Posi-lok front axle lockers

[WBKrazy]

figured i'd put this in here cause i remember a while back someone on here said they had gotten one for their xj or mj... i've had no 4x4 in my fullsize chevy since before xmas cause of a bad front axle actuator...i've had the posi-lok kit sitting in my garage for a few weeks now, with the "blizzard of 2010" :rotf: looming, i figured last night would be a pretty good time to install it..... Image Not Found... it works pretty good, here's some pics of the finished install...

 

the cable under the dash, it mounts to the inner dash support and you have to drill a 9/16 hole in the firewall to run the cable through....

Image Not Found

 

and here's what the rest of it looks like....

Image Not Found

Image Not Found

[CWLONGSHOT]

I have it in my MJ.

It works just fine and allows for 2WD LO as well!!

 

CW

[WBKrazy]

I have it in my MJ.

It works just fine and allows for 2WD LO as well!!

 

CW

 

yeah the 2lo is a cool feature... i thought about getting one for the mj but for the cost i'd rather just shim the CAD over... on the chevy though you don't really have that option... they do make a cheaper kit than the one i got which is just a pin and a cover for the actuator housing, and that keeps the axle locked all the time, but a friend of mine said that he's seen a couple people who used that setup and the pin actually broke and ruined the axle :dunno:

[1990 Pioneer 4x4]

Why would you ever need 2WD Lo? :dunno:

[WBKrazy]

Why would you ever need 2WD Lo? :dunno:

 

for a bit of extra torque, say when pulling a boat and trailer out of the water, or getting someone unstuck from a ditch or something like that

[jimoshel]

That extra torque in 2lo can snap a axle if your not careful. That's why the early Jeeps had their shift levers set so you had to shift into 4WD before you could shift into Lo.

[1990 Pioneer 4x4]

Why would you ever need 2WD Lo? :dunno:

 

for a bit of extra torque, say when pulling a boat and trailer out of the water, or getting someone unstuck from a ditch or something like that

 

But wouldn't most use 4WD Lo for that stuff...? :???: guess i'm wierd.

[Blue XJ]

I had a posi lok a while back, it had a 'T' handle on it to activate, twist the handle and pull.

 

Just for people that don't know, its not really a locker. It replaces the vacuum actuator in your front axle, so you can manually control the engagement of the passenger side axle shaft collar.

 

You can also pick up a used 1 piece passenger side shaft and the $25 Warn block off kit that comes with the correct axle seal to eliminate it completely. Or make your own. I installed 2 seals about 5 years ago and it hasn't started leaking yet.

[CRF136N]

I had a posi lok...It replaces the vacuum actuator in your front axle, so you can manually control the engagement of the passenger side axle shaft collar.

 

You can also pick up a used 1 piece passenger side shaft and the $25 Warn block off kit that comes with the correct axle seal to eliminate it completely. Or make your own. I installed 2 seals about 5 years ago and it hasn't started leaking yet.

 

This is the very debate I'm in right now...I'm currently running the complete '94 donor drivetrain (non CAD D-30/Chry8.25 3.55)

I am so very desparate to get my "new" axles in my MJ (CAD D-30/AMC-20 4.10's) from the '86 MJ M/T donor.

Being winter I cannot loose my 4x4, so I got to have the 4wd operational, but simply cannot wait any longer. I keep debating this posi-lock, but I have heard both good and bad things about it. Many have said to wait and do the solid axle shaft swap. But, my mj is more of a dd and an occasional toy. When I do go hit the trails, I certainly treat it as a prized rare truck that I don't want to scratch or dent, so I'm pretty mellow with it. This said, driving in the snow I shift in and out of 4x4 as needed, so I never run my truck in 4x4 ALL the time to avoid uneccesary wear and tear. Based on this, would a posi-lock be a sufficient and reliable choice, or should I wait and straight-shaft it?...if so, do I need to find another axle of the same gear ratio, or can I get that pass side shaft from any D-30?

 

Thanks for any info you can provide

-James

[Pete M]

Just shim the CAD over and be done with it. :thumbsup: It's free and takes maybe a half hour at the most. There are reasons why Jeep wiped that design from the face of the earth in the mid 90s.

[reson46]

That extra torque in 2lo can snap a axle if your not careful. That's why the early Jeeps had their shift levers set so you had to shift into 4WD before you could shift into Lo.

 

It will not add any more torque than 4 low.

 

Why would you ever need 2WD Lo? :dunno:

 

for a bit of extra torque, say when pulling a boat and trailer out of the water, or getting someone unstuck from a ditch or something like that

 

But wouldn't most use 4WD Lo for that stuff...? :???: guess i'm wierd.

 

There are plenty of scenarios where 2 low is helpful - on pavement when you want extra torque, when making a tight turn and you want the extra control of low range, etc.

 

Willy

[Geonovast]

It will not add any more torque than 4 low.

 

It doesn't "add" more torque, but it does redistribute the torque load. In 4Lo, the torque is divided equally between the front and rear axles. It also gives you more contact surface to get the vehicle moving. When you cut out the front axle, all the torque goes to the rear, and that axle has to do all the work. You'd have to be pulling something pretty stubborn to snap a shaft, but it is more likely.

[whowey]

Just shim the CAD over and be done with it. :thumbsup: It's free and takes maybe a half hour at the most. There are reasons why Jeep wiped that design from the face of the earth in the mid 90s.

 

 

But Mama Chrysler continued it in Ram trucks....

[Pete M]

Mama chrysler also killed the MJ and built the Compass. :dunno:

 

I think the CAD finally died in the heavy duty Rams in 02.

[CRF136N]

Just shim the CAD over and be done with it. :thumbsup: It's free and takes maybe a half hour at the most. There are reasons why Jeep wiped that design from the face of the earth in the mid 90s.

 

Noted, I like that idea best, thanks! I GOT to do it now cause someone is interested in buying my 3.55 axles, so that was enough motivation to do the axle swap TODAY :D Its all done, but I'm waiting on some new brake lines before its ready for the road (I just figured while I'm at it, get rid of the dry-rotted lines)

 

-James