Has anyone run the Eaton e-lockers?

whitrzac

whitrzac

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After my experience with the powertrax no-slip, I'm going to build a HP Dana 30. I'm still unsure why they failed, but I no longer trust them to not leave me stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Has anyone run the eaton e-lockers? I read somehwere that when going from forward to reverse that they unlock, but I can't find the post right now.
https://www.quadratec.com/products/16100_1011_07.htm
I still plan on staying 31s, or at most 33s, and stock 3.73 or 4.10 gearing.



Side note, someone local has a set of rubicon axles for about what these lockers/etc will cost me. The problem is they have 5.13 gearing in them. Would it be worth the added cost to get them and regear them back to 4.10?
 
@jjvw has info on the unlocking information I believe. I wouldnt want a locker that does something like that. That 1-foot or so can really screw you up when you are offroading.

The rubi axles would be tempting, but I know several who would rather have a HP front axle vs the dana 44 (keeping the "which axle?" and "which is stronger?" discussion out of here) for playing in the rocks. The only other downside to the rubi lockers is that they are no longer made. So once it breaks, its time to get a new locker.

Have you looked at ARB? Steller reputation, selectable, and used by several racing companies (should that mean anything to you). I have both front and rear and I dont even know they are there until I flip the compressor on. Speaking of air, most will complain about the need for onboard air, however the compressor itself is small, I fit it on the empty tray underneath the hood and its not in the way of anything.
 
tworley said:
@jjvw has info on the unlocking information I believe. I wouldnt want a locker that does something like that. That 1-foot or so can really screw you up when you are offroading.
Click to expand...

I thought I recall reading something about the latest version of their e-locker no longer does this anymore?
 
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Chris said:
I thought I recall reading something about the latest version of their e-locker no longer does this anymore?
Click to expand...

I am not sure--I havent researched it to know. I do know they fixed a shoddy weld that holds the wiring or something like that in place, some folks were receiving broken lockers right out of the box.

But I still recommend ARBs:)
 
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tworley said:
I am not sure--I havent researched it to know. I do know they fixed a shoddy weld that holds the wiring or something like that in place, some folks were receiving broken lockers right out of the box.

But I still recommend ARBs:)
Click to expand...

Interesting! I know a number of people who wheel with e-lockers and have had nothing but good things to say about them. Of course maybe they are running more current versions with some of these issues having been addressed. I too have never researched it enough to know.
 
Chris said:
Interesting! I know a number of people who wheel with e-lockers and have had nothing but good things to say about them. Of course maybe they are running more current versions with some of these issues having been addressed. I too have never researched it enough to know.
Click to expand...

As of August 2018--I think the unlocking is still an issue (or nuance?)

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/locker-recommendations-for-tj.13227/post-211832
And from the other jeep forum (Mar 2018)

Just an FYI for everybody - I have a 2006 Rubicon Unlimited with 42K miles. I broke the stock rear locker 3 years ago and replaced it with the stock Rubicon front locker, as it is stronger. However, I broke the rear locker again at KOH this year. The airline inside the differential has been leaking because the rubber hose is submerged in gear oil. Rubber and gear oil don't get along well, but that's besides the point (my fault for not double checking). It wiped out the spider gears because the locker was not fully engaged. So, against my better judgment, I decided to re-gear to 5.38 front and rear with Eaton E Lockers. I had ARB lockers in the past, and should have gone with them again. My E Lockers showed up today at my differential guy's shop and here is what showed up... see pics. They were delivered to us......broken. The tack welds which hold the tabs on either side of the locker were completely ripped off. Very poor tack welds to say the least. Due to poor packaging, the other locker had a bent tab that we refused to straighten due to the minuscule tack welds. We were waiting for Eaton to approve us to re-weld the tabs back on, but as we were waiting, we pulled off the C clip and the collar, to realize this was part of the electromagnetic components. So we decided regardless, not to re-weld the tabs back on for liability sake. Now that I have seen them in person and the wiring harness, I have decided that I am going to have my diff guy send them back and replace them with ARB air lockers. I cannot trust these Eaton E Lockers while off roading because they didn't even make it through the shipping process, let alone the beating they'd take while off roading. The distributor is shipping new collars with the tabs, red labeled at their cost, so we will have them tomorrow. They admitted that this is a common problem with their Eaton E Lockers as of late. Sorry Eaton, hopefully you get this right.
Looks like I will have front locker and both air compressor for sale.



Hmm--the pictures didnt copy over...
 
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tworley said:
As of August 2018--I think the unlocking is still an issue (or nuance?)

