Diff locker

[inthedirt]

Consider your driving styles, as well. Most will find it fun to climb hills and notice an immediate loss of traction when you get twisted. When going downhill, you rely mostly on your brakes (and gears). If this is your situation, a locker or welded diff in the front won't help much. Weight is on the rear when climbing up, so that is where you'll want the extra grip.

Also consider the extra cost behind a locker. It requires the removal of the ring gear from the OE carrier, which means you'll be resetting lash and pinion angles on the new assembly. With the cost of any spool or locker, is also the install cost. Welded is MUCH cheaper, especially if you're the one doing the welding.

[loosenut]

Both of my TRAIL only rigs have spooled rears. Don't even think about it if driven daily, your dream of drainage tour will be real. Welding can be problematic, I have seen it done well and poorly. Done wrong it will break and turn your pumpkin into a tulip. Also locking, welding or spooling the front diff is, in my opinion, a very bad idea as the diff housing can pull out of it's mounts at the least or come right apart at worst. The weak link in the drive train should be treated with kid gloves

[92 white track]

Originally Posted by loosenut

Both of my TRAIL only rigs have spooled rears. Don't even think about it if driven daily, your dream of drainage tour will be real. Welding can be problematic, I have seen it done well and poorly. Done wrong it will break and turn your pumpkin into a tulip. Also locking, welding or spooling the front diff is, in my opinion, a very bad idea as the diff housing can pull out of it's mounts at the least or come right apart at worst. The weak link in the drive train should be treated with kid gloves

Thanks for your reply.
What are your thoughts on something like this?

http://www.trailtough.com/index.php?...mart&Itemid=53

[loosenut]

Spartan Locker Review - YotaTech Forums Sounds like a winner and the right price. This guy had some trouble initially getting used to the way the locker works but quickly warmed up to it. Some of the trouble must have hammered the locker but it did not fail. The yota carrier is the same style as suzuki carrier so this review should be relevant, if not an exact match. Btw that link was for the sammy not the kick but this link is for the kick http://www.trailtough.com/index.php?...mart&Itemid=53

[fordem]

That falls in to the category of the "auto lockers" that I mentioned, and as mentioned earlier, I would avoid them in a daily driver, especially one used in winter. On a trail rig that sees occasional on-road use - go right ahead.

What those auto-lockers do, is local the half shafts together under power, and yes, they do prevent differentiation, so my earlier comments on that are applicable. They are supposed to unlock and allow one wheel, the outer wheel in a turn, to "over run" the inner wheel, whether or not that will actually happen will depend on how much power you're trying to lay down at the time.

Some of them, there are several different brands, can be quite finicky and almost all of them will click, pop and even bang when they unlock.

The real question you need to ask is when do you want the added traction - primarily on the trail, yeah, go ahead get a locker - primarily in snow/ice, forget auto lockers & spools, try to find a limited slip diff, or a selectable locker - both of which are going to be pricey.

[toya]

Hi, I am driving a Vitara (sidekick) with autolocker in the rear.
This car is my dayli drive and gives me suprises all the time.
In the wet on tarmark i can drift like a pro, on dry roads it sqeeks, twist and slams like .
I will not recomend anyone to do this on a road car.
Try out Phantom Grip it is an LSD.
I have one for the front axel but it lies on the shelf due to lack of "moral"
Living in the nort of Norway i hav a lot of snow to play in.

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