Diff. Locker
- Thread starter emjeep
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Jester32
New member
A spool you will hate on the street. A lunchbox style locker is a little better for drivability and the wallet but noisy and finicky in the winter. A selectable is the ultimate in drivability. I would not run a spool in the front. You would never be able to steer it and it would have horrible turning radius and load up of the diff axles and suspension
Saddle Tramp
New member
If you can afford it go with a selectable locker, either manual, electric, or air. With any of these you can be in four wheel drive but not locked up. Although that can be helpful on the trail in certain situations, the most important reason is streetability, particularly in winter conditions as the back end of the jeep will try to pass the front when locked up on ice. That said a lunchbox or spool becomes nonfunctional with the front hubs unlocked however with the hubs locked on dry pavement the jeep will try to drive off the road all by its self.
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69jeepcj
New member
I have had, and have lockers now. In the winter In 4x4 I never had any problems, but on slick roads in two wheel drive it was a night mare, as stated above the rear end was everywhere. If you have a cj with lock out hubs, a front locker will not affect the drivibility at all, because the hubs will not be locked in. I cant tell I have one in the front at all until I lock the hubs in. Wranglers do not have lockout hubs so front lockers on them do effect drivibility on the street.
I don't have a locker but have been reading up on them (so pardon my ignorance). My understanding was that when running a lunchbox / selectable locker / anything but a spool - in the front, the locker will only come into play when in 4wd. In 2wd the front wheels will not receive power, and the locker will not engage.
- Open Differential = When a vehicle with an open differential meets a lack of traction, it directs power to the wheel with the least amount of resistance (tire in the air spins).
- Spool = the lack of a differential, 100% lock-up between both wheels of an axle all the time.
- On-Command Lockers = uses a switch to go from open differential to full locker
- Automatic Lockers = lock both wheels of an axle automatically when torque is applied so that both wheels are providing power. When torque is not being applied (i.e. you press the clutch in) the differential is allowed to unlock.
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Jester32
New member
TerryMason said:
That is true. He said he wanted a spool so I was a little confused when he through tru trac in there. One thing to note. After a lot of winter driving up here in Canada eh. The lunch box lockers will often mess with the front under slippery conditions as a certain amount or resistance is needed to unlock the splines so on real slippery surfaces the locker stays some what locked letting the front slide if cornering. Kinda hair raising when the wife is driving and she freaks out lol. I love my Aussies but something to consider if planning on winter driving
TrailRatedRN
New member
What is the benefit of this?
You're out on the trail in a stock Jeep with open differentials (all Jeeps except rubicons). You slowly go over a hill so that one of your rear wheels is lifted into the air, and the Jeep stops going. The more gas you give it the faster that the wheel in the air spins while you sulk.
If you had a selectible locker like and ARB you'd just hit a button and the rear tires / axles would lock into place rotating both tires at the same speed.
If you have a automatic locker like a detroit, aussie locker, loc rite, etc when the wheel in the air started to spin, the locker would automatically lock, spinning the tires at the same speed (just like the selectible).
The down side of the automatic locker is when you're driving home on icy roads at 55 mph, and the right rear wheel hits a patch of ice. The automatic locker will sense the spin of that tire and lock the axle, causing the left and right wheels to spin at the same speed, resulting in the rear end getting squirley as the axle locks and unlocks. (please note this is just what I've read, I haven't bought a locker yet).
TrailRatedRN
New member
Terry, my question is about the clutch. You said you would unlock when the clutch is used. Why would you want to depress the clutch when you are locked?
Utah_jeepster
Super Moderator
With an auto type of locker it relays on torque to engage. The trick with a,lock right in the rear was to apply a,little brake pressure to get it engaged on hard climbs before you hit the hard section. The problem was if you clutched while on the hill it would disengage during the climb.
Sent from my PG86100 using Jeepz
Sent from my PG86100 using Jeepz
69jeepcj
New member
a lunch box locker works when engine throttle is applied, its automatic (hens the name, auto locker) There is no unlocking during throttle. You front tires turn at dif speeds during a turn so the locker has to account for that, and that is done when you let off of the throttle. When you let off, the locker unlocks, when gas is on, it is locked. It should never come unlocked under throttle. You have heard of the driving affects lunchbox lockers can have on the road, thats because of all the on and off throttle around town driving. The locker is locking and unlocking all the time and you get some jerks, noises, and the jeep may even swerve on the road. It doesnt sence wheel slipage and then lock, its gas on locked, gas off unlocked.
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Think of a hill climb where you start off in first, pick up some speed then shift to second.
Bounty__Hunter
Super Moderator
I run spools in both axles of my daily driver/trail rig. It's not for everyone, but for me it works great.
Having said that, don't forget the value of a limited slip differential such as the Detroit TrueTrac. It's a good option for tires up to 33". It's basically invisible on the road while providing increased traction when offroad. A limited slip won't lock up 100% but it will send power to the wheel with the most traction in most situations.
Having said that, don't forget the value of a limited slip differential such as the Detroit TrueTrac. It's a good option for tires up to 33". It's basically invisible on the road while providing increased traction when offroad. A limited slip won't lock up 100% but it will send power to the wheel with the most traction in most situations.
69jeepcj said:
I don't completely agree with this. A lunchbox locker is designed so that when torque is applied to the center pin of the carrier it pushes the center halves of the locker out, engaging them in the outer halves which are attached to the axle shafts. So in a situation where you are decelerating, using the engine to slow you, the locker would still engage. In a coasting or neutral situation the locker would disengage.
insufficient funds
New member
I have a Spartan auto locker in front and a limited slip in the rear of my 8.8 I repacked the LSD and added.a few more disks. IM very happy with it the on road driving is like a open diff and wheeling I would have to say I get about 90% traction of a full locker. I think a good LSD has it's advantages for a multi use rig.
69jeepcj
New member
I agree with vlad. decreasing speed, the locker should stay engaged. I have had them unlock before though decreasing.. I called "lock right" when I got my first locker and they explained pretty much what I wrote up top. But when letting up on the throttle to slow down a little it should stay engaged. I left the litttle springs out of mine when installed to maybe thats why it would sometimes unlock when I slowed down. Lunch box locker is a made up name for auto lockers, as stated above they drop into open carriers and takes about a hour to do, like during a lunch break which is where the name came from.
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