Spool VS Lock Right/Aussie

[jsfgso]

I have an 82' long bed pick up. I have owned it for 10 years and am just starting to build it. My question is what are the differences between a spool and a lock right/aussie. I have experience with 80 series e-lockers but none with the other options.

The truck will be used for off road only but i will be driving it to the trails (1 to 5 hours away). Thanks for the input.

 

[Chop Shop]

I have an 82' long bed pick up. I have owned it for 10 years and am just starting to build it. My question is what are the differences between a spool and a lock right/aussie. I have experience with 80 series e-lockers but none with the other options.

The truck will be used for off road only but i will be driving it to the trails (1 to 5 hours away). Thanks for the input.

An 80 series elocker is a spool when its engaged.

A lockrite/aussie/lunchbox locker is a pile of shiit.

I have removed many many broken lunchbox lockers.

Spool or Detroit or Elocker or ARB for the rear.

Detroit or Elocker or ARB for the front. Never put a spool up front.

 

[Hilux]

A locker is an interruptible spool...


Spool = 100% of the time, fwd and reverse. (IMO, more consistent handling)

A locker unlocks only when it's de-cammed, or IOW's you take yer foot off the gas in a turn.

 

[Rooskey]

If the majority of your trips are within 2hrs away I would run a detroit locker in rear and a detroit true trac in front. If majority of 3 to 5hr trips are there then selectable lockers all the way!

 

[raevenzero]

I'm running Aussies front and rear and haven't had any issues. They are noisy in turns and make handling unpredictable at times. I've been running them for a couple of years with 35's. I've seen other lunchbox lockers break, but haven't seen any aussie issues yet.

Detroits are also good. If I had a choice, I would find some TRD elockers.

 

[Dingman]

With a mostly stock drivetrain, I think Aussies aren't likely to break (referring to the "piece of s***" comment).

For a really serious rig tho, spools are cheap and tough, no doubt.

I have an Aussie in the front of mine and a lock-something in the rear, and you would not believe how loud that Aussie is, sounds like it does want to break.

Listen to it at the beginning of this video, I'm the green 4runner, you can't miss the sound of the Aussie locking\unlocking.

YouTube - MIOBI Labor Day 2010 - Toyota's creek exit

 

[Chop Shop]

Most guys that defend their lunchbox lockers and tell me they work just fine still run stock birfs.

If you have had the need to upgrade to Bobby's 30 spline shafts then you should also consider a quality locker.

If you can wheel safely with stock birfs then a lo quality lunchbox "bang locker" will most likely work, just not well.

 

[raevenzero]

With a mostly stock drivetrain, I think Aussies aren't likely to break (referring to the "piece of s***" comment).

For a really serious rig tho, spools are cheap and tough, no doubt.

I have an Aussie in the front of mine and a lock-something in the rear, and you would not believe how loud that Aussie is, sounds like it does want to break.

Listen to it at the beginning of this video, I'm the green 4runner, you can't miss the sound of the Aussie locking\unlocking.

YouTube - MIOBI Labor Day 2010 - Toyota's creek exit

Mine never sounds like that. In fact, it never makes any noise under a torque. The only time it makes noise is when turning with no throttle. If I give it throttle, it locks up and chirps tires. I've bounced on it a lot and have broken stock birfs with no damage to locker. I'm a graceful wheeler though. If I know I'm going to break something, I think it through and make another choice. I would weld my diffs before buying a spool. If I wanted full time lockers, it would probably be on a budget beater.

When's the next MIOBI run?

 

[jsfgso]

I have a set 33" swamper tsl and just got a used 2.5 inch nwor lift for it. Planning on an e locker front and rear down the road. How are the 4.10 gears with 33's?

I was also considering picking up a couple of the 4runner 4.88 diffs and installing them instead of regearing my current diffs. I know I can't get elockers with 4.88 diff or regear them down the road but I can get the whole diff ready to bolt in for as much as good ring and pinions. That's where the lockright or spool in the rear comes in.

I was under the impression that the lockrights and Aussies are easy to install. How is the install on a Detroit or a spool by comparison? I've never driven a rig with a front locker or limited slip, only elockers, I'm concerned with turning radius on tight trails.

 

[Chop Shop]

The only difference in installing a detroit and a lunchbox locker is carrier bearings.

Both require disassembly of the carrier and removal of the ring gear.

The detroit just gets the old ring gear put on it and the old carrier bearings put on it.

The lunchbox locker still requires the ring gear to be removed and then you have to install the insert pieces which are kind of a biitch.

Its a trade off, one needs the carrier bearings put on and one needs the locker installed.

 

[cruiser88]

I run spools front and rear. I run 30's up front and polys in the rear.

It climbs like the devil on crack, eats rear tires for breakfast, sometimes not often ther front doesnt want to steer like it should but I have a much better aftermarket power steering pump now bla bla its really a dead issue for me but I still want steer assist sometime.

The nice thing is( I know here comes the trail gear comments) if you decide with a spool you can also choose from several diffrent gear ratios, thats why I did and havent looked back.


One thing you need to consider if anybody ever considers spools, if you live in a very dry area, forget about running one up front .........between steering and birfs its not worth it.

 

[jsfgso]

I was under the impression that the lunchbox lockers were much easier to install. It sounds like both are similar. Do the gears have to be reset or lashed after instalation? I have rebuilt axles but never done gears, they are intimidating at this point.

My original plan was to get a lunchbox locker now and put it into my currnt diff. Then find a pair of factory 4.88 diffs to swap in later this year. Since the locker requires ring gear removal that seems to involve a lot of work and parts that I could avoid by going ahead and purchasing an elocker diff and planning on regearing it later this year instead.

My current budget does not allow for gears and a locker at this point. From what I've learned here my best option seems to be a factory elocker 3rd member with 4.10 gears to match my front diff. Then save up to do lower ring and pinions later.

I may have been overthinking it but I liked the idea of getting the carriers with 4.88 gears at a junkyard dropping in a locker and just bolting them in.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

I think I'd go with T-case gears first...

 

[crushers]

been running a lincon locker for years.
been running the Easy/Aussi/Lockrite for years.
been running factory elec for a few years.

all have their advantages and disadvantages.
lincon = tire wear, chirping on corners, in parking malls, can get unpredicable on wet surfaces, want to head with gravity off road but cheap to do, no torque steer characterisitcs.
Lockrite, if set up properly = no tire wear, definate torque steer when accelerating and decelerating, works when you need it, can have banging on corners especially if under throttle, can get unpredicable on wet surfaces, wants to head with gravity off road. easy to install and cheap. if PROPERLY installed the lunchbox locker will hold up long after your axles have gone south.
factory elec = selectable, tough, EXPENSIVE, no down sides.

comes down to budget and what you will be using the truck for before proper recommendation can be made.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

You could always back off the 4.88 idea and go with 4.56. The factory elocker is available in that ratio.

 

[jsfgso]

I know they are out there but I'm having trouble finding an elocker 4.56. This has given me some good things to consider. I will post up some picks of what I'm starting with in a new thread. Thanks for the input so far.

 

[raevenzero]

You don't have to do both at once. You just have to wait to use 4wd.

 

[cavemancaleb]

spool in the rear, aussie up front.

Lock rights are piles

 

[H8PVMNT]

A few of us up here have been running welded rears with aussies in front with great success even durring the 5 month winters with icy roads.



Aussies are vastly superior to the other lunchbox options, and I've also ran lock rite and ez lockers. They weren't half as good. A buddy of mine had a spartan and it broke.



Around town the welded rears chirp a bit but who cares...

 

[raevenzero]

Glad someone agrees.