Tires Lockers Question

I will be in the market for some new tires in February/March. I currently have TSL Radials and am happy with them. I drive about 6,000 miles a year with about 5,000 on the road and 1,000 off the road. I was thinking of going with some more aggressive bias ply Super Swampers, but I don't want to be buying tires every year. What can I expect for mileage with this kind of use with the different Swampers Interco sells? I bought the ones I have used and he had no idea how many miles were on them. I've gone from about 65% tread to 50% tread in the 5,000-6,000 miles I have owned them.

Secondly, I may be into getting a locker in the near future. I drive mostly mud and/or slick trails while offroading. Would a rear or front locker be more benificial to the type of terrain I drive? I have stock 3.55 gears on 33s, should I forget about the locker and get the gears first? I had a limited slip in my old D35 and I deffinitely notice a difference between that and the open 8.25 I replaced it with.

Sorry for the long post, I have been thinking about this stuff for some time and don't really know how to go forward with it. Thanks in advance for any info/advice you guys can offer.

gears and maybe find an Aggressive Radial?

for that a rear locker would be best, but if you get aussies you can get front and rear for like $500

I'm running Treadwright tires in the MT pattern on a BFG 3 ply sidewall carcas. You can get them in 33's for $90 per tire plus shipping (bout $15 per tire). I use em and they are as good as any tire I've ever used. They balanced better than any tire I've had. They are noisy.

The rear Aussie for the 8.25 will run you $320 delivered while the front Aussie for the D30 will cost you $260 delivered. Installing the rear is about a 90 minute job and will be worth every penny. I can't elaborate on the front install,,,,, yet, but hoping to snag one soon.

I'd go with a front locker before the rear. Consider regearing if you go to 33's, they suck with the stock gearing. Also, I wouldn't do 33's if your rear axle is a 27 spline 8.25.

Definitely go front over rear, you wont know its there on the highway and for the slick trails it will do you more good then the rear.

-Alex

for wheeling capabilities i would suggest going with the rear locker first

stay away from bias ply tires if you are primarily driving on the road. They can be a pain in ass to balance and can suffer from weird wear characteristics. Especially Interco tires. There are quite a few aggressive radial tires available that will cut it for you and still keep your street driving enjoyable.
Think about regearing for 33's. Think about upgrading to 29 spline shafts with your 8.25, if you don't already have em.
As for your locker, I'd suggest something in the rear first, but you'll get a mixed opnion here from others.

Whether you have the 242 or 231 tcase may influence your decision as to which diff you lock (front or rear) living in snow country. If you have 242/selectrac you would be better off open in front or maybe a limited slip.

My votes on a rear locker first. Just replace your tires w/ new tsl radials, unless your getting side wall flats or running bead locks and want to air down to 3psi there is no need for bias plys.

I have 32's and run 4.56 gears and a rear locker, with most of my driving on the street. Check out Kumho KL71 tires. I drive mostly on the street and they handle great at about 28psi. They also tear up any sort of terrain offroad aired down to around 12-13 psi. I'm talkin dirt, mud, and wet/dry rocks. I'd say stay away from bias ply tires since you drive on the street a lot. Gears will probably be most important to you, and might as well throw in an auto locker while you've got everything apart(no-slip, lock-right, or aussie depending on which 8.25 you have). Front or rear is your preference, but I'd much rather have a rear locker and I feel its done me better than a front locker would on the trails.

Take a look at this link, I asked a similar question a few weeks ago. I have since then decided to lock the front and rear with the Aussies the same time i regear to 4:56s. If for some reason i decide not to lock both i will be doing the rear first because of the terrain that i run. Hope this helps. http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=972987

Just wondering what you decided to go with??

Personally I wouldn't run a front locker on a fulltime d30.. but that's just me. I took a vac-disco housing for my front locker and ran a cable disco over the vac (98xj). If I had the choice I would do gears AND a locker at the same time.. so in your case it would be gears and TWO lockers.. I mean if you're ripping it apart you might as well do it only once, right?