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/locker-recommendations-for-tj.13227/post-211832
And from the other jeep forum (Mar 2018)

Just an FYI for everybody - I have a 2006 Rubicon Unlimited with 42K miles. I broke the stock rear locker 3 years ago and replaced it with the stock Rubicon front locker, as it is stronger. However, I broke the rear locker again at KOH this year. The airline inside the differential has been leaking because the rubber hose is submerged in gear oil. Rubber and gear oil don't get along well, but that's besides the point (my fault for not double checking). It wiped out the spider gears because the locker was not fully engaged. So, against my better judgment, I decided to re-gear to 5.38 front and rear with Eaton E Lockers. I had ARB lockers in the past, and should have gone with them again. My E Lockers showed up today at my differential guy's shop and here is what showed up... see pics. They were delivered to us......broken. The tack welds which hold the tabs on either side of the locker were completely ripped off. Very poor tack welds to say the least. Due to poor packaging, the other locker had a bent tab that we refused to straighten due to the minuscule tack welds. We were waiting for Eaton to approve us to re-weld the tabs back on, but as we were waiting, we pulled off the C clip and the collar, to realize this was part of the electromagnetic components. So we decided regardless, not to re-weld the tabs back on for liability sake. Now that I have seen them in person and the wiring harness, I have decided that I am going to have my diff guy send them back and replace them with ARB air lockers. I cannot trust these Eaton E Lockers while off roading because they didn't even make it through the shipping process, let alone the beating they'd take while off roading. The distributor is shipping new collars with the tabs, red labeled at their cost, so we will have them tomorrow. They admitted that this is a common problem with their Eaton E Lockers as of late. Sorry Eaton, hopefully you get this right.
Looks like I will have front locker and both air compressor for sale.
Click to expand...

Sounds like ARB is the way to go!
 
I just ordered front and rear elockers yesterday for my super 30+35 upgrade with 4.56 gears from 4Lowparts.
I’ll have my installer Martin from Mobile gear installers give it a close inspection before he puts it all together.
I understand the forward to reverse unlocking for a half of a rotation or so and I don’t think that will be a problem with the wheelin I do.
I’ll post up the results in a week or two after install, break in and an outing planned for Big Bear next weekend.
Ben
 
I have ran them for 10 years with no problems. I will use them on the LJ build too. But my experience is different than yours. Tim
 
TJ Ben said:
I just ordered front and rear elockers yesterday for my super 30+35 upgrade with 4.56 gears from 4Lowparts.
I’ll have my installer Martin from Mobile gear installers give it a close inspection before he puts it all together.
I understand the forward to reverse unlocking for a half of a rotation or so and I don’t think that will be a problem with the wheelin I do.
I’ll post up the results in a week or two after install, break in and an outing planned for Big Bear next weekend.
Ben
Click to expand...
How do you like your 30&35 upgrade and e lockers? this is exactly what I'm planning to do to my TJ.
 
tworley said:
Just an FYI for everybody - I have a 2006 Rubicon Unlimited with 42K miles. I broke the stock rear locker 3 years ago and replaced it with the stock Rubicon front locker, as it is stronger. However, I broke the rear locker again at KOH this year. The airline inside the differential has been leaking because the rubber hose is submerged in gear oil. Rubber and gear oil don't get along well, but that's besides the point (my fault for not double checking). It wiped out the spider gears because the locker was not fully engaged. So, against my better judgment, I decided to re-gear to 5.38 front and rear with Eaton E Lockers. I had ARB lockers in the past, and should have gone with them again. My E Lockers showed up today at my differential guy's shop and here is what showed up... see pics. They were delivered to us......broken. The tack welds which hold the tabs on either side of the locker were completely ripped off. Very poor tack welds to say the least. Due to poor packaging, the other locker had a bent tab that we refused to straighten due to the minuscule tack welds. We were waiting for Eaton to approve us to re-weld the tabs back on, but as we were waiting, we pulled off the C clip and the collar, to realize this was part of the electromagnetic components. So we decided regardless, not to re-weld the tabs back on for liability sake. Now that I have seen them in person and the wiring harness, I have decided that I am going to have my diff guy send them back and replace them with ARB air lockers. I cannot trust these Eaton E Lockers while off roading because they didn't even make it through the shipping process, let alone the beating they'd take while off roading. The distributor is shipping new collars with the tabs, red labeled at their cost, so we will have them tomorrow. They admitted that this is a common problem with their Eaton E Lockers as of late. Sorry Eaton, hopefully you get this right.
Looks like I will have front locker and both air compressor for sale.
Click to expand...
Uggghh! I have front and rear Eaton elockers new in boxes in the garage. I was waiting to open them because I don't have the F'g front gears yet (ordered in June). Sounds like I should go open and inspect right now.
 
whitrzac said:
After my experience with the powertrax no-slip, I'm going to build a HP Dana 30. I'm still unsure why they failed, but I no longer trust them to not leave me stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Has anyone run the eaton e-lockers? I read somehwere that when going from forward to reverse that they unlock, but I can't find the post right now.
https://www.quadratec.com/products/16100_1011_07.htm
I still plan on staying 31s, or at most 33s, and stock 3.73 or 4.10 gearing.



Side note, someone local has a set of rubicon axles for about what these lockers/etc will cost me. The problem is they have 5.13 gearing in them. Would it be worth the added cost to get them and regear them back to 4.10?
Click to expand...
no. no ones EVER run eaton e-lockers
 
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Here's how the front e-locker was packaged:

20210903_162902.jpg


Here's how the rear Dana 44 was packaged:

20210903_162733.jpg


20210903_162945.jpg


What kind of morons did the packaging engineering and the packaging. Bent tabs on both.

Thanks for the heads up. Both of these are going back.
 
Jerry Bransford said:
I hope you're kidding. If you're not that's pure bullshit. The internet is passing around a lot of wrong exaggerated bullshit about the E-Locker which is a solid locker.
Click to expand...
I think he’s a 15yro and doesn’t know the balance between being a troll, making a joke, and just keeping his mouth shut yet.
 
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