This title may look familiar, but I have read many different forums and still can’t decide what would be best for my set up.
I plan on using my XJ mostly for wheeling, and a little bit of street.
I have debated doing LBL, LSD, or a mix of those and or standard diffs.
Ive heard of people doing LSD in back and LBL in front and I’ve also heard of people doing it the other way around.

Here are some of the main things I’ve wondered.
1) what difference will an LSD vs LBL vs Standard diff make on the REAR axle

2) Will running an LBL in the front affect how well my rig can climb and steer on steep

3) for a rig that is mostly wheeled but I still need to drive on the street some, what is the best combination? Full LBL? Full LSD? A mix of the two? Keep the front or rear standard?

Also take into account that during the earlier part of the season there is often quite a bit of snow on the trails.

 

I drive a grizzly front welded rear 89% dirt. Still run on the freeway.
if snow is evolved id do a limited slip rear and full case locker tge front.
Otherwise full locker both and not look back

 

1 - A lunchbox locker would make a big difference over an open differential on and off road.
2 - Yes it will climb much better.
3- I have Lunchbox lockers in both ends and it works great on the street and off road, If your only going to add one then put it in the rear, unless you have a Dana 35 then put the locker in the front and save your money to swap a Chrysler 8.25 in when the Dana 35 breaks.

 

Im alitt undecided on if I could only run one locked on wich one.
I honestly think id choose to run a full locker in the front and rear open.

Theres trails around her with some near 4ft vertical rock ledges. With my open front welded rear and 3.55s I found them un passable.
after going to 4.88s and grizzly in the front she then crawled right up and over even while dragging the belly . Locking the front has almost seemed to be like cheating. It just climbs over anything its pointed at.

I did get stuck in the rock since locking the front. It was due to a square edge rock hanging me up on the 3link crossmember I fabbed. I think ramping that crossmember will help it slide over rocks and not hang up so bad.


hi lifted it and found a junk of wood to hold it up. It was stuck enough i was dragging a jeep on the flat with my winch.

Offcourse I could have gone around the rock but what fun is that when your sending power to 4 tires

 

The problem is if you only lock the front it only helps when you are offroad, it doesn't help you at all on the street in 2wd, for a street and offroad rig you get way more use out of a rear locker.

 

I think 99% of jeeps do fine with no lockers

 

The best of both worlds is a selectable locker both front and rear - either a Yukon Zip, an ARB, or an OX which can be matched to a mechanical switch rather than an air or 12v actuated switch. You're looking at close to $2k in parts alone to do this, though.

If you have a stick shift, a lunch box locker and a full case locker in the rear will bring some driveability "issues" to light. Some don't mind it, others do - it's all a preference. Essentially, if you every trying to give it gas on pavement, it'll lock and well...The torque converter in an automatic does a decent job of soaking up the backlash that the locker will send throughout the drivetrain - a clutch, not so much. So, if you have a stick - I'd seriously consider either a selectable locker for the rear, or a limited sliip. If you get one of those, get a TrueTrack. It's a worm gear type LSD - probably one of the most aggressive LSDs around but it's a dream on the street compared to a lunchbox locker.

I've had both an Aussie and a Spartan in my stick shift rig but now have an TrueTrack in the rear with a selectable ARB in the front. I don't trailer it to trails and the GF and I like to go on beach trips, so streetable manners are important to me as much as off-road capabilities (she hated and rolled her eyes all the time at my lunchbox locker setup). Unless I was doing a budget, only off-road automatic rig, I'd never get a lunchbox locker again. They're effective, reliable and cheap but they are not polite on the street if you have a manual transmission. However, if you have an auto, you probably won't experience as much drivability issues on the street.

EvanM is right - a front locker is like cheating - it's crazy how much more capable they make these things. Twin locked, these things are nuts!

 

I run an auto locker on the street in 2 different manual transmission vehicles and its no problem at all. You have to drive it a little bit differently but it is very easy to get used to.

 

See, different strokes for different folks lol. Constantly having to clutch in so you don't buck and ratchet your way into a parking space got old for me. I guess I'm just a little girly man nowadays.

 

Maybe its just my grizzly but there's no bucking or ratcheting the damn thing is just locked.

Im the guy at gass station every turns to see as I come screaming in to get fuel one tire peeling out cause im welded rear..

I think first mods should be lockers. before lift and big tires

 

Always lots of opinions on this. But I have wheeled with LSDs and lockers and my opinion for what it is worth is it depends on what you are wheeling. If it is mud and dirt, an LSD in both ends works just fine. If you are into rock crawling and twisting up your suspension, then lockers. Many have welded spiders in the rear and frankly it is just a selectable that is always engaged. Not what I would want for the street, but it can be done. As far as wheeling rocks goes, unless you are on flat ground, lock the rear first. Yes one locker in the front will get the front up on lots of stuff, but the rear may not follow. Now I wheel auto lockers front and rear and it is just a point and shoot. As far as a LBL in the rear on a standard tranny, just did that with my son's TJ and yes it can take a dodge to the inside of a turn, but if you don't get on it hard it doesn't

 

I got an arb air locker in front, dana 30, and an Eaton lsd in the rear, Ford 9 inch. 33 tires, atlas transfercase.

Why this choice? well being able to lock in front is really great for obstacle crossing, allows you to power over rocks even if a wheel gets off the ground. For the rear, LSD made more sense, this is cause I may have to drive 100s of miles on the highway, perhaps hitting patches of ice at times. An LSD is always ready to take over for that patch of ice, or perhaps gravel on the road. I dont need to think about activating the LSD, it is always ready, which makes the LSD very useful for highway use, where it maybe needed intermittantly. being in the rear, the LSD is always there to help, even in 2 wheel drive (technically I can select 2 wheel drive front only becuase my transfer case allows for that)

I have heard an LSD on the front can give some weird handling when used on the highway. thus the selectable locker in front, on when I need it, off when I dont.

Anyway that is my somewhat warped logic for what it is worth, locker in front, LSD in rear is a nice combo for both lots of highway, and off roading.

 

This! Couldn't agree more - these are all reasons why I went with basically the same setup.

 

Here's a my grizzly was just messing around testing stuff today. Damn thing just goes and 4.88 gears make things easy.


Lockers make alot of what was impossible possible easy.