my off-road ambitions are to enjoy challenging my truck a bit but not with reckless abandon for parts/sheetmetal.  i want to build it to be dependable off road as well which will probably include changing out yokes/u-joints/driveshafts in the future.

 

I have the E-locker in my RC. I've only been out with the truck a couple times with it installed, so I can't really give it a good review. Although, the both trips, I was driving the truck pretty hard, and it held together. I don't have on-board air, so I figured an electric locker would be better suited.

 

I had one e-locker and it never worked right.  I'll be doing ARB's from now on for my fronts.  Rear would be great with either a good limited slip or a Detroit. 

- Sam

 

I had one e-locker and it never worked right. I'll be doing ARB's from now on for my fronts. Rear would be great with either a good limited slip or a Detroit.

- Sam

i've read mixed reviews on the eaton e-locker and bad ones for the auburn ected.
the only hesitation i have about a detroit locker in the rear is the chance of breakage on the street.
i already have ARB OBA and the i guess having an ARB would be like having a CAD diff going from open to spool at the touch of a button.

 

I have a buddy who has an E-locker in his front D44 in his TJ and he swears by it.  He had an ARB but got tired of the leaking air lines and replacing the seals.  I know a few other people who have has similar issues with the ARBs but they seem to think they are worth the trouble.  I'm sort of on the fence as to which I would use if I got to that point.

 

How about an Ox-Locker?  No air, no electric wire.  Just a cable for manual selection.  That's what I'm aiming for to put in the front axle of my Ramcharger (and the rear when I can get a Dana 60 with the 5 lug axles).

 

Dr. Diff, over at moparts, suggested that I use a Detroit trutrack  for my DANA 60 F on my ramcharger . I am going to run a Detroit  locker in the rear Dana 70 in the rear.

 

How about an Ox-Locker? No air, no electric wire. Just a cable for manual selection. That's what I'm aiming for to put in the front axle of my Ramcharger (and the rear when I can get a Dana 60 with the 5 lug axles).

The bad part about the OX Locker is the linkage is right on the front of the cover and gets damaged very easily.

 

How about an Ox-Locker? No air, no electric wire. Just a cable for manual selection. That's what I'm aiming for to put in the front axle of my Ramcharger (and the rear when I can get a Dana 60 with the 5 lug axles).

i considered an ox locker but the cover is cast and i'm going to run a 3/8" thick welded cover that i welded my ram assist mount tabs to. so in other words it won't work with my ram-assist setup how i want to run it.

Dr. Diff, over at moparts, suggested that I use a Detroit trutrack for my DANA 60 F on my ramcharger . I am going to run a Detroit locker in the rear Dana 70 in the rear.

i had a trutrac in my RC D44F with 33's. it seems like a great LSD but they have written disclaimers about tires over 35". i'm usually not hard on stuff but i think they're limited in their application.

my plan (for the last couple of months i've thought about it) is for a detroit locker in the rear and the powerlock (LSD) in the front. but lately the ARB has been a contender for the front too.

i'd really like some feedback from someone running a front detroit locker (D60) that has driven on/off road with it. i would think it would be unnoticeable in 2wd with the hubs unlocked, which is great but i'm concerned with the steering aspects off road/engaged.

 

reading the ad for the ox locker only says that the cover is CNC machined, nothing bout being cast, might be able to weld to it.

 

reading the ad for the ox locker only says that the cover is CNC machined, nothing bout being cast, might be able to weld to it.

i've seen that too. it's CNC'd cast iron, they CNC their logo and some aesthetic details on the cover.
it doesn't say CNC'd steel plate either.

 

I have a Yukon Zip locker (old style ARB) up front and ARB out back in my XJ.  No issues so far with hard wheeling, no problems with leaking or breaking lines.  Being able to turn them off comes in real handy on tight trails.

 

so.. I was looking at the video on you tube arb vs yukon lockers

  theoretical questions here

  expedition rig, with lockers, out in the bush, on board air, on board welder, some seals, gasket maker compound and fluids,

  which would you rather break,

  axle shaft?
  or diff carrier?

which would be easier to limp back to civilization with?
which would be easier to repair in the field? (in the means of making it back to civilization) with out having to carry much in the way of spare parts?

 

Many times when you snap an axle shaft, it takes out the locker as well.

