Locker recommendations for TJ?

[Rynardt]

Want to talk lockers. Maybe looking to install lockers during gear change. Verdict is out to not go with lunchbox lockers, or a Detroit, but to go with air or electric. Anything recommended at a good price?

I have Aussie in front & E locker rear, for me this works perfect. Rock crawling, mud, . Front only locks in 4h&l. But allows perfect turns. No need to lock and unlock to make turns. Have used this for 50 outings nothing has broken. In fact I believe this Cobo saves you from having to do smoke and rubber spinning.

 

[ac_]

Well I am finishing up my e-locker in the rear, and am starting the wiring phase and noticed something that I want to bring up of which someone might find as a disadvantage. I kind of do, I may change my plan for the front. I was planing on doing a front and rear e-locker, because I previously on my YJ did front and rear ARB's and I wanted to try something new. Here is what I found planning out my wiring.

The harness is beefy. It is totally water proof, but it is generic. That means it is not made for my TJ, it is made for everything so this bulky wire harness is way longer than I need. Problems is it is completely waterproof and I f I shorten it, wont be waterproof anymore. Sure I could devise some kind of plan but this locker was 1000 dollars. l really don't want to go cutting into the harness. The advantage of the ARB has over this is you only run two air lines and you can custom make them fit. I mean that is part of the instructions. The e-locker doesn't give you any provisions for resealing your hacked harness.

I personally can probably just re-wire this on my own without the harness, of which I am not planning on using the actual locker switch that comes with it. I have some cool stock looking switches that will go in the stock switch location when I am done. but I am lucky I have the knowledge to do that, not everyone does.

So I am mounting the Relay as far forward as I can, probably on the radiator core support and may have to bunch up a lot of the wiring for now, but the harness would be crazy long if you were gong to do it up front. If I did decide to do the front. I probably wouldn't use the elocker harness.

So all of that said and especially the endorsements of others I may consider an aussie or something like it up front. I have never ran a lunchbox locker before so we will see how it goes. If it is horrible, I can always change it later.

Anyways I just wanted to point out wiring two huge/long harnesses vs air lines for ARB.

This is not a talk down about elocker. I chose it so I am going to embrace it, I just wanted to share my initial thoughts. Hopefully I will have it wired up tomorrow. I have a pretty good plan, I think, of how I am going to route it.

 

[jjvw]

Isn't resealing the harness as easy as adding some heat shrink? It is there more going on?

 

[bobthetj03]

I say screw that harness. Just run your own wiring. All you need is 2 wires, right? Run 2 wires to a relay under the hood, then to your switch. Am I undercomplicating it?

 

[ac_]

Technically I could do anything I want. It has some really think rubber waterproofing on the harness. Don't get me wrong I am not complaining. I am just trying to dispel any rumors.

Yes I have a wiring diagram, but I have been working on the Jeep for about 3 weeks, and I want to drive it. I don't want to re-wire it at least for now, but eventually I probably will just build my own harness.

Even though there are no instructions with the wiring most of the wires are color coded and labeled. I do like that.

I was merely only expressing differences between the e locker vs the air locker.

@bobthetj03 I don't think you are over simplifying it, but all of the connectors are waterproof connectors, of which I stock anyway, but most people probably won't. To anybody that wants to just wire this up, I would at the very least suggest buying the tools to install weather proof connectors.

Just as a side note, they wire in circuit breakers and relays. If you were going to re-wire this, you probably want to wire it up in the same way, The relay is probably unnecessary, as it doesn't take many amps, but since they feel you do, I will go along with it.

@jjvw I could shorten it, and weather proof the harness, but I don't have any quality heat shrink for absolute waterproofing in stock, so I am not going to f with it today, but if it is way too crazy long I may just do it anyway. I will see what it looks like when I get there. I was just posting that the harness is universal and not really made to be shortened, nor any instructions to do so as to avoid a warranty. Not that I am worried about a warranty, but the harness is pretty cool. I really don't want to mess with it for now. That said I am going to change the switch set up their switch is huge and sucks in my opinion.

 

[bobthetj03]

You are a wiring guru. You got this brah! Do you have access to some Weatherpak connectors? Don't get much more waterproof than those. I'm here to help, really!

 

[ac_]

You are a wiring guru. You got this brah! Do you have access to some Weatherpak connectors? Don't get much more waterproof than those. I'm here to help, really!

