Lockers

Thanks for everyones input with my last thread concerning the D27. I have abandoned the D27 and purchased a D30 NT. I should put some kind of locker in it and am thinking of the PowerTrax Lock Right, does anyone have any history with these...

http://www.jeep4x4center.com/cj7/Lock-right_Power_trax.htm

Here are some facts about the rig I am building;

1954 CJ3B
powered by CSB 350, Ford RTS Tranny, D18 TC
Rear D44 Flanged axle with Trac Loc
front D30 will have Warn locking hubs
35" tires
Intended usage, mostly light to medium difficult trails and some river fording,off road snow, on and off lake ice for fishing, 75% of usage will be on dry pavement.

No rock crawling, however I don't want to get stuck on a slight uneven incline watching my front wheel off the ground a few inches spinning with having an open diff.

Best, Jon

 

I would recommend the ARB Air Locker. Defensively the best decision I have ever made. I know it is a lot of money, but the benefit of a selectable locker and also the ability of having on board air. Just think. If you get on ice. You will wish you didn't have a locker.

 

my brother had one in his 69 nova when they first came out back in 2000 or so for his 10 bolt rear. It worked very good we never had any problems with it. just gotta be easy on the power around turns or itll give you a big clunk when it unloads. that probrobly wont even be as much a problem in the front axle. it does behave alot better than the reguar lock right

 

I have lock rites front and rear in the '59-5. Have for 15-18 or so years. I love them. Having said that, they are not ice or slippery snow friendly. Work great in Deep powdery snow.

I'd recommend either Powerlock limited slips or selectable lockers with selectables being the first choice. They are worth every penny. I'm putting my money where my mouth is. I just built a pair of axles with ARB's to replace the ones in the '59-5 that has the Lock rites,,,,

I should add that even a powerlock can be problematic on really slippery surfaces like ice covered asphalt.

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My take is you are not going to like any non-selectable locker in the front axle of a 3B with a 350 sbc. Even though you can trun the hubs out when not needed, you will have your hands full, in a very literal sense, when in 4x4 mode, most especially on-road when on ice or hard pack (and I think that is at least 50% of my 4x4 use). On ice, an open front option is the best. Just halving a Detroit in the rear is more than a handful. I would just bite the bullet and get an ARB.

 

Yup, either a selectable locker up front or possibly a TruTrac. TruTrac is what I have purchased for my NT Dana 30 for my A1. I have a LockRight in the rear 44 currently but plans are for an offset 60 with a Detroit in the future. (Just because really. I have a 60 and I have the housing narrowing jig, so why not?) TruTrac is the only diff they recommend for a full time 4x4 on the street. I put one in my buddies '79 CJ7 QuadraTrac and unless you are on the gas in a turn, it's mostly not noticeable. (Get on the V8 in a turn and that's not the case!)

 

That’s the thing about using an automatic locker/limited slip in the front axle, if you’re just breathing on the throttle it won’t turn. It’s not just that it makes the steering more difficult, if the traction is at all sketchy (snow, mud, sand, ice) you can turn the steering wheel and keep going in a straight line because it will just push the front end. You have to learn to get out of the gas before trying to make a turn so that it will unlock and allow the wheels to track around the turn but even then you have to hope it unlocks because if the surface you’re driving is slick enough it might not.
Sure can live with an automatic locker/limited slip in the front axle, I’ve been doing it for a few years now, but life sure is a lot easier with a selectable one.

 

I've got a powertrax in my D30 in my cj with a 304. It give incredible traction, but KILLS my turning radius. Unless I'm coasting with the clutch in, its 3 point turns where other jeeps just drive around the corner. I'd like to change it out for a selectable in the future, but if I do that, its not gonna be in a d30. If I stick with the d30, I'd like to add a Powr-lok or tru-track.

Long story short: it adds a ton of traction, but makes it hard to steer (and I have PS). If you run mostly in wide open areas, mud, sand, etc, its great. If you run tight trails, its useful, but has its drawbacks.

 

Wow, great information, everyone offered info from different perspectives. It looks like I need to head in a different direction with these ARB's. I am new to the term "selectable" and will have to do some researching, it looks like they don't give those buggers away. What is the preferred method of making air, directly from an engine compressor or an electric compressor?

So when these ARB's are not activated, do the axles act like limited slip and un noticeable while driving on dry pavement?

Best, Jon

 

ARBs when off are an open diff so you won't notice them at all.

 

ARB's and Ox lockers are open diffs when unlocked so are unnoticeable on pavement. They work well in ice and snow too as you can keep them unlocked, lock just one, or lock both.
If running from onboard air I'd recommend a small tank as a reservoir so the compressor isn't cycling all the time but you don't have to. I have onboard air but I intend on running a small electric compressor just for the ARB's. Gives me some redundancy.
Selectable just means you can manually turn them on or off. Automatic means just that, no control or input from the driver. Detroit No Spin, Lock Rites, etc. fall under this category.

 

What nickmil said.
There are selectable lockers out there that are a functioning limited slip when not activated though, Eaton E-Locker comes to mind.
E-Lockers are nice just because you run a switched 12V to it to activate it. IIRC it uses electromagnets to move a collar that locks the axle shafts together. Nifty but lots of moving parts and the jury is still out on how strong they are.
As far as strength goes you can’t hardly beat an ARB or OX, both are built battle ship strong.

 

Great clear information guys. I have a Polaris 500 sportsman with true 4 wheel drive so I know first hand how important it is. Some of the guys I ride in Maine with have the limited slip diffs and struggle for traction.

It looks like the ARB is the winner.. The only thing that I can see a problem with is a frozen air line in low temperatures.. This year was very mild, however some winters are pretty nasty here with being in the single digits..

I totally agree with an air tank to reduce compressor cycling. I am considering using the roll bar as an air tank..

Thanks again, You guys saved me of many hours of research..

 

I have the ARB High Volume Air Compressor. It doesn't cycle all the time. I hear the pump come on only when I lock in the locker. You can also see my airline fitting for filling up my tires.

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The amount of times your going to lock it in and out on a flatty are very minimal. I'm going with the Elocker in mine because I didn't want to screw with cables or or air lines.

 

Jon, if you do go with ARB's, I would encourage you to also put in a York based OBA for the air supply. Very useful for so much more than just running the lockers or airing up tires. An aluminum medical O2 cylinder (with a little neck trimming) will just fit inside the frame rails in front of the rear axle. These are not very big at about 1.5 gallons, but they do make a notable difference on the cycle time. With your 1" body lift, there should be no driveshaft clearence problems.

 

Too Hardcore for Me Brother-in-law had ARB’s front and rear in his Wrangler but he did it with the cheap plastic air lines that used press on fittings and he was constantly ripping air lines off driving over brush. Maybe it was his half assed installation but from what I’ve read that’s not an uncommon issue. So if it were me doing an ARB I’d probably go ahead and spend the extra money on some good heavy duty braided line and the proper AN fittings.

 

I'm an ARB guy. Love 'em.

I'd steer clear of the electric lockers-- have seen two $h!t the bed & heard of others.