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lunchbox locker?

CarolinaGladiator

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Anyone have any experience with drop-in lockers? I am considering a locker to put in the rear of my JT and the drop-in style is a solid design with no ill-effects that I can see. I don't think it will click too much in the rear but I have never run one. Any drawbacks to this style of locker in the rear axle on road? Off road?
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Renegade

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Anyone have any experience with drop-in lockers? I am considering a locker to put in the rear of my JT and the drop-in style is a solid design with no ill-effects that I can see. I don't think it will click too much in the rear but I have never run one. Any drawbacks to this style of locker in the rear axle on road? Off road?
I’ve used them. They are fine for the money, but there are some drawbacks. Off-road, they work well for rock crawling, or any other situation where 100% power to a single tire is needed. In mud, it can cause the Jeep to understeer. They are always “on”, so in wet weather, they tend to spin the inside tire while accelerating. In snow or on ice, this is a drawback, as it breaks traction with your inside tire, contributing to sliding. In the dry, they tend to jerk or pop a little if you transfer from accelerating to decelerating, and vise versa.

If you’re finding yourself in situations where you need a locker fairly often, and your budget dictates it, I would say it’s worth trying. If you can afford to go with a selectable locker, that’s the way to go. If you don’t NEED it, don’t do it. Good luck, and report back your experience if you do it.
 

fourlow78

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I've run a lunchbox locker in the rear of a full size truck for a year now and there are some days it's silent and other days that it pops and bangs like a mother. Gotta pay close attention to the air pressure on both tires. Any variation there will contribute to bad juju driving around on hard concrete. I can attest to all of the other negative stuff mentioned in the other post about ice and understeer. It brings the traction offroad, many times I don't even engage the front axle, so it was $100 well spent (Facebook marketplace find). I've also run a lunchbox locker in the front axle of an XJ, no rear locker. It was a daily driver and there was no evidence it was there running around town in two wheel drive. Offroad, for me at least, I think the front-only locker was a better upgrade than the rear-only locker in my truck. With all of that being said, I am really looking forward to the selectable lockers my yet-to-be-delivered Rubicon brings.
 

Oscar Indy

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If you live somewhere with no snow fall they are okay. If you ever need 4x4 for slick roads they add an undesirable quirkyness to slick road.
300 for a lunchbox is alot cheaper than an electric locker so that needs to be considered as well.

Do you NEED a locker? The Jeep Brake Lock Differential is pretty bad ass. Sports go A LOT of places you wouldn't expect it too without a true locker.
 
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CarolinaGladiator

CarolinaGladiator

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I don't really NEED a locker. I am considering it just for the added benefit when wheeling. I would prefer it in the front but don't want that ratcheting sound when I'm turning. I wouldn't use a locker enough to justify an ARB or even an E-locker. To this point I have not been in a situation where I absolutely needed it to climb the trail but it would have changed the line I took had there been a locker available. Thanks for the input.
 

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fourlow78

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If the ratcheting noise is a concern, then you must understand a lunchbox locker is going to do that whether it's in the front or the back. You will hear it and feel it more in the rear since that is your permanent driven axle.
 
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CarolinaGladiator

CarolinaGladiator

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Apparently I don't quite understand how they work then. I assumed the ratchet noise was from the wheels spinning at different speeds when turning.(Outside wheel having to spin faster) I thought being in the rear there would be very little noise since the rear wheels would be locked under power and spinning at the same speed while coasting or coming to a stop. Maybe I'll just wait until I can afford a selectable since there is no urgent need for it.
 
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fourlow78

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You are correct about the ratcheting coming from the two wheel speeds, but the rear axle will experience two wheel speeds just like the front axle any time you are off the gas and not going dead straight ahead. You are probably right in saving up and getting a selectable locker. A locker on a daily driver is not for the faint of heart.
 

Oilburner

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OP- You are probably right in saving up and getting a selectable locker. A locker on a daily driver is not for the faint of heart.
I have run EZLockers & Lock-Rights for years in my rigs, no way I would want one in my DD.
Occasional mid-level trails? TruTracks F&R
Tough trails? Definitely selectable lockers
YRMV-
 

WXman

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I've used the:

Powertrax
Lock-rite
Aussie Locker

on rear axles. Never installed one in a front axle. ALL of them make ratcheting noise when turning. The Powertrax is a little quieter but costs more. They do work pretty well, but you have to set them up perfectly to prevent having them jump teeth when really pushing the truck off-road. I never had any ill effects while on road other than the noise.
 

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CaptBrianBrown

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With the Max Tow I have, how necessary is it to install a lunchbox locker to do some of the trails.
 

SgtMajTomahawk

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With the Max Tow I have, how necessary is it to install a lunchbox locker to do some of the trails.
My opinion, Take your Jeep off road and see what it can do before you through things like lockers at it. A modest lift and good tires will get you through 99% of the situations you get into. Your driving ability and the line you take factor in as well. I had a friend who had a Rubicon JK and I had the same model, but in the Sport S trim. We talked about putting lockers on my JK and he actually talked me out of it. He said out of the 5 years he owned the Jeep and all the wheeling he did he used the lockers only once and it was because he had never used them and wanted to see what they would do. Now if I was rock crawling in Utah every weekend then year I would want lockers, but lockers just make things easier and allow you to stay in the Jeep more instead of out hooking up the winch. I never worried about lockers when I had a good winch and with the BLD system on these Jeeps now the traction control does a decent job. Just my 2 cents, but instead of lockers I would go with a good lift, tires, and a winch. You would be all set to handle pretty much anything and it's one less thing to go wrong inside your diff.
 

Blade1668

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I have a Lock-Rite in front of my XJ. I don't notice it when I was driving.... You get used to it. It and the rear Trac-Loc made it just point and go off road. At the time my DD was less than 9 miles a day and my "toy" vehicle at that time. I was still driving my MJ if I was going long road trip not off road. I'd install one in front of my JT if I was going off road a lot but not necessarily for me right now. Then I was going to Tellico quite often not the "slick rock" oh I miss Tellico trails.:(:(
 

@californiajeeping

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With a front axle disconnect there should be no ratcheting right in 2wd

Or does the turning axle shaft then spin the carrier? So no ratcheting but you add driveline rotation on the road which would affect economy?

Man that's a mind boggle.


My scrambler has Spartan lockers front and rear. You run a very heavy 140w gear oil and it takes 70% of the noise out. It only clicks on tight turns really. Front with hubs unlocked it's not turning so it's totally normal.
 

moparkido

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Do they have a lunchbox style locker for the front yet?
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