Yeah I actually do but I don't have any good heats shrink for the harness itself. I actually had to change the actual weather proof plug because the shop that installed my locker broke the terminals.

Here is what I have:
http://www.longacreracing.com/produ...id=7537&pagetitle=Weather-Pack-Connector-Kit-

and the crimper:
http://www.longacreracing.com/produ...title=Weather-Pack-Crimp-Tool-with-Crimp-Dies

 

[Jerry Little]

Well I am finishing up my e-locker in the rear, and am starting the wiring phase and noticed something that I want to bring up of which someone might find as a disadvantage. I kind of do, I may change my plan for the front. I was planing on doing a front and rear e-locker, because I previously on my YJ did front and rear ARB's and I wanted to try something new. Here is what I found planning out my wiring.

The harness is beefy. It is totally water proof, but it is generic. That means it is not made for my TJ, it is made for everything so this bulky wire harness is way longer than I need. Problems is it is completely waterproof and I f I shorten it, wont be waterproof anymore. Sure I could devise some kind of plan but this locker was 1000 dollars. l really don't want to go cutting into the harness. The advantage of the ARB has over this is you only run two air lines and you can custom make them fit. I mean that is part of the instructions. The e-locker doesn't give you any provisions for resealing your hacked harness.

I personally can probably just re-wire this on my own without the harness, of which I am not planning on using the actual locker switch that comes with it. I have some cool stock looking switches that will go in the stock switch location when I am done. but I am lucky I have the knowledge to do that, not everyone does.

So I am mounting the Relay as far forward as I can, probably on the radiator core support and may have to bunch up a lot of the wiring for now, but the harness would be crazy long if you were gong to do it up front. If I did decide to do the front. I probably wouldn't use the elocker harness.

So all of that said and especially the endorsements of others I may consider an aussie or something like it up front. I have never ran a lunchbox locker before so we will see how it goes. If it is horrible, I can always change it later.

Anyways I just wanted to point out wiring two huge/long harnesses vs air lines for ARB.

This is not a talk down about elocker. I chose it so I am going to embrace it, I just wanted to share my initial thoughts. Hopefully I will have it wired up tomorrow. I have a pretty good plan, I think, of how I am going to route it.

View attachment 53978

for as much as it is worth. The larger harness has bigger wire as you know right up to the end where the connector goes. This also helps with voltage drop so it will engauge quickly. If the electic plate has a lack of voltage when it engauges it could begin to burn the plate after a while. Myself I would keep the same harness going. If you want to shorten it you can easily make it water proof again. put some silicone on it before you shrink wrap it. I believe it only has 2 small wires going through fire wall. How is your locker going? I will be doing mine soon. I received one and the other comes tomorrow. However one shop here quoted me 8 hrs per diff @ 140.00 an hour here to put in new bearings, gears and my locker only! no wiring I will do that. That is high I think so tomorrow I will call a rear end shop and get a quote.

 

[Boinked]

for as much as it is worth. The larger harness has bigger wire as you know right up to the end where the connector goes. This also helps with voltage drop so it will engauge quickly. If the electic plate has a lack of voltage when it engauges it could begin to burn the plate after a while. Myself I would keep the same harness going. If you want to shorten it you can easily make it water proof again. put some silicone on it before you shrink wrap it. I believe it only has 2 small wires going through fire wall. How is your locker going? I will be doing mine soon. I received one and the other comes tomorrow. However one shop here quoted me 8 hrs per diff @ 140.00 an hour here to put in new bearings, gears and my locker only! no wiring I will do that. That is high I think so tomorrow I will call a rear end shop and get a quote.

8 hours a dif is gouging. Most 4 wheel shops charge 4 hours per axle. And 140 an hours seems very high. The dealership near me is only 120.
Before I did my gears i was quoted at 90 an hour.

 

[Rob5589]

for as much as it is worth. The larger harness has bigger wire as you know right up to the end where the connector goes. This also helps with voltage drop so it will engauge quickly. If the electic plate has a lack of voltage when it engauges it could begin to burn the plate after a while. Myself I would keep the same harness going. If you want to shorten it you can easily make it water proof again. put some silicone on it before you shrink wrap it. I believe it only has 2 small wires going through fire wall. How is your locker going? I will be doing mine soon. I received one and the other comes tomorrow. However one shop here quoted me 8 hrs per diff @ 140.00 an hour here to put in new bearings, gears and my locker only! no wiring I will do that. That is high I think so tomorrow I will call a rear end shop and get a quote.

