limited slip/locker??

i am in the market for a limited slip or locker for my 90xj. i put on mostly highway miles but would like to make my xj more trailworthy. i was also wondering if i should put it in the front or rear?? i have a stock D30 upfront and D35 in the rear. any suggestions would be a great help..
Brian

schaff90xj said:

i am in the market for a limited slip or locker for my 90xj. i put on mostly highway miles but would like to make my xj more trailworthy. i was also wondering if i should put it in the front or rear?? i have a stock D30 upfront and D35 in the rear. any suggestions would be a great help..
Brian

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There's been a couple of very informative and entertaining threads on this in the last weeek or so. Lot's of opinions and experiences.

yes i think that i have read most of them..the other thing that i could use some help with is whether to install the front or rear first..any pros or cons?? i drive on alot of snow and icy roads..??

schaff90xj said:

yes i think that i have read most of them..the other thing that i could use some help with is whether to install the front or rear first..any pros or cons?? i drive on alot of snow and icy roads..??

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Even more opinions on this subject throughout the board. I am ordering up my locker this week(lock-right) for the front. My previous rig(1975 CJ-5) was locked front and rear. I would suggest(imho) to lock the front. This way you will not feel it's effects while in 2 wheel drive. But when you need to engage 4 wheel it is there and ready. Driving with a locker is a new experience. It affects your steering a bit in turns and on the trail will cause a few more 3 point turns. Not a bad thing, just something to get used to. In addition they can be a bit un-nerving when first hearing them spin up and engage or release. Not bad, just different. You will learn what is "normal" and what doesn't sound right. I also think after driving with lockers that they are no substitute for experience trail driving. A locker has the potential to break stuff if you are not actively thinking while running a trail. I also drive in snow and ice, first week or so with the rear locker taught me to pay alot of attention to my gas pedal and how and when I use it on the ice. bottom line, good skills aren't gained by adding good equipment. best option albeit pricey is a manual locker YOU can engage when needed. do some research on Ox or ARB, I think Detroit has an electric as well.

david.

What is wrong with a good limited slip. In my opinion (which is an inexperienced one on this matter) I would think a good limited slip would be the right choice for a moderate offroader. If your driving your rig 90% of the time on the road but would like some additional traction when you do venture to nasty places, why would a limited slip not be the right answer. It seems a locker is more suited to those who really do use their Jeeps for offroading and not for those who like to pretend they do. For the pretenders wouldn't a good limited slip be the way to go? Also what are some good recommended limited slip setups?

Shifty said:

What is wrong with a good limited slip. In my opinion (which is an inexperienced one on this matter) I would think a good limited slip would be the right choice for a moderate offroader. If your driving your rig 90% of the time on the road but would like some additional traction when you do venture to nasty places, why would a limited slip not be the right answer. It seems a locker is more suited to those who really do use their Jeeps for offroading and not for those who like to pretend they do. For the pretenders wouldn't a good limited slip be the way to go? Also what are some good recommended limited slip setups?

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Nothing is "wrong" with a good limited slip. I would however submit that lockers today are not the same as they were a few years ago....auto-lockers, manual lockers have given the part-time offroaders the ability to have a dd with no ill effects that have been sometimes associated with lockers. But when they venture offroad they have they full capability to use a locked diff. I guess I would say it this way, why go to a "limited(key word) slip" when you have the option of a auto-locker that detects torque being applied and engages it's lock? I drive my XJ 74 miles rt everyday. I drove my CJ 37 miles rt trip everyday. But when I hit the trail I have/had locked diffs to maximize traction. Limited slip works for some, great!!!! Merely trying to give another perspective that works for me.

Shifty said:

What is wrong with a good limited slip. In my opinion (which is an inexperienced one on this matter) I would think a good limited slip would be the right choice for a moderate offroader. If your driving your rig 90% of the time on the road but would like some additional traction when you do venture to nasty places, why would a limited slip not be the right answer. It seems a locker is more suited to those who really do use their Jeeps for offroading and not for those who like to pretend they do. For the pretenders wouldn't a good limited slip be the way to go? Also what are some good recommended limited slip setups?

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Most limited slips will actually handle like a locker in very low traction situations such as icy roads, because the clutch plates are pre-loaded all the time.
If you're planning on putting a l/s in the front, and drive on slick roads in 4wd a lot, you're going to be in for a surprise, and not a pleasant one at that.
All i'm saying is some people do not like the change in on- road handling when they upgrade to a l/s especially in the front...
Selectable lockers is the way to go, if you can afford it.

Is there a locker on the market that will progressively lock. The bombardier 4 wheelers will do this. When no slippage occurs it acts like an open diff. When slippage occurs the differential will progressively lock to a full 50/50 split if need be.