Adding Lockers

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Sun Dec 06, 2009 8:23 pm

dieselenthusiast wrote:

USAFCOP wrote:

dieselenthusiast wrote:

Maybe I’m taking the literature out of context, but I’ve read that the ARB locker actually makes your front differential stronger.

I do not know if I would believe that, as it does nothing to reinforce the housing, if anything, where they want you to drill in the instructions is directly over where many have cracked, and my installer drilled mine further off the side of center because he recognized the weakness there. Long story short, I think a few have grenaded with ARBs in front also, the same problem with the housing will be there, you just need to be carefull with spin regardless of open or locked.

The ARB locker makes for a stronger axle. So would I be wrong to say that a stronger axle would decrease the housing stress? I guess if one wheel stops spinning, it's still going to cause stress, but I wonder if the ARB locker would made it less likely to grenade? Maybe I'm trying to find a way to justify why I'm spending $900 bucks on a front locker...... :lol:

In theory, you are reducing the risk of the pinion walking because both axles are locked together, however, if the conditions are right and the front wheels are spinning, there is still the risk of having the pinion walk up the ring gear which causes the diff to crack

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 06, 2009 8:51 pm

Chino78 wrote:

tjkj2002 wrote:

The best for offroad and is invisible for DD is the ARB lockers F/R,a good second is the DTT front and ARB rear(the combo I ran and kicked stupid).

What about the OX lockers? they are selectable and seems to be more reliable (mechanical design: cable and shifter) than ARB(no air compresor, air lines, etc)

They offer one for our IFS dana 30

OX is all but out of business plus you can not use there D30 locker on the D30A in the KJ since one of the front diff mounts does not allow for the OX locker diff cover that must be used since it contains the shifter for the locker.Oh and the front diff cover also has the breather tube for the front axle also.

oddball · **Posted:** Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:35 pm

Well at this point, I'm back to a coin toss as to which I should do first? I think I will do the rear and see how this works on the trails.

Btw; can anyone tell me once the ARB compressor is installed, do I need a hose kit for each, the front and rear lockers? Obviously I'm not sure how the compressor & hose kit(s) work?

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 06, 2009 11:47 pm

oddball wrote:

Well at this point, I'm back to a coin toss as to which I should do first? I think I will do the rear and see how this works on the trails.

Btw; can anyone tell me once the ARB compressor is installed, do I need a hose kit for each, the front and rear lockers? Obviously I'm not sure how the compressor & hose kit(s) work?

The lockers come with the switch,air line,and the activation soiniod.The compressor(ARB) comes with the wiring.So when you start with one you can add the other later.

If you have a LSD or another locker in the rear(like a lunchbox locker) doing the front 1st is the best.Less stress will be placed on the D30A that way and you will go more places with ease.Why you may ask again? Well since the front is IFS and has less flex then the rear by placing the ARB up front 1st you will keep forward progress when you lift a wheel and have less of a chance of breaking the D30A since you will not get that shock load that makes the pinion walk and bust the housing.Can you still break the housing? yes you can but will have less of a chance by locking that D30A 1st.

KJ 119 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:04 am

tjkj2002 wrote:

oddball wrote:

Well at this point, I'm back to a coin toss as to which I should do first? I think I will do the rear and see how this works on the trails.

Btw; can anyone tell me once the ARB compressor is installed, do I need a hose kit for each, the front and rear lockers? Obviously I'm not sure how the compressor & hose kit(s) work?

The lockers come with the switch,air line,and the activation soiniod.The compressor(ARB) comes with the wiring.So when you start with one you can add the other later.

If you have a LSD or another locker in the rear(like a lunchbox locker) doing the front 1st is the best.Less stress will be placed on the D30A that way and you will go more places with ease.Why you may ask again? Well since the front is IFS and has less flex then the rear by placing the ARB up front 1st you will keep forward progress when you lift a wheel and have less of a chance of breaking the D30A since you will not get that shock load that makes the pinion walk and bust the housing.Can you still break the housing? yes you can but will have less of a chance by locking that D30A 1st.

I would have thought that you would want to do the rear first,so you could go mare places in 2wd,but this
sounds more logical.
Besides,who the hell wants to ride in 2? :roll:

4's where it's at!

Budke · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 3:47 am

Go for the rear. Since you'll be going ARB you'll be able to lock it up whenever you so choose so you won't be stuck driving around in this lovely florida weather with a fully locked rear end. That can get unsafe fast.
And I agree with Inc too. He's got a good point.

Oh, and whenever you do decide to lock that sucker up, let me know and I'll pick that rear LSD off of ya.

oddball · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 8:23 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

oddball wrote:

Well at this point, I'm back to a coin toss as to which I should do first? I think I will do the rear and see how this works on the trails.

Btw; can anyone tell me once the ARB compressor is installed, do I need a hose kit for each, the front and rear lockers? Obviously I'm not sure how the compressor & hose kit(s) work?

The lockers come with the switch,air line,and the activation soiniod.The compressor(ARB) comes with the wiring.So when you start with one you can add the other later.