2200 bucks labor? 8 hrs per diff? :meparto:

"Back in the day" I could do a f&r gear swap in 4 hrs, sometimes less depending on vehicle. They must be factoring in 2-3 one hr breaks.

 

[Jerry Little]

8 hours a dif is gouging. Most 4 wheel shops charge 4 hours per axle. And 140 an hours seems very high. The dealership near me is only 120.
Before I did my gears i was quoted at 90 an hour.

ya 8 hrs seems like a lot to me also. 140.00 an hr is going rate in California's bay area. Any old small 1200 square foot home that is a cracker box starts at about 700,000.00 here. Ha ha

 

[ac_]

for as much as it is worth. The larger harness has bigger wire as you know right up to the end where the connector goes. This also helps with voltage drop so it will engauge quickly. If the electic plate has a lack of voltage when it engauges it could begin to burn the plate after a while. Myself I would keep the same harness going. If you want to shorten it you can easily make it water proof again. put some silicone on it before you shrink wrap it. I believe it only has 2 small wires going through fire wall. How is your locker going? I will be doing mine soon. I received one and the other comes tomorrow. However one shop here quoted me 8 hrs per diff @ 140.00 an hour here to put in new bearings, gears and my locker only! no wiring I will do that. That is high I think so tomorrow I will call a rear end shop and get a quote.

I went for my second drive and cool down. I am now at the wiring phase, but I just got called in to work. Work sucks!!
Anyways I am going to keep the stock wire it doesn't need to feed through the firewall only the switch wires do so that is easier at least. I want to keep it all stock at least for now so there is no questions about why it is not working if that is the case. I am not going to mount the stock switch but I am going to wire it in to test, then wiring my own switch because theirs sucks. Maybe after it runs for a while and if I cannot find any good places to hide the wire, I may shorten it later.

My plan just FYI is to bolt the relay on the front core support and run the harness underneath along with the brake lines and shove the extra wire in the cubby behind the tail lights in the back corner then, come back over the top of the fuel tank and down to the locker pigtail. That is my plan so far without actually looking at the Jeep. I really wanted to get it done tonight, but I am stuck helping the NOC figure out a networking issue at work.

 

[Boinked]

I went for my second drive and cool down. I am now at the wiring phase, but I just got called in to work. Work sucks!!
Anyways I am going to keep the stock wire it doesn't need to feed through the firewall only the switch wires do so that is easier at least. I want to keep it all stock at least for now so there is no questions about why it is not working if that is the case. I am not going to mount the stock switch but I am going to wire it in to test, then wiring my own switch because theirs sucks. Maybe after it runs for a while and if I cannot find any good places to hide the wire, I may shorten it later.

My plan just FYI is to bolt the relay on the front core support and run the harness underneath along with the brake lines and shove the extra wire in the cubby behind the tail lights in the back corner then, come back over the top of the fuel tank and down to the locker pigtail. That is my plan so far without actually looking at the Jeep. I really wanted to get it done tonight, but I am stuck helping the NOC figure out a networking issue at work.

Dont forget to re torque everything.

 

[Jerry Little]

Sounds like a good plan to route it. What happened to your stock lockers?

 

[ac_]

Dont forget to re torque everything.

yeah for sure. Need to drive it around a bit to let it settle and seat and such, I am having some steering problems still left over from the lift I need to address too. I need to double check the caster, and alignment. I also want to check the center from the front diff. So I will do all of that and re-torque that again.

Aren't the 456's nice? I haven't got on it yet, but I can already tell it takes off so much nicer.

 

[ac_]

Sounds like a good plan to route it. What happened to your stock lockers?

Mine wasn't a Rubicon it is a zombicon; zombicons come with open diffs. hehe

 

[Boinked]

yeah for sure. Need to drive it around a bit to let it settle and seat and such, I am having some steering problems still left over from the lift I need to address too. I need to double check the caster, and alignment. I also want to check the center from the front diff. So I will do all of that and re-torque that again.

Aren't the 456's nice? I haven't got on it yet, but I can already tell it takes off so much nicer.

I love my 4.56. It gives it that get up and go you need. Just be easy on it at first.