Hmmm...That won't be happening. I wonder what is happening with MTB trails the same time of year, especially around Durango.
Locker recommendations for TJ?
- Thread starter Jerry Little
- Start date
OP
OK I will say that listening to you giving recomendations I learned a lot. Thank you for all the info as it helped me and gave me much knowledge. I would say there are good arguments for the ARB Lockers and I would say probably the best to use. However I ended up going with the Eaton E Lockers because of price. I jumped on eBay last night and found a brand new Dana 44 Locker for 775.00 shipped not a bad price brand new with accessories harness and switch of course. Then got the Dana 30 for front Elocker today. Arguably ARB can be argued to be best I agree but went with the lessor of the 2. I look for ward to getting them and getting them installed with the 5.13's. Thank you for input!
To go with your TL? Sure, always better than an open diff. Depending whether street snow or off road snow, I would consider the Aussie over the TT. That said, I have done well with mine and the Aussie combo.
OP
A Truetrac is a limited slip differential, an Aussie is a true locker. LSDs are great for slick or icy road surfaces but they don't help at all on offroad terrain that is uneven enough to lift a tire up away from firm contact with the trail surface, When a tire starts spinning due to low traction underneath it, LSDs are not very effective at all. If you're choosing a traction device to help with offroading, go with a locker of some type.
I hope my question below is not out of order in this thread.
How do the stock Rubicon setup compare to the different ARB or Eaton setups in terms of functionality/reliability/maintanence aspects? Are any of the aftermarket options better than the rubicon setup (ignore the axle difference), or are they more similar in terms of what you get overall?
How do the stock Rubicon setup compare to the different ARB or Eaton setups in terms of functionality/reliability/maintanence aspects? Are any of the aftermarket options better than the rubicon setup (ignore the axle difference), or are they more similar in terms of what you get overall?
The air actuated Rubicon lockers are not supposed to be all that robust or reliable but mine have been fine since buying my present TJ 10 years ago. I had to replace one locker actuator due to a small leak in its air bladder but that's it. I plan to continue running both of mine until I have a problem I can't fix. If I had an unlimited bank account I'd rip both out and install ARB Air Lockers just for the peace of mind but I don't so I'll live with them until then.
My rear Rubicon locker stripped out a couple weeks ago. I have a suspicion that there was a pre-existing problem when I bought the Jeep 5 years ago. I have never been happy with how fussy the rear was to lock and unlock.
Fortunately, the LSD is fine and it is still drivable. I intend to put an ARB into it in the near future.
Fortunately, the LSD is fine and it is still drivable. I intend to put an ARB into it in the near future.
The air actuated Rubicon lockers are not supposed to be all that robust or reliable but mine have been fine since buying my present TJ 10 years ago. I had to replace one locker actuator due to a small leak in its air bladder but that's it. I plan to continue running both of mine until I have a problem I can't fix. If I had an unlimited bank account I'd rip both out and install ARB Air Lockers just for the peace of mind but I don't so I'll live with them until then.
Jerry, what makes the factory lockers not robust? ie which component(s) in them is the weak link? Or is the entire implementation not as as good as the ARB air setup? @Chris what are you running in your Rubicon?
I don't really know, I don't know of a particular weak link in them. As said above, mine have been fine despite lots of use on tougher than average trails with 35" tires.
For the rear, having both a locker and an LSD is a lot to squeeze into a small space. A dedicated locker or a dedicated LSD like a TrueTrac will have larger components.
Many think that the front is stronger due being simply a locker. I don't know, except that both mrblaine and David Kishpaugh both disagree. And both are significantly more knowledgeable and experienced than I ever will be.
Many think that the front is stronger due being simply a locker. I don't know, except that both mrblaine and David Kishpaugh both disagree. And both are significantly more knowledgeable and experienced than I ever will be.
Or could it be possible that the front lasts longer because it possibly gets used less?
Yet another question that is related but somewhat tangtial and hope it's OK to ask:
does the factory rubicon setup in 03-06 Rubicons have both an LSD and a locker in the rear? I know the front does not have LSD, just the locker.
does the factory rubicon setup in 03-06 Rubicons have both an LSD and a locker in the rear? I know the front does not have LSD, just the locker.
I’m running factory Rubicon lockers. Unless they ever break, I’ll continue to keep running them.