If you have a LSD or another locker in the rear(like a lunchbox locker) doing the front 1st is the best.Less stress will be placed on the D30A that way and you will go more places with ease.Why you may ask again? Well since the front is IFS and has less flex then the rear by placing the ARB up front 1st you will keep forward progress when you lift a wheel and have less of a chance of breaking the D30A since you will not get that shock load that makes the pinion walk and bust the housing.Can you still break the housing? yes you can but will have less of a chance by locking that D30A 1st.

Much appreciated. Thanks.

Inc · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:56 pm

More reasons I'd do the rear first is you need more traction in the rear of the jeep when going up hill because the weight transfers to the rear. Going downhill, gravity is working with you. Steering is also a lot more difficult with a front locker.

djui5 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:38 am **Posts:** 536

Inc wrote:

More reasons I'd do the rear first is you need more traction in the rear of the jeep when going up hill because the weight transfers to the rear. Going downhill, gravity is working with you. Steering is also a lot more difficult with a front locker.

I did the rear and am not locked in the front. Works great for me personally. I think some people recommend locking the front first (unless you are using selectable lockers) is because a lunchbox locker in the front will be a lot less noticeable than in the back.

To each his own. For the kind of wheeling I do out here in AZ the rear works great.

RAYMAN975 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:57 pm

same here, im as happy as can be with only a locked rear, get me everywhere i want to go. the detroit locker i put in the rear was probably the best money i spent on the Jeep so far, made the most noticeable difference offroad as to where my jeep could go. goes up things without effort, as to where without it, i would get the one wheel peel and just sit there going nowhere even in 4-LO

but a locked rear, WILL tear up yards even if your easy on the gas, so be careful if you ever have to park in someones yard

unless of course you get the ARB and can turn it off

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:01 pm

I think most have gotten away from Terry's original question

He has the stock locker now in the rear , he wants to do one end at a time, so best bet is go front now and he will be locked at both ends until time comes that he can do the rear

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:08 pm

tommudd wrote:

I think most have gotten away from Terry's original question

He has the stock locker now in the rear , he wants to do one end at a time, so best bet is go front now and he will be locked at both ends until time comes that he can do the rear

You noticed that also.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:10 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

tommudd wrote:

I think most have gotten away from Terry's original question

He has the stock locker now in the rear , he wants to do one end at a time, so best bet is go front now and he will be locked at both ends until time comes that he can do the rear

You noticed that also.

oddball · **Posted:** Tue Dec 08, 2009 8:19 pm

tommudd wrote:

I think most have gotten away from Terry's original question

He has the stock locker now in the rear , he wants to do one end at a time, so best bet is go front now and he will be locked at both ends until time comes that he can do the rear

And here I thought Terry had been convinced to do the front?

Inc wrote:

More reasons I'd do the rear first is you need more traction in the rear of the jeep when going up hill because the weight transfers to the rear. Going downhill, gravity is working with you. Steering is also a lot more difficult with a front locker.

Makes perfect sense. Thanks for the refresher course in common sense, Inc. :wink:

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 08, 2009 8:26 pm

Inc wrote:

More reasons I'd do the rear first is you need more traction in the rear of the jeep when going up hill because the weight transfers to the rear. Going downhill, gravity is working with you. Steering is also a lot more difficult with a front locker.

If you play in the mud you will be better off locking the front 1st,rock crawling you need both ends done at the same time.general wheeling the rear only is okay.

Inc · **Posted:** Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:36 am

Per Terry's original post and earlier comments:

Fulltimer wrote:

Somewhere in the vast recesses of the memory banks there is a thread here about my question. But, I'll be *^%#%& if I can find it!

My limited slip-ed KJ wants to be locked front and back. But she is only getting 1 at a time. Which one first?

Terry

&

Fulltimer wrote:

My line of thinking as far as doing the front first is this: BTW, I could be way off too! Front wheel drive cars get better traction in snow etc. than rear wheel drive. Maybe it's because of the added weight in the front, or maybe because you can pull better than you can push. It could also be a combination of both.

I have a little, very little, help in the rear with the limited slip. Give the front a healthy shot of traction and I'm good to go for awhile.

I have a CO2 tank already so I won't need to buy a compressor. Besides I can use the CO2 for air tools and airing up tires etc.

Terry

If your rear stock lim slip is not helping like you mention, and I bet it isn't, then I'd still get a rear one first for the reasons I stated earlier. But if you feel the stock one helps enough to warrant getting a front first so they can work in tandem, then that makes good sense. I just don't know enough about the stock rear limited slip to say ya or nay about it, but the one time I wheeled with someone that had it, it didn't appear to aid in traction, but I wasn't driving.

tjkj2002 wrote:

Inc wrote:

More reasons I'd do the rear first is you need more traction in the rear of the jeep when going up hill because the weight transfers to the rear. Going downhill, gravity is working with you. Steering is also a lot more difficult with a front locker.

If you play in the mud you will be better off locking the front 1st,rock crawling you need both ends done at the same time.general wheeling the rear only is okay.

Even if your opinions on when you need a locker are right, and I'm not debating them, the facts still remain about my points on when having a rear locker over having a front locker is more ideal.

KJ 119 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:53 am

Is this gonna turn out to be one of those.....

You say tomato,I say tamahtoeThingys?

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Dec 09, 2009 1:02 am

KJ 119 wrote:

Is this gonna turn out to be one of those.....

You say tomato,I say tamahtoeThingys?

yep it started :wink:

Adding Lockers

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