Noob ???

Footofgod

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So I still hammering out the details of my upcoming build.

Is this a good idea? I'm thinking about buying a 4.88 assembled 3rd member with detroit lockers for my front IFS and putting 4.88 spool in the rear. Does that seem logical? The rig will still be driven on road fairly often. For now I am running 31's, but plan to move up to 33's.

Thanks for helping to educate a noob. These Colorado trails are really putting the bug in me.
 
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So I still hammering out the details of my upcoming build.

Is this a good idea? I'm thinking about buying a 4.88 assembled 3rd member with detroit lockers for my front IFS and putting 4.88 spool in the rear. Does that seem logical? The rig will still be driven on road fairly often. For now I am running 31's, but plan to move up to 33's.

Thanks for helping to educate a noob. These Colorado trails are really putting the bug in me.

I would HIGHLY discourage those choices of lockers, especially given the amount of street driving you'll be doing. A locked front end will seriously effect your steering and overall control on slippery pavement, and with a Detroit, you have no other option--it's locked 4WD or 2WD, nothing else. If you want a locker in front, go selectable, such as ARB--that way you can have open-diff 4WD for the street, and locked offroad. As for the spool, that's a bad idea for ANY street-driven vehicle, as the tires have no possible way to differentiate around corners--you will be spinning all the time, and the truck will be sliding around with any moisture on the pavement. Both of these would be hard on your drivetrain and tires on the street. A Detroit in back is acceptable on the street, but will still cause some problems on slippery roads, because there isn't enough friction to cause it to unlock, and your tires will spin.
 
I didn't think it sounded logical myself. Still trying to sort all this out. With ARB's, you have to have onboard air correct? I planning on a $2500 total build cost and ARB's would eat up half of that.
 
The rig will still be driven on road fairly often.

In the front, in 2wd it won't make much difference, in 4wd steering will be harder.
Unless you do a lot of serious wheeling, something like an Aussie might be better.
But obviously a selectable unit like an e-locker or ARB would be best if you have the $$.

A conventional locker would be better in the rear, but a spool is cheaper.
A spooled rear can cause some quirky handling on slick surfaces, but so will a locker.
But because a spool is always on it's more predictable, so you can learn what it will do and compensate. Also because it's always on, there's more tire wear.

So there's pros and cons to all, you have to decide what's best for you.
 
[QUOTE I planning on a $2500 total build cost and ARB's would eat up half of that.][/QUOTE]

The cost of 2 ARBs and installation would cost all of that.
 
While I would certainly recommend getting plenty of input first, given your budget and intentions, I would recommend a Detroit in the rear (only), and either open diff or limited slip in the front. That would save the higher cost of an ARB and compressor, and a mechanical locker is manageable in the rear as long as you remember it's there, and use caution in slippery conditions. Selectables are best for street, but budgets must be met. I'm curious where you're getting your assembled diffs from, because the ones I've seen would take ALL of your budget (and likely more, especially if they're being shipped)for two units (and that's non-ARB stuff). This thread's new, so I'm sure you'll get a lot more input soon. Best of luck!
 
Have you looked into the factory E-lockers Toyota offered? If not, check it out. I would throw one of those in the back!
 
Assembled 3rd Members [TG (Assembled 3rd Members)] - $627.43 : Addicted Offroad is a full service Parts, Sales, and Fabrication company offering offroad parts for all makes and models, Addicted Offroad

I have yet to go see the guys in person, so I am not trying to highlight the product, but this is what I was looking at. I'll be visiting AO soon.

A couple things to remember here: 1. You will need to order the upgraded V6 unit for the rear, and 2. these are almost certainly all 8" solid axle units, which will NOT fit your IFS front end. Very few companies build assembled diffs for the 7.5" IFS front axle (I believe Marlin Crawler is one). Don't forget to add the shipping in your estimate, too--these are heavy items, so they may be pricey to ship.
 
A couple things to remember here: 1. You will need to order the upgraded V6 unit for the rear, and 2. these are almost certainly all 8" solid axle units, which will NOT fit your IFS front end. Very few companies build assembled diffs for the 7.5" IFS front axle (I believe Marlin Crawler is one). Don't forget to add the shipping in your estimate, too--these are heavy items, so they may be pricey to ship.


Thankfully, Toytec, Addicted and a few other companies I plan to purchase from are located fairly close to me in Denver, so I will not need to ship.

Gonna research Aussie and others again tonight. Links to specific products that you have used are appreciated. It is so hard to sort through all the available info out there.
 
Yea the spool's a NONO for the road. I'd go with an Aussie in the rear. And $2500 may seem like a lot, but it'll go by quick. I'm glad you wanna go straight into lockers tho, wise decision for wheelin :bravo:
 
Yea the spool's a NONO for the road. I'd go with an Aussie in the rear. And $2500 may seem like a lot, but it'll go by quick. I'm glad you wanna go straight into lockers tho, wise decision for wheelin :bravo:

Aussie looks to fit the budget. Should I put one up front as well or just the rear?
 
Aussie looks to fit the budget. Should I put one up front as well or just the rear?

Detroit makes a unit called the Tru-Trac which may be an option for the front. This is the same company that makes the Detroit Locker, but it's a milder unit that acts more like a limited-slip. Northwest Offroad carries assembled IFS diffs with these--just one idea. Of course, you can go with just the rear one for now--it will still help tremendously offroad. Just remember, though--if you change the gearing with the locker, you'll still have to open the front for a gear change, so if it's in the budget, I'd do both complete diffs at the same time. I'm not familiar with the Aussie, but if it's a full locker, it will mess with your steering and driveability when in 4WD on the road.
 
Detroit makes a unit called the Tru-Trac which may be an option for the front. This is the same company that makes the Detroit Locker, but it's a milder unit that acts more like a limited-slip. Northwest Offroad carries assembled IFS diffs with these--just one idea. Of course, you can go with just the rear one for now--it will still help tremendously offroad. Just remember, though--if you change the gearing with the locker, you'll still have to open the front for a gear change, so if it's in the budget, I'd do both complete diffs at the same time. I'm not familiar with the Aussie, but if it's a full locker, it will mess with your steering and driveability when in 4WD on the road.


Lockers are certainly priority one in this build. The plan is new diffs front and rear first, lift and bumpers next.
 
I'll second the junkyard elocker in the rear and a limited slip in the front. I haven't done it myself yet, but I've done a lot of research and that seems to be the way to go for a IFS daily driver/trail rig, especially with your snowy winters.

Personally, I wouldn't spring for an ARB. They rock, but if you're wheeling hard enough to need the strength of an ARB, then you're probably wheeling too hard for that IFS in front anyway. You'll be busting CV shafts long before you put enough stress on an elocker to kill it.
 
Putting an Aussie in the front won't do a thing when your not in 4wd. The Aussie locker only activates when torque is sent to the axle. So when there isn't any power being sent to the front end (2wd) the locker won't ever activate. That's nice If you'd only use 4wd offroad. Now that I look back, I feel like that's what I should have done with mine. The only way you'd be able to know you still had the locker would be when it makes that nice click sound when you turn.

Here's the link for the front locker Aussie Locker XD-27527 I.F.S. 7.5" r.g. Front Differential - Aussie Lockers - Welcome to Torq Masters Home of the Aussie Locker
 
Weld em both :boink:

I kid, I kid.... I agree with the locker and limited slip.

Know a guy that did that to his '92. He'd already decided he was going to swap to a straight axle, and had a grip of old CVs to burn through, so he welded up his front and hit the trail. He limped back down in 2WD after going through at least 3 CVs.

'Course, he was trying to break them, but still...
 

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