so Im about to order some traction devices for my mj. I have a 96 explorer 8.8 in the rear and a non disco 30 up front.

I am about to order some 35 inch baja claws and run those.

I drive the truck on long trip to wheel or to the coast where it spends most of its time, on the beach in sand. So I need a set up that is friendly with long hwy trips.


So now my question. what set up should I go?

Limited slip in the rear and lunchbox locker up front?

Lunchbox locker in the rear and Limited Slip in the front?

Limited slips front and rear?

Lunchbox lockers front and rear?


I would like to stay around $600.00

 

IMO Limited slips wouldn't be worth the money. I don't wheel in sand so hard to say. Lunch Box front and rear would be my vote if you can't afford to get the select-able. Lunchbox in the front will not be noticeable in the front on the highway, so that will be great. Lunchbox in the rear will be noticeable in the rear in parking lots and depending on roads sometimes will hear them grab under-power while turning. Will wear tires a little bit faster in the rear. Also with front and back locked you will notice that turning in 4-low radius will go down. To me the cons of locked front and rear don't out way the pros of them being locked.

 

Thanks, My main question is will it be safe?

 

If you drive in snow, a front lunchbox locker is not advisable. I would advise riding in a vehicle with lunchbox lockers before committing to it. Personally, I didn't like the handling one bit, couldn't stand the noise, and liked the idea of being able to unlock/lock it as I please. So I went with selectables, but thats just me. I would look at doing just a selectable in the rear and leave the front open. A limited slip is going to be pretty useless and you will need to set up the gears again because it will be a new carrier. With a lunchbox you wont need to do this. I know the eaton e locker is just over $600.

 

lunchboxes all day limited slips i dont think would work well with 35's, front lunchbox would have no effect in snow (i have driven many jeeps with lunchbox fronts in the snow of new england) and rear depending on brand will just make some noise if you go spartan their a bit ornery but still very recommended

 

Everyone seems to think that lockers in the snow are terrible. They really aren't though. Once you learn how the lockers behave you will be fine in the rain, snow, sand, mud, lava, or whatever it is you drive on.

 

We'll I will never be in snow. I live in south Texas. My main consern is how the rear will act with a locker in the rear taking the long weekend trips that I do.

 

I'd suggest taking a ride with someone with a lunchbox locker, then deciding.

 

A lunchbox locker in the rear will take some getting used to, and depending on what kind you get can be pretty loud. I have an Aussie locker in the front and rear of my jeep and I can't imagine driving it as a DD. Its loud and sometimes acts funny when shifting gears as power is applied to the rear. Best bet for a DD would be a selectable locker or a limited slip in the rear. I don't think a limited slip is worth the hassle or the money but that may just be me.

 

you have an odd experience i had a spartan in the rear of my 5-speed and it was ornery but never hesitated to drive it due to that i mean if your dd'ing a lifted xj it doesnt really matter anyways....lol but my buddy has lifted xj lunchbox front and rear and you would never know it on the streets

 

I see another problem with what you plan the 4.10 gears and the 35" tires. Have you used the tire/gear calculator on this site to see what you need?

I'm just getting everything together now well have most all now. I'm running 33x12:50x15's on my 99 and after running the numbers here I found that I needed a min of 4.56 and really 4.88. Mine is not a DD but you will find speed/RPM/Gear all shown for what ever you plug in. Also you can run 2 sets side by side to compare very nice to have here for us to use.

I can't remember who pointed me there but sure did me a favor. BTW I'm using Detroit Lockers front and rear now, that's a long story.

 

http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

 

That's it thanks!

I sent you an email wanting you to call me but didn't receive one. Wanted to buy a few items but needed them quickly, maybe next time.

 

never got an email from you
Posted in your other thread asking you to pm me your number...never got a pm

 

When my jeep had open diffs it was my DD and drove great and even after the front locker was installed it was still great, but the rear just did something odd. Maybe its bc I'm used to driving a car and wrangler as a DD. I'm not saying that driving a jeep with front and rear lockers as a DD is a bad thing or is hard, but for my 70 mile daily round trips I would rather take something not locked.