Any body have any experience with USA Standard Gear Spartan Lockers? Thinking about getting one. Also my Jeep was built 9/96... Think it would have 29 spline shafts factory? Heard a '96 could have 27 or 29...

 

Most likely has a 27 spline, could pull a shaft and look. If it turns out to be the 27 spline, I personally would get a 29 spline from the junkyard and put the Locker in it then swap.

 

I have had the Spartan lockers in both axles for a year and they have worked great. As said above you may want to pull the axles first and see how many splines they have. Even if you have the 27 spline 8.25 you will be fine unless you want to run larger than 33 inch tires then you may want to upgrade to the 29 spline carrier and axles. Here is my review https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/fr...review-235737/

 

I'll probably just go ahead and get some 29 spline shafts either new or used just have them on hand, I want the 29's if it doesn't have them already. If I do end up having 29 splines in it then I'll have spares... Joy! Trying to only tear in it once this go around.


00t444e, how's she drive with one in the front? Ever get on any snow or ice?


~EDIT~ Just read your write up on them, still curious about ice though if ya have any experiance with it.

 

I put a Spartan locker in the rear of my 2001 XJ about a year ago and it has been doing great. You hear a little clicking when turning but nothing objectionable. I will probably also put one in the front sometime this year. I don't drive this one in the snow so not worried about that problem. From my research it seems that they should not be used on tires 35 inches or taller.

 

People run 35s with lunchbox lockers, there is a guy on Youtube that was running 36s and now has 40s on upgraded Dana 30, and Chrysler 8.25 axles and hasn't broken anything yet. His channel is Rusty411.

It handles a little bit different but it isn't bad once you get used to it and know what to expect, for example if the right side tires are in snow or ice where there is very little grip and the left side is on clear pavement it will want to pull to the right when you give it gas, just keep a good grip on the steering wheel. I don't run it in 4x4 at highway speeds I mainly use 4x4 on the back roads going 35 mph or less then switch to 2wd when I get to the main roads.

 

You can't just swap in 29 spline shafts, gotta swap the carrier and stuff too. Would be cheaper and easier to just get a 8.25 from the junkyard and swap it in. I run 35" mtrs on a lunchbox in the rear and a full case air Locker in the dana 30 with no problems yet. I beat the **** out of it too.

 

The Spartan Locker I'm looking at is 29 spline. Once that's swapped in place of the spiders why wouldn't 29 spline shafts slide into it?

 

I believe the carriers are a little different and the 29 spline locker won't fit in the 27 spline carrier.

 

The shafts and the bearings are different size. The only think I believe that interchanges between 27 and 29 spline 8.25 are the gears, brakes, and the housing. Shafts, bearings and carrier are different from what I understand.

 

Well that's pretty lame. I just had one out of a '98 in the tow yard behind the shop I probably could've gotten.

 

 

Yes he does have several other upgrades, I guess my point was if you have mostly stock axles with 33s or 35s you will probably break something else before you break the locker. If I ever have one of my Spartans fail I will probably upgrade to a Detroit or Grizzly locker

 

 

I'm happily running a lunch box in my 29 spline 8.25 and an air locker in my 30 with my Cherokee on 35s. I had a truetrac front and it was the worst of both worlds for me. It would bind up in turns and wouldn't pull with a tire in the air. So happy I went with an air Locker instead. To each their own, but just thought I'd share my experience.