Is a FZJ-80 without lockers worth while?
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I have only been wheeling a year, but I am sure glad to have the factory lockers. Last year I waited patiently behind a Disco for half an hour while he tried to wheel up the last bit of trail at the top of a mountain. He finally had to be pulled up. I made it up on my second attempt. When I got to the top he said to me you have lockers don't you, and I said yes. He said I gotta get me some...priceless
Box Rocket
SILVER Star
Its already been said, but I'll say it again.....if you find a good truck that doesn't have lockers, get it. I would rather have a good solid truck without lockers and than a mediocre truck with lockers any day of the week.
My 80 didn't have lockers and I wheeled it for almost 7 years without them. Many difficult trails and several times I made obstacles that guys with lockers didn't make. There's alot to be said for learning to pick lines and drive without lockers. Once you add them, everything is just that much easier.
Of course if you do end up finding a good truck that has lockers, then by all means jump on it. I'm just saying that a non-lockered truck should not be a deal breaker.
I added a rear Aussie locker in mine a couple years ago and it's been a great addition. The truck is my wife's daily driver and the Aussie has been great on the road too. It's nice to have, but I still would have no problem wheeling a truck without lockers on most trails. If you plan on the really difficult ones, then you'll miss them but otherwise you'll be fine for a while and it will give you a chance to tune your driving abilities and show up the guys with lockers that use them as a crutch
Here's a few pics of what an unlocked 80 can still do...
Made this climb coming out of Cliffhanger, had 5-6 trucks try it. I was the only one without lockers. I made it and one other truck.
My 80 didn't have lockers and I wheeled it for almost 7 years without them. Many difficult trails and several times I made obstacles that guys with lockers didn't make. There's alot to be said for learning to pick lines and drive without lockers. Once you add them, everything is just that much easier.
Of course if you do end up finding a good truck that has lockers, then by all means jump on it. I'm just saying that a non-lockered truck should not be a deal breaker.
I added a rear Aussie locker in mine a couple years ago and it's been a great addition. The truck is my wife's daily driver and the Aussie has been great on the road too. It's nice to have, but I still would have no problem wheeling a truck without lockers on most trails. If you plan on the really difficult ones, then you'll miss them but otherwise you'll be fine for a while and it will give you a chance to tune your driving abilities and show up the guys with lockers that use them as a crutch
Here's a few pics of what an unlocked 80 can still do...
Made this climb coming out of Cliffhanger, had 5-6 trucks try it. I was the only one without lockers. I made it and one other truck.
I have only been wheeling a year, but I am sure glad to have the factory lockers. Last year I waited patiently behind a Disco for half an hour while he tried to wheel up the last bit of trail at the top of a mountain. He finally had to be pulled up. I made it up on my second attempt. When I got to the top he said to me you have lockers don't you, and I said yes. He said I gotta get me some...priceless
If he couldn't make it up that i'd say he picked a bad line or had bald tires. While i'm in the process of putting ARB's in my rig i've made it up tons of things picking the right lines that others with lockers managed to get themselves denied at.
No...
I have loved my lockerless 93 for fifteen years, expect to another ten at least. May consider an Aussie locker, if needed, or if I hit the lottery a full ARB setup. Probably not.
Or $300 to Aussie the back and do 95% of what a double locked truck can do.
An Aussie in the rear in much better than a completely unlocked truck, but a locked 80 does come with front and rear and that is what I'm comparing it to; the price to lock a truck front and rear as it comes with factory lockers.
yeah, I understand, I'm just saying you don't really need front and back ARB's to be WAY more effective out in the boonies...That and the ARB's are, from what I have read, way stronger than the stock units so it's not exactly apples to apples. Although it has also been stated that 2 ARB's are way cheaper than retrofitting factory lockers to a non-locked vehicle. Maybe it's an even BETTER idea to look for an undervalued, non-locked truck PLANNING to put the ARB's in than to pay for an overvalued OEM locked rig...
