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I know its been done to death but general locker talk for DD vehicles

jjlaughner

jjlaughner

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How many of you run a locker rear and/or lockright front (or rear) in a Daily Driver?
What are the benifits and draw backs?
EI: Tire wear, maximum traction all the time esp during turning, snow, water/hydroplaining, snapping/popping while turning... ETC.

How about the people that get snow, I know the rear locker is not that great on snow and ice but what about a lockright in the front and/or rear?
I've been running a 10bolt auburn in the rear for several years and love it but with next summers engine mods I'm wanting to do I might need some more beef out back in the form of a 14bolt. Just curious if a detroit in the rear of a DD will eat my tires up since I usually travel alot (sometimes 60miles each way for work or weekend trips). I'm also a little apprehinsive with a locker in the rear and snow at highway speeds commuting /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif

now take my poll /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif
 
I Am Naked /forums/images/graemlins/deal.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
 
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I Am Naked /forums/images/graemlins/deal.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

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oops /forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif
I just typed in 12 choices and ended up using them all... I could have went for 15 and still forgot that option /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 
I have open diffs till I can get the money for my 14 B FF detroit. I am going to leave the front open cuz I have a 8 lug 10 bolt and am running 36x14.5x15 TSL radials.
 
when and if I ever pony up for a 60 up front it will likey have an ARB also /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
for the time being I'm sticking with the 10bolt and carring extra parts in the trail rig, but my DD I'm wondering about an open front and locker in the rear since it would be getting the 14bolt swap and there's not to many choices for LSD's in a 14BFF.

I guess I'm mostly curious about 14bolts and lockers and tire wear... you know I dont want to drop $1K on wheels/tires then have replace the rear two every other year or so /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif
I'm working on 60K miles and 4 years on my current set of tires and they still have 3/16" tread in the middle /forums/images/graemlins/deal.gif
 
I run a welded rear and lockright front. The front isn't a problem since it isn't engaged on the street. The rear is the only part that matters. I personally wouldn't run a truck without a front and rear locker anymore unless it was a dedicated DD street only. If it saw bad winters or trail get lockers and don't look back. Even the welded rear isn't that bad on the street. Espcially with crossover steering.

Some people might say what if you need 4x4 on the street (winter or whatever). I say if you can't drive around the streets in snow with only you rear axle and you need to engage 4x4 then you aren't going to have to worry about not being able to turn. The road will be slippery enough to turn easy.

With the rear welded I never used 4x4 in the winter unless it was really bad. I drove around in 6-8" of snow with no problems in 2wd.

Harley
 
DD has open front/lockright rear.

Trail/rock whore rig has lockright front/detroit rear.

YES WE DO GET SNOW. I find it easier to drive in the snow with a locker (and traction) than sitting there spinning my tires.

It's up to you...but I love my lockers and would have nothing else. As to the arb up front, I think it's a waste. Rarely will your rig understeer on the trail with a front locker, and if it does you just back up or put it in 2wd--simple enough.

Everyone makes a big deal about the harshness of lockers, but as the owner of three of them myself, I don't know what all the complaints are about.

Tires on my DD were fairly new when I got them, they're BFG Long Trails. 32,000 miles later they have half tread left. I'd say that's pretty good.
 
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I've been running a 10bolt auburn in the rear for several years and love it

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if you can drive that in the snow and ice a locker will be no problem
the only difference you will notice is the backlash
and the fact that when you really need it the rear will be locked
rather then locked long enough to get you in trouble and unlocked when you wanna get outa trouble
 
If you are worried about tires and snow driving then don't lock it. Snow is not that bad as long as the roads are flat but if they have a crown in the middle they can be fun. A locker will chew the crap out of rear tires especially with a lot of in town driving. Best of both worlds and the cheapest option is a 14ff with a Gov lock. The 14ff Gov lock is not a bad unit and will hold up fairly well and it is a true locker. I abused one pretty good in my old K30 work truck and the engine and trans let go and I never had a problem out of the rear. And I did abuse it pretty hard plowing snow and doing some field romping. Maybe by the time you are ready for a 14ff and ARB will be available.
 
lockrite front, detroit in back. I have also ran open front and welded rear. I would not trade my detroit for anything. A locked up rear is a must have for offroad. It is a bit touchy with the gas but not horrible (I do drive like a sissy on the street). It gets more quirky with rain but still not horrible. Then again my DD is my rock whore, so I do make a lot of sacrifices on the street.
 
