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Thoughts on a Eaton E-Locker

Which would you choose?

  • ARB

    Votes: 29 35.4%

  • OX

    Votes: 7 8.5%

  • Eaton E-Locker

    Votes: 37 45.1%

  • Other

    Votes: 9 11.0%
  • Total voters
    82
jakeWI

jakeWI

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Wisconsin
I have been thinking about a selectable for the D30 for a while. I have been looking ARB, OX and Eaton E-locker. So far it seems all the prices are roughly the same with the E-Locker be generally a little cheaper.

The thing I am starting to like about the E-locker is that I wouldn't have to deal with the air lines, tank, compressor.

What are your opinions on the E-Locker? Any one have any experience running one?
 
I've been running them in my front and rear d44's since 2008. I 'em!
No compressor needed.
No airlines to leak, break, or melt.
No harness with multiple shitches that needs to modified to allow independant locker operation.
No O-Rings to fail.
No finicky cable/lever arrangement that only worked after being re-adjusted....constantly. (Yes I owned an OX Locker....worst purchase ever!!)

I've installed plenty of ARB's and even more E-Lockers. I've probably convinced 6-8 people to ditch their Air-Leaker plans and opt for E-Locker instead, and yes I've even replaced ARB's with E-lockers too.

Can you guess how I voted?
:)
 
Frank those have been the same thoughts I have been thinking about the E-Locker over the others. I just don't hear about a lot of people running them as much as I hear ARB. I didn't/don't know their reliability. Thats why all the input offered is awesome.
 
I am planing on ordering an e-locker in the next couple weeks. I should have my taxes back within the next week. I tried to get a price from one of our old vendors but never got a reply.

Any vendors we have PM me a price with the bearings needed for it shipped to 95355.
 
When I got my lockers I was going to buy ARB’s, the owner of the local gear shop told me that I wanted e-lockers instead. I went with his recommendation, love them, never had a problem with em, work flawlessly. He said that he has never had one come back.
 
The only thing I didn't like about the E-Locker, if you engaged the locker while moving it destroys the locker. Otherwise a good locker. I never engaged it while moving, read from instructions.
 
I've owned ARBs, Eaton E-lockers, Detroits, Spools, and a Lock-Right. I hope to never own another ARB. They are great when they work, but they are so complicated that they often don't work. I would run Eatons again. I actually still have a Dana 60 one floating around. Ox lockers are one of the few I haven't ever used.
 
I have been reseaching lockers for my current build. And, for the reasons Frank Z mentioned I will be going with the E-Locker.
 
Elocker hands down plan on one for my D60. I am just welding my rear though. :p



In fact if our vendor pops back in here and doesn't mind shooting me a PM shipped to a business addy 57703 I would appreciate it.
 
I have Eaton Elockers in front D30 and rear D44 and would buy them again. A couple of installation shops I talked with confused them with the Auburn Ected and strongly recommended against them until I clarified the difference. Those shops had previously had to pull and replace Ected's.
 
I did not vote since I do not have experience with those you mentioned but for my D30, I will definately go with the E-locker.

The reason you have not heared much about the E-locker is that it seem to work so good there is nothing to say. We/people usually complain when things god badly not when they are perfect.

I have the ECTED in the rear D44 right now. I bought it more for the LS than the locker option. It have worked very well for me. I like it. However, if it do fail, I will not repair it but replace it with something else. Exactly which unit I do not know at this time. I prefer an LS in the back but may opt for a selectable locker as well. Having dual batteries and a high AMP alternator guess which way I am leaning?
 
I have installed a few OX lockers and I don't think it is too much of a pain to install the OX. They are definitely expensive but the OX lockers I have seen in use are solidly reliable if properly installed. I see alot of people bashing the cable actuation but I find it is usually bad cable routing and adjustment setup that leads to issues with them. That being said I would love to own a e-locker. It is simply easier to install and from what I have seen perfectly reliable. I like OX lockers but for cost reasons I would go e-locker if I were buying.
 
the thing that turned me away from the e-locker was that it needed to be engaged for a full rotation before you can lay the hammer down. that included changing direction (i.e; going from drive to reverse). that fact that i couldnt climb up something, back up 2 inches, then floor it forward again convinced me to go OX. if it wasnt for that small detail i'd be running the e-locker.
 
XJLI said:
the thing that turned me away from the e-locker was that it needed to be engaged for a full rotation before you can lay the hammer down. that included changing direction (i.e; going from drive to reverse). that fact that i couldnt climb up something, back up 2 inches, then floor it forward again convinced me to go OX. if it wasnt for that small detail i'd be running the e-locker.
Click to expand...

I was using the E-lockers in a UROC competition buggy when they just started making them. We were sponsored, and testing the earliest versions. The half-turn before full lock was a big concern at first for me, but it never turned out to be a problem, and this was under the most sever conditions. I would not hesitate at all to run them in a recreational wheeler.
 
RockMonkey said:
I was using the E-lockers in a UROC competition buggy when they just started making them. We were sponsored, and testing the earliest versions. The half-turn before full lock was a big concern at first for me, but it never turned out to be a problem, and this was under the most sever conditions. I would not hesitate at all to run them in a recreational wheeler.
Click to expand...

interesting. i was reading stuff on pirate about them (not a lot of info out on them really, compared to OX, ARB, aussie, etc) and thats the only thing that stuck out.

good to hear it really isnt a problem though.
 
The early versions had a wek snap ring that held the stator on. This ring could slip out of it's groove and allow the stator to slip off, which would prevent the locker from locking. This was remedied with a larger snap ring. That was the only problem we ever had with them.
 
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