CoryMJ89 Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I'm looking into to buying a locker for my dana 30 was originally gunna do a selective locker like arb or e-locker but decided to go a different route and put money towards something else in the truck so now i need to buy a cheaper locker but.... Where? Kind? and price? preferably under 400 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.e. Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 aussie lockers have worked well for me...if they have them in stock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incommando Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 The Spartan has been getting good reviews as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86customanche Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Aussie makes a good one for pretty cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I have had an Aussie in my D30 for 4 years now. After 14,000 road miles and (more importantly) over 100 days off road, the vast majority of which on 35" tires it is worn out. As in extremely worn out and not really being usable any more. But those off road trips were not driving a road riddled with pot holes, which a lot of people around NE Ohio seem to think is hard core off road. It is not just romping through the mud spinning the tires like my daughter likes to do. I'm talking about axle shaft snapping, driveshaft twisting, control arm mount ripping rocks, ledges and hill climbs. Â All in all, I think it is a miracle it has lasted as long as it has, which would be a salute to some fine engineering. It was the best $230 I have ever spent on this truck. Â As will all automatic lockers in the front axle, though, you will not able to safely use 4wd on snow anymore, as there won't be enough traction for it to unlock. That means that quite possibly when you mean to make a turn you turn the wheels but keep going straight. Â In 2wd it is completely invisible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I'm running Spartans in mine. Â They have good reviews,are inexpensive,and come with a hardened cross pin. Â Â Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW86 Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 spartans in both axles here as well. no issues to date Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89eliminator Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 lock right in my front axle. had it for a few years, still works good as new. can be had for around $250-$300 i think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 My Spartan has been great in my D30, I noticed the other day that Rockauto.com offers Spartans for less than $300 ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoryMJ89 Posted February 11, 2013 Author Share Posted February 11, 2013 Yeah I don't don't just bunch of mud holes but like technical stuff and hill climbs rocks etc but I do get a lot of snow soo.... Idk then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctxj93 Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I have had an Aussie in my D30 for 4 years now. After 14,000 road miles and (more importantly) over 100 days off road, the vast majority of which on 35" tires it is worn out. As in extremely worn out and not really being usable any more. But those off road trips were not driving a road riddled with pot holes, which a lot of people around NE Ohio seem to think is hard core off road. It is not just romping through the mud spinning the tires like my daughter likes to do. I'm talking about axle shaft snapping, driveshaft twisting, control arm mount ripping rocks, ledges and hill climbs. Â All in all, I think it is a miracle it has lasted as long as it has, which would be a salute to some fine engineering. It was the best $230 I have ever spent on this truck. Â As will all automatic lockers in the front axle, though, you will not able to safely use 4wd on snow anymore, as there won't be enough traction for it to unlock. That means that quite possibly when you mean to make a turn you turn the wheels but keep going straight. Â In 2wd it is completely invisible. Â Do you think that a spring and pin kit would make it work like it's supposed to again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoryMJ89 Posted February 11, 2013 Author Share Posted February 11, 2013 What's the difference between a lock rite and Aussie and a spartan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidoo_j Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 What's the difference between a lock rite and Aussie and a spartan? Â Pretty much nothing. All three are lunch box lockers. Some people may stand behind one more than the other. Lock rite is richmond-detroit, spartan is us standard gears, and aussie is torq-masters. They all three pretty much look alike too. Â richmond also makes a lock-rite no-slip which behaves more like a limited slip, but is still a full lock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Do you think that a spring and pin kit would make it work like it's supposed to again? Â No, the corners are all rounded over. I still have all the springs and pins. Â Between the side gears and the center ones there are 4 ways to put it together. Maybe one of the 4 ways will still work, maybe not. Either way, the point is moot because I'm in the process of fitting one tons under my truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 What's the difference between a lock rite and Aussie and a spartan? Â The biggest difference are the pins and springs. Â Â Also the spartan comes with a new hardened cross pin and the other two do not, they have to be ordered seperately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoryMJ89 Posted February 12, 2013 Author Share Posted February 12, 2013 So what's the best in people opinikn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 On a Lock-right, the pins are "supposed to break" to protect the rest of the axle. I call BS on that. Any part that is designed to fail has a serious design flaw. The Aussie has been engineered by the same people who designed the Lock-right, but