front axle locker question
10-12-2009, 08:13 AM
#22
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10-12-2009, 08:30 AM
#23
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id do the back first ive hardly ever had a front wheel leave the ground when off roading. i played with my 87pu with the rear open and even with the big wide boggers on it my rear locked 93 with its skinny mt radials would walk all over it. from what ive learned and experienced i wouldnt run a spool or auto locker in the front unless it was a mud rig only and def not in something that u might need to use 4wd onroad in the winter
10-12-2009, 11:38 AM
#25
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i have NEVER heard that. is that common in california? i thought mobbin' is like what kids do when they run up to the ice cream truck or something.
i HAVE heard of:
muddin'.
boggin'.
mud boggin'.
wheelin'.
offroadin'.
fourbyin'.
trailblazin'.
fourwheelin'.
OH, SORRY O.P., I'D RECOMMEND THE REAR FIRST. that way you get some extra traction in 2wd as well. a locker in the back often keeps you from having to switch to 4wd at all. and of course, you should always toss some extra weight in the back of a pickup in the winter, at the front of the bed, not the back. when i lived in a snow zone, i picked up some junkyard steelies and got some SNOW tires put on em, mounted them and the radials i took off i'd keep in the bed for extra weight. paranoid i was i'd chain 'em together and to the bed hooks.
and asked above, but i don't think it was answered: IF YOU WELD THE FRONT, you cannot leave the hubs locked unless you're on loose surface. (because when you turn one will must slip for the tighter inside radius vs. outside radius) so the downside to this is you cannot lock hubs in advance when you're on your way to a trail. you will always have to stop and lock at the trail head, and make sure you're locked before you hit the muck so you don't have to jump out into it to lock. i'm only bringing this up cuz you said DD, right? this wouldn't really matter with dedicated trail rig so much.
i HAVE heard of:
muddin'.
boggin'.
mud boggin'.
wheelin'.
offroadin'.
fourbyin'.
trailblazin'.
fourwheelin'.
OH, SORRY O.P., I'D RECOMMEND THE REAR FIRST. that way you get some extra traction in 2wd as well. a locker in the back often keeps you from having to switch to 4wd at all. and of course, you should always toss some extra weight in the back of a pickup in the winter, at the front of the bed, not the back. when i lived in a snow zone, i picked up some junkyard steelies and got some SNOW tires put on em, mounted them and the radials i took off i'd keep in the bed for extra weight. paranoid i was i'd chain 'em together and to the bed hooks.
and asked above, but i don't think it was answered: IF YOU WELD THE FRONT, you cannot leave the hubs locked unless you're on loose surface. (because when you turn one will must slip for the tighter inside radius vs. outside radius) so the downside to this is you cannot lock hubs in advance when you're on your way to a trail. you will always have to stop and lock at the trail head, and make sure you're locked before you hit the muck so you don't have to jump out into it to lock. i'm only bringing this up cuz you said DD, right? this wouldn't really matter with dedicated trail rig so much.
Last edited by tj884Rdlx; 10-12-2009 at 11:54 AM.
10-12-2009, 11:43 AM
#26
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10-12-2009, 12:05 PM
#27
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I'm welded front, aussie rear.
Where I live theres snow and ice, atleast 3-4 months out of the year.
Just have to adjust. You can drive anything with some practice.
Where I live theres snow and ice, atleast 3-4 months out of the year.
Just have to adjust. You can drive anything with some practice.
10-12-2009, 01:15 PM
#28
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I have LockRights front and rear, some comments:
If you have a locker in the rear you can drive so many places with the hubs unlocked, more than you could ever imagine. The traction from the locker in the rear is more than a 2x improvement. If you need lower gearing, you can still put it in 4 low with the front unlocked to get better compression braking and torque for climbing. The lunchbox locker in the back takes a little getting used to on the road, as it will bark the tires if you get on it in a turn. Also, every once in a while it goes BANG! on you, scares the wife, and makes the kid cry, but does not harm anything.
As for the front, the biggest downside to a lunchbox in the front is steering. You lose about 1/2 of your turning radius and have to fight it the entire time. The torque steer/feedback from the locker is overwhelming at first, until you learn how to drive with it.
