Front locker who’s got one ?

[MarkamisPrime]

Searched a bit couldn’t find anything
Just like the title says front lockers who’s gottem?
I really want to do a zip locker upfront but I daily my rig so I’m wondering about pros and cons.
Should I go manual hubs up front at the same time ?
Should I just save up and do an air locker ?

 

[Thebeastlives]

It really depends on what you are going to do with your rig. For example, I had vehicles that had full lockers front and rear and used arb because they were rock crawlers and locking up the front was only required in specific situations. They were super functional and always worked well both front and rear and the air compressor worked with my tools and pumping the tires up. I think most people never need a front locker or even a rear locker under most 4wd situations but if you do better to get a locker you can turn on and off with a switch. Even my high powered desert can am x3 has front locker I can turn on and off. U don't want to have to deal with steering issues when you engage your front locker when u are just on mild trails.

Look just how capable 4 runners are with just rear lockers..

YouTube

 

[RandyBobandy]

I’ve been wanting to put a limited slip in the front and e locker or limited slip in the rear, I used to have a rear lunchbox locker but after doing a 5 speed swap the road manners were pretty bad so I removed it

I do have locking hubs though so anything in the front shouldn’t hurt my road manners with the hubs unlocked

 

[JZiggy]

Having wheeled with a lot of rear-locker-only folks I can say that having a front locker (even a limited slip like I have) makes a big difference.

The Detroit TrueTrac adds a bit of steering load when in 4WD but not much. It's a great compromise if you don't really need a full locker up front for rock crawling.

 

[MarkamisPrime]

Having wheeled with a lot of rear-locker-only folks I can say that having a front locker (even a limited slip like I have) makes a big difference.

The Detroit TrueTrac adds a bit of steering load when in 4WD but not much. It's a great compromise if you don't really need a full locker up front for rock crawling.

Heeey what’s up. I didn’t know you had limited slip up front. I’m just exploring my options and wondering what else I would have to do along with installing something up front.
Do you have manual hubs also?
Do you have to have manual hubs when you install a zip locker or lsd?
And I do rock crawl that’s why I am exploring this option.
My cousin and I installed an Aussie locker on another rig and when that did drive on the road I honestly couldn’t tell the difference in road manners. But it was in the rear axle on that one.
I saw a video of someone installing it on his 3rd gen and in his comment section he stated that it did bind and cause major understeer in 4wd.?
Maybe he installed it wrong idk. He also had manual hubs and honestly as much as I know what the benefits of having manual hubs I really like not having to get out of the truck to engage 4wd.

It really depends on what you are going to do with your rig. For example, I had vehicles that had full lockers front and rear and used arb because they were rock crawlers and locking up the front was only required in specific situations. They were super functional and always worked well both front and rear and the air compressor worked with my tools and pumping the tires up. I think most people never need a front locker or even a rear locker under most 4wd situations but if you do better to get a locker you can turn on and off with a switch. Even my high powered desert can am x3 has front locker I can turn on and off. U don't want to have to deal with steering issues when you engage your front locker when u are just on mild trails.

Look just how capable 4 runners are with just rear lockers..

I understand what you are saying
My rig does already have the rear elocker and is very capable. I definitely use it but only when I need to
And that’s what is kind of holding me back from just getting a Aussie locker and installing it upfront. How much more stress is it for the front axles, with them already kinda being a weak point?
Especially with the locker technically on at all times.

 

[JZiggy]

Heeey what’s up. I didn’t know you had limited slip up front. I’m just exploring my options and wondering what else I would have to do along with installing something up front.
Do you have manual hubs also?
Do you have to have manual hubs when you install a zip locker or lsd?
And I do rock crawl that’s why I am exploring this option.
My cousin and I installed an Aussie locker on another rig and when that did drive on the road I honestly couldn’t tell the difference in road manners. But it was in the rear axle on that one.
I saw a video of someone installing it on his 3rd gen and in his comment section he stated that it did bind and cause major understeer in 4wd.?
Maybe he installed it wrong idk. He also had manual hubs and honestly as much as I know what the benefits of having manual hubs I really like not having to get out of the truck to engage 4wd.


I understand what you are saying
My rig does already have the rear elocker and is very capable. I definitely use it but only when I need to
And that’s what is kind of holding me back from just getting a Aussie locker and installing it upfront. How much more stress is it for the front axles, with them already kinda being a weak point?
Especially with the locker technically on at all times.

I have manual hubs too but you dont have to have it use a front locker. But it's better to have manual hubs. Here are some details about my front TT install

Front TrueTrac Install - CV Axle Fitment Tech

You can always just leave the manual hubs locked and then it is like you never did the conversion

I am not surprised that a lunchbox locker in the front would make it hard to steer.

I have limited slips in the front and back. I can think of multiple occasions where an obstacle was challenging for an e-locked, open-front truck and not challenging for my vehicle.

 

[JohnMc]

My wife is in the middle of putting an ARB in the front of her '96, it already has a rear e-locker. I guess we'll see next time we go wheeling if she does noticeably better than I do (both 5-spds, mine's a '99 e-locker).

