Well it will look ridiculous with the sas and 31's, but who cares? It's your rig and you build it as you can. My only advice is gear the diffs for what you want to run in the end, even if it's not appropriate for what you have now. It's still cheaper, as well as add any traction aids you're wanting in the long run.

 

I busted up laughing when I saw your truck being used for Physics class! So awesome! 3 seconds lol... you are moving fast with the front axle! I am anxious to see how it turns out. I will stay with my IFS, but a SAS is always fun to watch.

 

Well i just bought a spartan locker in a 4.56 third for 260 and i am trying to see if i got this 01 e locker of a taco but have not heard an thing else yet on that one. Getting excited gathering all the pieces cant wait tell june to start.

 

Chukarhunt, i was chuckling the whole time doing rockets it was to much fun, i was told by multiple kids in my physics class that i needed my truck there on Wednesday. I like ifs but sas are fun and i like flex so i think i will be happy with it. you will have to do a long arm.

How is that wiring for your locker going did you find the harnesses or are you doing your own.

 

So right now I think I'm going to put the e locker in the back and the spartan in the front is this a good idea the only thing I see wrong is in the winter I will be having locked fronts in 4 wd but in that case I could just keep a third and throw 4.56 to match and switch it out in the winter/summer. Any yay or nays?

Jake,

 

So I take it you got an elocker? Did you see my response to your questions? It is in my build thread. As far as a lunchbox on the front, put on some manual hubs (if you don't have them) and call it a day. You will have to lock/unlock your hubs for DD and off roading, but it is easier than changing out thirds.

 

Also is welding things to the frame with a stick welder bad/ not as good as a mig? Do I need to find a mig to mount the frenched hangers? Something to do with hot welds vs cold welds.

Thanks, jake

 

When you said put hubs on and call it a day do you mean with a spartan? And the front has the stock aisin hubs

Jake

 

You are good to go with the stock aisin hubs. With the Spartan in the front and your hubs unlocked, the Spartan won't affect your driveability. I am afraid I am misunderstanding you, are you worried about different gear ratios between the front and rear (what ratio is the elocker) or about the front binding in turns with the Spartan?


Stick does just fine, as long as you make a proper weld, ie. enough penetration, no stress risers, etc. Mig is just easier.

 

No I was not clear. In the winter with snow and in 4wd it could be squirrelly is what I am concerned about.

And a very stupid question could I only lock one hub?

 

And I have bought the spartan locker I will get it next week some time. And the e locker I am waiting for him to email me back, I had said I will take it and that was a day after he posted it so I'm hopeful but the anticipation is driving me nuts!!!!

I know I know patience is a virtue but I don't have it!! maybe it's to much coffee

 

Awesome that you got to use your truck for class. Looks like fun.

Nice score on the solid axle.

 

Thanks grizler yah it was fun and if the bad weather holds off I will be using again today! Yah It was expensive but I kept missing other ones so I just got it. Now if I could a reply for an e locker! This is the most fretting I have ever done

I said the locker set up backwards earlier it's gong to be the spartan in the back and e locker in the front.

 

I am not sure what size that front diff is on the solid axle, never heard of an elocker on one of those?


now it makes sense! lol, Spartan in the back, yes, would cause driveability problems on ice. I would just put the elocker in back and Spartan up front, easiest way to go, and your elocker won't be in reverse when driving around, better for the gears to rotate the way they were designed. again, not sure the elocker will fit in the front solid axle...

 

All right the front axle is a 85 toyota axle and is a 8 inch diff. I just got off the phone with the e locker and am going to get it next Wednesday. I am going to put the e locker in the front and as far as I know it's the same as the rear process and fit. The spartan I will get some time week as well and will be going in the rear axle. I got the drive line slip yoke, break backing eliminator plate, diff armor, and seals for hubs yesterday and the rest is out for delivery. Now I have to wait tell after graduation to really start on this.

Jake,

 

Sorry Jake, I am not understanding your reasoning for putting the elocker up front. If you are worried about squirrely driving in the winter with a locker, why are you putting the Spartan in the back?

 

Because the back ca be locked at time s not preferable. But when it is it's even if the spartan was in the front it could lock more being the front and when the front is spinning at the same rate even if I turn on snow/ice it will still go strait.

I will look into it more if I can but for now I believe that's my reasoning. If I am wrong please let me know before I screw up something.

