to get a front air locker, here's some background:
My KK came with the 18" wheels, I just swapped them out for 17" and got some Bridgestone revo 2, 235/65/r17 which are 29". I have a rear air locker which I'm having the carrier install done next week as I've never rebuilt a differential before, and I'm waiting for the KK backbone to come in the mail so I can mount up a Warn M8000. I was trying to think of maybe 1 more thing to do and was considering doing a front ARB as well since I'm basically already set up for it but I have heard that with the aluminum housing in our front axles that some people say it's too weak to handle a locker and is prone to cracking/breaking with a locker put in. So wondering about that/other opinions of what else to possibly do on a budget to help with performance/offroad ability. By the way I'm running completely stock other than what's been mentioned in this post.

PALiftedKK · **Posted:** Thu Jan 28, 2016 10:01 pm

its fine.

Bmxer524 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 28, 2016 10:55 pm

You'll be fine. There's been plenty of people that locked the front, whether it was ARB, OX, etc. The KJs were more known to blow the front diff. Kms, not so much...

Travis85904 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 23, 2015 11:24 pm **Posts:** 39

Bmxer524 wrote:

You'll be fine. There's been plenty of people that locked the front, whether it was ARB, OX, etc. The KJs were more known to blow the front diff. Kms, not so much...

So the KK has a more beefed up front end? And $$$ wise do you think the $900 is a good investment for the front locker right now? Or could that money be better spent somewhere else for now?

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

The issue with the front diff isn't the housing. It's the small components inside. I blew up a front diff due to all the torque suddenly being outputted from one side to the other (open diff problems). A locker would eliminate this issue altogether. A selectable rear locker is all that truly necessary unless you do some crazy doo doo.

Ted15 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 30, 2016 9:38 pm

The insides are the same as a JK. It's true that the housing is aluminum but it's much stronger than the one in the KJ. You'll be fine with a locker up there but be selective with who you let do the work.
Also, in case you didn't know, the parts for a KJ won't fit, they're not even close.

Travis85904 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 23, 2015 11:24 pm **Posts:** 39

What do you guys think of getting it done at 4wheelparts? They have a store/shop in my area and said they could do the carrier install for 400-450

Ted15 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 30, 2016 10:38 pm

Check their customers. I had one of their stores totally agree up six times on my install and a different store do a excellent job. Another good place to check is one that builds rear ends for race cars.

Travis85904 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 23, 2015 11:24 pm **Posts:** 39

Looks like mostly good reviews. Exfept one lady said she went to a diff shop for a service after they did a regear and it was all burned up. Sounds like they may have said the pre load incorrectly. That one makes me a little Leary, except that I have a gift card to them for 400 I was gonna use. In your opinion how much is a fair price to pay for the carrier install?

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

My local shop has an awesome name and they do regears for $530 an axle. If you have the front done I would recommend pulling the front axle and hand it to them instead of leaving it under the Jeep. It saves you a couple hundred in labor.

Travis85904 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 23, 2015 11:24 pm **Posts:** 39

NAMoulton1 wrote:

My local shop has an awesome name and they do regears for $530 an axle. If you have the front done I would recommend pulling the front axle and hand it to them instead of leaving it under the Jeep. It saves you a couple hundred in labor.

What do you mean hand it to them instead of leaving it under the jeep?

Ted15 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 31, 2016 8:13 am

Travis85904 wrote:

Looks like mostly good reviews. Exfept one lady said she went to a diff shop for a service after they did a regear and it was all burned up. Sounds like they may have said the pre load incorrectly. That one makes me a little Leary, except that I have a gift card to them for 400 I was gonna use. In your opinion how much is a fair price to pay for the carrier install?

It's been a couple years since mine was done and I regeared with trutracs originally. I don't remember the cost of each part of the install. I had a lot of problems with the install from incorrectly installed pinions to bad bearings, make sure they use new bearings and make sure they're good quality. Are you planning to put bigger tires on? If so, this would be a good time to regear.

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

Travis85904 wrote:

NAMoulton1 wrote:

My local shop has an awesome name and they do regears for $530 an axle. If you have the front done I would recommend pulling the front axle and hand it to them instead of leaving it under the Jeep. It saves you a couple hundred in labor.

What do you mean hand it to them instead of leaving it under the jeep?

If you pull your CV axle shafts and undo the 4 bolts holding the axle housing in place you can pull your axle out and have them regear it on a bench. Otherwise they'll have to pull it out, regear, and then reinstall it. $$$$

Safe to get front air locker?

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