without this flaw. As in the pins on an Aussie are not supposed to break. Â The Lock-right used to have a maximum tire size beyond which the warranty was void, but this may have been changed since I bought my locker. Aussie never claimed a maximum tire size. Â The only locker I have personal experience with is the Aussie. It is not unbreakable, as I have broken one, twice. The first time was supposedly a fluke as I have never found anyone, nor had the maker ever heard of anyone breaking their's in the way I broke mine. The second time I grenaded the entire innards of the pumpkin and surprisingly, without a cross shaft holding things together it stayed put where it was supposed to be with the only damage being two pins. Â Don't know much if anything about the Spartan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 When I was looking it came down to Spartan or Aussie. Both have good reviews and both are about the same price. Â For me it came down to the Spartan coming with the new cross pin and there seemed to be more places to buy Spartans and get service parts. Â Â Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comanchedude Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 I ran lock rite lasted about 4-5 years .and was worn out.worn were cross shaft goes as well as the teeth. but worked dam well on very tough wheeling. got a Aussie now works just as good. I agree with others just pick up the best deal you can get. they are all designed practically identical. and they all will work well. as for snow I don't get much but small amount I have I just let off gas in turns and its worked fine. or you can shift out of 4x4 and back in when you need to. either way its not been an issue for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidoo_j Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 Being as this is going in the front end I'd recommend leaving it an open diff if it's going to be a daily driver. I put the richmond no-slip in my front end. I still have the CAD with a posi loc, and i'm about 50/50 if I'd do it again. Now it is completely transparent in 2x4 with the posi-loc disengaged. I've never ran it on the street with the posi engaged and in 2x4. People claim they've had no problems running them in jeeps with solid passenger axles, however IIRC all three manufactures state and advise against running it in the front with out free hubs or CAD or some sort. With mine as a daily driver I debate on pulling the lock rite out of the rear. It's a b*@$£ on my tires.  Now it does make the truck a tank. All four spinning is nice in a scenario when it's needed.  When in 4x4 with posi engaged the turning radius is about 1/3. Even if you take it out of 4x4, if that locker up front is locked turning around is a b*@$£.  If I were personally to do it again, I would get a terra 2-low for my transfercase, get a solid passenger axle, and get a select locker up front and either a select locker in rear or a truetrac. (I guess this is what i plan to do, but $ just seems to not fall from the trees) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 My front axle is always engaged. But without power to the pinion in 2wd, it was completely invisible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoryMJ89 Posted February 13, 2013 Author Share Posted February 13, 2013 yeah my truck is my daily driver and it has a 94 front end in it so it doesnt have the ability to run a cable lock style. and i get anywhere from 1-4 plus feet of snow so snow wheelin is deffinately a factor here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacks Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 I'll toss this out for info... I have a '97 TJ D30/D35, 4.10's and 33's, Powertrax No-slip in front and a Powertrax Lockrite in the rear. The both have over 100,000 miles on them since 2002. In 4wd the turning radius is less but not drastically so. On pavement it's best to coast around 90 degree city street corners with the clutch disengaged or apply gentle power while still going straight before entering the corner. If you don't you get a bucking action like you used to get when you let the clutch out wrong when you were learning to drive. You will notice increased tire wear on the rear unless you coast around city street corners. The front locker is totally invisible when in 2wd. I have never heard any noise coming from it ever. I do get a clicking noise in parking lots etc from the rear which is just the locker doing what it supposed to do. Running 4wd on hard packed snow or ice can be dangerous with both ends locked. You will get yourself in trouble skid/slide-wise very easily... but you can get yourself out of trouble easier too. The TJ will swap ends in a heartbeat in 4wd on hard pack or ice so I seldom use 4wd in those situations unless it is really slow speed driving. Snow amounts here can also be 1-4 feet plus. Just my 2 cents worth and experiences. Â Later, Â Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoryMJ89 Posted February 13, 2013 Author Share Posted February 13, 2013 but in like fresh snow it should steer fine in like powder its just super wet slush that could be an issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidoo_j Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Anything that's slick. So even if it's fresh powder, if there's just a touch of ice. Once both tires (Left and right) of one axle loose traction in snow the tires will go sideways if you don't let up under power when it happens. So if you are driving under control it's manageable but I use 2 wheel drive in snow if i get stuck then will put in 4 and take right out. The rear end behaves like a quad when locked except you can't lean and use your body to control the slide. Before I put the no slip in the front I could actually drive in four wheel in snow with little to no problems. Again only referring to on road concerns as the road is crowned and there are other people you can hurt. If you're off road and don't care about your rig bomb it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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