How about this: Out of the items I've been thinking of getting, how would you spend $500-$600 bucks?

1.5" BJ Spacers - $109 (Toyota of Dallas)
Downey or OME Lift Leafs - $186 or $249 (respectively)
4.7 T-Case Gears - $549 (Marlin - Would be done at same time as Twin-Stick)
Twin-Stick Setup - $199 (Marlin - Would be done at same time as T-Case Gears)
OME Steering Stabilizer - $65 (www.Rocky-Road.com)
Aussie Locker for the Front - $239 (Torq Masters)
Badlands Bumper - $700+ (www.BadlandBumpers.com)
Sliders (Need to research prices or providers)

 

I cant believe nobody has mentioned weight transfer. When you are climbing an obstacle, weight shifts to the rear and off the front. Locker or not, the front end is now a lot lighter and will be more prone to breaking loose. In the rear, you only have to get one tire to let go, and the already light front end follows suit very easily, locker or not, and bam, you are no longer making uphil progress. Sure, both front tires are turning, but there is no weight on them to give them traction. Locked out back the weight will still shift, but you now have to get both rear tires to loose the traction, and they have most of the weight on them.

Now you may say "but i play in the rocks and dont have many hill climbs". Fine, but look at it like this. Your front end pulls over a rock and drops in, and you have to make a turn. You turn the wheels, the front now needs to climb rellatively small ledge on one side. As you start to climb, you lift a rear tire. Now you have just your front end doing all the work of both pulling you over the obstacle and movign you forward, and your wheels are turned. BANG. Thats the sound of you blowing a CV shaft and blocking the trail.

Sure, these are not everyday scenarios, but ive watched both of them happen to people who thought it would be a lot better to have a locker up front only with the rear open. There was even a point when i wanted to put my first locker up front, until i came to my senses.

Just put the locker in the rear to start with.

 

I'm leaning away from lockers right now. I think I'll focus on lift and protection. Well, How does it feel driving with a rear lunchbox locker in the snow/ice and just everyday pavement miles? Most of my miles are highway....

Good point about weight transfer!!! I hadn't thought much about it.

 

What you see listed in my sig is my daily driver. I had to adjust my driving style a little bit with the locker in the snow, but it still does just fine. I havent used 4wd yet and i havent put it in a ditch, and we just recently had a couple small snowstorms, one dropping about 10" of snow and the other raining, freezing, and then dropping about 4", so it was sheet ice under the snow. Just have to drive with your head. I have zero regrets about going with an auto locker out back.

 

I'm not doing much snow driving, but it is the only 4x4 in the family that we take to the snow so it needs to do well. I don't mind adjusting my driving style some for the extra traction. I'll read some more about a rear auto locker.

 

If I were to spend 500-600 bucks on your rig.....

I would buy the BJ spacers, Downey springs (Pretty decent I have em) with thier Prerunner add a leaf (I have that too), and an Aussie for the rear (I'll be getting one soon). With the left over cash you can buy a yotatech calendar.

These items are relatively inexpensive and do it yourself installs. This formula brings the most bang for the buck.

Softer ride, more flex, increased ride height, more traction? Is there seriously even a choice? Everything else you mention is above the 500-600 spending.

You can check out the Downey springs flexin and jumpin on my website. I am currently running them incorrectly and they still kick butt. You're supposed to save a leaf from the stock pack to add into the pack for 4Runner applications. My stock springs were long gone so I didn't use them. My springs are always resting on the prerunner add a leaf (a softer replacement for the stock overload). Not a bad spring pack.

www.sethmetal.com/deathrunner.htm

 

Cool. I've already got a Rancho add a leaf that levels the truck out due to saggy springs. Would you recommend Downey's add a leaf still?

 

Rear locker before front.

Why?

No matter how much wheeling experience you think you have, you haven't wheeled hard enough yet to warrant a locker (since you don't have one)

Your vehicle dynamics and handling and capability will dramatically change no matter where you put the locker... but in the rear is easier to learn.

You'll find that w/ a rear locker, you'll go places you couldn't previously w/ a front locker.

THEN, you can decide if you need to step up to a front locker, b/c you're running more challenging trails, or if you want to make your current trails easier.

