CLSegraves1

I'm pretty "grandpa" when it comes to driving my XJ, both on and off the road. On road, it's big/heavy/sways/etc. so I realize I need to be careful to avoid getting in a wreck. Off road, I don't want to damage stuff so I'm careful with my power applications and how I approach things.


If you hadn't pointed the "tink" out as being the locker, I'd just have assumed it was suspension links moving. That's not "noisy" by any means.

unidentifiedbomb

Aussie is not the same as Lokka. Lokka is like the walmart brand knock off. Shipping with no tracking or notifications, warranty claims non existent. Aussie has one of the best customer service i've ever seen. I have an Aussie in my 8.25 for the last 2 years and even in snow it's great. I don't floor it and can make tight u turns just fine off the highway. It's noisy on tight turns but drive-ability is not effected. Took me 2 hours from jacking up to driving to install it.

00t444e

Aussie used to be made in Australia then production switched to the US and the ones still being made in Australia are Lokka brand. They are identical when you compare them side by side.

CLSegraves1

VS.

conflicting information... so which is it?

cruiser54

Aussie.

2drx4

It's hard to say. Near as I can tell the lockers are functionally the same, at least an old Aussie (made in Australia) vs a Lokka is. I do not have a new style 'Aussie' that is made in the US by Torq Masters to compare.

IMHO what I believe happened is that Torq Masters had a deal for exclusive distribution of the Aussie in the US, but they were made in Australia, at that point profit margins would have been minimal. At some point they changed the agreement to license the name and produce them in the US. That was fine until the actual 'Aussie' locker company (Lokka) decided to sell them in the US, which seems reasonable to me as likely there was a sunset clause in whatever noncompeting agreement they had prior to that. Torq claims they can't do anything about it legally since Lokka is a Chinese company and they would be wasting time and money to sue them because it wouldn't be enforced, meanwhile when you order a Lokka you purchase it from an Australian company and it ships out of Australia where there is solidly enforced trademark and IP laws. Although I will also point out there is NO proprietary or patentable IP with this style of locker, although the original Aussie Locker does say 'patent pending' on the box I do not believe they would have ever been able to receive one, as it is essentially a design from the 1940s. As I was saying earlier lunchbox lockers are all now functionally the same, the best way so far to build them has been determined and that's how they're all built AFAIK (using the sample pool I have of an older Aussie, new Lokka, and a new Spartan, maybe the Lockrite is different but I doubt it as they changed them some years ago and they've been a lot better since then).

So short of throwing them under the XRF to see if they are actually the same alloy, and doing a Brinell hardness test, I'd say it's up to you what you want to believe or spend. IMHO lunchbox lockers are a terrible design especially for smaller axles (D44 and less), so there isn't a lot of point spending a ton of money on them. I do like the Spartan including a new crosspin, but it's quite a price premium and I purchased one only because I needed a D60 version.

Driving them you will never know the difference between one or another. Handling characteristics depend far more on other aspects of the vehicle, and the locker's interaction with those differences will produce different results. Also keep in mind half the people who comment never drive on pack ice or snow, and half the people who comment are likely below average drivers. Without definitive materials testing there is no telling the strength difference between them, as again it is very subjective. I broke a HPD30 ring and pinion on 33" tires, lots of guys say that shouldn't happen, and I know guys who both can destroy 35 spline 4340 axleshafts on 37" tires and guys who can make 30 spline D44 stuff live on 40s.

2drx4

BTW, I can send an Aussie and a Lokka for XRF testing if people want me to. It just costs money. IMHO if Torq Masters had more validity to their beef they would have purchased a Lokka and sent it for certifiable XRF and put up the results...

CLSegraves1

Is it actually the "design" that is terrible (impacts functionality) or is it simply because the carrier on a D44 or less axle is weak and hence more likely to break if wheeled hard?

I don't see how anyone could argue that a lunchbox is "better" than a full carrier replacement locker, but clearly the reason people choose to go lunchbox is cost and ease of upgrade. For ~$250 and an afternoon of playing around in the garage, I can gain a considerable amount of traction. By contrast, to swap in a whole new carrier is closer to $700 (or more considering seals/bearings/etc.) and lots of work. So it's a cost-to-benefit consideration. If I'm missing something, by all means someone point it out to me.

00t444e

Lunchbox lockers have proven to hold up fine with 35s on Dana 30, 44 and Chrysler 8.25 axles. As far as price the Spartan is cheaper and is a better design in my opinion, but the Aussie isn't bad.

2drx4

It's mostly the strength issue. You are playing with fire. Even with the D60 one I feel I am asking for some trouble, but I don't run very large tires considering I have a D60. Lunchbox lockers also do function a bit different than full case lockers, and will not likely be quite as nicely mannered as say a Detroit Softlocker (AKA Detroit Locker), as they do make some compromises to the pin/spring design to package a lunchbox within a stock carrier; this isn't likely a big deal to most people and again it will depend largely on the driver and how the suspension is setup/tires/driving conditions/etc.

Lunchbox lockers are bang for the buck upgrades, and with that you trade strength and reliability. Hence I believe in ensuring you stick with that bang for your buck attitude and don't pay a premium for the locker as there isn't really any extra value in doing so.

soapy

I have had a spartan in my 8.25 rear for over a year and no problems. I will probably add one to the front axle soon. 2001 XJ sport

TRCM

and 40's w/450 hp in a chrysler 9 1/4 rear axle (see avatar)

unidentifiedbomb

Lol so which half are you? Breaking parts like on 33s with stock axles mostly comes down to the driver. One of the benefits to me about a lunchbox vs full carrier (grizzly) is that when the lunchbox breaks there is a chance it won't take out everything and you can swap it out to spiders or another locker vs having to setup another carrier. For the average wheeler lunchbox lockers are great with budget in mind.

CLSegraves1

Is it the lunchbox that breaks or the carrier? I was under the impression the lunchbox never breaks and instead it's the (relatively weak) factory carrier that fails. That or the factory size axle shafts snap at the splines.

unidentifiedbomb

I figured it would be the pins/springs or the crosspin that would give out before the carrier after the axle shafts.