lockers
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TheeMikeB
New member
Welcome to the board... this topic has been covered many times. Try doing a search and there is tons of information on the site.
But the popular lockers are ARB for selectable and the Aussie Locker or Detroit for mechanical. Depends on your needs and budget.
As for Gears also depends on tire size and preference... again searching will yield a ton of information.
YotaZach85
New member
What size tires are you running? If you're running a 32 or 33 I would go straight for the 4.88s, 4.56s would be a waste of time and money for anything other than stock 31s. For the rear I would do an E-locker swap and probably just go with a Lockright or equivalent in the front.
YotaZach85
New member
I would go 4.88s, specially if you want to run lockers becuase they take a lot of power out of the truck.
YotaZach85
New member
$1500 seems high to me but I'm a cheap @ss! I'm sure that quality isn't a problem but look into what warranty they offer.
Mr. Leary
New member
Lots of guys here have used East Coast Gear for pre-assembled thirds.
If you've got the cash, 4.88s and ARBs are the best combination you will find for these trucks. 4.56 will not quite be worth it, and 5.29s are a little deep if you are not towing all the time (also a very small pinion).
I don't think that locking the front will really give you that much bang for your buck unless you plan to tackle lots of rough terrain. Not comparable to the difference between a locker rear and open.
I would definitely recommend either a LSD front carrier or a selectable locker. Auto lockers can bind, and until you learn the techniques to unbind them, you risk damaging your drivetrain. Bottom line, there is not a whole lot of places that a front and rear locked truck can get you that a rear locked or a rear locked / lsd front will not. The ability to turn it off will preserve your turning characteristics. I have had customers on trips who had auto lockers up front and had trouble making the tight turns in the woods.
Lock the front? Might as well, since you are in there for the gears. Just don't expect the same kind of improvement that you get when you lock the rear.
If you've got the cash, 4.88s and ARBs are the best combination you will find for these trucks. 4.56 will not quite be worth it, and 5.29s are a little deep if you are not towing all the time (also a very small pinion).
I don't think that locking the front will really give you that much bang for your buck unless you plan to tackle lots of rough terrain. Not comparable to the difference between a locker rear and open.
I would definitely recommend either a LSD front carrier or a selectable locker. Auto lockers can bind, and until you learn the techniques to unbind them, you risk damaging your drivetrain. Bottom line, there is not a whole lot of places that a front and rear locked truck can get you that a rear locked or a rear locked / lsd front will not. The ability to turn it off will preserve your turning characteristics. I have had customers on trips who had auto lockers up front and had trouble making the tight turns in the woods.
Lock the front? Might as well, since you are in there for the gears. Just don't expect the same kind of improvement that you get when you lock the rear.
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brian2sun
Elite Member
That's my setup and I love it.
x2 on ECGS.
I agree. I sometimes wish I would have gone with 5.29s with all my extra armor, but 4.88s are still nice and the mpgs are better for a DD/weekend warrior.
I was also going to suggest an LSD as a cheaper option than an ARB up there. And stay away from ratcheting locker in the front. I love my ARB, but it's all about how much money you have to spend. The drawback of the cheaper LSD is that once you get a tire in the air, it's not locked.
Mr. Leary is right on the money about the front not making the same kind of improvement that you get with a locked rear. Most of the time when you lock, you are going uphill. The more you tilt upward, the less weight and traction you have with your front tires and the more you have with the rear because of gravity alone. That's why I think a rear locker makes all the difference.
That said, it's nice to have that one extra button to push - and it sure comes in handy sometimes. I used mine yesterday in a spot that my buddy Jason (who has a rear locker/open front) had to winch up. He spotted me through it and we agreed, I wouldn't have made it through either without a front locker.
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brian2sun
Elite Member