Aussie Locker questions

[MoGas]

I have recently purchased an Aussie for my '93 that I have not yet installed. For those of you that have them, what are the on road manners like?

Most specifically, in the winter. Does it want to push straight while turning on icy or snow packed roads? Does the rear end want to come around on icy or snow packed corners? Will it make the ABS act funky?

I have had a rear lock right before and experienced poor manners on road in the winter. You really had to drive the rig and stay on top of it. Essentially, you had to expect it to do certain things. Even on dry pavement, the rig would want to jump around during power transitions. It is not an apples to apples comparison, though, because my last locker was in a '79 Jeep CJ7 with a 304 V8 and a manual. The 93 cruiser is a whole different beast with the automatic and greater length, width and far greater weight.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Hltoppr]

Remember my '77 40? I had a lockright in the back which was scary on snow and ice...no way I would ever let Amanda drive it because of the poor manners....

Save your pennies and get an ARB...if you need a locker....with the winch and your driving abilities I'd think it wouldn't be necessary....

My .02

-H-

 

[Fergie]

I had a Lock right in my old XJ, and a Detroit EZ lock in my old turbo toy....I will never go the automatic locker route again.

In snow and ice, the XJ was unpredictable because the slightest variation in throttle caused it to lock and unlock. Sending the vehicle in odd directions during turns, and takig off from intersections. Even scarier, if you caught a slicker patch on a road, you'd end up spilling your coffee and changing your drawers...not fun and the wife didnt appreciate it either.

You need to maintain tire pressures not to PSI, but to what make the two tires even side to side. Variation in diameter of the tires is a big issue with them locking and unlocking.

Give me a call later too.

Gavin

 

[latinoguy]

you may want to research the mud forum. Plenty of satisfied customers with the 80 series sporting Aussie rear lockers. I think the fact that the 80 series is a long wheel base vehicle maximizing the pros of having a locker while minimizing the known handicaps of an auto locker.

I am going this route myself after reading up on many positive results.

 

[Hltoppr]

I guess you could always throw it in and see how it works, then put the spider gears back in if it turns out to be a problem...or you could just drive the mini van when it snows.....:elkgrin:

-H-

 

[ntsqd]

Even at the 112" and 129.5" wheelbases of Patch and the Sub respectively I still notice and have to correct the odd behavior of their Detroits. The 60 will go ARB.

 

[CA-RJ]

I had a Lock Rite in my 4Runner when we lived in Connecticut. For daily driving, I didn't like it at all. In the winter, it was very easy to break traction. I remember one time on the highway, I downshifted from 5th to 4th and as soon as I let the clutch out the truck fishtailed. I wouldn't say having it was dangerous, rather annoying instead.

 

[teejnut]

I have an Aussie in the rear of mine. I don't have any major complaints with it. On paved roads if you get off the throttle on turn you do feel it tuck in a little bit. If you go in a turn off the throttle then get on the throttle you get a bit of understeer, minor correction in steering fixes that. Not a big deal to me at least. As for snow/ice I've only drive once or twice with the Aussie in these conditions and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

Edit: If you do install it make sure you measure the clearances are within Aussie spec. The two that I've done (mine and a friend's FJ60) they were in spec without changing any of the shims.

I've had it for about a year or two now and am happy with it. I know other people on mud feel the same way. Since you have it already I would install it and if you don't like it go ARB. The install is pretty easy... little bit harder on your full-floater without the inspection cover but not a big deal. Worse case is you can sell it if you don't like it, the few I've seen on mud goes pretty quickly.

 

[Lichen]

Do you have manual locking front hubs? If so, you may want to consider putting a locker in the front instead of the rear. I did this to my '97 Taco. Simply free a hub and voila! you're no longer locked.

 

[MoGas]

Do you have manual locking front hubs? If so, you may want to consider putting a locker in the front instead of the rear. I did this to my '97 Taco. Simply free a hub and voila! you're no longer locked.

Full time 4WD...

 

[Hltoppr]

Unimog portal axles are what you need Dave....

-H-

 

[Box Rocket]

I had the same concerns with my truck which also happens to be a 93. This will be the second winter with the Aussie in the truck. When I first put it in, I wouldn't let my wife drive it for a while (it is her daily driver after all) until I had driven in in snow, fresh and packed as well as on ice. I kept trying things to make it behave strangely but it never did. It was completely transparent to me. My wife never noticed any different behavior last winter at all.

In a short wheelbase like an FJ40 it's a different animal altogether in the snow/ice. I drove a couple 40's in the snow with lockrites and I wouldn't have that in a 40 that was driven on the road daily. So as Hltoppr suggested, I had ARBs in my 40. However, I've been extremely pleased with the "don't even have to think about it" nature of the Aussie in my 80.

The only time I am reminded that it is even installed in the truck are when I'm turning in tight circles on dry pavement and I can hear it ratcheting. And one other time while on the freeway last winter there was a heavy slush layer between the lanes as the highway hadn't been cleared by plows yet. I changed lanes at ~70mph and transitioning from the wet, although somewhat tactile surface of the lane through the heavy slush and back into the more tactile lane next to me, there was a very SLIGHT twitch in the rear end of the truck. It wasn't anything that was scary or out of control or anything of the sort, just a small twitch that reminded me the locker was there. I am assuming that one of the rear wheels lost traction momentarily coming through the slush and the locker engaged once there was wheelspin.

That's all I can even think of to say about my experience. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend an Aussie in the rear axle of an 80 series cruiser. Between mine and several other with positive experiences, I think its a good inexpensive alternative to ARBs or other selectable lockers.

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

I'm looking forward to seeing how you like it, Dave!

Great info Adam!



.