1997 Land Cruiser stock Lockers vs after market lockers

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tampacruiser95 said:
As of a couple months ago they did and there is a vendor on this forum.
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If that's the case, Harrop needs to fix their website because they do NOT list any front lockers for the Toyota Land Cruiser (except for the 100 & 200 series).

Then perhaps that vendor ought to reach out to Harrop regarding that item not being listed by the manufacturer.
 
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I sure hope your going to add a winch and sliders before getting lockers.
If your that serious those 2 are mandatory unless your playing in the sand (still should have winch)
 
I've had both ARB's and Factory lockers. I am a fan of the ARB's over factory. I had no problems with my ARB's and they lock up instantly. My factory lockers were extremely slow to lock and the rear would only work intermittently until I replaced the actuator ($700) and it was still slow. When you are in a situation that requires a locker its nice to have instant lockup. I'm about to build up another 80 with lockers that I bought unlocked on purpose. I'm going to use ARB's and will pull my thirds and take to a diff shop for install to save some time and money. Otherwise I've been quoted $918 (includes tax) per locker (RD142 & RD132) and $700 to install both ($400 front/$300 rear). Add a compressor ($500) and I'm looking at approx $2,500 when I pull the thirds and install my compressor/lines or $3,500 if they do it all. Never heard of Harrop until now but I would still go ARB because I also like having the on-board air and hate the "magic smoke" in those wires...
 
Is a cable conversion an option for those of us with factory lockers as actuators start to die in ways that can't be repaired?

Or even air conversion?
 
The OE or AM locker debate continues to rumble on, but I will give my 2 cents worth anyway.

If the factory lockers are used often then they will engage as soon as the dogs line up, 1 -2 seconds if that on the front (steering allows the dogs to rotate and align quicker), rear 4 -5 seconds, centre is immediate! I have OE factory lockers, they are brilliant, they were slow to engage when I got the car so guessed thy were not used very often? A few figure 8's on the beach and they come back to life and now respond to the switch pretty much straight away. I don't think you are going to break an OE locker with stock wheels/tyres, and would guess you are going to have to be pretty hard on the car even with bigger tyres. Breakages normally come from asking the locker to perform beyond it's design parameter. Mine are now 21 years old and have never had a spanner near them, and work fine.

So to aftermarket, I had ARB's front and rear in my competition Land Rover Discovery (see avatar), it was worked mercilessly and I never broke an ARB but, there was air leaks from the inner seal meaning the diff had to come out, then there was oil blowing out from the activation solenoids and so on. I accepted a lot of this because the vehicle was used hard, but on reflection when I consider the 80 see's some pretty serious off road work (not competitions), the OE stuff simply does not need any fettling, I just forget they are there until needed.

The Discovery was sold a few years back now, so the minor problems with air leaks may have been sorted? You also get on board air as well, don't underestimate how important that is.

IMO AND IME, do not pass up a mint 80 if it has no lockers, they are getting rare and good ones are thin on the ground. I would go for condition over lockers any day. The money you spend on getting a scruffy with locker example up to scratch you could have put it towards a set of ARB's, or, go for OE install, they are about second hand, you can strip clean and install with the minimum of effort, wiring (or most of it) should be there, now you have a 'minter' with lockers, that would be my route.

regards

Dave
 
^^^ Just imagining your accent as I read that post. You should record a video just to satisfy my curiosity :o
 
Setting gears is not hard at all. I installed both my front and rear arb lockers and set backlash by feel and paint. Took them apart to service them 15k later and there is no abnormal wear or increase in backlash.

Just have someone who has done them help you
 
Funner said:
You found consensus from this thread?:flipoff2:
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The answers looked consistent to me. After market selectable lockers are faster and stronger. (How much faster and stronger may drift into opinion. "Instant" vs. "a couple seconds" isn't worth much to me. It may be worth more to someone else.) Adding selectable lockers will cost thousands. (How many thousand depend on how much of the work you do yourself.) If the vehicles you find with lockers would cost thousands to bring up to the repair status of some unlocked "pristine" 80, buy the pristine 80. If you find an 80 that looks and runs well and has lockers, buy that.
 
So, air conversion has been done.. but cables? Didn't some 60s and 40s have them? and also 9.5" diff? though those weren't full-float were they?

obviously what works on the rear wouldn't necessarily work on the front.. but someone with some fabrication skills could probably figure that out too..
 
Ok I've been using factory lockers (front / rear) on tough trails in Colorado, Moab, and now in Nevada, and I've never had an issue (knock on wood). Yes you have to plan a few seconds in advance, but for 3,800 dollars that is the most minor of inconveniences.
 
Heckraiser said:
^^^ Just imagining your accent as I read that post. You should record a video just to satisfy my curiosity :eek:
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I do not have a clue what you are talking about. o_O

regards

Dave
 
bloc said:
So, air conversion has been done.. but cables? Didn't some 60s and 40s have them? and also 9.5" diff? though those weren't full-float were they?

obviously what works on the rear wouldn't necessarily work on the front.. but someone with some fabrication skills could probably figure that out too..
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They make cable conversion kits as well. I converted to air because I already had on board air.
 
Posted in error, sorry!
 
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