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33's or a locker?

Ramsey

Ramsey

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Shreveport, LA
right now i have 31x10.50's and a front locker. i am ready forthe next step and it is going to either be 33x12.50 or a rear locker. i have the gears and the clearance for the tires os that is not an issue. they both are gonna cost me about the same for new tires or for a powertrax no-slip. i just am wondering which would be most beneficial on the trail.
 
Ramsey said:
right now i have 31x10.50's and a front locker. i am ready forthe next step and it is going to either be 33x12.50 or a rear locker. i have the gears and the clearance for the tires os that is not an issue. they both are gonna cost me about the same for new tires or for a powertrax no-slip. i just am wondering which would be most beneficial on the trail.
Click to expand...

well it can almost go either way. But if it was me, I'd buy a rear locker first and worry about tires later (as those you can't really avoid and you need them sooner or later). Anyways I took my XJ locker F&R on 31's through the Con and even though I would have liked to have 33's there given the choice 31's and f&R locker or 33's and front only locked I'd do the 31's and F&R again.
 
Ramsey said:
right now i have 31x10.50's and a front locker. i am ready forthe next step and it is going to either be 33x12.50 or a rear locker. i have the gears and the clearance for the tires os that is not an issue. they both are gonna cost me about the same for new tires or for a powertrax no-slip. i just am wondering which would be most beneficial on the trail.
Click to expand...
where can you get 4 tires for the price of a powertrax locker? I want to order my next set from them too! I can get a powertrax locally for around $500 CDN, but 33s up here start at $150 apiece for cheap ones. My last MT/Rs cost me $180 apiece installed.
I would go for the locker instead of tires myself, like kejtar said, you HAVE to get tires now and then. The locker will add plenty of fun to your wheeling while you wear out those 31s.
 
what gears are you running?

because if you are getting 33's you need to re-gear those diff's and that is a prime time to install a locker.. thats why i am saving up and doing it all at once
 
get the locker and learn to drive with the 31's first, then jump up to the 33's do harder stuff with the 31's will make you a much better driver and teach you lines and control
 
whys that wierd? i have 4.56's so gears are good, in fact overgeared for the highway as its my dd. i can get 33" dunlops for about 85$ a piece through tirerack and my work. a locker is 350(no-slip which is what i will get) i have driven on the 31's and a locker for close to a year and feel it is time to move up with something so i can get to those harder trails that i just cant quite cut it on. if anyone has a used no-slip for a 8.25 29 spline let me know, ctavel i have that axle so i am good to go on everyend(gears clearance axle) so it is just a matter of choice. seems like a locker is the way to go. can anyone give me a reason to do tires instead? sure there is added clearance but the 4 locked wheels should drag me through. of course ultimately 33's and locked f/r will be awesome, but that has to wait a little longer. thanks for the input and anymore is very appreciated
 
8.25..... hmmm here's a thought: get the locker and shave the rear a bit to gain about 1/2" To 3/4" and reduce the rear lip overhang. So that gets you the increased clearance (with 33" you would get only 1" tops in rear extra anyways) as well as the locked rear.
 
thats a very good idea. what can it be cut with? i need to go ahead and do that anyways
 
well it will only be an open rear. my tires are getting kinda bare though, they will last longer and will still probably do fine, not to great in mud though. guess i will just have to wait till i get the money and see how bad the tires are at that point.
 
tires if your 31's are worn out...

i think lockers are for wenies!!!! ha ha ha ha open difs are king!

weld it!!!!

everyone's doing it....

cumon.... you cant get pregnant the first time!
 
really i cant the first? my mom will be glad to hear that. tires arent worn, but there getting there. i am gonna hopefully try and pull some money out of my ass and do both before the years end
 
Ramsey said:
thats a very good idea. what can it be cut with? i need to go ahead and do that anyways
Click to expand...
Angle grinder. Just be carefull and plan it right and don't take off too much (you want to leave the lower bolt hole intact and enought metal around it so that it survives the trail runs)
 
I think it is interesting that not a single person asked what you needed on the trail. Personally I would do the 33's before the locker for the wheeling that I do. But you are in La and so you might want something different.

My view is that you learn more with an open diff about driving than with lockers.

If you find yourself running out of clearance on the trail get the tires, if you find yourself running out of traction and have plenty of clearance then obviously the locker would be better.

One thing also to consider, the large tires will provide better protection from rocks, stumps, and other obstacles, and also protect the body more than the smaller tires. They will also match your gear ratio better for street driving and probably get you better performance and gas milage (negligable of course). The locker will only increase the likelyhood of breakage on the trail and extra tire wear on the street.

Just some thoughts from a lone one sided argument.

Michael
 
2xtreme said:
My view is that you learn more with an open diff about driving than with lockers.
....
One thing also to consider, the large tires will provide better protection from rocks, stumps, and other obstacles, and also protect the body more than the smaller tires. They will also match your gear ratio better for street driving and probably get you better performance and gas milage (negligable of course). The locker will only increase the likelyhood of breakage on the trail and extra tire wear on the street.
Click to expand...
Couple good points, but since he already has a front locker the learning factor is probalby well in the past already. Also with a lcoker you can drive with a bit more finesse and control and use a little less skinny pedal which reduces the likelyhood of damage.
 
Get the locker. You will love having lockers front and rear and that will make the most difference in your performance. Especially since you are looking at getting a locker in the rear axle. If you already had a rear locker and were thinking of getting a front locker, I would still say get a front locker over the 33's, but it would be a closer debate. With the 31's you are not losing any streetability and with the dual lockers you will be able to go just about anywhere in Louisiana no problem. It's not like you have the rock crawling stuff we have in Cali that you need more clearance. Your mostly mud terrain so try to get some used 33 super swampers (tsl's or boggers) in the future. Check pirate4x4.com for stuff. They lots of people buying and selling on that site.
Troy
 
no boggers for me, this is my dd and i just replaced both front hubs this weekend so i am kinda mad at mud right now. i usually wheel at barnwell and superlift park which is rocks and roots and trails with a little bit of mud thrown in. 2xtreme you did bring up some good points. there are actually some big ass rocks in hotsprings(superlift) wouldnt exactly call it slick rock though. if i was still focused on mainly mud then i would definetly get the 33's since the extra 2" in track would help sling a hell of a lot more mud.
 
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