Question on lockers

If you're going to install only one locker, would doing the front or rear be better for offroading? Or do you have to install front and rear at the same time? i would think front because its going to meet the terrain that you need traction on first, am i correct?

Also, if i dont intend to do any rock crawling, is it still a good thing to spend money on?

thanks in advance!

Do you wheel at all? If not, you may not even need one, as a slightly modified XJ with open differentials is still a very capable vehicle. But if you want one, Id put one in the back first personally. You dont have to put one in each differential at the same time...that doesnt matter. I see you are in New York, so you might see some ice. If you get one in the front, definitely get a selectable locker (like an ARB) so you can turn it on or off depending on conditions...

Every post I have seen on this subject has about 100 opinions for either. I personally locked the front first because my rig is a DD and we rarely see much snow here in the puget sound region. I wouldn't neccessarly agree about needing a selectable in the front, because when the vehicle is not in 4wd an auto locker (ie. lunchbox) will never engage and will be completely transparent a rear will not. Problem with locking the rear is that you will have to put up with the locker quirks on everyday driving. We had a freak 1' of snow this past december and even with the locker engaged I never had a problem driving with it. Hope this helps a little. Run a search on the subject and like I mentioned above the merits of both have been hashed out many times

I did my front first, I like to play on stuff, really help me get up onto things like rocks and ledges, hillclimbs kick ass now.

I vote REAR!, I lock my ARB in the rear all the time (Off road) with no negative effects.
I only lock the front when I am going straight & very slow (through nasty mud holes & stuff), It is much harder to steer with the front locked.

Im pretty sure a front locker will only be transparent if you have a disconnect D30. If you dont, dont get a non-selectable front.

XJ_Otto said:

Im pretty sure a front locker will only be transparent if you have a disconnect D30. If you dont, dont get a non-selectable front.

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well, they are only supposed to be locked if you are on the gas so it should ratchet around turns

The way the racheting lockers work, the only time they engage is when they are driven by the ring gear. The center pin rides in a oval hole created by the two opposing halves of the locker mechanism. When undriven, the ramps on the locker teeth fight the springs and allow the two axle shafts to move independent of each other. When there is power applied by the driveshaft, the center pin spreads the inner havles apart by the above mentioned oval and locks everthing together. So long and short of it even with a non-disco D30 you never feel the locker there in 2wd. Only way you can tell its there is that you can somtimes hear it clicking in tight parking lot turns.

XJ_Otto said:

Im pretty sure a front locker will only be transparent if you have a disconnect D30. If you dont, dont get a non-selectable front.

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I installed a 2wd lo kit to compliment my non selectable, for them tight spots.

MahnkenVille said:

...,would doing the front or rear be better for offroading? Or do you have to install front and rear at the same time?

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If you're not planning to re-gear any time soon, take your pick. "Locker in the front will be less noticeable ON-Road(If you've never driven a locker equipped truck on road, there are some quirks )
But do some research here. What gears do you have, and what rear axle do you have? Are you planning to re-gear any time soon? The carrier break for the front axle is 3.55/3.73. The carrier break for the rear depends on the axle. If you want to re-gear later, and have a a Cry 8.25, do the rear first, as the locker you get will work for any gears you buy.(carrier break for a 8.25 is around 2.54; any gear in a jeep is already lower then that, so it doesn't matter)
If you're planning on re-gearing soon, save up and do it all the same time. Doing a locker install (labor) is about 1/2 the price of a full gear setup. It's bad enough to pay for the locker install, then turn around and pay to re-setup for gears, you may end up buying a new locker because the new gears need a new carrier.

MahnkenVille said:

Also, if i dont intend to do any rock crawling, is it still a good thing to spend money on?

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A locker(front or rear) will make a serious improvement off-road. I locked my CJ-5(rear) and almost quit using 4WD. If you don't do a lot of off-road, and don't go in the rocks, you might consider a Detroit Tru-Trac(gear driven limited slip)

Most people here will say get the locker, but the L/S preforms extremely well as long as you keep both tires on the ground.

thanks for the clear up guys. My bad.

its a 96 w/ D30/D35 completely stock at the moment. the plan is for 3" and 31s and to make it more capable for overall wheeling. i'll probably end up trying most terrain situations at some point, but for the most part it'll be a DD and do dirt/woods/etc...

I see you are in New York, so you might see some ice. If you get one in the front, definitely get a selectable locker (like an ARB) so you can turn it on or off depending on conditions...

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yes, we have a heck of a lot of snow and ice... i was looking at the OX and ARB and they both look nice, but i like the ARB's price a little better. From what i've read, non-selectables end up bringing premature gear and tire wear for daily drivers, so i'm pretty sure i'm not interested in a non-selectable..and i hear they can be a bit sketchy in snow and ice too.

If you're not planning to re-gear any time soon, take your pick.

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A regear isnt in the plans yet, mostly because its kinda expensive... stock gearing on 31s is okay, or so i've heard?


I'll definitely try what i plan to wheel without a locker, and see if i need one.

i have stock 3.55's and 31's and its not bad at all.

ok good, thats what i thought.

I'll start without one, and if i feel i need one or come into some cash, i'll go for it. The more i read about them, the more the OX appeals to me because its so simple. anyone know how much one of these would cost?

$1000 - give or take

anyone have an ECTED? the price is better than the ox and ARB, and it's still a selectable locker.

just did a TON of searching, reading, and whatnot. sounds like the ECTED is exactly what i'm looking for. When i save up enough i'm thinking ected in front and aussie in rear.

thanks to everyone for clearing up my questions (its because of this that i'll be becoming a red-letter member as soon as i hold the title to my XJ.)

MahnkenVille said:

just did a TON of searching, reading, and whatnot. sounds like the ECTED is exactly what i'm looking for. When i save up enough i'm thinking ected in front and aussie in rear.

thanks to everyone for clearing up my questions (its because of this that i'll be becoming a red-letter member as soon as i hold the title to my XJ.)

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I do mine the other way around, the ECTED in the rear and the selectable if front (if I ever get back to the US). The ECTED was installed last February. I have not put a lot of miles on it. Been working out of the US now 10 months.

Yeah, I see how that might be better for me as well. If I had the Aussie in the rear, it'd be running on snow and ice all winter. If I put it in the front, I won't have to worry about it being sketchy on snow and ice unless I put it in 4wd.

Does everyones front locker chatter really easily? I was driving my buddies open diff front end on 33's and it doesn't chatter at all. Mine (on the stock 225.75.15's) chatters with anything more then idle when going thru mud with any kind of turning of the wheel. Tips or tricks on how to get rid of the chatter? It feels like a super violent wheel hop out of the front end. If it is wheel hop, Could we adjust the shocks like you do on the pavement pounders?