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For most people, the ARB is over-kill. Stock lockers will do what most people need. I'm not against buying an unlocked 80, I've owned one myself and loved it. At the same time, I was able to sell my unlocked 94 w/ 180k miles on it with some rust for $6k and buy a locked Texas (no-rust) 96 LX with 140k miles in better all around condition for $6600. There are plenty of locked trucks out there and people sell them for the same price with or without lockers. I think for most people, it's just easier and cheaper to find a locked truck than deal with the hassle of locking it whether it be an Aussie or ARB. This is all just my opinion.
There's truth in that
x2. I'd use maintenance and condition of the truck to decide before lockers. A blown HG and radiator cost a whole bunch more money than an ARB and an Aussie down the road. Don't ask how I know
That about nailed it. If you want or need lockers, then to you, an unlocked truck is worth less. The seller will often value them the same. If you can find a good locked one, it's usually a bargain vs. adding lockers.
Happy hunting.
As stated by a few already .. but I will hammer it home again!!
Find a rust free, low mileage, well maintained rig and buy it .. worry about the lockers later. Trust me .. a truck that is well taken care of and mechanically solid is worth far more than an average rig with lockers. Full PM'ing a rig and making sure it is mechanically sound CAN cost more than lockers, even if you do the work yourself.
As many have pointed out .. an unlocked rig will take you many places. A broken down, leaky rig that didn't have the benefit of a mindful PO and good PM will NOT!
Just my .02 cents
Good luck man! .. let us know what you end up with.
Find a rust free, low mileage, well maintained rig and buy it .. worry about the lockers later. Trust me .. a truck that is well taken care of and mechanically solid is worth far more than an average rig with lockers. Full PM'ing a rig and making sure it is mechanically sound CAN cost more than lockers, even if you do the work yourself.
As many have pointed out .. an unlocked rig will take you many places. A broken down, leaky rig that didn't have the benefit of a mindful PO and good PM will NOT!
Just my .02 cents
Good luck man! .. let us know what you end up with.
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Why not just find a clean one with lockers?
You're suggesting that locked rigs are not in good condition. Almost all of the 80s I ever looked at were extremely clean.
The short answer to your question is: "YES."
Your first priority should be finding a clean, well cared for truck. If you can meet that requirement in one that has factory lockers, EVEN BETTER. But if you're having trouble finding the right one with lockers, get one without--you won't regret it.
As others have stated, an unlocked 80 will very possibly give you all the off road capability you'll every want. One with a $300 Aussie locker in the rear will give you--truly--all the off road capability to get you over and through some insane terrain. Ask the full-lockered folks how often they use the front lockers.
Your first priority should be finding a clean, well cared for truck. If you can meet that requirement in one that has factory lockers, EVEN BETTER. But if you're having trouble finding the right one with lockers, get one without--you won't regret it.
As others have stated, an unlocked 80 will very possibly give you all the off road capability you'll every want. One with a $300 Aussie locker in the rear will give you--truly--all the off road capability to get you over and through some insane terrain. Ask the full-lockered folks how often they use the front lockers.
Agreed...
Furthermore, the potential ( I'm just saying potential, locked lovers ) for a factory locked rig to have been driven harder (because the lockers got them into crazier sh!t) is something to consider.
Furthermore, the potential ( I'm just saying potential, locked lovers ) for a factory locked rig to have been driven harder (because the lockers got them into crazier sh!t) is something to consider.
What if you don't really H8 MUD?
No one has mentioned the benefit of a FF RR Locked 80 in the sticky stuff. When in mud, more traction is just about always better.
Granted, they did me no good on this Mississippi river sandbar that almost ate my truck (with the river rising).
No one has mentioned the benefit of a FF RR Locked 80 in the sticky stuff. When in mud, more traction is just about always better.
Granted, they did me no good on this Mississippi river sandbar that almost ate my truck (with the river rising).
