Bmoore2 Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I am torn now whether or not to install front lockers. Do they make a locker that you can manually engage? Or are all of them full time Also what are the pro's and cons... Thanks again for all of you guy vast knowledge you share with rookies like me..... By the way I have an 88 MJ 4.0 with 33's. I deal with more mud than rocks. In the process of rear end swap to 8.25 locked with 4.56 gears. Plan on keeping the D30 up front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 You can get lockers that can be turned on and off but they are spendy. Auto lockers are fine up front if you don't use 4wd a lot on the road in ice and snow. In 2wd they are invisible. The biggest con is that they put more stress on the axle so you will probably want to at least upgrade shafts to ones with stronger u joints. The pro is you will be able to climb up about anything you can get a tire on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnr Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 i have a spartan lunch box locker in the front. if you still have the disco axle you will never know you have it in two wheel drive. in four wheel both wheels bight on everything. they will take you where you want to go :rock on: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtnClimber Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Ox Locker makes a cable operated locker. Of course there's the air operated ARB. You gain a compressor too (usually purchased seperately) for airing up tires, beach balls, etc. Get a tank and run airtools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juan Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 I have use ARB lockers in the front an rear of my jeeps and I can vouch for their durability and excellent customer satisfaction. In the front I would highly recomment a selectable locker - one that you can turn on and off at will. good luck, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmoore2 Posted February 27, 2013 Author Share Posted February 27, 2013 yeah thats what i would like to do.... But they are a grand.. :doh: I will litterly get killed by the wife if I spend all of the money i want to. With a spartan i still have to buy a carrier. anyone use a Eaton Detroit Truetrac Differential Steel 912A585 Dana 30 27 Spline Image not availablePhotos not available for this variation<style type="text/css">.vi-hide-mImgThr {display: none;}</style><img id="icImg" class="img img500" itemprop="image" src="http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Eaton-Detroit-Truetrac-Differential-Steel-912A585-Dana-30-27-Spline-/00/s/NDAwWDMzOQ==/z/yjUAAMXQAwNRD9no/$(KGrHqRHJEcFEKzI)iDhBRD9noiwkw~~60_12.JPG" style="" clk="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmoore2 Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 Decided to go with front locker.... Now which one is the question.... Looking at about a 400 dollar budget Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 In that price range I would go with a Spartan or an Aussie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Spartans from rockuto.com can be had for less than $300 ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Aussie is $249. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 When I was pricing my lockers the Aussie came out the same as the Spartans once you factor in shipping. I was just looking and it would be $275 shipped for the Aussie, which is a little more then I payed for the Spartan. But it appears the spartans have gone up a lot since I bought mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmoore2 Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 are there any advantages to a full case locker like a grizzly or detroit vs the aussie or spartans which go in a carrier? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepman Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 If You can Go Selectable... I have the a Spartan in the Front and Rear and If I didnt have the Front Alloy USA Locking Hub Conversion I would have removed it RIGHT away but I have a NON Disco Axle... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmoore2 Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 The selectable are just so expensive..... What's wrong with the Spartan? That was actually the way i was going to go. What are disco axles????? I have no clue if I have them or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFAComanche6 Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 If You can Go Selectable... I have the a Spartan in the Front and Rear and If I didnt have the Front Alloy USA Locking Hub Conversion I would have removed it RIGHT away but I have a NON Disco Axle... Why not just weld the spider gears and get that disconnect cable by Alloy USA? The selectable are just so expensive..... What's wrong with the Spartan? That was actually the way i was going to go. What are disco axles????? I have no clue if I have them or not. By "disco" they mean front disconnect, front axles (at least stock Dana 30s) came with a vacuum disconnecting system to unlock the hubs. The vacuum hoses come out of a switch on the transfer case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmoore2 Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 Mine is stock at the moment so i am assuming that its "disco". Everyone else is saying the spartan in 2wd you can't even tell its there. I just cannot afford a selectable one right now. Hope i don't have a bunch of problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 The spartan is invisible in 2wd with or without a disco. Unless someone has deleted it or swapped in a later XJ axle you most likely have a CAD. This also means you have 260 u joints in your axle,I suggest if you want