The mall crawler needs lockers - I searched

Okay so I searched between the different locker threads and didn't come up with something simple enough for my newbie brain.
I just bought a 96 with about 8'' of lift, 35'' tsl's, roof rack, four real bumper with Piaa lights and underbody skids. So in my opinon the truck has everything I want and it costed me less than building up my 91. The only thing I need now is some education and guidance on what my locker choices are. I like evrything to be nice and neat and accessible from the cab, so I wanted to do the rancho adjustable shocks that can be adjusted in cab and also a set of lockers that can be actuated from the cab as well.
Being that my knowledge is somewhat limited... well, rather limited... I am basically just catalog shopping for now and seeing the air lockers and the ected electronic lockers. Which of these would be best and why? What are the other options? Considering the fact that I like the jeep to be clean im not too keen on hearing an air compressor come on when i turn on the lockers... does that happen with the air locker style? Keep in mind that I drive the jeep to and from work, about 350 miles per week and at some point I want to drive it out to colorado or Utah. I don't neccessarily want to spend a ridiculous amount of money, but $1,500-$2,500 installed is acceptible.
Any advice you could lend would be great. Feel free to do as much explaining about how the lockers actually function as you'd like. Im ready to absorb any and all opinions and facts in an effort to make an educated buy.

Thanks!

Full carrier detroits. No muss, no fuss just drive.

You are talking ~$1500 or so installed.

I would go with air lockers since this option gives you On board air. The compressor should have a pressure switch and would cut on and off at certain psi... it would run more while the lockers where in use but as long as the system is sealed it shouldnt run very often... it depends on the size tank you use... I know nothing about electronic lockers but my vote is for Air locker for the back and a auto locker for the front.... you should be able to have all that installed for around 2,500 depending on local install fees.

Thanks guys, Muss and fuss? If flipping a switch is considered muss and fuss im okay with that.

Okay so what is an auto locker?

Like I said, talk slow and over explain.
LOL

an auto locker is made to go in the front axle. You install it and forget that is there... it require no human interface. When you're jeep is in 2hi the front locker will be invisible... When you're in 4wd the locker will be a full locker and when turning it slips but only when it must! Look for a Lock-Rite you can pick one of those up for about 250... sorry im not very good at explaining stuff... I assume you still have the Dana 30 axle up front and the Chryco 8.25 in the back?

lowrange2 said:

an auto locker is made to go in the front axle. You install it and forget that is there... it require no human interface. When you're jeep is in 2hi the front locker will be invisible... When you're in 4wd the locker will be a full locker and when turning it slips but only when it must! Look for a Lock-Rite you can pick one of those up for about 250... sorry im not very good at explaining stuff... I assume you still have the Dana 30 axle up front and the Chryco 8.25 in the back?

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You can install an auto locker in any axle. It requires no button pushing or switches, you just install it and forget it. Detroits, aussies, lock rights, etc are auto lockers. When you push the gas pedal, both tires spin with traction.

A selectable locker works only when you engage it. When you have it in open mode, the vehicle has an open differential. When you engage it, it locks both wheels together and when you push the gas pedal both tires spin.

I mean no offense but if you have to ask what a locker is you probably don't need one.
"Mall crawler"? Lockers won't change the looks of it so why worry?

Anyway.
An auto-locker uses gears and springs to detect when one wheel is just spinning / slipping, and then it "locks" to one degree or another - some are fully locked, some still allow a bit of wheel slip, but both wheels will begin to turn evenly or more evenly. In the front you will not notice this unless in 4wd, since the differential is under no load in 2wd.
In the rear, this will only kick in while driving in mud, heavy rain or snow / slush. If you are not used to driving RWD vehicles and especially auto-lockers in RWD, you may run into trouble. When both wheels start turning evenly, meaning the auto-locker auto-locks, whether front or rear the result may be a loss of traction in BOTH tires. Back end starts to fishtail OR front end gets "pushed" down the road with a loss of steering.

Air lockers require on-board air and many people report problems with air lines leaking. They are, however, fully selectable and when you don't have it in "lock" it drives like a regular car.

ECTED lockers are more reliable than air lockers but their "default" or non-locked mode is like an auto locker and may cause you trouble if you don't know how to drive it.

OX lockers are strictly mechanical, default to "regular car" characteristics and are selectable. Stop the car, pull a lever, you are locked up.

ECTED, OX and Air Lockers are all around 700 just for parts.

You probably want to invest in some chromed wheels rather than locked rears...

Yes correct. I want a good setup. I don't like to skimp on the jeep. Is the auto locker as good as just doing air locker front and back? And the reason you're reccommending an air locker is because I get onboard air... you mean the ability to run air tools or air up tires?

If so, thats pretty cool.

KarlVP said:

You can install an auto locker in any axle. It requires no button pushing or switches, you just install it and forget it. Detroits, aussies, lock rights, etc are auto lockers. When you push the gas pedal, both tires spin with traction.