PA: She is on 33's and has manual hubs as well.

 

[Thebeastlives]

Heeey what’s up. I didn’t know you had limited slip up front. I’m just exploring my options and wondering what else I would have to do along with installing something up front.
Do you have manual hubs also?
Do you have to have manual hubs when you install a zip locker or lsd?
And I do rock crawl that’s why I am exploring this option.
My cousin and I installed an Aussie locker on another rig and when that did drive on the road I honestly couldn’t tell the difference in road manners. But it was in the rear axle on that one.
I saw a video of someone installing it on his 3rd gen and in his comment section he stated that it did bind and cause major understeer in 4wd.?
Maybe he installed it wrong idk. He also had manual hubs and honestly as much as I know what the benefits of having manual hubs I really like not having to get out of the truck to engage 4wd.




I understand what you are saying
My rig does already have the rear elocker and is very capable. I definitely use it but only when I need to
And that’s what is kind of holding me back from just getting a Aussie locker and installing it upfront. How much more stress is it for the front axles, with them already kinda being a weak point?
Especially with the locker technically on at all times.

Well lockers in the front can put added stress on the cv and axles and cause them to fail under specific circumstances. Fixing a broken axle or cv on a trail is a pain but we have done it many of times. I've had guys break their front diff as well but stuff like this happens rock crawling so installing a front locker can possibly cause additional stress on your rig. Hey but offroading is always a game of getting stuck or fixing something that is broken. It comes down to do you want this thing to stay a DD or do you go 33", 35" tires, hub up front, lockers etc and jump into the world of rock crawling. Or do you find a happy balance in between that you can live with and use good recovery equipment instead.

 

[hntz4x4]

My vote would be to save for a front ARB. All my rigs have had front and rear ARBs, love'em.

 

[willhaman21]

Save up for the ARB front and an air compressor. An autolocker or a spool is not ideal for winter driving in a 4wd, they tend to cause lots of understeer and push you all over the place.

I'm having my ARB front and 5.29s installed in two weeks.

 

[MattJakobs]

I'm running front and rear ARB air lockers. Better to have something and not need it rather than need something and not have it.
Understand that there are limitations with a front air locker though. Turning gets really tough and they can lead to more broken CVs.
With them being selectable, you can use both of them as needed and you can turn them off once over a certain obstacle to try and save certain components. If you think you'll ever have to lock your front up, it's better to buy once, cry once.

 

[JZiggy]

If you're hardcore wheeling and have the cash ARB is of course the way to go. No question about that.

Limited slip is a great compromise. It helps a ton and is zero BS, wires, air lines, etc. For general purpose offroading its a sweet upgrade. The chunk is about $500 and then install but if you're regearing already then no biggie.

 

[theesotericone]

Searched a bit couldn’t find anything
Just like the title says front lockers who’s gottem?
I really want to do a zip locker upfront but I daily my rig so I’m wondering about pros and cons.
Should I go manual hubs up front at the same time ?
Should I just save up and do an air locker ?

OK. The only zip locker I'm familiar with is made by Yukon and it is an air locker. It's Yukons attempt to compete with ARB. Yukon does not make it for the 7.5" clamshell so if you go with air, which you should, ARB RD92 is your only choice. I think Harrop is making a electric selectable for the 7.5" now as well.

If you decide to go lunchbox you absolutely should go manual hubs if it's your daily. Once you combine the price of the manual conversion and the cost of the lunch box your damn near at the cost of an ARB and compressor. I personally would never put a lunchbox up front.

ARB's are strong as hell. You will break a chromoly shaft before you break the locker or spider gears. That's a fact that ARB has tested and proven on a dyno. The added benefit of being able to lock only when you want is huge. Steering bind can be severe in the rocks. If you can unlock you can adjust without bind then relock. Lunchboxes don't have that advantage so you just have to power through a shit line.

As some folks around here know I wheel a tiny bit. On trails that some think you need solid axles and 40's to complete. I have used my ARB front plenty of times. I only use it as a last resort. There's times when I've been welly and truly stuck. I flip that little cheat switch and drive right out without correcting anything. They are that handy when needed.

Save your money and get the ARB if you plan on wheeling hard rock gardens. Don't bother with the manual swap. It's not worth it IMO.

 

[JZiggy]

Matt, you’ve mentioned before that the manual hub swap can be detrimental because you can’t get the upgraded axles for those, only ADD, right?

 

[theesotericone]

Matt, you’ve mentioned before that the manual hub swap can be detrimental because you can’t get the upgraded axles for those, only ADD, right?

For sure RCV only makes add shafts currently. That could change with enough interest in manual shafts. It would take a lot of people wanting them for RCV to tool up for it. The cups and triploid would be the same for both so RCV already has those.

For me it's not even about the CV's. I just truly don't see the benefit to manual hubs. Most guys make the gas mileage argument. I get 15 MPG with ADD, fully armored, on 35's. If I got 16 with manual hubs that's 6.6% difference. Not worth it to me.

