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Locker or LSD?

O

obaa-xj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
PNW
I've got a '90 5spd/231. I'm about to replace a (ready to explode) D35 with an open 29 spline 8.25. Before it goes in, I'm thinking of adding a locker or lsd.
This rig is a daily driver. In the mornings, I need to drive ~15 miles over some twisty backroads to drop my kids off, and then another ~15 miles on the freeway to get to work. During the winter, the backroad portion often gets snow/black ice before the rest of the area due to elevation changes. With the trak-lok D35, I have needed to use 4wd during the winter the last couple of years. (For those familiar with the PDX area, the commute is over Cornelius Pass or Skyline/Germantown to Hwy 30).
While a locker would be nice, I'm really concerned about it getting squirrelly on the backroads. So I'm thinking a lsd might be a better choice? Ideally, either one would be something I can install myself without upset the gears or requiring more than basic mechanical work.
Any recs would be appreciated...
 
i know the stretch of road your talking about, like the back of my hand, I used to live in rock creek, and travel to Montgomery park, daily..

My rig has spartan lockers, the rear one seems to be very predictable, but i have yet to use the rear locker in a snow situation, My thoughts are, the rear would be much more predictable then the front being locked.. at this point, i would go with a locker in the rear.. but thats if you actually use it offroad?
 
A lunch box would be your only choice if you don't want to do gear work.


Cherokee's are for kids and women. Grown ups wheel Wranglers!
 
BoringDave said:
A lunch box would be your only choice if you don't want to do gear work.


Cherokee's are for kids and women. Grown ups wheel Wranglers! :looser:
Click to expand...

Then why are you on an XJ forum?? :twak:
 
if its a 231 and your looking at more traction but w/o loss of stability.and your dealing with mostly snow/ice that caues the problems. id start doing some resherch on tires. i think you may get a better bennifit out of new shoes than a locker. something more suited to your specific needs.

Bronze.

JeepCherokeeGuy99 said:
Then why are you on an XJ forum?? :twak:
Click to expand...

hang out in the NWC more often. you will get usto us round here. dave does need to make it his signature tough.
 
Haha ohhh gotcha!
 
Wow; you guys know exactly which roads I'm talking about. As you know, a 10-15 min difference in the morning makes all the difference between wet and ice.
I pulled the axle shafts out of the 8.25 in order to change the axle seals. I figured while it's open, and before it goes on, I might drop in a simple TAD, but not if it requires removing the carrier or reseting the gears.
I'm good with putting in a locker, provided the "banging" isn't too loud when cornering (want to avoid waking the kids in case they doze off), and as long as the locking doesn't make it handle weird when the road surface transitions (I suppose if it were ice, a lsd would do the same as locker, right?).
I think the Auburn, Detroit, and True Trac are all drop-in. I had not heard of the spartan until it was mentioned just now. Is it pretty quiet and reliable?
 
obaa-xj said:
Wow; you guys know exactly which roads I'm talking about. As you know, a 10-15 min difference in the morning makes all the difference between wet and ice.
I pulled the axle shafts out of the 8.25 in order to change the axle seals. I figured while it's open, and before it goes on, I might drop in a simple TAD, but not if it requires removing the carrier or reseting the gears.
I'm good with putting in a locker, provided the "banging" isn't too loud when cornering (want to avoid waking the kids in case they doze off), and as long as the locking doesn't make it handle weird when the road surface transitions (I suppose if it were ice, a lsd would do the same as locker, right?).
I think the Auburn, Detroit, and True Trac are all drop-in. I had not heard of the spartan until it was mentioned just now. Is it pretty quiet and reliable?
Click to expand...

Lockers in ice, Can be scary, so an LSD might be a better solution for you, The problem i am having is i think you have a pretty narrow selection for an 8.25..

Full case lockers such as a Detroit, Auburn, ARB or Yukon Grizzly, will require professional install for gear pattern..

Lunchbox lockers, Such as Aussie locker, Spartan Locker, Lockright.. Can all be installed into the factory Carrier by removal of spider Gears..

I'm not familiar with anyone making a drop in LSD.. I think you may be out of luck with that.. Maybe someone else can chime in?
 
Auburn makes a LSD for the 8.25 that is a carrier replacement. The 8.25 will require some grinding on the inside of the housing for the LSD clearance. Other than that its just a drop in unit and reset backlash.
 
If I was daily driving an XJ like you are discussing I think I would wait and install a selectable in the rear. I think you would find it much more predictable and much safer on the road.

I have driven LSD's, lockers, and Spools in the snow and Ice and every vehicle with every tire, wheelbase, etc acts differently it is not as easy as saying a LSD would be better or a Locker would work fine. You really need to consider all of the sircumstances.

Just my opinion.
Michael
 
Just to add my 2¢ to this....

Im a believer that an lsd on ice is just as predictable/squirly as a locker. both my old ford truck and mustang had lsd's and whenit iced over(in pittsburgh) it was the same as when I drove a buddy's cherokee with a locker on ice. His was an aussie. Under light acceleration they acted very much as if it was an open diff, though when you got on it even just a liittle bit both axles would come together and it could get a bit more sideways, but you knew what it was going to do. Depending on the cost of both (dont know the cost of that lsd) id say just go with a locker. Selectable would be best though imho.
 
I'm running 32" BFG ATs. They seem to be decent in snow; much better than the Wrangler MT/Rs they replaced.
It sounds like I need to search for the lunchbox style. Reseting the backlash is the same as setting the gear pattern, right? I know I can't do that properly, which is why this current swap is needed.... :doh:
I appreciate the comments about a switchable locker, but that's way out of the budget (roughly $400-500 is my cap). If I can't find a drop in lsd (I thought maybe the truetrac is drop-in?), then I'm looking for a quiet locker. I thought there was something called a soft-lock, which wasn't as jarring when it locked on road?
Thanks for the comments; keep 'em coming. :)
 
I think your best option would be a selectable locker, if you can fork out the cash for one. Open dif for the regular driving, but locked if you come to some tough slow speed stuff or get stuck.
 
The ONLY option for drop-in without resetting gear backlash, etc. is a "lunchbox" locker such as the Aussie. While resetting backlash and preload is somewhat simple on an 8.25, it does require some knowledge/skill. In your scenario, I would save my pennies for a selectable rear.
 
I would really like to get a selectable locker, but it's not in the budget (at all), and I do want to have something in before the weather changes. I think an lsd most likely would be better for my needs, but I don't think there is a drop-in option (I haven't seen one, but please let me know if there is).
So it looks like I'm going with a drop-in locker. It seems the options are Aussie and Lockright. Spartan doesn't make one for the 8.25 according to their website. What's the preferred locker? I'd prioritize silent and smooth over absolute durability; this is my DD and I can't thrash it that hard since I'll need it to get to work.
 
Avanteone said:
Aussie and Lockright function the same, with my experience being the Aussie is SLIGHTLY less noticeable.
Click to expand...

I agree. I have aussie's front and rear. When driving to and from work and around town in 2wd I never really notice the rear. It rever ratchets or clicks or cherps around corners. Unless I make it on tight turns. Parking lots and such. But ofroad and in low traction situations they are the best. If I were you i'd go lsd in the rear and locker in the front. Just my $.02

Sent from my mind cause I'm so Awesome.
 
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