Jay351

Well I have also been in situations on a wet hill where one tire has lost traction comming from a dead stop, that can be quite scary!
But to be honest, I really think this is a good idea, I got my feet wet this year and next year im looking forward to many off road trips, which I know a locker will help eventually.

I had knocked around the idea of a limited slip but most of the occasions where I have lost traction is due to a lifted wheel, where a limited slip would not help much, if any.

I had actually brought up the lockrite issue when I was talking to him, we ended up talking for awhile about it, aswell as the aussie's. He recomended an ARB or E-locker, but for my buget a lockrite would be great.

and hell, if worse comes to worse I will just remove the lockrite and sell it.

Etype R

I've had a lock right in the back of my truck most of the summer now. I am used to its handling now, and hopefully winter will not bring up any problems. I run my swampers when I hit the trails, and put the AT's on for the street.

On the trails its great, as I can now go slower without loosing traction.

AxleIke

Winter performance will blow. Thats been established on about 1billion threads here. People learn to deal with it. Personally I wouldn't, but i understand budget condtions.

As for offroad, you couldn't have gotten a better mod. Since it sounds like armor will be your next mod, you'll be golden.

Put in the locker, see how you like it. A this lockright rear will take you a lot farther than an open SAS would, at a fraction of the cost.

ovrrdrive

I can think of absolutely no situation like you describe above where a locker wouldn't help out. It's 100% true to say that in most situations like that you don't need a locker, but you can't say it wouldn't help.

You could also argue the point that if you had a locker in the rear you wouldn't need to use the 4wd as often, if that was the point you were trying to make. There are situations where a 2wd truck with a rear locker will go further than a 4wd open diff truck would.

CoedNaked

A locker/2 wheel drive isn't as predictable or safe as staying with 4 HI or 4 LO. In 4 LO or 4 HI I just keep right on trucking along if one of my axles loses traction. Someone who doesn't know better (thus not being as user friendly) might be prompted to "gun it" with a locker in 2 wheel drive which will give them a 180 degree rude awakening which could mean the difference between sending your truck down a hill or off a cliff or into a ditch if you're not careful or continuing your trip. It's not as predictable.

And people have been saying that there are situations where 2wd and a locker can go farther than 4 wheel drive with open diffs for many many years but it's like maybe a ratio of 1 to 99 in reality.

I am not discrediting the idea of a locking differential. I know it's purpose and in the hands of a skilled user it can be used to a very significant advantage. But a locking differential is just like IFS and the Solid Axle swap deal. Lots of guys go to solid axle swaps without ever having maxed out what their IFS could do. What it comes down to is the typical macho creating doubt type of bafflegab that gets posted on various discussion boards and in magazines day after day. Guys talk about how great they think their mod is, thus creating doubt's in other guys minds, and thus lots of guys spend the money when they didn't need to. Sure, there are some guys who wheel hard enough that they break things weekly and thus they needed to modify their rigs for druability and practical reasons, but not everyone needed to go that far.

My brother just bought a Marlin clutch for his 96 4runner. He was talking about how great this clutch apparently is and how much better it apparently is. Not discrediting Marlin or anything like that, but this stock clutch has over 225,000 miles on it. Was that a bad clutch? I told him he should have just kept the stock clutch but he already bought the Marlin.

Jay351

Well I guess I will find out for myself how the lockrite is when I install it. Im probibly not gonna be able to do that for a few weeks while my bank account has recovered though.

ovrrdrive

Once you get it installed and get some miles on it, come back and reread this thread and see how silly some of the statements were...

You're going to love your locker.

CoedNaked

Hey no need to discredit my arguments as "silly." They are relevant points to the topic at hand. Perhaps some people like blowing money as well as advising others to do the same on modifications that have legitimate advantages as well as pitfalls. I felt it was my duty to advise Jay of the pitfalls of said modification, considering those who took the time to advise him to purchase the locker didn't have take the time, or maybe in some cases lacked the know how to point out the benefits and disadvantages to doing this modification. This is a modification that can adversely affect the handling of a vehicle on the street, especially during incliment weather.

Jay351

I am looking forward to it


I didnt get the chance to thank you for spending that much time helpin me out

I had been planning on getting a locker for a long, long time. And now seems like the perfect time to do so.