The other argument is "I can drive with a busted CV". I broke 11 CV's before I went with RCV. I changed all of them on the trail in way less time then anyone has ever done an manual hub conversion. You can also drive on a busted CV with ADD in 4WD. It just makes a ton of noise. Again, not worth it for me.

 

[Big-B1975]

I am locked front and rear with locking hubs. I have an Toyota elocker in the rear and the Eaton/Harrop electric locker in the front and it’s completely badass, but It’s brutal to steer. I switch it on for obstacles and then switch it off. I would absolutely not recommend a drop in locker in the front especially if you don’t have locking hubs.

 

[MarkamisPrime]

I am locked front and rear with locking hubs. I have an Toyota elocker in the rear and the Eaton/Harrop electric locker in the front and it’s completely badass, but It’s brutal to steer. I switch it on for obstacles and then switch it off. I would absolutely not recommend a drop in locker in the front especially if you don’t have locking hubs.

OK. The only zip locker I'm familiar with is made by Yukon and it is an air locker. It's Yukons attempt to compete with ARB. Yukon does not make it for the 7.5" clamshell so if you go with air, which you should, ARB RD92 is your only choice. I think Harrop is making a electric selectable for the 7.5" now as well.

If you decide to go lunchbox you absolutely should go manual hubs if it's your daily. Once you combine the price of the manual conversion and the cost of the lunch box your damn near at the cost of an ARB and compressor. I personally would never put a lunchbox up front.

ARB's are strong as hell. You will break a chromoly shaft before you break the locker or spider gears. That's a fact that ARB has tested and proven on a dyno. The added benefit of being able to lock only when you want is huge. Steering bind can be severe in the rocks. If you can unlock you can adjust without bind then relock. Lunchboxes don't have that advantage so you just have to power through a shit line.

As some folks around here know I wheel a tiny bit. On trails that some think you need solid axles and 40's to complete. I have used my ARB front plenty of times. I only use it as a last resort. There's times when I've been welly and truly stuck. I flip that little cheat switch and drive right out without correcting anything. They are that handy when needed.

Save your money and get the ARB if you plan on wheeling hard rock gardens. Don't bother with the manual swap. It's not worth it IMO.

For sure RCV only makes add shafts currently. That could change with enough interest in manual shafts. It would take a lot of people wanting them for RCV to tool up for it. The cups and triploid would be the same for both so RCV already has those.

For me it's not even about the CV's. I just truly don't see the benefit to manual hubs. Most guys make the gas mileage argument. I get 15 MPG with ADD, fully armored, on 35's. If I got 16 with manual hubs that's 6.6% difference. Not worth it to me.

The other argument is "I can drive with a busted CV". I broke 11 CV's before I went with RCV. I changed all of them on the trail in way less time then anyone has ever done an manual hub conversion. You can also drive on a busted CV with ADD in 4WD. It just makes a ton of noise. Again, not worth it for me.

These are literally the answers I was looking for.
This is awesome
Thank you I really appreciate it
Looks like I need to price some things out.
[MENTION=71738]Smog-guy707[/MENTION]
Here’s the answer bro let’s do it.

 

[Black798]

I'm late to the party but I'm also locked front and rear with arbs and came from open open. The rear locker was a great upgrade but after having the front I won't ever own a wheeler without it.

When it's on steering is tough but that's not a huge deal if you plan ahead. Can it lead to broken CVs? Yes. But imo you gotta be pretty oblivious to what the truck is doing to break them. I've wheeled mine on a lot of rough shit and only broke 1 CV and when it went I wasn't surprised. Full lock with the passenger tire burried under a rock.

In a lot of cases the front locker actually makes things easier on the front end because you've got that extra wheel pulling. I use it on almost every ledge I come to now because that tire is helping to pull the truck up rather than just jamming the tire into it and brute forcing it up and over. This also makes the truck way less likely to bounce and get out of control. Also a huge fan of the arb locker because it's instant, as soon as you flip the switch it's on or off there's no rolling delay like some of the other locker options out there.

One other thing is strength. I blew up two sets of stock spider gears in the front end within about 8 or 9 months and know of at least 5 others that have done the exact same thing. Not an issue with the arb because the tolerances are tighter, gears are stronger, and there's twice as many of them.

 

[midcoma]

Another vote for ARB. My Tacoma and my 4Runner are both locked front and rear with ARBs. Both are also running manual hubs. Both get daily driven.

The ARB is great with IFS because you can choose when to turn it on and off. Use it for an obstacle then turn it back off. If you feel something binding, turn it off. If you need to turn in a tight spot to reposition, turn it off. Obviously they're great on the street because it's like they aren't there. My sister's TJ has a Detroit in the rear and you can feel it kicking in all the time on the street. It's very annoying.

If you can't swing the selectable locker, my next vote would be the Detroit Truetrac. Should give minimal input on the street and help on trails. You can drag the brakes to trick it into locking up if you need extra help on an obstacle.

 

[JZiggy]

Also, for what it's worth, limited slips are great in snow and slippery. Dual limited slip is even better.