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any problem with leaving axles open/open?

moparjim1987

NAXJA Forum User
Location
pennsylvania
i"m revamping my jeep this winter, and am going to regear to either 4.10 or 4.56, goin to 32's or 33's, finish my winch bumper, sliders, etc etc......my question is, because i plan to bigger tire wise, and add a winch, is there a downside to leaving my rig open at both ends? i figured less breakage on drivetrain parts and smoother operation among other things. i like to do more technical trails, and try to steer clear of mud when i can. plus, i do like to drive it more on the road, so the factor of tire and parts wear comes to mind too. thanks for your input.
 
If thats what you want,it will be fine!
 
you will benefit from lockers no doubt.

but nothing bad will happen leaving them open
 
If you have a extra grand laying around put Detroit TruTracs in it front and rear. They are the best LS on the market and you will never know they are there except all of the traction you get.
 
I don't think you will be able to gear lower than 3.73 with a stock carrier . That will be your main problem. I think you are going to need a new 4 series carrier to go 4.10 or 4.56 thyat is the main reason to upgrade to a locker at that time.

Very true, but you can pick up a 3.73+ carrier for the D-30 for around $60 new. I just got one off of e-bay still in the DANA box.

For me even mild wheelin (winch or not) I believe in as much traction as you can afford. You will get tired of pulling winch cable and you will wish you had dropped the extra coin for traction. I like my Aussies, cheap, dependable, great warranty. They do give you some feedback on the street though and I do not recommend them on ice/snow. I have a TruTrac in the rear of my 90 DD and love it in the snow/ice, its very predictable.
 
Nothing wrong with open diffs, but it does limit you to keeping all 4 wheels on the ground. Is the "1987" in the tag your jeeps year? That would mean you have 30/35 or a 30/44 for axles. All of them have carrier high/low carrier breaks, and you'd need new ones for the low gears.
The good news is, if you build them open, while you'll have to pay to have the backlash reset if you upgrade later, it only costs about 1/2 as much as having the whole thing re-done, as they won't have to set up the pinion again.

X2 on the trutracs. Try checking E-bay for a couple weeks, or set up a serch and have them e-mailyou reminders. They come up occasionally. I got 2 (D-30 and a D-44) for about 600 total last year.
 
There are selectable lockers, ARB, OX, etc. that are open for the street and can be locked for the trail. They are expensive but the best of both worlds.
 
I don't think you will be able to gear lower than 3.73 with a stock carrier . That will be your main problem. I think you are going to need a new 4 series carrier to go 4.10 or 4.56 thyat is the main reason to upgrade to a locker at that time.

I think the cutoff is actually 3.55, 3.73+ needs the larger carrier.
 
since you are in PA, with mountains, I would recommend you go 4.56's.
since you are in PA with ice and snow, and you street drive the rig, I understand the desire to stay open.
I hate the way auto lockers work on pavement, daily drive my rig, but wanted more traction than open/open gave me.
I put truetrac's in front/rear and am very happy with street manners (virtually invisable) and the off road traction/ability as greatly improved (I wheeled open/open for about 8 years and did rather well thanks you).
There are times I wish I had a locker (pretty silly terrain) but while daily driving the rig for months between wheeling seasons I'm very happy to not have lockers.

If I had the funds, I would have ARB's.
 
ARB's in theory are great but they are stupid expensive and everyone I wheel with that had them now don't, they are extremely unreliable but still better than most selectables.
 
It's too bad the factory TJ Rubicon lockers aren't available commercially, or fo anything else then a D-44. 5psi to engage, seals that will hold up for a 50K mile warranty, choice of open or limited slip(on the Rubicon, the front was open, the rear was LS, and both would lock)

Anyway, back on topic, if you want to leave the axles open for now, a partial solution for better traction is a cutting brake. Won't help front axle wheel spin, but it can give like- or better then performance then a rear LS.
 
I was thinking lunchbox for the rear, but for the price, i'd rather go with an auburn possibly. I read from a reliable source (jp magazine's locker/limited slip comparison) that lunchboxes aren't exactly good for longevity and are sometimes kinda bitchy when on the street. From previous personal experiences with having a positraction in the rear of a 4wd and open front, any 4wd seems to go like a bear off road. I would like to also keep the front open, even though i have the factory big joint shafts, it makes for easier turning. Btw, my rig is a 97 with the common dana 30/ corporate 8.25 combo, and so far, have had really no issues with traction even open/open. Since someone already mentioned about different carriers, is it only the front? i know the 8.25 shouldn't matter because the carrier break on those is between the 2.45 and 2.76 series gear cases. (from working with older chrysler vehicles, you tend to learn these facts.) do you guys think that a positraction will be sufficient even with 33's and 4.56's? I'd rather pay $400 for a good posi than that for a locker for in a wore out carrier.....thanks for all the input so far...
 
Yeah the problem is you have a pair of open axles!

There is a torsen you can get for the 8.25 though. Does anyone have experience with it? Can it be installed without adjusting the gears?
 
honestly in the winter for my on road driving i am open/open... i have a no-slip that i can slap in the rear in about 20min if i want it, but i dont like the way it handles in snow/ice when locked. obviously the ultimate option is a selectable, but they come with a nice pricetag
 
...,There is a torsen you can get for the 8.25 though. Does anyone have experience with it? Can it be installed without adjusting the gears?
Do they make the Torsen for the C-8.25 or are you talking about the truetrac? Either way, you can swap carriers in an 8.25 and just adjust for lash. You need the adjusters. Beg or rent them, or make a set from some 3' sections of square or hex rod and a pair of 36mm nuts ( front spindle nuts work ) You don't have to mess with the pinion.
 
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