What once was shall be no more

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

You could also toss that elocker in the front axle, and the lockrite in the rear instead. That way you can at least somewhat steer on the trail and not have to be dicking around with twin sticks, although i might be the only person dumb enough to get confused using twin sticks on the trail. Plus you get some mall crawler cred having a selectable locker in the front axle.

Yes elocker stuff is all v6 gears and bearings except there's a bigger bearing on the side with the actuator. The part that kind of sucks is that it uses shims to setup the gears, so that would make a gear change take a bit longer. The other part that can be seen as a negative is that it doesn't have the girdle that the taco/tundra open rear has so you get a bit more gear deflection. I have had very good luck and will be sad to see my elocker go, but it is going to a good home under someones 4runner that we all know.... I always had very good luck with that axle, and i think the strength issue is a bit of a myth, i have been running 200:1 in front of it for 7yrs now with no real issue.
 
Last edited:
slander said:
You could also toss that elocker in the front axle, and the lockrite in the rear instead. That way you can at least somewhat steer on the trail and not have to be dicking around with twin sticks, although i might be the only person dumb enough to get confused using twin sticks on the trail. Plus you get some mall crawler cred having a selectable locker in the front axle.
Click to expand...

I couldn't disagree more. A lockrite up front will have MINIMAL effect on steering, but a elocker up front and you will be turning it off constantly to turn...then you will forget to turn it on...then you get stuck or fall off the line....then you get hear the peanut gallery yell "front locker" at you all day. And if the lockrite is in the back then you have to drive on the road with a locked rear, its not the end of the world, but open is nicer. If the e-locker is in the rear you would not have to turn it off on the trail except for trying to get the tightest turns.

slander said:
Yes elocker stuff is all v6 gears and bearings except there's a bigger bearing on the side with the actuator. The part that kind of sucks is that it uses shims to setup the gears, so that would make a gear change take a bit longer. The other part that can be seen as a negative is that it doesn't have the girdle that the taco/tundra open rear has so you get a bit more gear deflection. I have had very good luck and will be sad to see my elocker go, but it is going to a good home under someones 4runner that we all know.... I always had very good luck with that axle, and i think the strength issue is a bit of a myth, i have been running 200:1 in front of it for 7yrs now with no real issue.
Click to expand...

Even without the girdles the v6 3rd is way stronger than the 4cyl 3rd and Bill hasn't had any problems with the 4cyl stuff.

How do you have 200:1 IN FRONT of the 3rd?

But to be honest, IMO, the best use for the e-locker is on craigslist!!!! Sell that stoopid thing, and with the money buy a lunchbox and most of your 27 spline chromoly's. And never have to dick around with a selectable locker. After 12+ years of wheeling with 80 guys...I only see the selectables as an expensive, less reliable, pain in the ass! That are never on at the right time. But that's just me, and I drive a 4skinner...
 
4rnr said:
How do you have 200:1 IN FRONT of the 3rd?

But to be honest, IMO, the best use for the e-locker is on craigslist!!!! Sell that stoopid thing, and with the money buy a lunchbox and most of your 27 spline chromoly's. And never have to dick around with a selectable locker. After 12+ years of wheeling with 80 guys...I only see the selectables as an expensive, less reliable, pain in the ass! That are never on at the right time. But that's just me, and I drive a 4skinner...
Click to expand...

That's whats special about Tacoma's we can get 200:1 before the diffs.... or my coffee hasn't kicked in yet.

That's what i hear, however i have an elocker on a 13yr old truck that has close to 200k on it, and it has worked evrey time i have hit the button. If we are talking ARB's, then i would agree with you, but the toyota elocker in my experience has worked flawlessly. Like i have told other people i must have some odd ball axle since the elocker works 100% of the time i have needed it and it hasn't exploded the second it has touched a rock.
 
slander said:
That's what i hear, however i have an elocker on a 13yr old truck that has close to 200k on it, and it has worked evrey time i have hit the button. If we are talking ARB's, then i would agree with you, but the toyota elocker in my experience has worked flawlessly. Like i have told other people i must have some odd ball axle since the elocker works 100% of the time i have needed it and it hasn't exploded the second it has touched a rock.
Click to expand...

