Choices on lockers

I can see where you're going with your idea-the full float is great for flat towing, and why not look at some type of locker while you're in there? I'd be thinking the same thing. I myself cannot in good conscience re-install an open carrier, but that's just me.
I have ARB's in a YJ, An OX in the back of my 7, and an Elocker in the front of my flattie and I can tell you that they are all built well, and work as advertised. The only downside to the selectable (other than price) is the aforementioned cable/airline/wire running to a switch or shifter in the cab. Until some gearhead gets in touch with his inner geek and creates a bluetooth locker actuator and corresponding app for his smartphone we're stuck with that. All the other elements of the selectable are "positive" (sorry, couldn't help it). If you're set on a selectable watch the venders for sales- I picked up my elocker from Summit for $100 less than list due to a promotional thing.
I must also confess my affection for the Powerloc. They are built well, they work great, you can rebuild them yourself, or "adjust" how you want them to act, and they're pretty transparent on the street.
Keep us posted on what you decide.

Mike

 

Far from a "must have" but far from a PITA. I find that once you have onboard air, you miss it when you don't have it. It does come in handy.

As far as reliability goes I've only ever had to fix one air line in 15 yrs. In fact, I've already got a compressor mounted on the CJ-6 just for airing back up after trails or lawn mower/ wheel barrow tires that require a little air so I don't have to fire up the garage air.

 

Bingo! The Air in itself is a bonus to have on-board no question...............and as far as air operated lockers and the air lines that supply these. I have been in Trucking for a good part of my life........there are hundreds of feet of standard sized 3/8" ID and above line that service the brakes and other equipment.............along with that there is several hundred feet of the same 1/8" mini-pneumatic airline that supplies lockers that supplies valves in these Trucks with hardly ever a problem........For years we used the screw on line fittings with a brass sleeve , now everything is push on..........You just have to be smart as to the routing of the line and provide some protection where needed and also tie it off.............and if it did get a cut or leaked you can install a union in those anywhere in a matter of seconds...........no issues.

 

Ice, ice baby.... I have slid on ice in a jeep. Went sideways into a telephone pole. 45 mph at night. thrown out, covered in gasoline. I have no intention of making that scenario happen again..

So, selectable it will be. I am looking so very hard at the OX locker. I like the lever idea. they also are air actuated?

There is really no reason an elocker cannot be bluetooth or whatever. a logic controller with an rs232 board and a solenoid, but why? a switch on the dash is simple and pretty cool...

If i were to do OBA it would be one of those A/C compressors, so that i can really air up tires and what not. They use a magnetic clutch. I bet the elocker uses the same concept to lock the differential.

 

Chris - I may have told you that I have a 2A with a Warn FF in the D41 and Warn internal hubs. I did this specifically to flat tow the Willys and it works like a charm. I did have a slight occasional problem locking the rear hubs - I would have to rock the vehicle a little to get full engagement. The hubs are now serviced and working better. I have towed my 2A thousands of miles with almost no problems. I occasionally had a problem in sharp right turns when the steering would bind up and refuse to track in the turn. I attribute this to a sloppy (incorrectly adjusted) Ross box and the fact that the Jeep was sprung over and had a severely dropped steering arm.



When I began my rebuild one goal was to put the springs back under the axles and stabilize the steering geometry. I also rebuilt the Ross box with a Tite Steer tensioner and put new TREs in the tie rods (I have a long tie rod conversion). I think this (and possibly a bungee on the steering wheel) will largely eliminate the tracking problem.

I also installed a Lock Right - about the only locker available for a D41. An Eaton or OX would have been nice if available, but a lot more money. This is a trail rig, so I think I'll be happy with what I have.

 

I've been very happy with my OX's. They've always engaged/disengaged on demand without any adjustment. I sorta dug the heavy duty billet diff cover with a drain plug, and the levers. The cable routing wasn't much of an issue either, it's a pretty straight shot. The only real reason I picked 'em over the ARB was the simplicity, and a bit of redundancy in case the compressor went out for some reason.

 

This thread is great. You guys are really helping me narrow down what i want. I started out thinking a lunchbox locker would be fine, now its going to cost me more money, but I will have a better jeep with better on road characteristics.

 

This company offers either actuation http://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-2068890-ox-locker-dana-44-3-92-up-30-spline.html does not include the cable, 100~120 bucks. Does not include bearings or master install kit.

I used this company for my D30 gear set. I had a good experience.

this company http://www.quadratec.com/products/product_search.php?cn=Ox+Trax+Lockers&c=5&pn=16100+4xx&spg=t&sv= offers electric actuation as well

 

When factored together the OX locker with cable and shifter is up over grand
The Elocker priced here http://www.4wd.com/Jeep-Drivetrain-...nPZpObG-fHb2y1pH5VRMuoD6m7ATrLz8GAaAowy8P8HAQ is a little under 900 bucks.

So, ARB, Ox locker and E locker are all similar in price. None come with bearings or master install kit. The E locker required the least additional parts. Seems like all you need is a switched 12v power supply. Thats as simple as its going to get. The air system is an advantage if you get a compressor big enough to air up your tires. The lines are really not an issue either. The OX locker will apparently work anyway you desire. Air, Cable or Electric. You pay of course.

no way I can get out f this for under 1200 bucks for the parts just for the locker, and thats if my gears are still good. extra axle, might be junk too. The rest of the full float stuff I have including axles, providing i can machine 10 splines into my 30 spline chevy axles that may or may not work to reuse my d25 locking hubs......

 

Any of them will work for you.
A friend has been using an ARB for over 20 years. His only problem was a leak between the compressor and the solenoids.
I suppose it has been over 4 years since I did the Elockers in the Jeeps. No problrms yet. I've never done an OXlocker.
I agree with your desire to be able to flat tow. It is a PITA to pull the rear drive shaft out especially when them little bugs are munching on you.

 

Go selectable! I have an e-locker in my cj6 it's been there for 6 years and I love it....actually I love the idea of it I've never actually used it because the project hasn't left the shop in that many years! R) Oh well.

 

The only real problem is the price for any of these. It seems that the cheapest option is the Elocker. Wire and a switch is all you need. The 19 spline version is like 150 bucks cheaper. Im not going that route, but I'm putting it out there anyway.

I need to get some other things in order, but this is defiantly the next project for sure. If all goes well I should be out 1200 bucks for the Elocker and master rebuild kit. the axlshafts I plan on running are long side D44 from 1975 chevy blazer. 36+" long. They are 30 spline. I will cut 10 splines in the outside end to accept the dualmatic or warn hubs from dana 25 and it will be made into a full float. If that doesn't work, i will have to buy the herm shafts for 400 plus bucks.

When I decide to do this, I will make sure to share it here.

Thanks a lot for helping me narrow down what the most appropriate locker for me is.

Chris

 

The ARB for a D44 does come with carrier bearings and shim kit. All you need is a compressor kit if the pinion bearings are in good shape.

And for the shafts- Why bother with 10 on the outer? I understand trying to use existing parts but the strength sacrifice between 10 and 27 is huge.

 

I do not disagree. Im trying to save the cost of new 27 spline lockout hubs and the price of herms axles. thats a 500+ buck savings. None of what Im trying to do may work, but i won't be out anything but 160 bucks and some time spent on some chevy axles. The chances of me breaking anything with what I do is slim even at the 10 spline strength. I am also going to cut these splines on my bridgeport that will make them even weaker. Im trying to not spend over 2 grand on this. Im not looking for bulletproof, I'm looking for flat towing and experience in my shop making splines. For me the price to do this with herms axles, new lockout hubs and a locker is out of my price range by a lot.

 

I had some stock Chevy 10 bolt front shafts shortened and re-splined to 30 spline (same axle blank as a 44) and narrow track Dana 30 specs for not that much money by Jantz Engineering. Would probably be well worth your time and effort to make sure this experiment lasts as you'll be money ahead in the long run if it lasts long term and you don't have to do things twice. Or am I missing something?

 

those are the long side axle shafts I have

you're not missing anything except I like to make things myself. Im not driving across the country or into combat with this thing. Like I said, it might not work right.. if it doesn't i will be out NOTHING. Then I buy the correct axle shafts and locking hubs and it will still work as designed. For me this is not an exercise in replacing parts, but learning how to make my own parts. I made my own body for my 2a, made engine mounts, spring plates, sourced my own parts for the disk brakes, made my own driveshafts, made my whole saginaw conversion and all parts, stretched my frame and body, made my own spring mounts for my wrangler 4"lift.. i pretty much made everything. Some of it works great, some of it not so much, but all of it i learned something from.

 

The thing i wont trust in the rear floating kit is the external lockout hub. They are weak to me. I have them in front of my dana 44 i'm i'm going to swap the ford/gmc/dodge internal style lockout hub. Way more solid than the external one. Also, goins ff in the rear with the 10 of 27 spline shaft will weaken the axle if you compare to a stock dana 44. The 27 spline shaft are dana 30 size, so smaller than the 19 spline that front dana 44 with internal use as outer shaft.

 

I agree with you, but others seem to not have a problem with the lockout hubs. I also have 10 spline drive flanges too. the inner axle splines 30 spline, hence the change to a selectable locker. Even with 10 spline axles, I just am never going to break them. I don't do any rock crawling or giant mud bogging. i go get milk.