 

I would rather have a ujoint snap before an axle. I doubt that a DL would break that easily. It will snap an axle or ujoint first.
I have Dana 60s on my RC. In the front D60, I'm running a Detroit TrueTrac LSD. In the rear D60, I'm running a Detroit Locker. No air, no electric, no cables. Nothing to break.
It's not the best combo for Winter driving. But, I don't drive it in the Winter. It's not for rock climbing. It's for mild to intermediate offroading.
I noticed you mentioned getting a 35 spline locker for the rear D60. I'm not aware of any 35 spline rear D60s coming from the factory like that. They are 30 spline. The 35 spline carriers are for the front D60. Unless of course, you plan on doing a custom D60 with milled out spindles, custom axle shafts, and a 35 spline carrier.

 

my axles are '91 W350 (SRW) D60's.
i'm under the impression that the front diff is 35 spline, 35 spline inners, 30 spline outers
and the rear is 30 spline.
if i go with a DL in the rear it'll be 35 spline and i'll get chromo axles.

 

I have a Yukon Zip locker (old style ARB) up front and ARB out back in my XJ. No issues so far with hard wheeling, no problems with leaking or breaking lines. Being able to turn them off comes in real handy on tight trails.

that's good to hear.

 

so.. I was looking at the video on you tube arb vs yukon lockers

theoretical questions here

expedition rig, with lockers, out in the bush, on board air, on board welder, some seals, gasket maker compound and fluids,

which would you rather break,

axle shaft?
or diff carrier?

which would be easier to limp back to civilization with?
which would be easier to repair in the field? (in the means of making it back to civilization) with out having to carry much in the way of spare parts?

Don't put too much into that video. The truth is the yukon is basically the older ARB version. It is probably a little weaker, but you can't put too much faith into a video that is for advertising. Many things could be done to make one break over the other. Google broken ARB, you will find alot.

Even just by looking at the comments on that video, lots of people are saying they broke an ARB and the stock shafts did not break.

 

Over the last few years (3-5) I have read a lot more reports of broken Detroit Lockers as I had intended to install one in my Crew it has me researching other options and taking a harder look at weak points.

 

In your application We only install Grizzly Lockers from Yukon.  They have an abuse, tire size, and competition proof warranty.  Basically if you break it.... its covered NO BS warranty.  Our customers love this and so far...... nobody has broken one...    Not even in our 2.5 ton axles we've built.  Detroits have a bad tendency of sheering the teeth off the side gears in a high speed lockup. 

 

I would think the best manners both on and off road would be a good limited slip in the rear and a locker in the front only if you have lockout hubs on the axle (or use a selectable locker)...that way, when you are driving on road, you get all the street manners you need with your hubs unlocked, but when you are muddin you can still be spinning all four if you have a good limited slip...

Jeremy

 

Not experience here with one but as I am looking myself for one. I intend to make the RC into a mile expo rig. For the really big mall parking lots.  One comment up top was about winter driving. Snow wheeling and in town winter driving is on my requirements. With that something I can turn off when the xtra is not needed. Dont need a LSD in the front in snow. From what I have read it makes the vehicle tend to push. Basic snow just an open front and 4wd is all that needed for me. However I want the ability for a locked front when i go searching for a camp site. That leads me to an elocker, or air and since I want to run OBA, probably an old mopar ac compressor, I am kinda limited.

 

after alot of thought and conversation i'm going with a detroit locker in the rear and a dana powerlock lsd in the front.  i think this setup will give me what i'm looking for;  capable off-road performance and liveable street manners.  when i have to contend with snow/ice i'll just either drive my 4wd DD or BE CAREFUL! 

i think the lsd up front will be more component friendly than a locker and should be more than adequate since i don't plan on hanging front tires much, if that happens i'll just have to rely on the rear locker to push me through. 

 

Does a front lsd have more "slip" dialed in since its in the front? Curious since if a LSD will work it might save me the hassle of OBA.

 

If I was building a street/trail truck, and only had the money for one ARB, I would run it in the back. 

On the street, with it unlocked, it would be like it was an open diff, and would give you the most street frendly driving.

I would put a detroit in the front (what I am running now).  With the hubs unlocked, it is like it isn't there.  With the hubs locked and the t-case in 2wd, it is like it is open diff (detroits only lock when power is applied).

I ran my detroit up front with drive flanges for almost a year on the street with no illeffects because, again, with the t-case in 2wd, it stays open.


Now, if I had money, I would put ARB's in both ends for a truck that needs to be street friendly.



I am at the point where street manors aren't that important to me (been running a welded rear for 10 years now) and I am getting ready to install a welded diff in the front because I have broken 2 detroits up front now.