Jake,

 

Alright, let me see if I can explain this correctly (it's right in my head, doesn't always spew out the same)


Let's start with the Spartan located in the rear. Your Spartan locks the differential when you put power to the axle (push on the throttle). This will lock the two tires together obviously, so if you try to power through a corner, the diff will lock and will cause understeer, aka it will try to push the truck straight when trying to turn. As a daily driver, to avoid this you will have to coast through every corner, which is difficult when trying to turn at a stop sign from a stop. Even in winter you will always be fighting the locker on ice.


You should know some of this from physics, but there are two different coefficients of friction, static and dynamic. Static friction is always greater than dynamic friction, say a brick sitting on a table versus a brick sliding on a table. When your tire is rolling with the road, meaning that the circumference of the tire is contacting the road at the same speed (no sliding) it is static friction. When the tire is traveling slower or faster than the road (sliding) that is dynamic friction.


Open diff/elocker that is unlocked: Ok, so when you are on ice, you always want static friction to maintain control (in any case to maintain control of the vehicle you want static friction), unless you are trying to have fun doing 360s and what not. If your vehicle loses traction on ice, tire breaks static and goes dynamic, it is important that at least one tire can gain back that static friction to correct and control the vehicle. with an open rear diff, your tires chances of gaining static friction are much greater because the diff will put power to one tire and not the other, allowing one to speed up and the other to slow down, basically hunting for the speed the tire needs to be able to gain control again.


Now lets put the Spartan in the rear and go through the same example: On ice, if your vehicle loses control, instead of the diff allowing the tires to rotate at different speeds, the Spartan will sense one tire spinning faster/slower than the other, and will automatically lock. Now both tires are traveling at the same speed. In order to gain static friction, both tires have to either speed up or slow down, and this has to be done by the operator, but imagine sliding across the road, and working the brakes and gas pedal at high speeds trying to gain control. This is why most people say an auto locker is not a great idea on ice because it is harder to control, just as you are worried about.


An open diff will automatically correct itself to gain control, allowing the tires to rotate at different speeds until one of the tires goes static. With an elocker in the rear, you have the option of turning it on or off, a Spartan, it depends on how fast you are to react with the pedals. In some situations the Spartan will unlock itself if there is no power to it, you know just sliding along, no input from the operator, but you never know how long that could take, and you might be in the other lane of traffic by the time that occurs.


If you put the Spartan up front with manual hubs, you are essentially creating a selectable locker. You have the ability of turning the Spartan on and off at the hubs, the diff is no longer connected to the tire, simulating an open diff.


Now lets put the Spartan up front, same icy situation, but the hubs are locked in and you are in 4 wheel drive. if your front loses traction, the same principles apply as mentioned above, but you have an extra option to control the vehicle: your steering wheel. you can correct the direction your vehicle heads in by cranking the wheel, although your tires are still spinning together trying to find traction, you might have enough to keep your vehicle straight, especially if your rear diff is unlocked.


On normal pavement, if the Spartan is up front and you are in 4 wheel, if you power through a turn, the Spartan will lock, but you won't under steer, if anything you will over steer, because your inner tire is now trying to travel faster than the outside, causing the vehicle to pull that way, much easier to compensate for, and less chances of getting pushed into oncoming traffic


I hope that all makes sense. It does to me anyway, sorry for it being long winded. It is your build, feel free to do it as you wish, but this is how lockers work and the main consensus from other users who have experienced auto lockers on ice. If you are smart about your driving, using an auto locker in the rear is just another normal day, but you definitely have to change your style of driving. By putting the elocker in the rear, you can drive normally, given you unlocked the hubs up front. why not have two selectable lockers?

 

Chukarhunt it was long but made compleat sense as to it with the scenarios. Thank you for that and does explain it so it's e locker rear and spartan up front.

Once again tank you chukarhunt

Jake,

 

Hey now! none of this: lol, just trying to relate theories here (you are welcome though). Again, you should do what you feel is best, just wanted to state my reasoning. Again, though, having two selectable lockers makes the best DD. Your rig is going to be able to go anywhere! I want to put a locker in the front of mine as well, especially since I will be tearing into it this weekend! but I don't have the manual hubs up front, locker would always be making that ratcheting sound while driving.


You are getting close to graduating though, right? You will have all the time you need to make your truck unstoppable.