hi i have a 98 xj with 6.5" lift and 33x12.5 super swampers and the 4.0/aw4 combo....i recently put the explorer 8.8 with 31 spline in the rear, and it still has the stock d30 up front.
i was thinking of putting a lock-right up front and a mini spool on the rear...but i think i decided to go with a lock right in the rear as well.
how does this combo will work off road?
or should i stick with the mini spool?
i do 50-50 street /trail use
and also i was planing on changing the u-joints up front since now im gonna have a lock-right in it...what u-joints should i used?
i heard the spicers a pretty good...im in a budget
any help please?

 

A spool will be miserable on pavement.

 

I would not go with a spool if you are going to drive it on the street at all.

 

X3 You will hate the spool driving on road with it! If you drive your Cherokee at all in the snow it just plain sucks!!

 

x4 on the spool being a bad idea if you want to drive it on the road. I see that you live in Canada and can tell you that the spool will not do you any favors when the snow hits the pavement.

 

If you are going to do any driving on snowy/icy roads, you want a selectable locker. With an open diff on slippery roads, only one tire is getting power, and the other can hold you from sliding side to side. If they are locked, they both loose traction and you go sideways. Just something to consider.

 

ARB, $$$$ but well worth it if you drive on the streets during the winter

 

I had a lockright in the rear of mine, I liked it. It made a huge difference off road but I didn't notice it driving except for those fast u turns. In the snow it did fine for me as long as your easy on the gas like you should be in any vehicle in snow. Only spun out once going around a corner but that was my fault just messing around in two wheel drive. can't give any advice on the front, mine was open

 

http://www.jpmagazine.com/sch/04/test-review-comparison-on-lockers-and-lsd's/-2f-2f----/articles/index.html

 

LSDs aren't selectable. Any vehicle with a traction enhanced diff has a "learning curve" that the driver must educate himself in snow/ice. Wouldn't a selectable locker cost 3X as much as a Lock Right, not to mention the cost of the diff set up?

 

I drove a winter with my rear welded. Don't recommend that if ur not an adrenaline junkie. But it was that or the Saturn I had so it was go ditch to ditch knowing I could get out or pray I didn't hit one ditch. Ditch to ditch is what I went with and it worked just fine and was fun every day.
As for lock rights front and rear I would do it. As long as u don't go much bigger on tier size. Without a stronger housing I would be a little nervous. I wouldn't even bother with the u-joints eather with only 33s. My buddy has the newer bigger stock size u-joints in front with 33s. On dry pavement if he needs to turn sharp he guns it. Let's them make a little nose and he has ben doing it for a year not one u-joint issue yet! But I know for a fact if he had 35s he would tar it all to pieces. Seen it not pritty.

 

thanks guys im pretty sure im gonna go with the lock right on the rear....i just picked up a open carrier so i can dithch the lsd and put the open carrier with the lock-right in it(as the lock right only fits in open carriers for the 8.8)

 

I have a lock-rite in the front of my Jeep. It does what it's supposed to do and does it well. You can definitely tell it's there on the road if you have it in 4wd, but other than that it might as well be non-existent on-road.

As far as reliability, a friend of mine ran the same lock-rite through 3 different Jeeps' front axles (2 TJs and an XJ). They all had 35" tires and he thrashed on the thing all the time. It was at his recommendation that I bought mine.