BrettM said:
you should also note weight and locker. your rig probably weighs 5k on the trail, right? also, with a Detroit up front the shafts/joints/hubs will see much more abuse than with a selectable locker that is only used when needed. I think Dave Taylor has it right in saying that 37s will be fine if you're under 4k and have good shafts and joints (Superiors and CTMs), and a selectable locker would help even more.
That's bunk to me, and not just because I run a Detroit. The times that the front is in a bind enough to break, or you're into it enough on a climb to stress it good, you'd have a front selectable locker locked. If you're talking gradual stress, it still doesn't make sense conclusively, since the front automatic locker will still differentiate some in the turns, while a selectable locker is a spool so when it's engaged in a front application you could say it puts more stress on the axles. Besides, in my case I run 2wd low range quite a bit, like others run open in the front. Now, as for the weight, I don't know how much I weigh, but I really don't think it's over 5000 lbs.
Brett, you're over anylizing. On Fordyce, the 'Con, and the other Sierra trails, I rarely put it in 4wd, same thing in Moab. Now, come to JV or Montrose.......
You need to get you junk to JV one of these days, bro'......it would add tremendously to your base of experience, and we'd have to quit giving you sh!t about it. :looser:
Oh, and I agree with the comment about running chrmo axles and u-joints and keeping the weight down. For me, I just have to be careful again. When I was running 35's on a D44 front with Warns and CTM's, I never thought about breaking and it was nice, now with the 37's I have to think about it again and be a little careful. I still don't want a heavy D60 up there, but that's just me.