xjdirtbath

Asked the wife to get me a locker for christmas. What should I get, front or rear? I'm thinking aussie, don't want to get involved with air.

XJs-R-us

BOTH! Lol
Thats what I did, just got mine installed last week, youre gonna love'm! ...even if its just 1 also!

But one way to decide is...

Front wheels, will help pull you thru mud and climb up things.
Rear wheels, are the ones that have to push you up, once the front tires are on whatever youre climbing.

I say front, because those are gonna reach whatever it is you intend to climb over/go through first.

lancec2c30

If you daily drive your jeep on a lot of snowy roads, I would do the rear for now. To see how you like it. With a front locker, it's still driveable. But you have to be aware of how much it will want to push in corners when you're in 4wd.

Gatchmo5710

DD do rear. Trail rig do front

sandaddik2

rear, when your wheeling the weight is transferred to the rear axle giving your rear end most traction

xjdirtbath

Alot of mixed opinions. Im thinking front. Im embarressed to admit that ive been driving and lightly wheeling this rig for 6 years and never checked. But, she sure acts like she has an lsd. If I brake stand im spinning two. Wet pavement she is sideways. And I wheel in 2wd 75% of the time cause she goes through about anything. I dont need a locker for the street, and I hardly ever need 4wd in the snow. Im usually good up to about ten inches. she hasn't been daily driven four a couple of years, just a run to home depot, grab a case of beer and woods rig. this all considered, I think front it is!!!

Oh and xj's r us, I only wish, but if I dont have spending limits my wife will burn through the bank account like democrats through the national budjet!.

XJs-R-us

They are good at that, arent they!

wheeler

what about the eaton elocker, that way you can put it in the front and still have street friendly driving capability, and it isn't air

xjdirtbath

Yeah eatons always made a good loxker, and an e locker would be sweet. Price is what gets me. If this rig was a dd id be tempted. But, I drive it so infreaquently that a cannot justify the expence.

XJs-R-us

I personally think all those types are overrated and way over priced.

There like a Mercedes Benz...
People only want them because there so expensive and for the status... Because they must be the best if theyre so expensive!

sgtskid

Not true. The E-locker maybe, but Eatons in general...no. I had an Aussie and switched to Eaton. No comparison.

xjdirtbath

What exactly do u like better about the eaton. Also what made u switch?

XJs-R-us

Right, lets see here...

Something that needs another thing to work.
...or...
Something that doesnt and is working as soon as torque is applied. (ie. pressing the gas pedal) which your obviously going to have to do anyways. So technically its always on and working.

Seems like a No-Brainer too me.


Your logic is NO WHERE to be found, other than "its mine and its better because I say so."

sgtskid

I don't have the e-locker, I just have the regular Detroit. I had the Aussie and it never once worked right. It would slip and ratchet going in a straight line. I went back and forth with the company hundreds of times and never got the problem fixed. I was wheeling in Harlan Ky and broke a spacer cup trying to climb a rock. Called the company they sent a new one immediately, however the locker still wouldn't hold a load. Went back and forth some more and they eventually sent me an entirely new locker. Installed it along with Yukon axles, all was peachy. Went wheeling at Windrock, had an excellent day of wheeling not a single problem. Tried to climb a rock.....broke it again. By the time I add up all the time and money I had in trying to get the Aussie to work I could have bought an ARB air locker. (not that I would) I called the company back and told them what happened. They offered to make it right but I told them I was done messing with it and I had already purchased a Detroit. When I got the Detroit and installed it I pulled the old Aussie out and all the teeth are chewed up on it. This was a brand new locker that maybe had 500 miles on it and everything within tolerance when installed. Now granted, I haven't had a chance to take the new locker off road yet but I have put several hundred miles on it around town and highway since installing it Wednesday. I can say it is much quieter than the Aussie and does not ratchet or pop like the Aussie did. Just to test its "locking" capability I went up an off camber hill in my back yard (kind of poser but still tests the same thing) with one wheel flexed the detroit had no problem applying power, where the Aussie would have ratcheted a few times before finally locking into place.

In addition, I have a friend who was running 35's on a toyota 4 runner with an Aussie and switched to a tacoma running 37s with a detroit and agrees that the detroit is heavier duty and smoother on the road.

So, while there are many people out there that have no problems with Aussie and while they may make an excellent product, my experience with them has been otherwise. You can read my build page for everything I have had to do. The Aussie, from my experience, is very picky and if everything isn't set just EXACTLY right it doesn't act right. The detroit, all tolerances are set. Swap ring gears, reset backlash and done. No tolerances to check, or to mess up, no worries of damaged carrier, no worries of soft center pin or bent center pin.

xjdirtbath

I've read a few posts with your problems regarding the aussie. While your experience does give me pause, it doesn't deter me. It seems that you are in the minority regarding your problems, which makes me think you had something else going on other than a bum locker. While yes the first one could have been a bad unit, the fact that you tried a complete new unit and came up with the same issues when others have had so much success with this locker. Just makes me think you had another issue that was solved with the full carrier detroit. I've searched pirat as well as some other forums on this locker and 99% of the feedback has been posative. While it is the cheap route to go (lunch box). I'm running 31's and do not need a top of the line setup. For 240 bucks and a quick simple install in my driveway I am more than willing to take the chance. Thanks for your comments but I think I'm gonna stick to my origional plan.