advice on lockers

I am currently building up my 89 xj. I have a Rubicon Express 5.5 lift and will be running 33's. I would like to put a locker in the rear for now. I want to be able to drive it on the street as well as the trail. I wont be doing the Ershim trail as of yet but I would like to run a few of the easier trails for now with the wife and kids. I have estimates from $1200. for 4.10's , axle upgrade kit and a Detroit in the rear. All the way to $4200 for the 4.10's with air lockers and compressor. I would love the air lockers but I am not going to spend that much on this jeep right now. My goal was to build this whole thing for under $5k including buying the vehicle. so far I am doing that even with the detroit.

So, I guess my question is: Will a Detroit work well? Will I hate it on the street or on the way to the trail?

Any opinions will be appreciated.

XJfer4 said:

I am currently building up my 89 xj. I have a Rubicon Express 5.5 lift and will be running 33's. I would like to put a locker in the rear for now. I want to be able to drive it on the street as well as the trail. I wont be doing the Ershim trail as of yet but I would like to run a few of the easier trails for now with the wife and kids. I have estimates from $1200. for 4.10's , axle upgrade kit and a Detroit in the rear. All the way to $4200 for the 4.10's with air lockers and compressor. I would love the air lockers but I am not going to spend that much on this jeep right now. My goal was to build this whole thing for under $5k including buying the vehicle. so far I am doing that even with the detroit.

So, I guess my question is: Will a Detroit work well? Will I hate it on the street or on the way to the trail?

Any opinions will be appreciated.

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You will hardly notice it at all with a automatic tranny. I had 2 now and they are very behaved. They get their bad rep from being in short CJ/YJ/TJs with 5 speed manuals. The new soft locker from Detroit is very quiet. You just feel a slight "thump" when you get on the gas and maybe when you get off as well. You feel just a louder "thump" when you are a stop and shift from a forward gear to going in reverse. Very civilized. Check with Andy (Crash) he sets up locker and gears for $150/axle or so if it is out of the vehicle I believe, check with him. Give him the $ rather than some 4x4 shop that wants to rap you. Also if you don't mind the drive Ryan (Rawbrown) in San Diego is good, he did my lockers, gears, and axle install.

Don't put $ into your dana 35 rear axle if that is what you have. There are XJ dana 44 rear axles in the Stockton and SJ pnps for $130 out the door. Then get your gears, locker, and install by Andy or Ryan and you will be just over $1K into a good axle. I'd suggest 4.88s with a 44 or 4.56 if you have a 8.25, hope that helps. Do some searches here, there is lots of info on this topic. Andy has some great tech threads he started and walks you through.

Troy

manual or auto tranny? it seems that most people with manuals hate detroits and other auto lockers, but people with autos love them. Don't go with 4.10s though for 33s, get either 4.56 or 4.88s. I have 4.88s and both 33 and 35" tires, it's perfect for the 33s and not enough for the 35s ('88 4.0, auto tranny).

and what rear axle do you have? the D35 will break very easily with a detroit and 33s.

BrettM said:

manual or auto tranny? it seems that most people with manuals hate detroits and other auto lockers

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I have manual and a detroit and had a no slip and I love both of them.

Don't go with 4.10s though for 33s, get either 4.56 or 4.88s. I have 4.88s and both 33 and 35" tires, it's perfect for the 33s and not enough for the 35s ('88 4.0, auto tranny).

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Yup, very good point. I have 4.88's with 33's and it's just about right (although in the rocks I wouldn't mind a 4:1 on top of it)

Remi, get a 4-low... just got done building one and they are a piece of cake. $700 and change out of the door....

gcurtis said:

Remi, get a 4-low... just got done building one and they are a piece of cake. $700 and change out of the door....

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I second that for the stick shift bunch!

A Detroit should work fine. When you are ready to do the front consider a selectable unit, like the ARB as mentioned.

4.56 will work fine if you if you plan on sticking with 33s. If you are planning on doing a lot of rocks then consider a higher ratio (4.88). Keitar needs the lower gears because of the stick shift he drives. Those of us who have the automatic have a little slip of the torque converter to help us out (hense the 4:1 comment).

Don't polish a turd (the D35). Replace it with something else.