Lockers for daily driver?

ARBs here. I like them alot, minus a hard to control leak at the solenoid on mine. Cant even tell they are there until you hit the switch.
 
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Seeing that you are from S. Car I would go with a good switchable locker. A good limited slip for a daily driver is a better choice if you deal with icy and snow covered roads, (like me) but other than that I would go with an electric locker unless you are planning on an air system in your TJ. Then either air or electric. Auto lockers can be tricky for a DD where they can be fine for a mostly trail use Jeep.
 
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@Jerry Bransford, so, the lunchbox locker unlocks when we turn. Is the problem on snow/ice that the front tires don't get any traction so they don't see you turning and they stay locked and continue to push you forward?
 
JMT said:
@Jerry Bransford, so, the lunchbox locker unlocks when we turn. Is the problem on snow/ice that the front tires don't get any traction so they don't see you turning and they stay locked and continue to push you forward?
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Exactly. The outside tire in the turn has to have enough traction under it so it will rotate faster than the inside tire to unlock its side of the locker.
 
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What do you tj gurus think about the Eaton Detroit locker for the super 35.
I can pick up one locally for $350.
Man says it has never been installed. It's for a Dana 35 30 spline axle.
What would I need to look for in this locker, buying from an individual?
Thanks
 
Jerry Bransford said:
I never has a bad experience with mine. As said above I loved them in my SoCal conditions. But also as said above I wouldn't recommend them to anyone who has to drive on icy or snow covered streets unless they would be extremely careful.
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I also live where there is little to no ice and snow, but just curious, what is the problem with an auto locker in these conditions?
 
Auto lockers can become unpredictable on pavement & smooth surfaces. You'll be driving along, making a sweeping turn, and half way through the locker will disengage. Unexpected locking can cause both wheels to slip (on ice) or the jeep to push through a turn (with traction). Unexpected unlocking on a turn can cause the front to dart. Either sudden movement is not good on snow / ice. It can be mostly avoided by understanding how the auto lockers engage. On the throttle straight line they tend to lock up, lift off for your turns and they're usually fine. "Usually" isn't good enough for me if I am driving on ice.

I had an auto locker on the front of my YJ and it would surprise you now and then even on dry pavement (no CAD on mine)
 
My only experience with an auto locker was in the rear of a mostly off-road vehicle. I did not prefer the auto-locker, but I assumed they were magic back in the day when I was in the mud and it seldom would unlock when I was in a parking lot. It was the cheapest locker I could find and there were a lot of pops and loud noises from it.

I have an ARB in my truck and it has always wanted to leak at the solenoid and the other day I engaged the compressor and it didn't respond. I checked connections, everything seemed fine and then it started working, I filled up some tires and no issues since.

I plan to do a Super 35 kit with the RD105 ARB locker this summer and I plan to change up the wiring some to integrate it into the new fuse box I have for the new engine. I will probably wait until after I install an Atlas to install an ARB locker in the front. Of course I wouldn't hate a LSD up front.
 
papasjeep said:
What do you tj gurus think about the Eaton Detroit locker ...
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Not a tJ guru but I run a Detroit in the rear and ARB in the front (D44s) . It Isnt a DD but after three years I have experienced very little of the unpredictability others describe. It caught me out once me under very hard acceleration on a freeway onramp but it was nothing really dangerous. Just surprising. Tires chirp occasionally accellerating around sharp corners. Compact snow and ice haven't been a problem either. Probably because MT tires suck in those conditions so I'm always paying really close attention to what my right foot is doing. If I ever blow things up or regear I'll probably go Detroit again.
https://www.differentials.com/detroit-locker-faqs/
 
Would running hubs make a difference in this selection process? I often hear about hubs, but haven't actually seen them used by anyone in person.
 
Determine the type of driving/off roading you intend to do and base your selection of components on that.
 
I'm just not really clear on the uses of hubs. From my understanding, they tend to be a bit heavier duty and easier to repair with an added benefit of unlocking them so the tires free wheel a bit more, which might compliment a front auto locker. Seems like disadvantages are large price tags and longer axle width.
 
xxdabroxx said:
I don't see how a locking hub could be stronger than no locking hub. Seems like it's only adding possible points of failure.
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I think the kits to add in locking hubs use bearings that can handle more load compared to an OEM setup.

I saw something on autolockers installed in the front that if used with manually locking hubs that they can be used without any way to negatively engage or something like that (I'm lazy to copy and paste or look it back up).

I see it more on larger trucks, but I've heard about guys with Jeeps running them. I don't see how they offer much if you're not overloading your front end. Am I missing something? I hear claims of a slight improvement on mpg, but not enough to really pay off until we hit $5/gal fuel.

I guess instead of hi-jacking I'll use the search feature.
 
The main reason for locking hubs on a TJ is as a last ditch effort to eliminate driveline vibes.
 
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I see it more on larger trucks, but I've heard about guys with Jeeps running them. I don't see how they offer much if you're not overloading your front end. Am I missing something? I hear claims of a slight improvement on mpg, but not enough to really pay off until we hit $5/gal fuel.
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My Ford Super Duty has auto locking hubs, but not an auto locking differential. From what I've gathered, the auto locking hubs work off vacuum. They can be locked manually, but the axle works the same. I'm guessing I use them manual mode to reduce the risk of getting stuck in the event of vacuum loss

Supposedly, there's a theoretical improvement in fuel economy if I leave them in auto mode.
 
I’ve have two XP’s with Arb before I bought my rubicon, the only time I had a problem when a tree limb grabbed the air line, after you learn how to use them right they can get you out of a lot of situations, ie wheel stuck in the air or no traction, The rubicon has a helical limited slip that is basically mechanical limited slip, it is great until it goes out, if mine goes out , which isn’t uncommon I’ll be going Arb , it’s hard to get stuck with lockers and a winch. If basically means if you can’t drive over it you winch over it, or you don’t need to be there, Truly driving all 4 wheels in low range has an amazing amount of traction if you can hook up
 
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