Life-N-Dez

Have a '90 XJ with a Dana 30 and 3:55 gears. Put a Detroit E-Z Locker (Budget Locker from 4 Wheel Parts) and took it out today for the first time and it sucked so bad I had to cut the day short. While driving in the sand wash it would lock erratic and pull uncontrolble to one side or the other. Hitting in and out so hard that I feared it taking out an axle, driveshaft, or transfer case. It even started to make one hell of a pop on inclines with no slip and light consistant throttle.
Has anyone else had this happen?
Where you able to cure it?

At this point I would like to junk the E-Z Locker and up-grade to something else but the problem I'm having is the 3:55 gearing. 4 Wheel Parts tells me that ARB is my only option. I was thinking about a actual Detroit Locker or a Auburn Gear-Ected.
What is your experiance?

Need help fast..... Have run that for months we have been getting ready for and now it's less then a week away.

muddeprived

When in 4wd, it should be be locked at all times. My lockright locker stays locked in 4wd and doesn't pull to the side or show any of eratic behavior you mentioned. It does, however, make it very difficult to turn, like i have no u-joints on my axle shafts. That's kinda how lockers up front work.

You have a dana 30 disco axle? Is it functioning properly?

BlueXJ

4WP is saying they want you to buy the most expensive locker they have. Ected or an OX locker would be preferable to an ARB cost wise. I have an ARB compressor and the rest of their system may be great but that compressor is pretty cheaply made.
I would look into a selectable locker like those I mentioned that way you don't have turning issues like the ones muddeprived mentions that he has.

Life-N-Dez

Yeah 4 Wheel Parts is trying to make a buck.
The Xj does have the (disco) vacuum connect on the axle. And is working. I checked that already. Jacked up the front and engaged, both front locked.

I was thinking OX, but don't see where they offer anything for a 3:55.
It looks like the Auburn Ected would be the ideal set up, no compressor, air lines, or cables. just electrical wires. The only thing is on the Auburn site they recommend [U]not[U] using with diconnect axle.

muddeprived

Actually the selectables will have the same turning difficulty when locked and in 4wd. The benefit of the selectables is that you can turn them off to make a turn, if that's what you meant Blue.

RenoXJ

i have lunchbox in the front of my xj and i like it ...

Life-N-Dez

I'm working on a fix. Replacing the axles with ones from a TJ (getting rid of the disconnect), the Detroit E-Z Locker is gone and a Lock Right is going to in. The only problem I'm having is the axle seal on the right (passenger side). Need to find the part number. Hopefully will fix all concerns.

tupton

Aussie FTW

COSXJFAN

FYI, if you still have the disco on your frony axle it can help your issues. Get a Posi-Lock cable system, then you can disengage the disco when you need to turn and it will turn much better. Then when you're going straight again pop the disco back in and you're locked up!! HTH!!

Life-N-Dez

4 Wheel Parts would only up grade to the Lock Right. As for the axles, got them cheep, 50.00 for the set. So right now this is the route I'm going in the limited time I have. Have a run on the 7th thru the 9th. Thanks for the input, all ideas and thoughs are good.

whowey

Please explain how getting rid of a properly installed and non-defective lunch box locker and installing a properly installed and non-defective lunch box locker is going to solve your problem???

The EZ-Locker and the Lock Right operate exactly the same way. If the operation of it truly is your problem then you are going to have exactly the same problems. You description sounds like something wasn't installed correctly on the EZ-Locker.

Life-N-Dez

I made some calls to some very knowlegeable people that specialize in 4x set up and they informed me that the Lock Right is a better quaility unit than the Detroit. When I called Detriot about the missing instructions the tech told me that there are better units and that they are no longer offering the E-Z locker. And it may have been installed incorrect, as mentioned above I had no instructions. They had me download some that were similar, per the tech at Detroit. The other reason for replacing is, when it was run with the disconnect axle it took the edge off the teeth. I found this out after I installed the one piece axles and it still made one hell of a noise, so I dropped it out and inspected. Also I have a friend that has the same set up as me but the only thing different is he has a Lock Right and I makes absolutly no noise. So I hope that answers your question on the reason I am replacing the E-Z Locker with the Lock Right.

Life-N-Dez

Just an update....... Replaced the Detroit E-Z Locker with the Lock Right and installed TJ axles.
Went out this weekend and ran a 3.5 and a 4.0 with absolutely no problems, no noise, and no turning issues.
There is a differance in the lockers, the Lock Rights' teeth are larger.

BlueXJ

I can't comment on your change of lockers but just am happy that you are happier now with your current locker.

housew

I Have an aussie in the front, i can only hear it with my windows open, and zero throttle and my head out the window. works awesome. I have a ez locker in the back and it sounds like its trying to kill itself / my jeep. I installed the ez locker on thursday, went to go camping friday and didn't go out of the driveway cause it sounded so nasty. the locker is installed "correctly". im assuming the tollerances inside are junk, but ez locker doesn't provide any tollerances to check, or even mention that it could be an issue, just says it shouldn't be adjusted. so in my mind they are shenenigins. Im going to measure and then shim to aussies tolerances and hope for the best, if it doesn't work im ditching it and buying another aussie or a powertrax. booo ez locker