Genuine Gear Quic Loc ( Detroit EZ Locker ) , basically a lockright rear. Occasionally a bang . Even tire pressure , 4 month on my tires so far no wear patterns , rotate them every two months. Off road these just rock, that locker and a good spotter ( Matt/Harley ) got me off a slip on a line I thought I'd make no problem. Real Detroit is stronger , but a locker period will work on street/trails /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif

One thing I have learned though, if you get a lunbox locker ( lockright and similar ) After it breaks in, if your thrust washers are not thick enough it will bang often and lock/unlock . So check for wear before finishing install. I ordered new thrust washers from Ratech for 5 bucks. /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif
 
I've made so many posts on this...

All I'll say is that in the snow you appreciate the locker in the rear under all conditions. It is true when you're on sheer ice that the truck will try to slide sideways with a crosswind but that is a minor inconvenience to having an open differential and having one tire spin the rest of the time. I've made so many posts about the front LockRight that I don't want to type anymore.
 
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With the rear welded I never used 4x4 in the winter unless it was really bad. I drove around in 6-8" of snow with no problems in 2wd.


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Ive had too many close calls on snow... esp on the highway. So if we get even an 1" of snow I'm in 4wd reguardless /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif

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If you are worried about tires and snow driving then don't lock it. Snow is not that bad as long as the roads are flat but if they have a crown in the middle they can be fun. A locker will chew the crap out of rear tires especially with a lot of in town driving.

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This is what I usually hear... the highways here have ruts, dips, and jumps (uneven pavement) along with a crown in the middle. Even with the Auburn I noticed a little squirrly-ness when changing lanes cresting the center crown of the highway going from semi dry path over snow to dry path. My DD might see a couple passes down the track, a couple of muddy paths, some gravel but mainly 99% use is highway and city. The project truck has to be able to drive to and from the trails, so it will see some highways and city driving till I get into it enough to buy a tow rig and a trailer. I've pretty well decided the project truck will be lockright front and either welded for now or a detroit out back. The DD, I might try a lockright out back and leave the front open /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif Depending on how the project truck does with the lockright up front on a couple trips around this winter and on the street with the front locker, that might be a future maybe for the DD but its not really needed.

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so with all that said, was there a gas mileage change with lockers? Seems like you would have your foot into the skinny peddle more if you had to produce enough juice to roll both tires? /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif Just curious /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
I have a locked rear and drive a lot in the snow/ice at highway speeds on real crappy roads. I drive 40 miles a day on the interstate. I'm usually on the road before the plows are. I really have no problems. I way perferr a locker in the snow to an open diff. A locker is usually one of the first drive train mods I do to a truck. I never use 4wd on the street unless the snow is real deep.
You just have to be a little easier and smother on the gas pedal with a locker. Once you get used to it, its no big deal.
Having a locker does not hurt my gas milage at all.
I really don't have tire wear problems. I rotate my tires a lot and go easy on the gas around corners. But If you like to nail the skinny pedal to hear your tires chirp when going around corners. Tires will wear out faster and gas milage will suffer.
It's all in how you drive.
 
Your highways are no where near as bad as what we have in Pa. Our roads suck. Like it was stated though a lot depends on how you drive. Another thing to be awhare of is if you lock the front or even run a posi front like the Powerlock I have you will not be able to steer it well with stock steering. It will want to go straight.
 
Well instead of the lockright in the DD, I guess I can put that money toward crossover to the project truck /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
 
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