d0ubledown

so...im able to get a 4.30 front diff with a lockright in it locally for what i think should be a decent price ($300 CDN). the guy thats selling it has a 3rd gen but no manual hubs and said that he didnt need it.

ive searched high & low regarding a front auto locker, specifically the lockright and am still contemplating going this route. i need your opinions and technical knowledge:

1) do i really need manual hubs to run an autolocker up front? with the ADD system, from what i understand, spins one side of the front when in 2Hi, thus leaving the diff open. i understand the wear factor on not running manual hubs as one of the main advantages of swapping, as well as the safety net of limping in 3wd or without a front axle if need be. my out for this would be to just bring extra CV's and swap em if necessary. i read somewhere (maybe Albuquerque jim) that ADD cv's are easier to swap than manuals... is this true? the seller of the diff ran no manual hubs...so he speaks from experience. anyone else here run a front locker w/o manual hubs?

2)when in 4Hi its obviously getting torque from the front shaft thus locking it under different axle speeds. the main concern most people have is the (un)driveability of this setup, mainly in wet/snowy conditions. we get heaps of rain here, but i dont drive in 4wd in it..and snow days here are maybe 5/365. how bad is it really in the snow with the front locked? i mean is it undrivable? or managable with finesse and adjustments to your driving habits?

3) is there a difference between ADD diffs and manual diffs?

4) would i have to open up the housing and check its inners out? bearings, backlash, etc etc? its been on his ride for about a year...


i want to do this as cost effective as possible and still retain decent drivability. im interested in this setup because i can get it for cheap, and im assuming its the whole front end setup. if problems occur, i can just drop it and put back my original setup and only be out a couple hun.

or

i can just get ARB and be done with it. of course, with that option and pricetag, itll be a long while till that happens...

opinons wanted please

much thanks...

JGM

I don't have too much knowledge beyond this: I have a lunchbox locker in the rear of my cruiser. I chirps and kicks the vehicle to the side a little every once in a while. I would not want that up front. I would probably get used to it, and learn to drive it, but if I were in a place where it snows, and there could be someone (like my wife) driving the vehicle that doesn't understand that locker up front, it could be very dangerous. That was my thought process anyway. Good luck.

d0ubledown

...but the diff is disconnected upfront..so it will act like normal no? once i hit the 4wd button and ADD engages the front diff...then yeah. it'll squirrel and squeal like a lil schoolgirl, but i dont intend on driving it in 4wd anywhere other than off road.

Mr. Bob

Hey Sonny... I am very happy with my aussie in my bronco... It does handle differenly than an open diff forsure, but it has its ups and downs... I would imagine it would not be a good experience driving with a locker on the street in the snow, but its amazing driving off road with a front locker... My buddy had one in his 88 Runner and it made the truck way more capable for sure... For $300 for a whole diff just grab it and toss it in there....

Yes there is a difference between ADD and manual diffs... the manual diffs dont have the ADD stuff

I would not bother opening it up... just turn the pinion and make sure there is some backlash... make sure it spins freely and be happy with that....

Buy it, or Im going to

Cheers
Bob

d0ubledown

hey bob...

haha..yeah i figure i better see if i can jump on it before you do did you find out the gears youve got?

hmm..just found an info page on off-road.com about the ADD system and now realize that the both front axles and diff spin all the time, even in 2wd. for some reason, i was under the impression that only 1 side was connected and the locker would behave like an regular open diff in 2wd now i see how the importance of manual hubs come into play since it'd be lockin up all the time around corners in parking lots etc etc.

thats my main concern is on roadability. snowy conditions in 4wd i can accept the behaviour since a 5 cm snowfall here lasts only about 8 hours (haha!). will ran with no manual hubs and he said there was no difference in drivability in 2wd. so it is feasible i guess. ive just never heard of anyone else running it so im looking for a 2nd opinon. most if not all that have a non selectable front locker here have manual hubs (for 3rd gen runners im referring to), so theres probably a reason for that.

im gonna have a look at it tomorrow...if i dont end up getting it ill letcha know.

Mr. Bob

Yeah.... well im looking at it tonight.... heheheh.... just kiddding....

Even though both axles are spinning the locker will not do anything untill power is supplied to it by the drive shaft.... So you will never even know its there untill you hit 4x4.....

Even with a locker in the front of my beast, it still has really good off road manners and is fairly easy to turn as well.....