Tech Topic of the Month

I guess these should be posted at the beginning of the month, It's just that you guys were all at Megarun so I didn't bother!

This Months Topic: Locker Choice,

•What do you run?
•What would you run if you were a millionaire?
•Why?
•Front or rear first?
•Why?

•What do you run?
factory rubi lockers

•What would you run if you were a millionaire?
auburn ected. 

•Why?
electric is better than air.  fewer problems i would guess.

•Front or rear first?
Rear

•Why?
On a hillclimb, all of the weight is on the rear axle.

•What do you run?
Nothing yet.

•What would you run if you were a millionaire?
Eaton e-locker

•Why?
Same reasoning as Clint.

•Front or rear first?
Front
 
•Why?
Just to be different

•What do you run?
 
Spool out back, Detroit up front

•What would you run if you were a millionaire?
 
Same

•Why?
 
Dependability

•Front or rear first?
 
Ummm...
 
With manual hubs, front first. Without, the back

•Why?
 
With manual hubs, locker not noticed until hubs engaged. Learning to drive with a front locker can be quarky with a daily driver. For the back, my theory is to spool every thing... Yes, I daily drive my spool. Very entertaining...

•What do you run?
In the past, I've wheeled with a lincoln locker.

•What would you run if you were a millionaire?
I like the Electric lockers as well, Detroit seems to be a good pick for the masses

•Why?
Proven performance

•Front or rear first?
Rear first.

•Why?
I've had rigs with just front, then we added a rear & ones with a rear then added a front, by far I saw the most performance out of the rear locker
 
I actually wanted to ask a question bout lockers. Is a "lunchbox" locker the same thing as a "lincoln" locker? If not, what exactly do they mean. Just trying to gain some knowledge.

•What do you run?
 
Factory Toyota TRD electric locker

•What would you run if you were a millionaire?
 
I don't really know, but I'd like a selectable rear locker in both the jeep and Bronco, like an ARB or OX locker

•Why?
 
I'd like the ability to disengage the locker for street driving and cornering

•Front or rear first?
 
Rear

•Why?
 
For the same reason that Clint (Creepy) gave - most of the weight is in the rear during hill climbs when I need the locker the most 

ORIGINAL: jptabor24
I actually wanted to ask a question bout lockers. Is a "lunchbox" locker the same thing as a "lincoln" locker? If not, what exactly do they mean. Just trying to gain some knowledge.

 
I believe a "lunchbox" locker is an automatic locker like the Powertrax Lockright, that engages automatically upon application of torque, but disengages when torque is no longer applied.  They're different from a Detroit locker, which is also an automatically-engaging locker, in that they don't replace the ring carrier like a Detroit locker does, but I could be wrong about that.  Hopefully someone more knowledgeable about that can chime in about their differences.
 
I could be wrong, but I believe a "lincoln" locker is when you weld the spider gears.  I believe the term was coined from using Lincoln welders to do it.  Since the spider gears are welded, then it is locked all the time, much like a spool, so it cannot disengage.  I have no experience with lincoln lockers, but I've read on many forums how sometimes the welds can break.

•What do you run?
lockright/detroit

•What would you run if you were a millionaire?
E-lock or ARBs

•Why?
Versatility as mentioned already.

•Front or rear first?
Rear.

•Why?
Same as before, the weight of the vehicle will be on the rear tires when climbing up an obstacle.
 
Also, a heavy full size rig with a stock front axle and large tires would break front shafts easier if the majority of the vehicle traction weight was on the front axle only. Especially with the wheels turned. Unless you have a krappy ten bolt rear, then it won't matter because you will prob destroy it in the way to the trail.
 

•What do you run?
None

•What would you run if you were a millionaire?
Ox lock front and rear

•Why?
selectable so theres no big problems with it being a daily driver. Theyre stout and I dont have to worry about electrical or vacuum line issues.

•Front or rear first?
Rear

•Why?
I also agree with clint.

You are right on both points Ed, A lunchbox locker runs about $250 and is put into the carrier that is already in the axle. It relies on little springs and pins to enable the locking action when one wheel slips. But from personal experience the pins are very weak and shear easily and the holes that the pins fit into tend to oblong in shape, therefore it doesn't make for a very dependable locker.

I have also ran a Lincoln locker with no problems with the welds. Ken actually welded my lunchbox locker together after the pins broke so maybe that made for a stronger weld with more surface area to be welded. That also allowed the shafts to have a little play, instead of being spooled straight across each shaft had about an eighth inch to move before catching the other axle-shaft. But it was not fun to drive on the street and wore my tires down about 10 times faster than normal.

I now run the Ox-lockers but they too aren't without problems. For one they are a pain to install, grinding of the inside of the case was required. Also, the cable takes time to get set up properly. And now I have broken spiders in my front ox locker...so

I guess there is no such thing as a problem free locker.

What I run.....Lockright front / Welded rear
If I were a Millionare.....OX front and rear
Rear first...
Why.....They are mechanical, You can lock or unlock them with a set up you can buy to get you off the trail if you break a cable...
Besides they are COOL

Run?
ARB
What would you run if you were a millionaire?
ARB
Why?
I have 3 sets in 3 diffrent jeeps and never had a problem
Front or rear first?
Rear
Why?
Same as everybody else

Run?
spool in front/lincoln in the rear
What would you run if you were a millionaire?
spool in both
Why?
basic/simple
Front or rear first?
Rear
Why?
Learning curve with a locker is easier when locking rear than dealing with loss of turning radius in front..

Spool, Spool,Spool.  I never leave the dirt.

Detroit, Detroit trutrac. would like to have a ox locker up front or some selectable locker to steer better at times. i would put a locker in the rear of the truck first.

•What do you run?

detroit/detroit

•What would you run if you were a millionaire?

detroit rear elock up front
( shoulda got the elock when i put in the detroit and they were on sale too)

•Why?

a lil more steering

•Front or rear first?

rear

•Why?

so i dont have to get out and lock the hubs just yet