Best option for FZJ80 rear locker

[HRTROB]

Nice rig @Grantskys17. I agree with @Box Rocket - nothing wrong with wheeling a nice rig. I don’t get why there are people here who talk sh1t about mall crawlers but they also give you crap for wheeling your rig because “it’s too nice”.

Anyway back to your original question, the “best” option for a rear locker would be a selectable one like ARB or Harrop but since you have a semi float the Harrop will not work. The “best option on a budget” would be an auto-locker like everybody here has mentioned.

I myself have Harrops front and rear and I love them. But maybe I should sell my 80 get a Cherokee instead?

 

[bigredmachine]

auto locker is thee way to go on a budget, super easy to install and since the truck is heavy and full time 4wd it wont affect the road manners all that much. I don't even notice that I have one in the truck other than occasionally some more clunking due to loading and unloading of the driveline in certain situations. just make sure that you have all your parts before you dive in

 

[chap79]

If you ever happen to make it up to the Kansas City area for any reason I can help you install it. Same with a re-gear when the time comes.

 

[shocktower]

Yes I did the CDL switch mod! It was easy and on my skill level haha. I mean i installed my snorkel, arb bar, winch and wires and all by myself but it just takes me FOREVER and alot of googling.

Well that is how you learn good job, get a lunch box and you can install it ok

 

[LINUS]

Nothing wrong with wheeling a nice rig. Don’t let Linus talk you into some beater like an XJ. Wheeling hard trails doesn’t mean you’re gonna trash the rig either. Just don’t drive like dummy and you’ll be fine........
.............good looking truck. Have fun with it.

You care to pull the knife out, or are you leaving it there to stop the bleed?

What I meant was his black 80 looks **too nice** to join our semi-abusive ranks where cred goes to the guy who finally “chops/bobs the roof/hatch/etc”.

The garage queen is awesome, and I regret only that I never bought one in ~2009 when some were ‘cash for cluncker-ed’ under POTUS 44. Liquid glass poured down the crankcase as I was told.

I was blessed to own 2 of any of my 3 ‘97 FZJ80’s until just Jan 2017 - From 2000 when I bought ’sensible shoes blk/grey’ & bought the 450 & tje 40th AE, I had 2 in the driveway from ~2008-2017.

That’s not average, and why I suggested an extra ‘beater’ rig.
FZJ80’s are now priced where 2 in tandem are impractical, and I dislike all but CJ-8’s & 70’s Jeep Gladiator platforms.

_______________________________

OP - my ‘97 blk / gry 80 I’m a fellow love/hate of the black paint - I’m speakimg from experience on armor since you already show you have balls —— it takes brains/equip/maint to keep a equilibrium to keep what was a $50K rig decades back ready to do the next run/trip/trail.

I do all my own wrench, so all $$$ quotes are labor being free as I justify.

Check my photo albums - I only have 14x,000 on mine, yours is super pretty & mine’s a warnimg sign of future days with some IDK how-much-$$$ in mine.
I burned ~3-4K just in the FR axle after bending the shell on a ‘mild’ trail. Regeared & swapped e-locker while there, total swap cost was some ~$5500 just in receipts for parts.

I’m thinking I have 25-30K in it alone, including ~$15K rough as purchase.

Now I’m older ~maybe smarter~ so I keep my 80 for pleasure, the Tundra tows, and I have ‘16 or ‘17 Yamaha Grizzly/Kodiak (IDK names, it’s their flagship 4wd quad) -with diff lockers to beat/shuffle the boat the Tundra tows.


Yours needs armor to keep the pretty, or accept yours will look like mine sooner than later if you skip it & just run trails with gear/damn the cosmetics.