Who out there has a fully locked rear axle? How about "lincoln locker"? How is do they drive on pavement around town? Excessive tire wear or chattering around corners?
FJ40 rear locker questions
- Thread starter trxridr
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Falco80
Burning dinosaur bones...
I've had a richmond lockright in the rear of my 40 for about 18 months now. You just have to learn to hold the accelerator in the same position when going around corners. Accelerating or backing-off mid turn causes it to lock or unlock and it gets twitchy. I would get tired of it if i had to drive it every single day, but for the most part it's good. You learn to adapt driving style to it to prevent it making awful sounds! 
Don't forget the ratcheting action you hear making U-turns or very tight turns. May not be much say in the local mall parking lot, but if your having to make a "quick" U-turn dodging traffic, you'll hear some noise. I too have a Lock rite in mine.
ravenholm
Father of Crows
I think OP is referring to a Lincoln Locker, which around here means an axle that has been welded solid with a Lincoln welder.... 
In any case, I had a lock rite in mine, and ripped it out STAT, as I found it made for pretty lousy pavement driving. Having to be so careful on turns not to have the locker engage was frustrating and I think a bit dangerous in an urban environment. It can certainly be done, as others have described, but not touching the gas cornering, but that doesn't really mesh well with my driving.
These SWB trucks like to spin out easily enough without having a locker challenging rear grip every time you step on the gas...
Re. A fully locked axle, I cannot imagine it would be drivable on pavement. The guys I know who had a Lincoln- locked cruiser trailer it to the the trail and never drive it one pavement. But I don't have personal experience with a fully fused rear axle.
Best,
Guy
In any case, I had a lock rite in mine, and ripped it out STAT, as I found it made for pretty lousy pavement driving. Having to be so careful on turns not to have the locker engage was frustrating and I think a bit dangerous in an urban environment. It can certainly be done, as others have described, but not touching the gas cornering, but that doesn't really mesh well with my driving.
These SWB trucks like to spin out easily enough without having a locker challenging rear grip every time you step on the gas...
Re. A fully locked axle, I cannot imagine it would be drivable on pavement. The guys I know who had a Lincoln- locked cruiser trailer it to the the trail and never drive it one pavement. But I don't have personal experience with a fully fused rear axle.
Best,
Guy
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I just installed a spartan and am surprised how mild it is on pavement. I hear it clanking around some times but it is really not that bad. Got it on pirate for around 230 delivered.
BDSeff1fitty
1987 Toyota 4Runner
I've got an Aussie in the rear right now, Looking to get into a ARB eventually once i figure out what rear axle i'm replacing this one with.
Road manners aren't terrible, but parking lot driving sucks. Off road it's been great, but i want to get back the street ability i lost.
Road manners aren't terrible, but parking lot driving sucks. Off road it's been great, but i want to get back the street ability i lost.
Tigerstripe40
SILVER Star
I think OP is referring to a Lincoln Locker, which around here means an axle that has been welded solid with a Lincoln welder....
In any case, I had a lock rite in mine, and ripped it out STAT, as I found it made for pretty lousy pavement driving. Having to be so careful on turns not to have the locker engage was frustrating and I think a bit dangerous in an urban environment. It can certainly be done, as others have described, but not touching the gas cornering, but that doesn't really mesh well with my driving.
I have had a Lock Rite in my FJ40 for nearly 10 years now, 6 of them with the FJ40 as my daily driver in all conditions (sun, snow, rain etc). I never had a problem with the truck spinning out when I didn't want it to (an empty, icey parking lot is a different story
). While it is true that you have to be a bit more careful with your driving around town, after a bit you get used to it and you don't notice it. Selectable lockers (ARBs) are a better solution for a daily driven rig. However, the cost of the ARB unit, plus installation, plus all of the other little "while you're in there" stuff (bearings, seals, regear, RDB's etc) adds up considerably.
Lunchbox lockers (spartan, lock rite, aussie) are a great BANG for your buck (emphasis on the BANG, hehehe).
A lincoln locker shouldn't be used for a truck driven on the street. You will scrub rubber off of your tires every time you go around a corner.
I had an aussie in mine ended up taking it out after a year....couldnt agree more ......great off pavement.....but sucks on pavement.
Bang Bang
Age is a state of mind.
Have an Aussie in the rear and just installed a spartan in the front. It's not a DD but I do drive it around town on the weekends. I have adjusted my driving habits with the Aussie and have had no problems in the time that I have owned it. Works great off road. Can't wait to see how adding the spartan to the front has helped off road.
pbgbottle
Forum Lifer
i've been driving a lunchbox locker for more than 10 years once you get used to it .it is no biggie .
lock rites front and rear . set them up correctly .run equal tire pressure and all is good.
you'll get used to it . i love mine.
lock rites front and rear . set them up correctly .run equal tire pressure and all is good.
you'll get used to it . i love mine.
Josie'sLandCruiser
Stop calling it a "FJ."
Hi All:
X 2 what pbgbottle wrote!
Regards,
Alan
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X 2 what pbgbottle wrote!
Regards,
Alan
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pb4ugo
SILVER Star
X2, It's not as violent, noisey, or twitchy as a lockrite style.
Bringing this back from the dead,
My FJ is new to me and I have not been in the reareand yet so I don't know what type of locker it has.
No issues with drivability BUT it does hard chatter when turning tight into a parking space.
Has anyone tried any additives or different gear oils to help with the chatter?
I ask because GM posi type reaerends benefit a bunch from the right additive...
My FJ is new to me and I have not been in the reareand yet so I don't know what type of locker it has.
No issues with drivability BUT it does hard chatter when turning tight into a parking space.
Has anyone tried any additives or different gear oils to help with the chatter?
I ask because GM posi type reaerends benefit a bunch from the right additive...
brian
SILVER Star
an auto locker and a posi/limited slip/lsd are two very different animals.
additives or different oil will not effect on a locker.
additives or different oil will not effect on a locker.
It is not so much a 'benefit' but a requirement, to use a clutch-plate additive in the differential of a limited-slip unit. Failing to do so will ruin the unit.
Limited slip differentials ARE NOT locking differentials.
You can find out what type of unit is in there by lifting one of the tires off the ground. With the transmission in neutral, if you can rotate the wheel both directions it is open or a LSD. If it only rotates one direction it is an auto locker. Autolockers click when the tire is rotating too.
Wish there was a mechanically/cable activated locker, like the Ox Locker, for us.
