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Open Open or Weld the rear

SavedDad

NAXJA Forum User
Location
roxboro NC
Hiya gang !! looking for some advise.. both the diffs on my 95 are open..30 up front, 8 1/2 rear...I still wanna be able to drive her on the paved road.

This is a budget build and I'm looking for the cheapest way gain the traction. Will welding the rear be a mistake? or just save my coins for a locker?

thanks - Ken
 
Absolutely save for a locker.
 
I'd throw an Aussie in up front
 
Welding a differential should only be done to a trail rig.

Any of the Lock Right style Lunchbox Locker will be fine. If you are installing only one locker, a rear locker is more effective than a front locker
 
Welding a differential should only be done to a trail rig.

Any of the Lock Right style Lunchbox Locker will be fine. If you are installing only one locker, a rear locker is more effective than a front locker

can I run this in the rear and open in the front?
 
I'm kind of with VA on that one. I ran mine with just a lunchbox locker in the front (Aussie) for a couple years. I finally added a Spartan last year to the rear, and frankly was underwhelmed by the amount of added traction that second locker added. I felt some, but was expecting more. Perhaps I had the benefit overinflated in my mind. If I needed to go back to one locker again in the future, it would be the front.

Perhaps it is terrain based a bit. In the south, I think I use the front to pull more than I use the back to push.
 
Perhaps it is terrain based a bit. In the south, I think I use the front to pull more than I use the back to push.

That's what I've always heard. If you're climbing, throw it in the rear, otherwise, the front. At least in the front, in 2wd, you don't have to 'out drive' your locker. In the rear, you have to learn to drive with it or deal with increased tire wear.
 
I'm kind of with VA on that one. I ran mine with just a lunchbox locker in the front (Aussie) for a couple years. I finally added a Spartan last year to the rear, and frankly was underwhelmed by the amount of added traction that second locker added. I felt some, but was expecting more. Perhaps I had the benefit overinflated in my mind. If I needed to go back to one locker again in the future, it would be the front.

Perhaps it is terrain based a bit. In the south, I think I use the front to pull more than I use the back to push.

My old 94 ran an Aussie up front and a ford 8.8lsd rear

The front Aussie was an amazing improvement
 
Which end to lock first is very debatable, and I could easily debate either side.

What's really not debatable is that welding it is a bad plan for something that sees street duty.
 
I've always run, & prefer the rear locked.....personal preference and how you will use it varies, so you should decide based on this.

I prefer rear since I am use to how the vehicle reacts and since I use 2wd 99% of the time I am off road.

Remember, the rear axle is always pushing the vehicle forward. The front axle is only pulling when in 4wd. Unless you want to be in 4wd to gain the extra traction, put it in the rear axle and forget about it.

For me, 4wd is the last ditch effort, so I don't wanna be running around in it all the time. I want to run around in 2wd with a locked axle, knowing that if I get stuck that way, I can put it in 4wd to add the traction from the front axle, and drive out (hopefully). If you are in 4wd when you get stuck....you just may stay stuck since you have no additional axle to engage and add traction to help you get out.



Welding is always a bad idea on the street. No debate there.



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So which is better if you live somewhere and you gotta deal with snow? ive heard that auto lockers have a steep learning curve in snow, but what about a spool, or are they more for off road?
 
I believe in weight transfer, and use it to my advantage. Going up a hill, or obstacle, the center of gravity and the vehicle weight transfers towards the rear axle. At a 30 or 40 degree climb the rear axle has most of the vehicles weight on it, and thus the most traction potential. I would rather have 100% traction of a locker on the axle with 80% of the vehicle weight/traction potential, than have 100% traction on the axle with barely any weight or traction potential on the tires at all.

If you are only going to have one locker, it should be in the rear axle where it will do the most good.


Neither my front Locker nor rear Locker has any effect upon the tire wear, however the front locker has annoying behaviors in Minnesota winters.


So which is better if you live somewhere and you gotta deal with snow? ive heard that auto lockers have a steep learning curve in snow, but what about a spool, or are they more for off road?


The locker in my XJ performs and behaves very similar to the Limited Slip it replaced, and very similar to my old Ford Ranger with the 4x4 Off Road package and Limited Slip. The benefits of a rear Locker or Limited Slip in Minnesota winters is well worth having to drive slightly more carefully. A spool is just as annoying as a welded axle, but easier to return to normal.

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So which is better if you live somewhere and you gotta deal with snow? ive heard that auto lockers have a steep learning curve in snow, but what about a spool, or are they more for off road?

Spool is the same as welded rear. If you like drifting everywhere I guess it would be good for snow. If you actually like traction you probably want something else. Most seem to prefer a limited slip.
 
The only people who'd really like an OX locker are the people who have never had one. ;)
 
ive heard they can be a pain to adjust, don't wanna fiddle with on board air etc, mines a daily, with a sub box and a full system, so no where to put the compressor so it looks clean. id like to do a lunchbox locker of some sort, prolly either lokka or aussie. maybe a Detroit in the 8.25
 
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