Locker removal?

[PacificEd]

I'm thinking about taking the lockers out of my XJ. I have an Aussie in the front and Lock-Rite in the rear.

After last years Crawl (2016), I wasn't impressed with the Lock-Rite. It did work but was I was worried about the sounds coming from it. It is the one built for the Ford LS 8.8 differential case. It sounded like a jackhammer going off in the rear as I climbed up trail 45 to the Middle Fork Playground in Harlan. There should have been no noise as it should have been locked up tight since it is a straight climb under power.

I figure spider gears back in the front D30 and rebuild the 8.8 LS diff with a Ford kit (either $113 or $75 depending upon the kit).

I really need to crack the diff on the 8.8 to see what the Lock-Rite looks like anyway. Maybe it's something simple. A guy can dream, right?

The end of all this is to say, since I don't go wheeling much, it would be nicer to drive on the road daily or to use in bad weather such as snow and ice if it didn't have the lockers. My tires are going to start to dry rot if I don't burn some miles on them.

Just something I'm mulling over.

 

[Cottontail]

Ed, I also got a rear locker (Spartan) just before the Crawl, and like you wasn't as impressed as I expected to me. It was quiet, but I didn't get the extra "uumph" that I was expecting. That said, I'm still keeping both in.

You were happy with the front when you just had that one in, weren't you? What about leaving that one alone and just reinstating the LSD in the 8.8?

 

[PacificEd]

That thought crossed my mind.

But if I chunk the lockers I could go back to the NP242 fulltime case. I loved that thing for snow and ice.

 

[High2by]

The question is, do you drive it more days wheeling or more days in the ice and snow in a years time?

 

[Cottontail]

What t-case does your ZJ have?

 

[PacificEd]

The question is, do you drive it more days wheeling or more days in the ice and snow in a years time?

Really neither, but I don't get it out in the ice/snow because of the lockers. It would just make it batter for all around use rather than trail riding only. It gets wheeled about 5 days a year..........uh, why do I have it again?

The Grand has the NP242 in it.

 

[High2by]

I'm right the opposite I guess. I would get it out and drive it because of the lockers. When your on ice, it doesn't matter whether you've got 4 wheels pulling or two, you're likely not gonna go very well anyway.

 

[themauler]

I'm right the opposite I guess. I would get it out and drive it because of the lockers. When your on ice, it doesn't matter whether you've got 4 wheels pulling or two, you're likely not gonna go very well anyway.

This. Virginia Beach just got about a foot of snow last weekend and the streets were strait ice at night since there are hardly any proper plows around.

I have Aussie/Spartan front and rear. Granted there are no hills in Virginia Beach but handling on turns on ice in 2wd was no challenge for my XJ. I give a lot of credit to Goodyear duratracs and their level of detail that went into the grooving.

Then I drove around in my WJ with the 242 full time function. While it is an added comfort it didn't change my ability to control the jeep. Ice is ice and if you're going to fast you are screwed. If I remember right you have BFG KM2s while they are good on the trail I remember there being complaints about rain and ice conditions. Perhaps some general grabber ATs or BFG ATs would be getter for your snow and Ice?




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[PacificEd]

This. Virginia Beach just got about a foot of snow last weekend and the streets were strait ice at night since there are hardly any proper plows around.

I have Aussie/Spartan front and rear. Granted there are no hills in Virginia Beach but handling on turns on ice in 2wd was no challenge for my XJ. I give a lot of credit to Goodyear duratracs and their level of detail that went into the grooving.

Then I drove around in my WJ with the 242 full time function. While it is an added comfort it didn't change my ability to control the jeep. Ice is ice and if you're going to fast you are screwed. If I remember right you have BFG KM2s while they are good on the trail I remember there being complaints about rain and ice conditions. Perhaps some general grabber ATs or BFG ATs would be getter for your snow and Ice?




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You are correct on my tires being KM2's and I have heard what you have....that they are horrible on ice. I have also heard that the Duratracs are about the best you can do.

Unfortunately I don't have the funds to buy another set of tires. I was just thinking it might do better if the lockers weren't locking and unlocking when in that terrain (snow and ice). It would also do better for just road driving.

I need to inspect the rear locker and see what the source of the noise is and that may determine future changes at this point.

Thanks for the input guys.

 

[Jeepguy91]

Being from northern Indiana we get a fair amount of snow at times. Before i tore my rig down for rebuild it was setup with lock rite in front and LSD in the rear on 33" bfg km's. Never really had any problems with it driving back and forth to work. Most of the time the lsd would be enough to get me thru almost anything i needed and i still have the 242 t-case in mine. My wife would take it to work and run it in 4wd on really nasty days and not have a problem.

 

[PacificEd]

That is good to know. Mine had the 242 in it and I really liked it. When I went to lockers I swapped it for a 231. I had thought I might put the 242 back in if the lockers came out.

Thanks for the info!

 

[TRCM]

I'm thinking about taking the lockers out of my XJ. I have an Aussie in the front and Lock-Rite in the rear.

After last years Crawl (2016), I wasn't impressed with the Lock-Rite. It did work but was I was worried about the sounds coming from it. It is the one built for the Ford LS 8.8 differential case. It sounded like a jackhammer going off in the rear as I climbed up trail 45 to the Middle Fork Playground in Harlan. There should have been no noise as it should have been locked up tight since it is a straight climb under power.

I figure spider gears back in the front D30 and rebuild the 8.8 LS diff with a Ford kit (either $113 or $75 depending upon the kit).

I really need to crack the diff on the 8.8 to see what the Lock-Rite looks like anyway. Maybe it's something simple. A guy can dream, right?

The end of all this is to say, since I don't go wheeling much, it would be nicer to drive on the road daily or to use in bad weather such as snow and ice if it didn't have the lockers. My tires are going to start to dry rot if I don't burn some miles on them.

Just something I'm mulling over.

If it sounded like that with a load on it, then something is wrong....locker not put in right, or something has broken, either in the locker or in the axles/bearings.

I had one sound like that once, and one of the side spacers had cracked and come out, so there was WAY too much play in it.

Open it up and see, and don't' forget to check stuff besides the locker for damage.

 

[xjtrailrider]

I blew up two 8.25 Aussies before I welded it. I will never by a drop in locker again. My front full case Detroit has survived grenading a Yukon ring gear and still works perfect.

My next move to make my rig drive-able again is to take out the welded rear and put in a OX locker.

Have you thought about a selectable? I know they are pricey but its the best of both worlds.

 

[PacificEd]

I think this weekend will be a good time to open up the rear diff and see what the deal is with the rear locker. Worst case scenario will be to rebuild the LS clutch pack and take the locker out. It's a good thing I saved all the LS guts.

 

[Ghost]

I think this weekend will be a good time to open up the rear diff and see what the deal is with the rear locker. Worst case scenario will be to rebuild the LS clutch pack and take the locker out. It's a good thing I saved all the LS guts.

I'd be interested in what you find. I'm planing on pulling the mini spool in the 8.8 going under the MJ. If it were a LS 8.8 I'd put that in it for LG.

 

[PacificEd]

If I rebuild it I figure I need one of these two kits:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/fms-m-4700-c

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/fms-m-4700-b

If have the retention spring so the second kit would save me a few dollars.