Hay mike does that locker stay locked all the time? Are does it unlock when your turning ?
PROS&CONNS-Aussie vs ARB lockers and front/rear choices
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Hay mike does that locker stay locked all the time? Are does it unlock when your turning ?
Hay mike does that locker stay locked all the time? Are does it unlock when your turning ?
Bang Bang
Age is a state of mind.
On the street with the hubs unlocked it can not lock.
On the trails with the hubs locked it will lock whenever it decides too and will make turning difficult to say the least.
On the trails with the hubs locked it will lock whenever it decides too and will make turning difficult to say the least.
One wheel is locked and turning the same speed as the ring gear while the other wheel is driven faster than the ring gear by traction with the road when driving in the forward direction. The outside wheel always ratchets in a turn in the forward or drive direction. The inner wheel ratchets in a turn in the coast or decelerate direction. Both wheels lock when one wheel slips. They switch drive sides when you turn L to R and R to L and when you go from drive to coast and coast to drive. In summary, they lock when at least one wheel slips. Otherwise one side is driving and the other side is ratcheting. That is the way all auto lockers work.
Thanks guys
ARB's front and rear is the way to go. If you don't want to spend the money I'd do an auto locker in the rear and a Detoit Truetrac in the front. The TrueTrac isn't a full locker, but you can fake it with the brake pedal if needed. They're tough, they don't require any additives and they are a bit easier on the birfields.
If given a choice I'll reiterate: ARB's. I wouldn't run an autolocker in the front without some upgraded Birfs and axles.
The main reason autolockers can be a pain in the front is that they make it harder to turn and they make it a lot easier to break an axle shaft because they have no give under power. That being said a lot of guys have great luck with them by learning how to drive with them. They work great in a straight line and a locker helps minimize wheel spin which is a different kind of axle killer.
I would definitely break a Detoit front, I don't think I have a grown up enough right foot to keep it together
I would definitely break a Detoit front, I don't think I have a grown up enough right foot to keep it together
Bang Bang
Age is a state of mind.
Does take a learning curve to go with auto lockers. Spartan front with stock gears and chromoly shafts and birfs. Aussie rear with stock gearing and axles. With the SBC350 and 35 MT's I can put the truck sideways easily on the street especially when cornering.......that is when it's running.
you should demonstrate this trick at one of the next meets 
My Aussie in the rear of my 80 clicked a lot more when turning.
The Aussie installed in my 40 (by PO) never seems to click when turning... just tire squealing like it's not giving relief in turns. Normal on a 40?
I have the ARB in the front and it's the only way to go for a good all around trail/street rig.
The Aussie installed in my 40 (by PO) never seems to click when turning... just tire squealing like it's not giving relief in turns. Normal on a 40?
I have the ARB in the front and it's the only way to go for a good all around trail/street rig.
Bang Bang
Age is a state of mind.
Auto lockers in the front of the 40 clicks. In the rear, the Aussie will load up and let go on the street some times. "Pops" pretty good from time to time.
They all click. It just depends on whether it is loud enough for you to hear. Whether they pop and bang depends on your driving style in turns. Going back and forth between accelerate and decelerate in turns makes them pop and bang.
Yes it is, and it was what I recommended to the guy. They work really well in a front application.
Thanks guys.
So it sounds like everyone likes the ARB front. Sounds like the cons for Aussie front are hard steering and possibly breaking shafts.
My rig is a BJ42 with a 3b mild turbo. I have power steering and the later model high spline axles (84).
I wanted to go with the ARB in the rear because of normal diving (and maybe snow, live in MN).
I'm doing a frame off, , nut and bolt in this thing and don't know how rugged it's gonna see after, but would like to have something in the front and was looking to save some$.
A far as steering, I would think any locker would be hard to turn once locked, guessing a clutch pack limited slip/posi would only help this.
Breaking axles and birfs, do the auto lockers engage such that makes this worse? How about with my low hp diesel?
So it sounds like everyone likes the ARB front. Sounds like the cons for Aussie front are hard steering and possibly breaking shafts.
My rig is a BJ42 with a 3b mild turbo. I have power steering and the later model high spline axles (84).
I wanted to go with the ARB in the rear because of normal diving (and maybe snow, live in MN).
I'm doing a frame off, , nut and bolt in this thing and don't know how rugged it's gonna see after, but would like to have something in the front and was looking to save some$.
A far as steering, I would think any locker would be hard to turn once locked, guessing a clutch pack limited slip/posi would only help this.
Breaking axles and birfs, do the auto lockers engage such that makes this worse? How about with my low hp diesel?
Everyone likes ARBs, but not everyone can afford them.
The hard steering and breakage is caused by drive train binding due to the difference in wheel speeds. For autolockers, the difference is caused by the front to rear difference in turning radius because the outside wheels ratchet in turns. For selectable spools, steering is much harder than with autolockers when they are engaged because the inside and outside wheels always turn at the same speed. Even with open differentials, there is a wheel speed difference in turns from front to rear, so hard steering is relative. You can minimize steering and breakage problems by only using the front drive when necessary.
You only have drive line binding on high traction surfaces. Since autolockers only "lock" both sides when one wheel slips, their "engagement" has little influence on drive line binding/hard steering or axle shaft breakage.
The hard steering and breakage is caused by drive train binding due to the difference in wheel speeds. For autolockers, the difference is caused by the front to rear difference in turning radius because the outside wheels ratchet in turns. For selectable spools, steering is much harder than with autolockers when they are engaged because the inside and outside wheels always turn at the same speed. Even with open differentials, there is a wheel speed difference in turns from front to rear, so hard steering is relative. You can minimize steering and breakage problems by only using the front drive when necessary.
You only have drive line binding on high traction surfaces. Since autolockers only "lock" both sides when one wheel slips, their "engagement" has little influence on drive line binding/hard steering or axle shaft breakage.
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there's no right or wrong answer, poor mans locker vs arb and front vs rear will always be an on going debate 
I've been arb front and rear with longfield axles for a long time now and have no need to change it works fine and is strong and reliable nothing breaks
I've been arb front and rear with longfield axles for a long time now and have no need to change it works fine and is strong and reliable nothing breaks
do you lock the hubs in when you use the arb in the front or not ?
i building a rig with arbs front and rear just haven't used them and don't have any experience with them.
maybe a stupid question but thanks for any info.
i building a rig with arbs front and rear just haven't used them and don't have any experience with them.
maybe a stupid question but thanks for any info.
1911
chupacabra
Yes; if you don't lock the hubs you won't get any torque (drive) to them.