I understand the arguments for a locker in the front, but, with the steering issues I would recommend a selectable in the front if it is your only locker. Even then, you are giving up the wonderful world of having a locker in the back and not needing 4x most of the time on the light stuff.
If you have a locker in the rear you can drive so many places with the hubs unlocked, more than you could ever imagine. The traction from the locker in the rear is more than a 2x improvement. If you need lower gearing, you can still put it in 4 low with the front unlocked to get better compression braking and torque for climbing. The lunchbox locker in the back takes a little getting used to on the road, as it will bark the tires if you get on it in a turn. Also, every once in a while it goes BANG! on you, scares the wife, and makes the kid cry, but does not harm anything.
As for the front, the biggest downside to a lunchbox in the front is steering. You lose about 1/2 of your turning radius and have to fight it the entire time. The torque steer/feedback from the locker is overwhelming at first, until you learn how to drive with it.
I understand the arguments for a locker in the front, but, with the steering issues I would recommend a selectable in the front if it is your only locker. Even then, you are giving up the wonderful world of having a locker in the back and not needing 4x most of the time on the light stuff.
10-12-2009, 02:01 PM
#30
Registered User
No, with the hubs unlocked, it drives just fine. I use 4low all the time with the hubs out, to get the lower gearing with the locker in the rear and no steering issues.
When the hubs are locked, the steering gets tough, you really have to fight it. I put the LockRights in last spring and am already thinking about an ARB Airlocker in the front.
When the hubs are locked, the steering gets tough, you really have to fight it. I put the LockRights in last spring and am already thinking about an ARB Airlocker in the front.
10-12-2009, 04:33 PM
#33
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and if the time comes, lock the other side, too?
10-13-2009, 09:20 AM
#34
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Hmmmmmm, have not tried that yet. One side disconnected, so no mechanical feedback side to side for velocity differences, in the front.
But, as you rotate the tire and go through a turn, the tire that is connected to the locker will change rotational velocity relative to the rear tires, which also have different rotational speeds in a turn. The front and rear driveshafts are "locked" together through the transfer case, which has no slip or ratcheting mechanism.
If you do not have a locker in the rear, an open diff back there, you may very well not have that much steering feedback. If you have a locker in the rear, it may be a bit worse.
I will try this next time with my rig and let everyone know. I hate having to get out and lock/unlock the hubs all the time to get rid of the steering feedback on the light stuff. I see an ARB airlocker in my future....
Good suggestion.
Mike
10-13-2009, 12:33 PM
#35
If you have ADD shift-on-the-fly, an extension of that idea would be to wire in a switch for the ADD. This way, when you throw it into 4wd with the ADD turned to OFF, you get 3wd. Switch to ON, and you get locked 4wd.
10-13-2009, 02:28 PM
#36
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This is what I know. Here where I live, mostly mud, and no rocks, an aussie up front works fine. Now it does cause some very stiff steering when trying to steer in tight areas. Sorry I have no rock crawling to compare to, but Obama may help us with that. When I move to Colorado, I will have an ARB in the front.
10-13-2009, 04:19 PM
#37
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steering issues w/ a locker up front can be fixed. See marlincrawlers website- tech write up hydro assist. Costed me a whole whopping $134.00 from surplusscenter in parts and a little inginuity. Even drilled and tapped one of my spare steering boxes in case the one I have on now goes out.... and also a twin stick shifter helps just a little with the binding between the front and rear axle if both are locked. not as good as hydro assist though.
10-13-2009, 05:50 PM
#39
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exactly, the only reason i want a locker is cuz im selling one i had bought for my brother for his jeep so ill be getting $300 to spend on mine....
now im thinking maybe ill just try and find a 3rd member and ifs diff with some 4.88s for under 400, and go from there for the time being idk
well whats everyones opinion, $300 to spend, what should i do?
now im thinking maybe ill just try and find a 3rd member and ifs diff with some 4.88s for under 400, and go from there for the time being idk
well whats everyones opinion, $300 to spend, what should i do?
10-13-2009, 06:07 PM
#40
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you cant regear stock 4.88 diffs..so take that into consideration..im sure you can put a locker in em though??
im gonna look for some 4.88's with an e-locker in the rear....if they were even made?????
im gonna look for some 4.88's with an e-locker in the rear....if they were even made?????
