Locker, front or rear?

[sarbuck]

Front. it does the work. several times my rear tires have been spinning,and I lock the arb in. MAGIC! jeep moves forward...no spin anywhere...

There are so many good rears out there for little money,don't waste cash on the d 35.

the salvage yard near has one. just ask for a d 44,or a ford rear 9 inch.the width is about the same on a bronco I think....anyway find a rear axle,and build it up a little at a time,and then put er in.

in the meanwhile enjoy your front locker. :laugh3:

 

[andreas970]

Id suggest you stay away from those places

Indeed.
That's why I came here... to ask the experts.

 

[andreas970]

in the meanwhile enjoy your front locker. :laugh3:

You say that as though me affording another locker is even remotely feasible.

heh.

I've only got one shot here, folks... I have no money to do axle swaps and the like.

The best I can hope for in the next year is this... and perhaps a mild lift.

 

[sarbuck]

Ok.then put a lock rite in the rear.An excellent locker for the price.Happy Trails.

 

[Lincoln]

You say that as though me affording another locker is even remotely feasible.

heh.

I've only got one shot here, folks... I have no money to do axle swaps and the like.

The best I can hope for in the next year is this... and perhaps a mild lift.

I would still put it in the front. Regardless if you have the money now or not it isn't worth pushing money in the D35.

Maybe instead of the locker you could save the money to replace the 35. I did a quick search on www.car-parts.com and there are lots of 8.8 Ford axles in the $200 range. If you have an auto you can even get the stock ratio and I believe some have a limited slip from the factory. Takes a little more work, but a much wiser investement than a locker if your planning on building over time. You could still add a front locker later.

If that is a stretch for you $$ wise, you might want to rethink your direction for the time being. Lockers bring harder trails and more carnage, bigger tires, stronger drivetrain, harder trails, and bigger breaks again. It's a vicious loop.

I guess I should ask what you goal is and what you plan on doing? You stated a mild lift. Are you at stock height now? Maybe a locker isn't the best place to start.

 

[Ramsey]

definately go with the front locker..........read any article and it will tell ya so...I myself have run the same trails using only front and only rear locker. The front will do more for you that the rear... I am speaking from experience here not guessing.

agree 100% front first

 

[jrsxj98]

Front. until you get rid of the 35 then lockem both.

 

[andreas970]

Lincoln:

Very good questions, and you're right, I should provide more detail on my situation.

The box is a 91 with 237k miles. Everything runs on it, and other than standard "keep it running" repairs.. (muffler, alternator, etc) I've done very little to it.
I threw some helpers on the leaf packs in the rear so that the severely sagging suspension could clear the 255's that someone put on it before me..... and then found out when I went to get it inspected this time that the fronts stuck out beyond the fenders.... so I had to get new wheels.
Also just got some new tires (bfg muds).

For me, this jeep is not a DD.... it's just a toy... and I want it to be as inexpensive a hobby/toy as possible. (I know, I'm sure you ALL said that starting out. hehe)

Basically, I've gotten a LOT of places, but the one time I did get stuck, a locker probably would have gotten me out, hence the reason I was thinking of that as my first mod.

I don't do rocks so I don't need tons of flex/armor.... I don't do much deep mud either (if I can avoid it), so I don't need crazy lift. I mainly wheel in the woods, and try to pick lines that won't snag my underbody... but the one time I got stuck, it was a helluva pit that was hidden by a snow drift. One wheel in the front was spinning, and one in the back. I nearly her out, but no dice, it was tractor with winch time.

With a locker, I could've pulled right out, I'm fairly sure.

So yeah, that's my story.

Thanks all for your help and responses! Seems to be leaning fairly heavy towards front... even without the 35 taken into consideration.