With the front locker comes more cost associated w/ breaking axles, as it's REAL easy to break them in a bind.

That said, I have ARB's front and rear, and I rarely find the need to use the front locker, unless I'm @ Tellico on Lower 2, Dayton, or Moab...

Get an automatic rear locker, then put an ARB up front.

That's my .02

WolfpackTLC

 

My first locker is in the front (Lockrite). And the difference is incredible going uphill. Much harder work to install than the rear though!

 

I realize I'm a little late on this thread, but I wouldn't put a locker in the front of a vehicle that wasn't 100% trail dedicated. Good post on weight transfer BTW.

Since you have your eye on a Badland Bumper, you should get one that is winch compatible. I'd put a locker in the rear and a winch up front. Add some good rubber under you, and you should be able to get through most anything. Add a cell phone and flask to that equation if you wheel alone -

 

So I have one $500 check so far for my 21st birthday. Most of my bday money is going into the truck. The rest is going into savings for when I break stuff.

What front bumper would you buy?
I really like the look of the Badlands Basher Tube Bumper, but I don't know how good of a design it is. I'd like to stay away from the TJM and ARB Bumpers because of their weight. I've checked out the All-Pro front Tube bumper, but I like the idea of the tubing going up and over the headlights/front like the Basher. What are some other bumpers to look at? I've pretty set on the All-Pro rear tube bumper because of it's cost and functionality.

 

I suggest just locking the rear end and saving the selectable for the front after a SAS I ripped the teeth off my front IFS ring gear just running open diff (an old wheeler once told me "don't spin swampers" sage advice ) I currently run a full spool in the rear of my toy and have no issues other than attracting the occasional look when tires are squealing around a corner, lockers sometimes have undesirable characteristics on the road (unintentional lane changes, locking up in the middle of a corner, etc.). Spools are actually very nice to drive if you drive correctly i.e. when to brake and when to accelerate in corners. I am actually going to mini-spool my d44 this weekend to see how it does (an old jeeper once told me "just weld both ends, you can always unlock one hub if you need to turn!" His rig went much further than mine ) I'll let you know how it works. Lockers are the single best mod you can make to a off-road rig, SAS being the next as far as improving off-road capability.

 

I also picked up my $500 paycheck today.... granted some of that needs to go toward Valentine's Day, insurance, and my cell phone bill..... but...... I think I want to spend the rest on a locker and a bumper (in preparation of a winch someday soon). I'll save the cheaper lift parts for my next few paychecks.

As far as the locker goes, I'm going to keep my eyes open for a complete third-member with an e-locker and 4.10's - If I can't find one in the next month or so, I'll get an Aussie (unless I've saved up enough for an ARB... I'm getting a tank and I have a 12v compressor). If you know someone trying to sell an e-locker, please let me know if you aren't interested!!!

For the bumper, I think I want a tube bumper. I like the approach angles, the rock coverage of most of them, and the prices better than the ARB or TJM bumpers. Who would you choose a bumper from? I want the "Bull-Bar" coverage - tubing up the sides of the headlights and across the hood line.

Budget - Aiming for $800ish
$250-300 on a locker
$500 on a bumper
Maybe I can find a used winch on Craiglist or at the flee market.

 

here in new england folks tend to do the rear first as weight transfer is often to the rear during climbs (like a dragrace launch shifts weight to the rear).

 

Hello,

Dunno how lockrites work in front, I've a Detroit Soft Locker in the rear and an Aussie Locker in front and I'm able to steer at full on the trails with no problems.

I've found that spins more the rear locker than the front.

Now the truck is like a tank... Just go up hahaha.

David

 

Jokeplayer, sounds like you are in the exact same situation I am. I'm 21, and working full time after graduating w/ an associates degree. I have more time now that I'm not in school so I am working 13 hour days! The extra money is soooo nice. I just now after 3 years am getting the opportunity to mod my tacoma. Tonight I finished up my install of 3"bl and 33's and my rig is a beautiful site. I too am wanting to buy a front winch bumper and fab a rear bumper. Keep us posted on your buildup. Good call on going for tires/lift/bumpers before lockers. GOOD luck.

 

I am about to build a bumper, if you have the means, i think is the way to go

just received the block/shackles tow set up and receiver blank