lockers or limited slip ? (1 Viewer)

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May 10, 2003
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:-\ I want to put a rear diff. that would help me get through the rocks, sand, mud, and what have you . The cruiser is a 1979 fj40 with 2f engine with a 4" leaf spring lift. Im on the pavement 80 % of the time. Can you experienced cruiser owners give me some advise. Im thinking Powertrax no slip positraction system, Auburn supergrip, Aussie locker,Lock-right . Thank you for any input
 
I HAVE THE POWERTRAX AND I LOVE IT. ITS ALLOWED ME TO GO TO MANY PLACES, I WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT. i DRIVE MY CRUISER ON THE ROAD AS WELL. OTHER THEN THE OCCASIONAL KNOCKING FROM THE LOCKER. BEST MOD SO FAR.
 
i HAD a locker(brain fart prevents me from remebering what kind???) in the rear of the 40, summer and dry roads were no problem, but winter weather was scary at best. for the moment i ahve an open rear.

the 86p/u has an auburn lsd in the rear, and i absolutly love it. it(the lsd) has over 100k on it, and on dry roads it will still drag the inside tire(33's!!) around corners.

whenever i get around to it, both the 40 AND 60 are getting an auburn. while not the best if you normally have a wheel in the air. but if you keep your feet on the ground most of the time.....
 
IMHO for any cruiser that sees a majority of road, switchable is the way to go, especially if you live where winter roads get icy. It will run you in price, but in the long run, there is no upgrade, and you cannot be dissastisfied. Best possible offroad and best possible onroad. Go ARB.
A limited slip might be the ticket, but I have no personal experience with them. Depends on the kind of wheeling you do that 20%. I spend a vast majority on road, but when I get off the pavement, I like to work it pretty hard, and an ARB is the only way that I can have what I want on road and off.
 
The lock-right/Aussie will work, and I think that you can get the Aussie right now for around 200.00


The selectable lockers are very nice. I have sold and installed over 50 ARB's, and have them in my 40. But I also have the lockright in a 40, and while it does have driving manners that are not the best on slippery roads, this is something that can be mostly controled with the right foot, and being aware that the truck will operate and handle differently.

You will not be disapointed with the Aussie/lockright system, and it is a locker, not a limited slip. As stated earlier, LSD's are alright, if you are not looking at having a tire loose contact with the ground, but I have been able to drive around others with LSD's that got stuck in similar situations, with simialr set ups, minus the LSD.
 
I am going with an Auburn unit. Too much snow and ice and other bad drivers here in Denver to worry about how the truck will react when I need to get out of someones way quickly.
 
You didn't mention wether or not you drive in snow. If you do then the only choices you have are open diff or switchable like ARB. I hear bad things about LSDs even the auburn. Any auto locker will cause both wheels to spin and physics take over resulting in lower levels of control. I live in the mountains and am an avid snomobiler. Every winter I have to take out my locker just to get the sleds up the mountain(actually I make hammerhead do it). It only takes an hour if I do it(he has air tools).
 
hhhmmm...I had an Auburn and absolutely hated it....road manners were awesome, trail it was useless.

Auburn's are what, $450? The ARB isn't much more and is 1000 x's better. Install is very similar, since both require gear setups.
 
For $200.00 the aussie locker is hard to beat. Easy install and terrific traction. I haven't driven on snow with it yet. But I did find some ice and did'nt notice the bad handling many talk of. My buddy has a powertrax and loves it too. Good in snow,on ice, everywhere. ( we both run soa'd rigs with longer wheelbases, 35's and 39's, one's got a stock 2F and the other a 327). I can't wait to try the locker in the snow. I can't imagine how it could be so bad as to want to take it out.
What I had a hard time getting used too was the new noises it makes. My alluminum tub with no insulation transmits all the little locker sounds very clearly.
 
I've got a Detroit rear, and it is an adventure in the snow (which it's doin right know).

The 40 mile ride from work to my barn had a little more "brown eye pucker" than normal. :whoops:
 
I would go with an ARB if you have the money for them, If not, I have heard some good stuff about the Assie Lockers
 
Thank you very much, I m about 10% less confused. I think I'm going with arb’s or the Aussie.
 
[quote author=gkind link=board=1;threadid=6634;start=msg54541#msg54541 date=1066952437]
Thank you very much, I m about 10% less confused. I think I'm going with arb’s or the Aussie.
[/quote]

What are you still confused about?

Go ARB!
 
night+black ice+curve in road+lock right in a 40=no fun, good thing somebody else had already taken out the fence...
i've hit hit that corner before(simular setup) with the truck(lsd) and taking into acount the longer wb, it did'nt snap around like the 40 did. just ended up facing the wrong way in teh other lane, not in that poor guys front yard, you'd think he'd lose the fence after as many times he's had to fix it.

in teh snow the locker was'nt TO bad, but we get more then enough ice. i had just planned on taking it out for the winter when a buddy wanted to trade an old 8274 for it, even up. so i went with that, and still have'nt put it on yet(going on yrs at this point).
 

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