I have a 94 PU with 22re and 5 speed.

I don't really do any offroading. I do live in a remote area and have few good sized hill that I have to get up that the county says they maintain. I have seen the county out there once in the last 2 years..

This is my question..

Is it worth me buying a locker just to make up the hill to my house?
If so would it be better to lock the fron or the rear or both?

any thought are welcomed.

Thanks

 

a locker only helps if you are in a situation where one or more tires loose traction, usually from a slick surface at the point of contact or from being lifted into the air.

if you're spinning tires, then a locker will help, and yes, it's definitely worth it.

lock the rear first, then the front.

 

I know there are several different lockers available. I like the ARB's because you can unlock them for normal road driving. I have read several post about others using different lockers and then the tires chirp in turns or the vehicle bucks when getting on or off the throtle.

Is there a locker that is cheap that will still allow normal road operation and give good traction when needed?

thanks again for input.

Oh and by the way...(to who everr wrote the article) I really apprectiated the write up on the heater blower removal..that time of year and the mice\ground squirrels store a bunch of acorns in mine. I got it cleaned out thanks to that writeup.

 

ARB's might be nice but they are WICKED expensive.

if you REALLY want a selectable spend the cash on a TRD electric locker, its a bolt in affair.

A limited slip, is a ok comprmise between a full locker and an open diff.

the inexpensive options are the ones that dont replace the carrier.

I have a detroit in mine and it has made ALLLLLL the diffrence in the world on the trail. Best mod ive made. (well ok almost a tie with my ARB bar)

 

Anybody want to buy me a set of lockers? Please?? back to the topic at hand. I think you'd be fine on anything you're talking about with just 4x4 with open diffs. If you've got the money go for it, but I think ungraded roads are no big deal for you.

 

yup, wicked expensive but also WICKED BADASS AND WICKED DEPENDABLE.

honestly, a $650 locker, $200 compressor and the install labor is a little much to put into a truck that isn't a serious trail driver.

on the other hand, a TRD Electric Locker isn't an option for "bolt-on" addition unless you modify the existing axle housing. it envolves some grinding, cutting, welding, drilling, and tapping. then, you've only killed half the beast. then you have to wire it up, which can be "fun" unless you go for one of the wiring kits that are over $100. it's an option, but it's not as simple as "bolting it on"...

 

I have a powertrax in the rear of my cruiser, and when I put it in, I did notice a couple of changes in the way it behaved, but all in all, it was a fairly inexpensive locker, it off-road capability dramatically improved, and once I understood how it reacted on different surfaces, I don't think about it anymore.

Just my experience.

 

speaking of the compressors, could you use a different compressor instead of the ARB? and does it have to stay on?

 

use what you want. the ARB's need 80-90 PSI of MAINTAINED pressure to stay locked. if you don't have any leaks in the air line, then air is only consumed when you actuate and deactuate the locker.

 

A cheaper option would be a limited slip unit. I went that route for daily driving in snow/rain since I don't spend that much time off road. You can get a new LS for $350 or so.

 

You can get a lunchbox locker (lock-rite) for around 240....

 

It sounds like a Limited Slip is a better choice for you. I have a Tru Trac in the front and I love it.

 

You're not a wheeler, and you only have a few uses for a locker, so I either wouldn't bother, or if you insist, as was recommended above, I'd look at a limited slip.

Remember that when you put your transfer case in 4 hi or 4 lo it sends 50% of the engines power to the front drive shaft, and 50% to the rear drift shaft. There is no sending it back and forth between the front & rear drift shaves in a part time 4wd system which you have on your pickup.

Lets say you get on a trail and one of your wheels comes off the ground on your rear axle. The job of a differential is to sense less resistance in one wheel and kick up the RPM to that wheel. The reason it does this, is because it suspects that wheel with less resistance on it is the outside wheel in a turn which naturally needs more RPM anyways, so this is what it does. This is what an "open" diff does. The only problem is if you are on a trail and your wheel comes off the ground as I just described, all your engines power in that axle is kicked up to the spinning wheel (with less resistance, remember it thinks it's the outside wheel in a turn) and not the wheel on the ground which is the one which has traction. So what do you do? Well the reason your transfer case only sends 50 to the front and 50 to the rear (of the engines power) what will happen is your front drive wheels, which we assume both are still on the ground, will pull you out of that rut. That is the beauty of the part time system and why it is still quite capable despite common misconceptions.