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Yeah i guess i did make it sound like you can't get an auto locker for the back... you can use them but if you can afford a selectable then i wouldnt consider an auto inthe rear...

yossarian19 said:

I mean no offense but if you have to ask what a locker is you probably don't need one.
"Mall crawler"? Lockers won't change the looks of it so why worry? ...

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So you're saying that back when you knew very little about lockers that meant you didnt need one? He didnt ask what a locker was he only wanted better info from experience, just like MOST people in here! Great Info on the locker but seems like a strange assumption on you're part... :gee:

I suggest an air locker in the back simply because i like having OBA, thats why i choose Air over electric. I would never use an auto locker in the rear because you CAN'T dissengage it while driving on the road... In the end it won't hurt anything but it clicks and pops while going around corneres and thats just annoying! A selectable in the rear is by far the BEST way to go. I sasy use the auto in the front mainly because it works just as well as the selectable except they cost a fraction of the price and when you are in 2wd you can't even tell that the auto locker is up there... There is really no need for selectable up front with the Dana30 setup... You never said wether you still have the factory axles or not...

well you said its a mall crawler. if thats the case, and you want to spend a lot of money on lockers, just to show off the switches, and say you have them, then by all means, go ahead and do it.

but to be honest with you, ive spent 500 on both my lockers (aussie d30, lockrite ford 8.8) and for what it is, it will go everywhere that somebody with a similar rig with selectable lockers will go. im locked front and rear, and theyre locked front and rear....difference is, i spend atleast 1000 less then them, and the install was done by myself, and was pretty easy.

yossarian19 said:

You probably want to invest in some chromed wheels rather than locked rears...

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Chrome sucks. Lockers good. On-board air and air lockers best. If you're making a run out to Colorado or Utah, you're likely going to be up against dry and sandy, or wet and goopy-muddy situations (if you're having the RIGHT amount of fun, that is) where you're going to want to let some air out of those fat tires so you don't get stuck easily. You'll need the compressor to pressure back up for your drive back to the watering hole.

Just my $.02.

Matt

I'm not saying an auto gives worse performance that a selectable off road, but if he's got 2500 to drop on it then im steering him towards the best.... ARB sells an upgraded compressor that is awesome! Not sure about the CFM but it's decent... I have a Viair compress that works GREAT!

On a later note just because he CALLED it a mall crawler doesn't mean he's not going to do any offroading! It is possible to have a GOOD LOoKING and CAPABLE rig on the same set of tires!

lowrange2 said:

So you're saying that back when you knew very little about lockers that meant you didnt need one? He didnt ask what a locker was he only wanted better info from experience, just like MOST people in here! Great Info on the locker but seems like a strange assumption on you're part... :gee:

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Didn't mean to ruffle anyones feathers. I stand by my assessment though. Most drivers will never need lockers and I don't have the impression he is interested in hardcore rock crawling - maybe I'm wrong there though. Judicious use of brake and gas pedals will suffice for snow driving and I didn't hear him mention mud or rock gardens.

Wow great responses. In my defense, I call it a mall crawler because its not locked yet so you wont see me doing any "real" wheeling until it is. And why in the world would somoene spen $2k on switches?! Comon man im not a total idiot am looking for SOME functionality. LOL but i understand you were poking fun thats fine.

Okay so back to the lockers... Heres what im after (in idiot language). Completely stock driving charecteristics when not engaged, fully locked when engaged, quiet action, clean install ie- no loud compressor in the trunk area. Is this possible or am I going to give up SOME drivability to have the quiet engagement?

Oh, chrys 8.25 rear, stock front. And yes I AM interested in rock crawling, just don't want to do it until the rig is finished is all.

Get OX lockers for quiet operation, stock onroad driving and fully-locked capability. ECTED makes a front-locker kit but I don't think they have anything for the 8.25" rear - check up on that. OX or ECTED will fit the bill for you.
Onboard air is still a great thing to have, though, so you might want to invest in a compressor to use only when you want to and have it silent while you lock the front and rear.

Well, if you really want selectable, ARB is the only choice for the 8.25. Since you'll need the compressor etc... anyway, just get them front and rear.

If you add an air tank, and make sure there are no leaks, you will not have to hear the compressor too often.

ARB lockers are good and yes they are an air compressed locker, but you have to worry with OBA and leaking lines. My vote is for OX cable locker. just throwing that out there.

Sure enough ected doesn't have an 8.25 option according to quadratec. Okay so that'll have to go in the front. So, for the rear... shouid I just save the money and go fulltime? Guess it's up to the driver prefrence eh?
Okay so does OX make an electronic selectable locker or is it ONLY cable operated? Nevermind I just ansered that.... it shows on their website that either they don't have the option for a chrys 8.25 or they don't show it on their site.

So what now? Is there not a quiet engagement option for the rear??