a locker you should look into getting rid of the CAD and get some one piece shafts with bigger u joints. Or at least track down some 95 YJ cad shafts with the larger 297 u joints. The 260s won't like the added stress of a locker. The biggest advantage to a full case locker is it is much stronger then the stock carrier which helps with gear deflection which can be an issue in the D30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepman Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Well maybe with the axle Disconnect you won't notice it but If you do not have the disconnect you will and it is not safe at all on the road when it gets slippery out. I would never weld the spiders or ever suggest someone do it but that's me I prefer to do things properly but it is a very cheap way to go if done correctly. I am pretty sure If your truck had the 231 then you will have the disco but if you have the 242 then it is non disco. I installed the non disco axle in my truck when I did the 4x4 conversion. For me and my setup I am not at all happy with the front being locked with any lunch box locker so it is not a Spartan locker issue as I love the one in my rear D44a but just not for the front. I will be removing it as I would rather keep my locking hubs over the lunch box locker. But then again I will be going to different axles in the near future so I may live with it this way for a little while longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Why not just weld the spider gears and get that disconnect cable by Alloy USA? This is a hack job mod. Do you know how a cad axle locks the 2 piece shafts? There is a tiny little collar that slides over the two halves locking the shafts together, by welding the gears you are putting a huge amount of stress on that little collar when in 4wd. Plus you will still have the weak 260 jounts. You will be way ahead ditching the cad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmoore2 Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 I suggest if you want a locker you should look into getting rid of the CAD and get some one piece shafts with bigger u joints. Or at least track down some 95 YJ cad shafts with the larger 297 u joints. Is this a really expensive upgrade as money is starting to wear thin.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFAComanche6 Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 This is a hack job mod. Do you know how a cad axle locks the 2 piece shafts? There is a tiny little collar that slides over the two halves locking the shafts together, by welding the gears you are putting a huge amount of stress on that little collar when in 4wd. Plus you will still have the weak 260 jounts. You will be way ahead ditching the cad Good point...bad idea from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmoore2 Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 Well maybe with the axle Disconnect you won't notice it but If you do not have the disconnect you will and it is not safe at all on the road when it gets slippery out. I would never weld the spiders or ever suggest someone do it but that's me I prefer to do things properly but it is a very cheap way to go if done correctly. I am pretty sure If your truck had the 231 then you will have the disco but if you have the 242 then it is non disco. I installed the non disco axle in my truck when I did the 4x4 conversion. For me and my setup I am not at all happy with the front being locked with any lunch box locker so it is not a Spartan locker issue as I love the one in my rear D44a but just not for the front. I will be removing it as I would rather keep my locking hubs over the lunch box locker. But then again I will be going to different axles in the near future so I may live with it this way for a little while longer. I would rather spend the money and do it right. I am no where even close to a mechanic so i have to pay for labor. So i would rather do it right once. Do you just not like full time lockers in the front? I am thinking of getting a full case locker. They just look more durable. But I cannot afford the selectable what i really want. We play in the mud and ride pretty steep trails which I think a locker would really benefit me. We rarely get snow so driving on the road in 4wd will be very rare. Pretty sure a locked rear will get me home safely. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 I have a non cad D30 with a Spartan in my MJ, in 2wd you wouldnt know its in there. I also know several people with them and thay all say the same thing. As for upgrading axles its cheap depending how you do it. Some people just convert the cad axle to the stronger shafts,on mine I bought a late model XJ axle for $150 and bolted it in. You can also get aftermarket shafts that are even stronger but the prices start getting up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmoore2 Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 Sweet.... Does not sound really labor intensive.... Are they a direct bolt in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepman Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 A non disco front axle swap is easy to do. For me I went with the spartan because it was cheap and I expect to swap out the axle to another so I didn't want to spend too much money on the old D30. The full time locker is ok but just not nice in the corners when the wheels are more fully locked as the u-joints bind up and cause a shake otherwise in 4wd it works great but pulls unpredictably in either direction. The selectable lockers are not much more then a full carrier locker. I would probably go auburn e-locker for the front if I were to keep the D30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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