It's not just you. The only e-locker issues I have had are with my center diff. And to be fair, that was caused by myself. I put too much Rtv on the mating surfaces after reading sealing it, and it was causing the locker to jam up. Outside of that, I had to hotwire the center diff indicator when it went bad and wouldn't allow the diffs to lock.

But, I do agree with John, I would rather have an auto locker up front. With the selectable you can either be open or spooled.
 
I forgot about the spool part.
 
I hated my e lockers. I probably accounted for 90% of the people ging saw with problems. Getting them to work with cables took a Lot of engineering, but they are much better now

I wish I had just put in lunch boxes years ago. I like not thinking.
 
I'm not even a fan of them when they are working. Too many times have I seen someone attack an obstacle, forgetting to engage one or both of them, and they spin tires, causing them to either fall off of the line or get stuck and by the time they do flip the switch, its too late.

I guess the simplest question is, why selectable over an auto? Sure, the auto can make a clucking noise in parking lots, but that just announces to the mall crawlers that a superior being has arrived.
 
Its for when your webwheeling, you can brag about how much money you spent.

For me the truck came with it and it always worked for me. The fj-80 axle is getting a spartan and i could have gotten an elocker one for the same price but didn't want to hassel with it. When i regear that axle it will probibly get a detroit in the rear and the spartan will go in the front axle.
 
I'm with the one true Ginger on this as well. Of course I'm a mini guy (and part time 4 runner guy) and aside from one rig with an arb in the front, I've always run auto lockers in both ends and been very happy.
Auto lockers rule, selectables drool. (Fueling the debate here)
(And yes, I am aware that you guys with selectable lockers all out wheel me, and I'm OK with that)

I do so love & envy Joes 80 though. But he knows that.
 
Further to your valid points.....my arb front is currently not working because of an internal axle air leak.
The Aussie I had in the rear of the 62 never failed me.
 
4rnr said:
I'm not even a fan of them when they are working. Too many times have I seen someone attack an obstacle, forgetting to engage one or both of them, and they spin tires, causing them to either fall off of the line or get stuck and by the time they do flip the switch, its too late.

I guess the simplest question is, why selectable over an auto? Sure, the auto can make a clucking noise in parking lots, but that just announces to the mall crawlers that a superior being has arrived.
Click to expand...

Towing with an auto locker sucks, they do weird things when under heavy load. They can get tiring on sweeping turns, especially when your wheelbase and track width start to get close. That's when auto lockers really start to be annoying. Being open helps in snowy roads, you don't lose all lateral traction when you break tires loose. I never had any complaints with my detroits or lock rites, but being able to unlock and go fully open on the street is very nice. I couldn't tell you the last time I unlocked my rear diff on the trail, i set it and forget it. Front gets locked at any obstacle, just because you never know. I'm spoiled now, and will stick with a selectable for the 1st gen.
 
Tech talk is acceptable for short periods of time so long as we don't lose track of our mindless ramblings, thread hijacking , homosexual banter , subject jumping and general chaotic madness!

This is , after all, a thread about a truck build, of sorts.
 
... but what if the tech creates wood?
We're just getting the tech out of the way for no tech day shanannagins.
 
OK gota jump in here before we get back on topic. I run lockrights in both ends, and love them. No problems with the steering, that I notice. The rear clicking and clunking is noticeable in my open truck on the road but not too bad. But mine isn't drove on the road as much as yours might be.
 
One Spartan locker showed up today. Still waiting on the other locker, the longs & the cross member.
All the cab body work is done.
Got my 3rds with the 4.88s (Thanks Bill)
Got my Ford fuel tank (Thanks G-off)
Got some shocks to play with & a Hawse fairlead (Thanks John John)
Picked up the bender (Thanks again John John)
Now I can do more stuff & make more progress!!!!
This thing may actually be done one day after all.
 
Picked up my new tires today!
Pics to follow.
 
2015030795100743.jpg
Dunno why this is black & white, cause I took it in color.
But anyway here's my new tyres!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Hugh Heifer
GSMTR 34 Rego Now Open!
Replies
0
Views
405
Hugh Heifer
Hugh Heifer

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom