Dana 27 Front End Locker/lsd?

See "Roxor Tech" in the tech section of this website. Lots of info there. And if your answers aren't found there, ask away.

And back to the original conversation, my .02.........while more expensive, if you're just doing light wheeling, a Powr-Lok would be fine in your 27. I do believe that using them is sometimes a nostalgic for some of us. Personally, I like the name, they are old school vintage and period correct, and work pretty darn good until they wear out.

If you're doing more serious off roading, the Lock Right is the simple cost effective answer for the 27.

And if you're at all concerned that you're going break your 27, and are thinking about disc brakes and other lockers, you'll spend a lot of coin on a 27 to make it not as good as a factory narrow track disc brake 30. Ask me how I know. But I was stuck on using period correct 27. It's cool and everything but the money (and less of it) would have been better spent on a 30. Many folks here tried to tell me this but I'm hard headed and wanted to keep my 27. Its fine and I trust it so far and mostly like it but the 30 would have been a cheaper yet stronger build.

 

What this tells me is a lot depends on the intended use of the Jeep. Every Jeep I have owned had either a Dana 25 or 27 front axle, and I have never had any problem with one, but I don't do any hard core trail ridding. I have a LSD rear D 44 in my CJ5 and open D 27 on the front. It will go anywhere I want to go.

I have a pair of Marine surplus M38A1 axles with the LSD in both front and rear axles. I plan to use these in my next build, and that will be more traction than I am used to having in any Jeep I ever owned.

QTM did have some of the Powr-Lock LSDs for these front axles, but I don't think they have any more of them, and may be difficult to find such a thing nowadays.

 

Agree. I took a locker out of a jeep I no longer plan to Rubicon. Just annoying for every day use and mild trails. So yeah, depends on the use.

 

I've run a powr lok for years in my front after the stock open diff spit out on a trail. Really IMHO the best option. It improved traction, helped eliminate load shock and is super strong . It also steers pretty well in 4WD.
IMHO the biggest issue with the 27 is it's small size. There really isn't anything offered that is big enough to take the power output of the V6. Couple that with big tires, load shock from a bouncing front tire and the occasional "hold my beer" right foot, you usually get a grenade going off in the front.

 

Matt (QTM) had a couple hundred new D27 PowrLoks he acquired several years back. The prices ranged all over the place, but were still a bargain if you were upgrading a D27. I suspect he still has some around.
The only time I have broken a D27 was pulling a stuck vehicle in reverse. The pull loaded the front suspension with perfect traction in low range, and pow! The spider gears and case exploded.
I still think the PowrLok in a D27 is the best all around combination before upgrading to a D30. D30 PowrLoks are getting had to find, by the way.
-Donny

 

Matt sold the business to Tony who had worked there since before I ever went through the door, so Tony will know about those units.

 

I did that to my CJ 5 just backing up to turn around. It was steep, but not that steep. The CJ wasn't even a year old. A challenging drive out of that trail in high range but thankfully mostly downhill. One of those trails you can't do anymore these days.

As Oldpappy said, it all comes back to the desired use.

 

so, for the original owner, what's Tony's contact info to inquire about a NOS power lock?

 

I suspect the phone number for Quarter Ton Military is still (423) 762-5858. Give them a call.
-Donny

 

Yep, believe that number is still QTM.. At least I know it is not Matt's cell phone number.

 

I realize there are a number of cons, but a little welding rod goes a long way... At the end of the day you wouldn't really be out much. Just my 2c...

 

I ran both in my 71'. I liked the lockrite more for my uses. It held up well to 33's and abuse.

 

I picked up nos powrlok from ebay last year
for around 300.00 after finding out po
Had welded my 3:73 spiders and axles.
Mucho cutting wheels get it apart.