drew303

I must be an expert haha I'm one of the rather small minority of people running a LSD in the front and Locker in the back. yay =)

But your opinion is a bit vague. Locked F/R doesnt suck on the trail. Like anything that is done with our trucks to increase performance, there are positives and negatives. Things that help excell in certain situations but have a negative impact in others.

For example, any kind of traction system used front or rear will have an impact on situations where you're traversing any kind of slope (of any grade) in a very slick situation.

Auto-lockers bind and bang. Matt, either you've never noticed it or just never heard it, or maybe its never happened but they do, and informing someone of this is good advice. Even Aussie clearly states in the documentation this happens. If you're un-informed it's a rather unsettling NOISE that would make any concious driver think twice about what just happened. It can be as loud as a CV exploding.

Theres other factors that change how AL's react as well, like the weight over the axle. You had a 4runner, which is siginificantly heavier than my empty shortbed pickup on 37's (a larger diameter tire, the locker spins slower). This is really evident when you're moving slow to begin with like turning into a parking stall or making a U-turn on dry pavement. The locker will either un-engage and spin freely (click click click) or fight engaging/disengaging which makes a very unmistakeable juttering.

AutoLockers all work the same, how strong and smooth they are differs. They're designed to engage by being driven and disengaged when they're coasting. The center pin push's the inner flanges apart when throttle is applied forcing the teeth together 'locking' the axles. When coasting the inner-flanges are allowed to be pushed inward by the outer flanges that are being forced to spin. The only force pushing the innerflanges into the outher flange's teeth are the springs used within the locker. The springs are what make the lockers engage/disengage smoothly (most of the time)

Matt16

A couple times during the 20K i had the Aussie, there has been a thunk, like a rubber mallet on a piece of heavy steel. Its not a bang though, and its doubtful that any passenger would take notice of it.

I think a couple reasons why my locker has been quiet and smooth.
1. Aussie lockers are probably a little better-designed considering the chief engineer worked on the Lock Right before quitting and making the Aussie. The teeth IIRC are beveled differently than the LR.

2. I use a really thick gear oil- 85w140. This quiets the locker down quiet a bit to the point where a passenger would be hard pressed to ever hear anything from the locker. I originally used thin (regular 75w90) and the locker was louder. All locker manufacturer's say to use thicker stuff IIRC, perhaps Drew, you're using thin gear oil? Redline SHockproof made the locker behave badly and it was fairly loud, but the problem was evidently the gear oil, so I switched it out for plain 85w140 dino.

tpaine14

yes i was a bit vague. i just meant it seems a lot of people who run lockers in the front have a difficult time turning on tight trails and are forced to do the 30 point turn system cause the front end is bound up so tight. i have no experience with this in my truck but have ridden in jeeps and chevys that are spooled in the front and i agree it can be a pain. and yes you were one of the experts i was referring too haha. i read it a few places that lsd was the way to go up front but i had just finished checking out your build thread os sas thread or whatever which brings me to my next point. sweet rig

diablo

I run a Detroit Truetrac in the rear and it is great no bang or clank locks up enough to wheel hard,gear drive LSD are so smooth and the bias ratio is higher than clutch type LSD

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

I am running aussies front and rear. Locked up front and rear for about $500 yes in 4WD it does get tiresome in 4WD, thankfully I have power steering. if I don't need 4WD in between obstacles I pop it out compliments of my twin stick

I would not recommend a non selectable front locker if you have need of 4WD on a DD during the winter as they do have a tendency to pull straight in the turns

tried4x2signN

If you don't setup any pocket locker, it won't work right... So "der, gee golly... am I sure it was installed right?" would be the 1st question I asked myself...

B/c pretty much out of all the hate posts on pocket lockers there is, I'd say about 100% have been traced back to improper setup...

As far as which lockers I'd use. There are only 2. The Aussie and the Powertrax No Slip, b/c it has a syncro in it.

Otherwise I'd use a TRD and set it up with the help of Inchworm and 12voltguy.

tpaine14

i love the internet with proper research you almost never have to learn the hard way. at least on buying parts. driving is a different story..

drew303

The heavier gear oil would most definetly quiet down the noise of the locker, explains your experience with it Matt. I'm not certain one way or the other which gear oil would be more beneficial or harmful or either or. heh I run 80-90 in mine and swap fluids probably twice a year if not more depending on if i decide to get a wild hair up my ass and sink my truck (happens all to often LoL) ...

Same with the tranny, same gear oil in all 4 components (front dif, tranny, obviously tcase, and rear dif) .. I've gone synthetic in the tranny but when u sink your rig like i do its pointless hehe

Dino baby! !

Oh and Matt, that THUD you heard was im almost sure muffled by the heavier gear oil. Maybe other factors to like your windows up, carpeted cab, rearseat, big 4runner body, lil lower to the ground hehee.. When my rig pops its a head turner

Thx for the compliments Tpaine! It's ever evolving rig, it'll be undergoing so more major changes this summer, I'll have a build thread beginning in June most likely. I spent all yesterday evening till 3:30am doing some front suspension modifications, phase 1 down. Next comes new flat bed and exo

ethomas3307@bellsout

Back to what they call Newb locker questions now. I just dont want to spend 300 bucks and then not be happy like i was with the ez locker and end up welding it up. Theez locker was installed right that was not the 1st time i had put a locker in.

tried4x2signN

sounds like you're answering your own questions...

Just TRD it... Big deal... End of story...