 

[rangerjoe2001]

i would say front.. with locking my rear there are many placesmy bud goes with a track lock rear and a front aussie that i cant go with a rear locker....

both is best but if i were to go back i'd go front first

 

[XJ_ranger]

Maybe instead of the locker you could save the money to replace the 35. I did a quick search on www.car-parts.com and there are lots of 8.8 Ford axles in the $200 range. If you have an auto you can even get the stock ratio and I believe some have a limited slip from the factory. Takes a little more work, but a much wiser investement than a locker if your planning on building over time. You could still add a front locker later.

i have never seen an axle swap that costs 200.00
mine cost 175 for the 9", and total was about 300.00 for the rest of the parts, paint, brakes, brake line, pinion seal bla bla bla

 

[MoabXJeeper]

I have always heard that you want to start with the rear. I run a Lock Rite in the rear of my '91, D35, with 31" tires and no problems. It works really well. Bigger tires could add more stress and problems though.

Von

 

[rockwerks]

I have always heard that you want to start with the rear. I run a Lock Rite in the rear of my '91, D35, with 31" tires and no problems. It works really well. Bigger tires could add more stress and problems though.

Von

Well you heard wrong.

 

[andreas970]

i have never seen an axle swap that costs 200.00
mine cost 175 for the 9", and total was about 300.00 for the rest of the parts, paint, brakes, brake line, pinion seal bla bla bla

Not to mention the hassle.
heh

 

[85xjwoody]

I just blew my second d35 on my 85 and that is with a four cylinder, 3inch lift, and 31" BFG MT's. If I would of known more about my jeep when I replaced my rear axle the first time I would of gone with the 8.8 that I should of put in first. Building a d35 is like building a house on swamp land, always going to have problems and things breaking. Go with putting a locker in the front and take it easy on the rear axle until you can upgrade. What I would do is find an 8.8 ford explorer axle with posi in it. I am going to be picking up my 8.8 out of a 99 explorer with disk brakes and and posi for 150.00. With a couple of other minor costs it will be about the same cost as a locker for the front or rear if you have a buddy that can do the torching and welding that has to be done. Good luck with whatever decision you go with.


Kim.

 

[xjfish]

Hmmm... I'm still open at both ends running 31's for the time being and would like to add an auto locker (just one for now) but have a D44 rear rather than a 35. For a D35 rear the logical choice does seem to point to a front D30 locker but what about my situation? XJ is my DD and sees lots of street use, icy roads in winter. I like to run in the mud and climb hills.

Any thoughts?

 

[Ramsey]

i still say front first. its easier to pull yourself onto something than to push it over it.

 

[saltilloxj]

I am going to be picking up my 8.8 out of a 99 explorer with disk brakes and and posi for 150.00. With a couple of other minor costs it will be about the same cost as a locker for the front or rear if you have a buddy that can do the torching and welding that has to be done. Good luck with whatever decision you go with.


Kim.[/QUOTE]

Where are you getting that axle for 150?:arrowr:

 

[Jared]

All you anti-D35 guys crack me up. I've bounced, throttled, and beaten the crap out of mine for 3 years now with a lock-right and 33x13.50x15 bias ply SuperSwamper LTB's, driving the Jeep everywhere from the toughest Moab trails, to the Dunes, to the mountains. Never so much as a whimper from that axle. It has more ground clearance than any other axle listed above and has thus far, been unbroken.

I submit that anybody that can't make a D35 last almost forever is a poor driver. Besides, if you break it, replacements are usually free. And finally the coolest bonus of my D35... it was already in the Jeep. No wasted time and money swapping it out.

Lock the front first. Much more streetable. Better for climbing ledges and rocks. Perhaps not as good as a rear on super steep stuff, but more often than not it's more useful than a rear.

Jaredatriot:

 

[Timber]

i still say front first. its easier to pull yourself onto something than to push it over it.

True. Pure physics, but I think once weight transfer, especially with a longish wheelbase, comes into effect, the rear seems more logical.
EDIT: Granted, this is my opinion based on physics, not on actually owning a locked XJ--which I don't--yet.