which locker should I get?

[Mighty.Mighty_XJ]

This is a bit old ... don't know if the OP has yet bought his locker, but I'm running ECTED in the D30 & it's my only locker. I love it, and would have it no other way.
Word to the wise though ... the (very experienced) shop where I had the installation done has warned me that the ECTEDS don't do well with alloy shafts. In fact IIRC, Auburn Gear now has a disclaimer to that effect. And I have seen alloy shafts in a D44 sheared clean in 2 by the ECTED. I see you have alloy shafts so ...

Having said all that, my ECTED is here to stay regardless (I run stock shafts). My first one was used, worked great till it refused to disengage. Auburn gear sent me a brand new one, no questions asked, for less than 1/2 the price of new. Awesome service.

I plan on Ox for the rear.

 

[xj2tow]

I have the ECTED and can attest to it refusing to unlock. Normally it's more of an annoyance than anything else. The great thing about having a selectable locker is that you can lock it up to get through that tough section and then unlock it so you can make that switchback turn. When it does not unlock that switchback gets to be a bit more work. I think in the ECTED manual it actually says you may have to drive 10 yards to the left and 10 yards to the right to get it to unlock--good luck doing that on a trail!

I have an ECTED in the front and had an OX in the rear. I loved the Ox at first and hated the ECTED but I have changed my mind after running both for almost a year. The Ox worked flawlessly for months but then the cable came out of adjustment and randomly unlocked on a two day trip making for some interesting lines.

The ECTED always locks and stays locked until I flip the switch.

 

[mikedashg]

This is a bit old ... don't know if the OP has yet bought his locker, but I'm running ECTED in the D30 & it's my only locker. I love it, and would have it no other way.
Word to the wise though ... the (very experienced) shop where I had the installation done has warned me that [I]the ECTEDS don't do well with alloy shafts.[/I] In fact IIRC, Auburn Gear now has a disclaimer to that effect. And I have seen alloy shafts in a D44 sheared clean in 2 by the ECTED. I see you have alloy shafts so ...

Having said all that, my ECTED is here to stay regardless (I run stock shafts). My first one was used, worked great till it refused to disengage. Auburn gear sent me a brand new one, no questions asked, for less than 1/2 the price of new. Awesome service.

I plan on Ox for the rear.

Indeed, resurect! But funny it should, since I just put an Aussie in last Saturday.








Pretty much invisible on the street. Haven't tested it out yet off-road. A little bit of rachet sounding when I'm going slow on pavement and turning tight. But that's only with the stereo off . Oh wait, I don't have a stereo anymore. Damn, time to put one in again.


I never heard the ECTED ≠ Alloy shaft thing before. I'm running Alloy USA shafts up front. I wouldn't be running a locker up front if I wasn't running runny allow's with full circle 297 u joints. Just for breakage sake.

I really liked the idea of ected, but the cost + some first few bad eggs kinda turned me off. Mostly the cost thing. Maybe when I'm rich I'll get one.

 

[asp]

i've been trying to decide the same thing for myself and have been leaning towards the aussie also. only thing is in new england we have lots of snow. bury that sucker in mud and try to turn and let us know. i've heard the entire range, from "it will not turn well at all" to "man up, lock it, and wonder why you worried" i have a no-slip in the rear right now (8.25 29 spl...) and have absolutely no complaints. very predictable and reliable... anyway. good luck and i'll be waiting to hear how it goes.

 

[copbait]

Indeed, resurect! But funny it should, since I just put an Aussie in last Saturday.

cool beans, i'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on one for my d30.

you mentioned some noise, is that the only thing you notice in 2WD on the street? if it's making noise i guess that means it's engaging, so does that chirp tires and/or limit your turning radius at all?

 

[tomcat]

another vote for ARB.

all you guys talking about your airlines breaking?

take that blue line, and throw it in the trash where it belongs and get one of these:
http://www.rubiconexpress.com/Products.aspx?pn=1780&Vid=3A87745363047

or keep the blue line as a spare if you manage to break the braided stainless DOT approved airline listed above. i believe ARB sells a beefy line too, but the braided stainless matches my brakelines

 

[mikedashg]

cool beans, i'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on one for my d30.

you mentioned some noise, is that the only thing you notice in 2WD on the street? if it's making noise i guess that means it's engaging, so does that chirp tires and/or limit your turning radius at all?

Haven't noticed any turning radius or tire chirp on the street in 2wd. Maybe if I got on the throttle around the corners I could probably chirp a tire. I can do it with the rear detroit. But as I've only driven in twice for very short distances since the install. I'm taking it easy around the corners during it's BREAK in.

 

[mikedashg]

another vote for ARB.

all you guys talking about your airlines breaking?

take that blue line, and throw it in the trash where it belongs and get one of these:
http://www.rubiconexpress.com/Products.aspx?pn=1780&Vid=3A87745363047

or keep the blue line as a spare if you manage to break the braided stainless DOT approved airline listed above. i believe ARB sells a beefy line too, but the braided stainless matches my brakelines

Sweet! If I ever go to an ARB I'd be getting that for sure. Didn't know they had em.

 

[asp]

Sweet! If I ever go to an ARB I'd be getting that for sure. Didn't know they had em.

x2... me neither.

 

[copbait]

Haven't noticed any turning radius or tire chirp on the street in 2wd. Maybe if I got on the throttle around the corners I could probably chirp a tire. I can do it with the rear detroit. But as I've only driven in twice for very short distances since the install. I'm taking it easy around the corners during it's BREAK in.

Yea with the rear I could understand having that issue since that driveshaft is always working.


Not necessarily posed to you but anyone with knowledge:

Just having an aussie in the front though, will it ever engage while in 2WD, even if romping on the throttle around a corner? It was my (limited) understanding that it should only come into play when being driven by the driveshaft. Is that not the case?

What exactly are the internals doing when they are making noise while in 2WD?

 

[copbait]

Okay, I looked at some closeup pics of the design and did a lot more reading and I think I better understand how the internals are working while in 2WD.

Basically the normal state of the gears in the autolocker is to be locked, but since there is no torque being applied by the driveshaft in 2WD, those gears are allowed to "slip" quite easily so that one axle shaft can rotate faster when necessary, as in a sharp turn.

So theoretically an autolocker of similar design to an aussie should never adversely affect tire wear, cause binding, or limit turning abilities while in 2WD. If any of those things are happening, it is due to either a faulty install or an issue with the parts. I'm sure it's been said several times before, and it does sound simple when I read it aloud, but for some reason it just wasn't sinking in before. I was probably just overthinking things, when in fact this is a truly very very simple design.

Also, since this is going into a DD vehicle, I also believe it will be more beneficial to go with a front install rather than put one in my 8.25. I know it goes against conventional wisdom, but the argument that people typically use for going with one in the rear, I think is actually more of an argument to go with one up front anyway.

They claim that while climbing, the rear has more weight and thus better traction. All the more reason to use a front locker! I think you are better equalizing traction than trying to shift things even moreso towards the rear. At that point the rear doesn't need any more help.

Mark me down for one D30 aussie as well.