yet another locker options thread...

chuckwhut

chuckwhut

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2005
Location
Concord, NC
85 4runner
mainly daily driver
but slowly being pieced together to be a quite capable trail rig (i hope!)

i have an e-z locker (uninstalled)

EDIT: 3 questions:
1) full detroit vs. full spool (or neither) for other axle

2) which locker should go where? (fully locked in front or rear)

3) if i plan to upgrade other components such as birf's to longs or something later down the road, should i do that before the locker or does it matter...i also need to rebuild my outer seals up front, greasy tires greasy tires!
please help with answers based on theory and experience....

if you need more info from me first please ask!
 
i would suggest upgrading birfs before locking the front... its TOO easy to pop one when youre locked up front- even going easy on it... hell, SPYDYRWYR or however dan spells it on this board popped a birf w/ open front and 33's although i hear he was fully GETTIN IT... either way, if youre gonna spool it, do it in the rear and run the EZ up front so you can still turn
 
X2, Better off with something that will give in the front. You could run a spool in the front with locking hubs, but at your own risk. If you've already paid for the EZ locker, I'd use it up front. The spool should be OK in the rear and its cheaper than a Detroit. If you can afford it now, upgrade to birfs - could save you some trouble later. With a spool take it easy on the street.
 
the detriot will break long before the spool will...and yeah as far as "give" your driveshaft will make about a 1/4 turn or more before it engages, it's pretty damn anoying. The spool will stay locked all the time but you will at least have predictable road driving characteristics, not so from my experiences with detriots.
 
front

Don't take this wrong, I am not a fan of Detroit Lockers. But I have one in the front axle. If you spool the front, you will not be able to steer it very well. The Detroit will create enough hard steering, but it will unlock if you take pressure off the gears. Detroits are expensive and their customer service doesn't exist.
 
Personaly, i wouldnt run a spool up front even with 30 spline chromely birfs and hydro assist. It is just really hard on the whole system. Buddy trying it for a while and he constantly broke more parts....with smaller tires taking the same lines. With the wide BS wheels we run....then add wheel spacers...our front tires turn in such a arch...that the toy axle really needs to be able to ratchet fast in the courner. If it was a comp rig and didnt see any distance it would probably be fine. But on a trail rig...we spend to much time driving down "trail 1" with our hubs locked.

If you dont care about tire wear...the spool in the back is great and affordable.

My vote....full spool in rear.....some type of locker in the front. (and longfields:D)

Seth
 
front

I run a spool in the rear and a Detroit up front. Once I break this Detroit and it is no longer in warranty, I will go to an Aussie or something. I have broken 3 Detroits so far.
 
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