SoCalxJ4.0

I am getting ready to buy gears and lockers, the front I am going to do a lunchbox type for the D30, but I don't know what to do for the rear. I have the 8.25 27 spline, and I would love an e locker or air, but not liking the prices. So my question is, what is the best thing to do? I really don't want to burn through my 33's too fast, and from what I heard, full lock will tear them up... What do you guys recommend??.

Motiv8er

I am in exactly the same boat... D30 front, 27/8.25 rear, and it is not my DD... With all the research (thanks to this site) I think I have finally decided to go with a front and rear Spartan... When it comes down to it, I just don't think I NEED an air locker, as much as I would like to have one... Money-wise, I want a winch, and some other goodies, so I am trying to make my cash go as far as possible...

I was going to go with the Powertrax No-Slip, but I am having a tough time finding them since they have apparently been discontinued... Hopefully someone can chime in here and give some additional tips...

Bottom line: I want traction, I don't care about the possible "noise", I am not doing EXTREME rock crawling, and it's not really a daily driver... for me, it has come down to the Spartan front and rear.... should be ordering/installing them in the next two weeks from the vendor on this site...

Tom95YJ

I would run a selectable up front and rear if your going to regear, Or a Selecable front and Detroit rear and upgrade the rear to 29 spline shafts. Where I live open front diffs work much better on the snow covered mountain roads up front in the winter.

If you want to keep it cheap and go with lunch box lockers I would look into Spartan or Aussie I have has Lockrights Fail on my TJ and I had replaced them with ARB's. On my YJ I ran Aussie's before I regeared and went with ARB's They held up to 35's and 2-3 years of abuse .

My XJ currently has a Spartan and I prefer that over the Aussie locker because of the way it installs is much easier with spring retainer pins and the pins are much larger then the aussies . Once I regear my XJ I will Run a Elocker up front and Detroit in the rear.

I have not noticed abnormal wear with the tires on my XJ and my other rigs have always had their tires wear even on the road also with lockers

caronaxtr

I'm swappin axles (HP D30 & Cry 8.25 29 spline) this summer. For lockers i'm in the same boat... I'll probably go with a Youkon Zip air locker in the front so my wife can still drive the XJ easily in the snow in 4 wheel. For the rear, not sure the cry 8.25 came with a stock LSD, I had a lock rite in the rear of my TJ & hated it, a buddy had a Lock Rite in his XJ & it blew apart. I may spend the extra cash and do an ARB in the rear or go with the Spartan for the rear..... My rig isn't a DD either, but I still wanna keep it's street handling as normal a possible....

Good luck, it's the $1,000,000 question... Money usually has the final say.

emptypockets

I'm running a lock right in the front and a no slip in the rear. I've had the no slip for two years now, bought it used, so it has some miles on it. No issues what so ever. I've had the front in maybe two months, in a disco 30. No issues yet either, but only have one trip on it.

Curious about those who say their lock right blew up. Did the carrier break? Cross pin fail? Lock pin fall out? The dana 30 carrier is typically the weak link in this setup, which is why people recommend a full case locker.

Tom95YJ

I had the pins holes wallow out with in a year on my tj's d30 ad it eventually grenaded with 33's and a 2.5l.

SoCalxJ4.0

Great info. So if I decided to bite the bullet and do e-lockers or air front and back, what would be needed to change the 8.25 to a 29 spline? Also, I am planning on gearing down from my 3.07's to 4.11's. thank you guys.

emptypockets

29 spline axle shafts and if you get a full case locker, buy one for the 29, if you go lunchbox, you need the 29 carrier. No carrier break in the 8.25, but the dana 30 does 3.55 down/3.73 up.

RONDEE

Why is it better to have a selective in the front rather than the rear. I always thought the lunch box in the rear resulted in a snow plow effect. Better to be able to turn off the locker in the rear inthe snow/ice. ?

Tom95YJ

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N20jeep

main advantage to running a selectable up front while offroad is you have the ability to easily turn on tight lines, while the ratcheting lockers can make this more difficult.

RONDEE

Sorry, I was all set to put a lunchbox up front. Do I need to start the research all over again. Emptypockets your from the same area as I am, so you know our weather sucks is yours a daily DD. Hows the road manners in the winter? Do you have to engage the front diff at slightest bit of ice? I know its alot but for cryin out loud it snowed this morning.

Atmos

If I'm gonna blow my wad on a selectable its going in back so I can be open/open on the street. sure sometimes you have to make a 3pt turn offroad and its annoying. but it's not $1000 annoying. no snow here though

RONDEE

Thanks N20

RONDEE

Thanks Atmos, thats what I was thinking I like the idea of an open 8.25 so when I do have snow and I try to turn corners the back will follow the front. Not the back push the front past the turn.