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EZ lockers-Do you like em?

benchseat4speed

benchseat4speed

3 pedals forever
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I want to put an EZ-locker in the rear of my 88 K5, (30 spline 10 bolt) but I'd like to know what those who've used them think of them. How is it around corners? I've been told they're pretty noisy. Does it lock up good when you need it to? Is it very reliable for a long time? Do you need to use c-clip eliminators with an EZ-locker? It doesn't look like theres enough room to get the c-clips in when its in the carrier. Any help appreciated. Thanks, Kevin
 
KevinsK5 said:
I want to put an EZ-locker in the rear of my 88 K5, (30 spline 10 bolt) but I'd like to know what those who've used them think of them. How is it around corners? I've been told they're pretty noisy. Does it lock up good when you need it to? Is it very reliable for a long time? Can you use c-clips with an EZ-locker ? It doesn't look like theres enough room to get the c-clips in when its in the carrier. Any help appreciated. Thanks, Kevin
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Personally I'd upgrade to a 14 bolt FF if you're going too use a locker. I don't know how long a 1/2 ton axle will last with a locker.
 
Hi, I just installed one of these in my blazer with a 12 bolt. I havnt tried mine off road yet but around town it works fine, Its a little noisy but my exhaust covers most of it up. It sounds exactly like a big ratchet. I have heard the EZ lockers arent as good as the locckrights:confused: but I got mine so cheap I figured I would give it a try. As for installation its pretty easy, it doesnt look like there is any room, but they have slot thet the c clip fits into and slides onto the axle. Its a pretty simple job, I think I had the spiders out and the locker in around 30min (axle was out of the truck though).
 
I would like to go the 3/4 ton route but I don't have the cash. I'd like to make what I got functional. Kevin
 
KevinsK5 said:
I would like to go the 3/4 ton route but I don't have the cash. I'd like to make what I got functional. Kevin
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I bough a set of axles from a wrecked 78 K20 for $250.00 . Don't get in a hurry, shop around. Have you posted in the parts wanted forum ??
 
1/2 ton axles will survive with moderate tires and lockers (you just have to know the limitations of your skinny pedal usage)
There are a few Arizona guys around here that use 12 bolts and/or 10 bolts with 35s or 37s and lockers. THey still survive.:D

Upgrade to a 14bolt when you absolutely need to.
 
Kevin, I don't know where in Colorado you live but there is a 14BFF with 4.10's at A1 junkyard in Colorado Springs. IIRC, they charge $100 for a complete rear axle.
 
First of all 1/2 ton debates have a different topic.
On this topic I like the lockright I have in the front of my K5. I do not like using this type of locker in the rear application as the open carrier is not up to the everyday stress. The side loads produced time and time again will actually split the carrier in half. The only time this style locker will survive in the rear axle is if you hardly drive the truck or you are extreemly easy with the truck when it is driven on the street. My reccomendation is to use this in the front axle only as it is a inexpensive alternitave. Use a tight well designed limited slip, like a Eaton clutch style locker in the rear. They are about twice the cost but better for the piece of mind you get.
 
Do not buy Ez Lockers or GG quic locs , both made by tractech . There is more than one of us out there that has one that pops for no reason going straight ,like 7 or 8 times in a row in less than 1000 yards .

Get a Lockright and be happy .

I went through 3 or 4 r+r's of my tractech made lunchbox locker and tried combinations of different thrust washers and gear lube . It would go away and within a couple days when the assembly grease was part of the gear oil it came back and popped .

I can count how many times my Lockright has popped on one hand , and its been 3 months since I replaced my Quic Loc with the lockright :k5: :k5:

And for what its worth I have driven a year on the street with both my lockers , banging and all , chirping gas station parking lots to sound cool , and have had no problems with my carrier :grin:
 
Like pauly383 said, go with a lockright. Ive been very happy with mine, and can also count on one hand how many times mine has poped. Well worth the $200 and an hour of my time.
 
I just yanked an EZ-locker out of my front D44 for the same reason that Pauly mentioned. Continous popping, straight or turning. It is a horrible noise that is similer to having someone beat a 5 pound hammer on the axle housing. It was not a pop in mine, more like BANG BANG BANG.

The one and only wheeling trip I took with the tractech junk in there caused me to leave my K5 at the bottom of the hill because the dang locker started freewheeling. Thank goodness it did not destroy my lockout hubs. Then again, it couldn't because the dang thing would not lock up like it was supposed to. It started doing a rapid fire banging noise if I throttled it, thats when I knew to park it and ride with a buddy the rest of the day.

When I did remove it, the drivers were broke at each point where the springs and pins push in. Found all the little pieces in the bottom of the housing.

Stay away from the EZ-locker by tractech. Go for the lockright or Aussie locker. I don't know of anyone that put a Aussie locker in thier K5 here, but the few things I read on Pirate were very positive. Popped less than even a lock right. Almost silent was one note.
 
Wow that is the description is Identical to what mine did, just that mine was in the front.

Funny thing that was also similar was the circumstances the locker was obtained under. I got mine for free, but it had passed through two other trucks (J20 Jeep and Early bronco) before it ended up in my hands. My buddy and I though we got it and since I'm only running a tired 350 and 33's vs his 454 and 35's, the locker would survive longer in mine. So as a test we put it in.

Mine started popping within 10 minutes of testing on the pile of dirt and rocks near my buddie's house. We kind of had a feeling why the ez locker had been passed around with no money exchanged with a couple of trucks. We found out for sure on our snow run. The guy with the J20 Jeep that had used it was with us and he said it did the same thing in his except it grenaded a pair of warn hubs (the non-preimum ones) in the process.

I've got the ezlocker in the same box it came in sitting on my bench right now. It will not be allowed to ruin another day on the trail for me or anybody else. To the scrap pile it goes....
 
Get a Lockright. I run one in my front axle and I know plenty of people that run them. They work well and are cheap. Therobzilla (Rob the Moderator) ran ez-lockers front and rear. The rear one blew up in the first 100 feet of use. The front one lasted a long time of alot of hard abuse. It finaly gave up about 6 months ago and wasted his ring and pinion at the same time.

Harley
 
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