This may be a long shot. I've read several articles on a locker from Tractech called the Gearless Locker, and all the reviews seem to think this is Gods gift to off-roaders. Full locker, almost no noise, great street manners, etc.. I seem to get fixated on these things and decided this was the one for me. Unfortunately when I called Tractech they told me this is no longer manufactured, so they will be very hard to find new. My question is, Has anyone out there got one of these units that they are using? I'm not sure I will be able to find one to buy, and will probably have to go to plan B, but I would like some real world feedback before I search too hard to find these. Anyone have one or know somebody that has one? Thanks.

 

Sorry, can't help you with the locker, but saw you were from Bar Harbor. I have good friends in South Berwick. Beautiful country up there...

 

What kind of wheeling are you planning on?

This should be the determining factor in what traction device you choose. Unfortunately there seems to be no nirvana in these matters as everyone has a personal opinion about it.

If it's on the cheap that you're looking for, the EZ Locker seems to be a good candidate.

If you have a little more money to spend, go for selectable such as the ARB or a retro-fitted Toyota E-Locker.

There is always the venerable Detroit Locker as well.

Lots of choices, if you can tell us what your primary wheeling goals are, I'm sure that there are plenty of experience folks here to offer you some choices.

Mike

 

I've got a Detroit with the "soft locker" construction (which I think they all are now) and I'll be honest, I don't find it to be that bad, certainly not as bad as I expected. Every once in a while you can feel it, but not that often. I wouldn't hesitate to get one again.

 

I've had experience with several other lockers in the past, so I know a bit about most of the options. My problem is that I use my truck right now as a daily driver, including a lot of time on snow and ice where I need to use 4 wheel drive at highway speeds. I also abuse the heck out of my truck for a couple months each fall going out west to do some of the hard trails in Moab and elsewhere. My other problem is I sold most of the equipment from my shop several moves ago so now all my work is done outside on a dirt driveway. The ARB would be a good option for me but I'm too cheap, too proud, too stupid, (pick one) to let someone else do my installations for me and I'm thinking the install might get over my head doing it in the yard. I may just end up installing Powertrax No-Slips. I had just heard that the Gearless had a lot better road manners and less noise. I guess when it sounds too good to be true, it is.

 

I've also never seen that type of gearless locker. I've got a reinforced ARB with high pinion up front and a retro fitted OEM locker in the rear. I'm pleased with both and would buy either of them again.

P.S. The OEM is a lot stronger than the ARB. I've broken mine in half and had to reinforce it with more bolts.

 

You have broken an ARB in half?

Do tell.

 

:pat:
That is easy.
I'm off roading a few years now and bougt one of the first airlockers available several years ago. When you look at the unit you see it has two main halves. On one of them is a large ring which the ring gear attaches to. I believe with 10 M10x1.25 bolts with 10.9 grade. The other half of the housing attaches with only 4 M8 x 10,9 bolts and on a smaller diameter, so higher torque and less, smaller bolts. So if in use, 100% lock I mean, and used with a high torque turbodiesel and 33's it's quit easy to sheer if the 4 M8 bolts and the unit breaks in half!
It happened to me once and also to at least 3 people I know.
Her's a pic of my solution. Just add more bolts. The newer air lockers allready have more bolts standerd.
The OEM unit is much stronger than the ARB carrier. It also uses large bearings.
My lockers don't break anymore. But I still have to find a solution for the R&P failure I allways seem to have. I've destroyed 3 8" front, 7 8" rear and 1 8" high pinion R&P. Maybe it's time for a FJ80 rear axle with OEM locker?

 

The "older" ARB and R&P's must have been modified in France as I've never heard of an ARB breaking in half on this side of the Pond.

 

I'm thinking it may be time to examine the rest of your drive train or your driving habits. I ran a full sized Dodge as a competition mud runner for about two years with a highly modified big block V8, lockers front and rear, and 44" tires, and only had one ring gear failure in that time. I can't believe you would be putting more stress on your rig than I was running WOT through some nasty courses. Just sounds like too high a failure rate to write it off to weak gears, but I also don't know your rig or how you use it.

 

You have blown 11 ring and pinions? This is astonishing. Sounds more to me like bad set-up than anything.

What sort of HP and torque are you putting out? People here are using Toy stuff behind V-8's and souped up 6's without that much drama.

 

are you running brass R&P's????? WTF?

 

We'll I've tried everything. I've switched axles, diff's, ordered R&P's from Reider Racing, swapped in good units from other cars etc. Everything that could cause faillure. But I still used 1 ore 2 sets a year. And I'm not allone cause I repair them on a regular base for friends.
I think that the high torque of the 3.4 TD in combination with the 33's and the lockers are the main cause. In most cases I was mudslinging at high engine rev with both lockers actuated. When the tyres locked up on a hard surface like a hidden rock, I hear a klinging sound and in most cases 3 or more teeth broke off from the ring gear. I've used 4.88 and 4.56.
Since I've sold the Hilux, removed the lockers and retrofitted the 2.5 TD, the new owner never had any problems.
And since I'm driving the 4Runner now with only 31's I've also didn't have any faillure. But I also don't offroad that much and intensive anymore. But that's gone change as soon as the supra engine is running! Maybe I just order some sets in advance!

 

Just in case anyone was wondering about the Gearless Locker besides myself, I thought I would revive this thread from the bottom of the pile and let you know that I found out the Gearless Locker is actually the Genuine Gear Quick Lok. Gearless Locker was the name Tractech gave it before producing it for Genuine Gear. Now you'll know when your grandkids ask.

 

yes i was curious about the gearless locker i just never said anything cause i didn't have any valuable input

do they still make it?

 

Or ceramic??

 

4 Wheel Parts shows them in their catalog under the Genuine Gear name, but I haven't called yet to check on availability. I may be moving back to the west coast so my truck plans are on hold for the moment.

 

Bar Harbor, Maine? Ever hear of North Conway, New Hampshire? That's where I originate from. Now I'm a Tennessee redneck!

 

I had a Genuine Gear Quick Lock. I ordered one from 4Wheelparts and they sent me the wrong part. I got the 8" 2 pinion 23 spline one when I needed the 8"4 pinion 23 spline one. Anyhow it is not a Gearless locker. It is a EZ-Locker. They have the same part numbers for the Genuine Gear Quick Lock as the Detroit EZ Locker. Just the prefixes are different. Well I ended up picking up a Richmond Gear Powertrax Lock Right at Central 4WD and that is what I am running. Good luck finding your Gearless locker.

 

I called Tractec to clear up the confusion in my head, and they told me the EZ and the Quick lock are basically the same, and that the Gearless was a different thing all together, and that they are no longer made. There was a recall on the Gearless lockers that were sold, but he didn't say why, so maybe it wasn't the greatest thing anyway. Guess thats what I get for taking the word of someone answering the phone at 4wheelparts when they gave me the info on the Quick lock. I'm thinking I had a weak moment even calling them for advice. Thanks for helping clear this up for me.