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One locker, front or rear first?

squidd

squidd

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Everett, WA
Hi,

I am going to be purchasing my first lock, probly a no-slip, and I have read in various threads of people running with front only and rear only. Which is preferable? I have a non-disconnect dana 30 in the front and an 8.25 in the back. Thanks.
 
it first depends on what kind of transfer case you have and how often you use 4wd

if you have a 231 and dont use 4wd all that much lock the front
if you have a 231 and use 4wd quite a bit then lock the rear
if you have a 242 lock the rear
 
if its newer then '91, and has the 231 lock the front. Much better in applications I have seen in terrain liek so cali has. IMO
 
I only have experience with a front Loc-Rite and I'd say it has helped me many times.

From my limited experience, it's better to pull yourself over something than push yourself.
 
Aussie up front on my D30 and running open 8.25. Run all kinds of trails. My buddy is set up the same only lockrite in the rear and open front and on snow and ice he is all over the place but I seem to have no problems.
 
Sorry for not posting in the original,
I have a 1994 XJ with an auto and a 4.0L
an NP231 transfercase, and a 8.25 out back.
RC 4.5" lift and 32" BFG MT's
 
It depends a lot on what type of wheeling you do. If you do mostly dirt climbs lock the rear, if you do mostly rocks or very uneven terrain then lock the front. For years the common wisdom has been to always lock the rear first. However, experience is now showing that this isn't the case. On my buggy, I always run with the front locked and the rear unlocked, and rarely need to lock the rear.

Also, where the practice has been for years to run a full locker in the rear and a selectable locker in the front, it is now preferable to run a solid locker in the front and a selectable in the rear.
 
MoparManiac said:
I only have experience with a front Loc-Rite and I'd say it has helped me many times.

From my limited experience, it's better to pull yourself over something than push yourself.
Click to expand...


X 2

I started with front first and it worked great.
 
I'm locked out back and its walked me through many places. But then I welded the rear and I'm not about to weld the front...

Goatman: Could you explain why its becomin preferred to lock the front first and do a selectable out back? Generally, you've been one of the people on here who's tech knowledge I really respect. So I'm curious as I've always thought the opposite. :)
 
X3

aussie locked front. as I see it, weight over the front wheels, and its easier to pull than push.
to each his own, but I also plan on upgrading to an 8.8 in the future, so don't want to put a locker in the rear until I have the axle I want under it.
 
BlackSport96 said:
I'm locked out back and its walked me through many places. But then I welded the rear and I'm not about to weld the front...

Goatman: Could you explain why its becomin preferred to lock the front first and do a selectable out back? Generally, you've been one of the people on here who's tech knowledge I really respect. So I'm curious as I've always thought the opposite. :)
Click to expand...

The reason you put a selectable out back is that when your in 2wd your front locker is virtually invisable...that is at least for a street driven rig...
 
one (just one) case that really helps being front locked over rear, is when your climbing and both front tires come to a ledge. One will simply push to the ledge where the other just spins, and even if the rear is locked or not you will have alot less chance at getting over it, then if you had only one rear tire, both with lots of weight over them, getting torque and two front tires pulling and transversing over the obsticle.

Also front locked pulls you around a corner (if its soft enough) where as locked rear pushes you straight more-so, and less turning ability.

Just a few reasons IMO.
 
92xjdean said:
I would agree with you, just look at your avatar!
Click to expand...

In THAT situation you would REALLY want a front locker. If that rear end hooks up and pushes up a little to much throttle and its going over if at all at the angles that looks to be?
 
I've always been open/open, so my opinion is of little to no value but Here it is. I've always figured that an XJ's rear suspension is (usually) stiffer than the front, and when you get twistd up it's usually the rear that lifts a tire off the ground first. In a case like that, with both front tires still planted and a rear wheel in the air, which is how I usually end up, a rear locker will benefit you way more than a front. I have now installed a mini spool in the 9" rear of the Jeep, but I have yet to drive it so I'm anxious to see if I'm right or wrong.
 
red_01_xj said:
The reason you put a selectable out back is that when your in 2wd your front locker is virtually invisable...that is at least for a street driven rig...
Click to expand...
after thinking, that's part of what I came up with, but wasn't sure since I have no experience with a locked front...
 
Gump: It'll feel like my welded rear does, sucky on the street if you have to make even remotely tight turns, awesome in the dirt as you walk over things you used need momentum for.
 
ROBERTK said:
In THAT situation you would REALLY want a front locker. If that rear end hooks up and pushes up a little to much throttle and its going over if at all at the angles that looks to be?
Click to expand...

I think i would want a rear locker there, with the front wheels off the ground how could a locker help?
 
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