UPDATE 22/03/09

I survived my first full winter with a locker. There was only one instance where I had to put the truck in 4wd to tame it a bit on the road, not including sideslope encounters. It was on the highway, right after a big snow fall and there was about an inch of packed snow on the highway. I was doing about 70-80km/h and whenever i started going up a gentle hill in 4th gear low rpm, the back tires would spin. Note, this is an indication of how slippery it was. Anyways, the back would start to gentle drift a bit and i'd let of off the back and the tail would jump back into line. I didn't feel in danger or anything. Problem was solved by shifting to 4wd. Getting stuck on a side slope was interesting in slick winter conditions. The back end definitely tries to walk on you. If I were only driving in conditions that normal SUV drivers would take on, this wouldn't be a problem, but i was using my truck as an impromptu snow plow in 3'+ of snow and frequently was getting high-centered or grounded on the frame.

In summary, locker+4Runner+all terrains is not a scary combo in winter, even when I tried testing the limits. I let my younger brother drive in the snow a number of times and didn't fell like i was endangering him. It is different and demands a little more attention that open diffs, but its by no means a challenge. If things get hairy, just engage 4wd and the truck is transformed into a very stable, well handling snow vehicle.

 

I finally got my Aussie locker in the 4runner last weekend. I've had it also most ready to go in for 10 months now but, with Hernia surgury and a bearing replacement kit proplem. I finally did it. So anyway last night my son and I went over to some dirt hills to test it out. WOW what a difference. I was able to climb up hills in 2lo that took 4lo before. It feels a little different on the road but not bad. I like this thing.

 

I have aussies front and rear and just installed a Marlin twin stick. I have to tell you all that this is the way to go. I'm headed to Moab again this weekend and my aussies have been flawless where ever I've gone. I talked my dad into installing an aussie in his Scout with a Dana 44 and he's sold (although not as easy to install as it was on my 83 toy).

 

What do you do with the front locker in winter? 3wd?

 

HEY MATT! man, thanx for this thread. i just happend to send a PM to Zuk asking his opinion on lockers when i move to 4.88s and he suggested an Aussie. I was thinking I'd go with a Powertrax NoSlip or Detroit Truetrac, which I believe are both clutchless LSDs. But I'll take Zuk's word when it comes to gears, and after reading this great thread, I can see you really have thoroughly tested the Aussie.

My truck is a DD on pavement including interstate 65mph daily. I thought a locker would be inappropriate based on what i've read PRIOR to reading your thread here.

What really is the difference between the Aussie and the Powertrax Noslip and the Truetrac??

thanx again for your post here!
tj

 

I don't drive it much in the winter. With 33x12.50's it doesn't behave well on snowpacked or ice road which has nothing to do with the lockers just lack of weight on wide tires. You could just lock one hub and do 3wd or I can switch from 4wd to 2wd easily with my twin stick.

 

i installed an aussie in the rear of my 82 last weekend. i just used the factory recomended oil in it and i bearly heard it a few times. it would bog down a little at a stop sign when making a 90*right turn but not bad. i had a friend with me that has a lockright and he said he wished he got an aussie. he said mine was quieted than his and hes runing thicker oil. he also thought mine was smother. i havnt got to try it out much but hope to this weekend

 

I have an Aussie Locker in the rear of my '84 Pickup on 35's and love it. It always performs great, no matter what the conditions. I have Synthetic Valvoline 75-90 (expensive) in the diff and it's dead smooth and quiet, with a load or without.

I'm rebuilding my truck right now because it was just half destroyed in an accident and when the front axle comes apart, another Aussie is going in the front.

 

I ordered one this weekend and it said they were in stock but I got an email today saying they were on back order. Bummer

 

i finely got to try mine some. it worked great on soft sand, mud, and rock. it felt a little werd on the sand but i got used to it fast.it would go all over the place. spots that i would dig down in before i wouldnt spin a tire. in the mud i went thru a mud puddle and the intake got some water in it and stalled in the midle of it and got high centered. i got it started agen, droped it in 1st low and it slowly started to pull me out of it and then i was off agen. then i went on some hill climes and some rocks i was going up a steap off camber hill with a wall on one side. i floped over on to the wall and it still pulled me the rest of the way out and back up right. which i wasnt 90* on my side becuse i was agenst the wall but i was draging and only on 2 wheels and it was still going. then i went up a rock hill with steps about 12" to 18" and it walked right up it. this weekend i'll get to test it more. i love it so far.

 

Hey so quick question for you Aussie owners: at what throttle position will the locker engage??? I'm curious because I DD my 4runner around town and on the interstate. I don't want the thing locking on me during a 70 mph corner.

 

I've had mine in or around a year now and i cant even know its there when i drive it on the road.when it was new it would grab hard on a 90* turn but know that its broke in i have to be throttling thou it hard to keep it locked. but it still works great off-road like its supposed to. i like mine and would do it agen but also mine is 98* off-road only but the locker dose good on the pavement when i get it on there.

 

Not an issue. The locker is invisible above 20mph, you really have to provoke it in to jerking/ locking at speeds more than 10mph.

The locker still unlocks at full throttle in second gear going around a 90 turn at 10mph in my truck.

Ideally, you want to keep just enough tension in the driveline going around corners. Its pretty easy to figure out once you drive it, but hard to explain on paper. One easy way to accomplish this is go around corners in a higher gear than usual but give it more throttle.

Unlike some people on the board here, my truck drives 40% city, 40% highways, 18% dirt roads, and 2% technical 4wd trails. I have not found the locker to be as invasive as some people suggest it may be. Its not something that passengers are usually aware of, even when driving on ice or snow.

 

In what type of 4R are you doing 70 mph cornering maneuvering?
Did you use that platform for this?



Sorry for the off topic jargon.

 

^^^ I 580 and 680 going towards the bay.. Its just how traffic moves on that road!

 

Im looking at regearing in a few months to 4.88 and might stick a locker in the rear at the same time. ZUK recommended a Detroit Soft locker for the rear and an Aussie for the front(if i really had to have one). ill have to ask about the Aussie in the rear.....anyone have any exp with the detroit or a link for more info? i searched but didnt find any good write ups like this one.

 

You can't yet get a Aussie locker for the factory 4.88 diff or any V6 diff for that matter.

 

Aussie just came out with a "V6 locker", but the pre-95 V6 diffs are 27 spline. Just like the 4 cyl.
I don't know which one to get for my earlier 90's V6 4.88 rear diff.

 

Just my $0.02 on an Aussie in the front.

No complaints so far. I'm a fairly mild wheeler normally but I do get into some bad stuff occasionally, and the Aussie has never failed (I've been stuck but the Aussie stayed locked).

It is rather loud when it unlocks (you can hear it here at about 0:21but I that's ok. And it does take quite a bit of pressure to unlock.

Obviously, I never drive it on the road in 4WD.

Mine was set up as a complete third by Zuk for me and I installed.

 

You stole my thunder, and beat me to the punch.

Here's the locker you want. I wonder if its "in stock"?

http://www.offroadlockers.com/item.p...0/120009/.html