Now the only time a part time system could use some help is lets pretend you get to a point where you are crawling slowly somewhat. Your front left wheel dips into a deep rut and this pulls your back wheel off the ground to a point where you are just almost teetering. Or lets say you are rock crawling and again your front left wheel comes off the ground and it forces your right rear wheel off of the ground. Well then, basically, you're screwed, and this is when a locker on one of the axles will come in extremely useful. You lock the rear differential and gently work in the throttle to as much power as you need and she'll force you through your way because you now know that on the axle you have your locker on, the one wheel with traction that is on the ground will get it.

There are a few different options as far as lockers go. There are selectable lockers and "lunch box" lockers. There is also a spool or a welded diff. All in order of convenience.

Selectable lockers, such as the ARB are just that, you select whehter the locker is engaged or disengaged. Good for someone who uses their rig as a trail rig and daily driver at the same time, or someone who just wants the conveniene of having a selectable locker. Plus the ARB air locker is good because you can use the compresse to double for airing up your tires at the end of the day after being offroad. Lunchbox lockers are basically installed and a cheaper alternative becuase they are not selectable. My understanding of most lunchbox lockers is they pretty much almost force the axle they are on to be locked all the time and in some cases they may unlock or lock depending on if you give power to that axle. A good alternative and much cheaper but the biggest problem with this set up is that if you are in ice or snow and they are much more difficult to master driving and in fact I wouldn't personally have one in this scenario because you get in a situation where one wheel has traction and one doesn't in the snow or ice and they are locked together and before you know it you'll be doing a 180. The other option is a spool or "welded" locker. A spool causes the axle they're on's wheels to be locked together turning at the same time 100% of the time. A welded diff does the exact same thing. A much much cheaper alternative, but extremely hard on your tires and probably an option for a dedicated trail rig - something you shouldn't consider for your circumstances.

All in all to sum it up I think you're better off with just leaving it as is - the part time 4wd system will be capable enough to cover what I think you're dealing with. You've obviously made it this far right? If you did need something a limited slip would be something I would consider.

 

[[All in all to sum it up I think you're better off with just leaving it as is - the part time 4wd system will be capable enough to cover what I think you're dealing with. You've obviously made it this far right? If you did need something a limited slip would be something I would consider.]]

Agreement with Coed & Bob200. From the description of the way you use your truck you should have no difficulty at all with plain 4wd the way it came stock. If climbing a washboarded gravel road has the back end sliding all over - just put it in 4wd and it calms right down. Stock it will do what most offroaders really need it to do (just add skill,) all these lockers and things aren't really needed by most of folks who have them.

Save the money for tires and fuel....

 

Thanks Guys for the input.

Yes I have been making it to and from ok so far. We have only had 3 maybe 4 inches of snow at a time so it hasnt been real bad. I did buy a set of tire chains just in case.

Sounds like I should just leave well enough alone and save my money for other things.

Thanks Again.

 

For operating on snowy roads and trails, I've been told that lockers are not that great. Unlocked 4whl drive might actually work better. Something about when the axles are locked, the rig is more likely to slide sideways into a ditch.
Since I have no experience running locked axles, maybe someone can chime in regarding this, as it seems that is one of your issues.

Jim

 

This is somewhat true, but if you air your tires down enough you shouldnt have a problem driving in snow with a locker. It takes a bit of getting used to at first, but once you get a feel for how the locker reacts in snow it will help you out more than it will hurt you.

 

Buck, sounds like you should be fine stock, I agree with Coed and Bob as well. If you should have problems, and you have chains, you'll be alright.

mtruck: I prefer to have my front open and rear locked in the snow..... i've found its the best combination for me and my driving style and enviornments.... may well be different for everyone else... it insures traction on the back, but no sliding around in the front, however like stated before if you're not used to it, you'll be doin a 180 in no time.

 

so I could use an ARB with my MF-1050? How would you go about hooking that up?

 

if you have to ask, then you take it to a mechanic.