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Should I lock my front end or not?

O

oldmustangjunkie

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Wartburg, TN
Here's the deal folks...
I have a 99 XJ with No-slip in the rear and 3" lift. I'm going to be taking the front cover off to change the gear oil and seal it back up and I got to thinking I might put a locker in the front too. I have a few questions/comments/concerns and I'd like some feedback as to what I should do.
1)This vehicle is driven 50/50 hwy (to and from the trails, or pulling my ATV/Rhino to our camps) so it isn't a dedicated wheeler. Recently I put 4K miles on it while my car was being repaired.
2)My GF drives in the woods a lot and I don't want the steering to be to heavy for her to drive it in the woods. She won't mind to back up for sharp turns, but if it will be difficult for her to go in any direction other than straight, I should probably pass.
3)If the weather call for snow, I drive my XJ and it has been great in helping me get where I need to go even in 6-10" snow. I just don't want to make it where it is nearly impossible to operate on the pavement in the snow.
Based on the above information, what is my best choice: locker or open? If you have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear them!
Thanks!
 
Personally I do not see your delimma. If you want better off road traction then an Aussie up front would be great and it has very good on road manners when not engaged. With the trac loc in your rear you've got slick pavement covered adequately already. And forget about the gf restriction...once she gets familiar with the locker up front she'll probably be saying what took you so long. But first, tell me it's not her jeep. It would be tough keeping a locker install secret if that were the case.
 
id say since you got the lsd rear, leave alone for now.
in 2wd the you wont really notice the aussie.
let the gf get used to the locked front before you let here drive it in the woods without you
snow: get used to it with the locker, youll end up locking the front eventually anyway.....

i would think with the lsd rear and aussie up front on some 31's you will do everything you want to do with that jeep at that point.
 
blondejoncherokee said:
id say since you got the lsd rear, leave alone for now.
in 2wd the you wont really notice the aussie.
let the gf get used to the locked front before you let here drive it in the woods without you
snow: get used to it with the locker, youll end up locking the front eventually anyway.....

i would think with the lsd rear and aussie up front on some 31's you will do everything you want to do with that jeep at that point.
Click to expand...

locked front and lsd rear is very capable
 
oldmustangjunkie said:
Here's the deal folks...
I have a 99 XJ with No-slip in the rear and 3" lift. I'm going to be taking the front cover off to change the gear oil and seal it back up and I got to thinking I might put a locker in the front too. I have a few questions/comments/concerns and I'd like some feedback as to what I should do.
Click to expand...

Adding a locker to the front means removing the carrier. It is not the simple, since I have the cover off anyway, project as it is with the rear.

That being said, if your budget will support go with a selectable locker in the front. If you are looking a lunchbox, I would go with Aussie or a powertax LSD.
 
93gc40 said:
Adding a locker to the front means removing the carrier. It is not the simple, since I have the cover off anyway, project as it is with the rear.

That being said, if your budget will support go with a selectable locker in the front. If you are looking a lunchbox, I would go with Aussie or a powertax LSD.
Click to expand...

I thought the lock-right and others installed without removing the carrier??
 
Throw one in there, you wont notice it at all while in 2wd. Steering isnt heavy off road will push a touch more when off road and have the wheel cut do to both fronts pulling. It only locks while on the gas let off it will turn like an open diff.
 
oldmustangjunkie said:
Here's the deal folks...
I have a 99 XJ with No-slip in the rear and 3" lift. I'm going to be taking the front cover off to change the gear oil and seal it back up and I got to thinking I might put a locker in the front too. I have a few questions/comments/concerns and I'd like some feedback as to what I should do.
1)This vehicle is driven 50/50 hwy (to and from the trails, or pulling my ATV/Rhino to our camps) so it isn't a dedicated wheeler. Recently I put 4K miles on it while my car was being repaired.
2)My GF drives in the woods a lot and I don't want the steering to be to heavy for her to drive it in the woods. She won't mind to back up for sharp turns, but if it will be difficult for her to go in any direction other than straight, I should probably pass.
3)If the weather call for snow, I drive my XJ and it has been great in helping me get where I need to go even in 6-10" snow. I just don't want to make it where it is nearly impossible to operate on the pavement in the snow.
Based on the above information, what is my best choice: locker or open? If you have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear them!
Thanks!
Click to expand...


No one caught that huh NO SLIP IS A LOCKER I would be a bit wary with 2 lockers and snow and even more with ice if youve got it there... The steering is a bit heavier with a front auto locker when in 4wd but not bad but it will push HARD on some terrian like snow or sand... In 2wd its not bad but you know its there if it were me Id do it having driving a dual locked vehicle for years its not that bad and the traction cant be beat... You really only need 2 lockers for the rocks if you dont play in them dont waste the green...
themud
 
I have a detroit in the rear, and an OX in front. When i'm in the snow it's a very capable agressive limited slip, and of course the locker capabilitity when needed as well. Other than an ocasional fluid change, I've had zero maintenance issues.
 
mindless said:
Throw one in there, you wont notice it at all while in 2wd. Steering isnt heavy off road will push a touch more when off road and have the wheel cut do to both fronts pulling. It only locks while on the gas let off it will turn like an open diff.
Click to expand...

You do feel it in the front end. It makes a pulsing feel on the floor and in your steering wheel, but VERY livable, and MUCH better then the detroit I had in my old 00 WS6. It made my mall crawler haul up a nice steep hill with zero tire slip.

Its also a super simple job. Simple enough I'd say try it, and if you don't like it you can sell it on here, only losing maybe 20 dollars on shipping........ But you'll get it in, notice how little difference it makes on road, and keep it
 
I honestly cant feel it at all. Im locked front and rear been driving in Buffalo snow all winter with zero problems. I will admit i have a higher tolerance for vehicles though. My car has solid motor mounts and 1000lbs rear springs LOL.
 
Been driving with an aussie up front for almost a year now. Great locker and the install can be done in an evening. Like you would expect, turning radius goes way down but I have not found that the steering effort itself much worse than without.
 
93gc40 said:
Adding a locker to the front means removing the carrier. It is not the simple, since I have the cover off anyway, project as it is with the rear.

That being said, if your budget will support go with a selectable locker in the front. If you are looking a lunchbox, I would go with Aussie or a powertax LSD.
Click to expand...

Wrong!! A lunchbox type(Aussie) only replaces the spider gears, NOT the whole carrier!!
 
You dont always have to remove the carrier. Depends on the gears you have and where the shaft hits in the teeth. I installed my ausie without removing the carrier. The shaft slid right between two teeth (that sounded bad...). My point is, try it before removing the carrier/ring gear.

~James
 
On some, not all, lunchbox locker installs the carrier must be pulled because the ring gear blocks the cross pin removal--mostly depends on the ratio of the gears installed.

You must, of course, replace the carrier or there will be no place for the lunchbox locker to ride.
 
stumpXJ said:
You dont always have to remove the carrier. Depends on the gears you have and where the shaft hits in the teeth. I installed my ausie without removing the carrier. The shaft slid right between two teeth (that sounded bad...). My point is, try it before removing the carrier/ring gear.

~James
Click to expand...

Ya know, I'm feeling pretty stupid right now. I kept thinking "man, I could get the shaft out without removing it, but everyone says to remove it.."

Its close. Next one I do, I'll try not removing the carrier :cheers:
 
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