My snow driving was shot when I got the BFG m/t's

but I will just have to take it slower now, I wonder if you can get tire chains for 33" mud tires?

AxleIke

You can absolutely get chains. I have them. They were worth it.

Congrats on the locker.

Tacoma750

get the fkin locker man....all this theres no reason to add offroad performance to a IFS rig" thats BS. First off...having a rear locker will enable you to use less skinny pedal. You will have both rear wheels spinning, and you know they are spinning. NO guess work. In 4wd, your going to be amazed at where yout ruck will go and with how much ease. SURE there are cons to having the locker...But there are pros/cons of everything. Here is what i suggest....

Get that locker in. FIRST snow fall, go to a empty parkinglot and drive it around. Get use to what it does,and what you need to do inorder to drive it saftley. I drove a wranlger on 35s with a full detroit in the back and an aussie up front in 4wd for a winter. I had zero problems on the street. ONLY because i went to some empty lots and learned to drive it. You have a great rig, and you know ive been watching you build it. Adding that rear locker is a great step. Sure, there are other things you need...like rockers,bumpers and winches. Its all relative. If you spent the money on the winch...maybe you wouldnt need the winch if you would have spent the money on the locker? See what I mean? Building a capible offroad truck, but a good DD is a hard task. Ive already built one, and im on my second. Let us know how that locker is...i know you'll freakin love it.

ovrrdrive

Technically I didn't say you were the one making silly comments...

I'll give you the part about bad weather on the street but that's about it. You have to know what you have done to the truck and be ready for it in the right situations but then again that's true in anything.

Not wanting to put a locker in an offroad truck is like not wanting iridium plugs and high octane gas in a sports car.

Jay351

How was it to get ahold of these guys?

I have been calling all day and I keep getting the answering machine
I need to order this thing.

they recomended that I call in my order, but I wonder if I could just do the online thing..

ovrrdrive

Any retailer that either won't answer the phone or return calls is one that I won't do business with. It's been almost a year since I bought from them and a lot of things could have changed since then. If you're sure you're calling when they should be in the office I'd look elsewhere...

Go to the pirate 4x4 vendor forum and see who has good deals and is willing to work with you. If you can, I'd try to get an Aussie. Its' everything a Lockright is with a better warranty. They post over there too.

Jay351

The aussie was my original choice. but they do not have the v6 now (if they will ever..) and since I already had a v6 4.88 third ready I wasnt going to step down to a 4cyl case.

but the guy did call me back - when I was not home no less! - hopfally I can get ahold of them in the next 20 mind before they close, if not I guess I will have to try tomorrow.
I was originally calling around 9am - l12pm eastern so I figured they where on lunch break, but I called a few times between 9am-12 and they finally called me back at 2pm. I will leave them a messege telling them to call me tomorrow at a certain time or w/e.

this is why I like to do online orders!

Victor

I say do it. I have them front and rear. Is everyone else noticing very fast rear tire wear or is it just my imagination? I have a tire depth gauge so I'll get a reading and keep an eye on it for a few weeks. Looks like I may have to rotate very often.

That is about the only negative I've found with it. You get used to how to get through turns without causing it to lock and unlock violently although sometimes its fun to have it bucking on you. The traction is unbelievable - huge improvement. Steady on off the gas instead of stabbing the throttle on and off.

Jay351

I will be rotating my tires every oil change.

fork

i just threw the one from my 4runner into my v6 auto. its a bit different from the 5spd but same concept. it's barely noticeable and the locker took me really damn far in only 2wd. further than i ever wanted to be in 2wd and just as far as my 4wd-open/open went. the locker makes a WORLD of difference in retrospect i think this is probably the first mods i would ever do to a new rig. i just wouldnt waste any money putting one in an ifs front end just in case I were to SAS later. i really don't think locking ifs is worth the time/$/headache.

Jay351

Alex called me back today, and I got my order through looks like It will be here in about 2 weeks, Sweet!!

Im guessing I will have the 3rd set up in about 3 weeks, then I just have to throw it in Can't wait!

Did I mention that I hate open diff donuts?

ovrrdrive

Sweet... Alex is a pretty cool guy.

And you'll never look back doing donuts. They're amazingly fun with a locker.