Desert Proven
Observer
What options are available for lockers (front and rear) for an FG?
thanks
thanks
lockers for an FG
- Thread starter Desert Proven
- Start date
whatcharterboat
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
We are in negotiations with a diff lock manufacturer at the moment and hope to have a "front diff friendly" mechanical locker available by xmas or early in the new year. We've been trying to make this happen for years but are really close now. We were hoping for an airlocker but decided a few weeks ago that there was just far too much tooling involved for the expected number of sales. Obviously I'll make it well known when it comes off and we've had a chance to trial them. All I can say at this point is that they are a well proven design already fitted to many Landcruiser/Hilux type vehicles in real offroad situations such as mineral exploration and we will definitely be making them available to North America as we have to order a considerable number of them to be able to recoup the tooling investment and then maintain our sole distribution rights.
Hi Alan, You over winter yet? Yeah you're right about the rear LSD. I can't see anyone ever developing a rear diff lock when the original is so good. The Isuzu NPS run a No Spin in the rear and you can also get this as an option here for the Fuso FG 84D but it's mega bucks and truthfully , I can't tell the difference other than the No Spin being a bit too tight when you're doing a U-turn on the bitumen. We'll be looking at 6x6 conversions before we go down the rear diff lock path.
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whatcharterboat
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
I'm not so sure. I'll explain why in a PM if that's OK.
Yeah, Just started raining heavy here too about an hour ago. Guess the scooter will be in the shed for a few days now .
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when speaking with ARB product development at a recent off road show, I was told they would make a locker for ANY application, but if it was something they were not particularly interested in, the "client" must commit to at least 100 lockers and that R&D would take at least a year.
I would imagine with their experience level, making an air locker for an FG would not be that hard, just needs someone to take the plunge..
I would imagine with their experience level, making an air locker for an FG would not be that hard, just needs someone to take the plunge..
Desert Proven
Observer
I'll be curious to follow this. We're trying to decide whether we build a platform on our dodge, or migrate to an FG. Lockers are easy for the Dodge, but there's a lot to be said for the extra camper length you can get from a cabforward design.
thanks
thanks
whatcharterboat
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
If only. No . Alot more than 100. Not even close. Alot more. That was from the top.
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whatcharterboat
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Auto.
PKDreamers
Adventurer
You would want to be off road and heavy off road alot to need a diff lock in the front of a FG .
The rear diff really amazed me alot of how well it works off road.
The rear diff really amazed me alot of how well it works off road.
Yeah that is a fair point, even for me it would be a waste 99% of the time, but then that 1% of the time when you do need it, you would really need it... this comes from the old bloke with his MAN, factory lockers F/R. rear gets used all the time, but front very seldomly.
i remember an example of this; last year we were down south on a 4wd trip, cruising along a narrow dirt track (had been quite wet) and all of a sudden the left side sank into the side of the track, where it was uncompacted. the back end was so deep in it you couldnt see the rear tyre. front was about 1/2 as deep, so about 2ft. solution- 1st low ratio, both lockers, thing simply dragged itself out. no way it was going anywhere fast without a front locker, and we would have been in for a 4 hr recovery...
^^ That is cool, how about some pics of the MAN?
John, you have better sources than I, just a product development rep at an off road show in my case, but I must wonder for "un-popular" applications, how many lockers they really sell.
Take the case of our 2.5 ton military trucks from the Vietnam era.... rock crawling and mud guys love those axles for heavy buggies and mud trucks, but as popular as those axles are, they are not strong enough in stock form to handle large tires, high HP, shock loading, etc. A solid aftermarket has grown up in the last few years for 2.5 ton Rockwell top loaders, but I can almost promise you there are not thousands of people buying Rockwell ARB lockers at more than USD$1000 each. Maybe low volume accounts for the steep price tag.
The R&D took FOREVER on the Rockwell piece and the release date was pushed back several times due to engineering problems, according to Daniel Bongard, who was good about posting updates on Pirate.
There are probably a LOT more FGs running around than guys willing to spend a few grand locking up their weekend rock buggy or mud truck, imo....
Would be curious to hear what you were told for R&D time and minimum order. With FG being so much more popular down under, I am surprised they have not done this yet....
Thankfully there is an abundance of axles from which to choose in the US, most have a plethora of locker choices and are suitable for the front or rear of an FG, assuming you are willing to dump the factory axles.
Cheers
John, you have better sources than I, just a product development rep at an off road show in my case, but I must wonder for "un-popular" applications, how many lockers they really sell.
Take the case of our 2.5 ton military trucks from the Vietnam era.... rock crawling and mud guys love those axles for heavy buggies and mud trucks, but as popular as those axles are, they are not strong enough in stock form to handle large tires, high HP, shock loading, etc. A solid aftermarket has grown up in the last few years for 2.5 ton Rockwell top loaders, but I can almost promise you there are not thousands of people buying Rockwell ARB lockers at more than USD$1000 each. Maybe low volume accounts for the steep price tag.
The R&D took FOREVER on the Rockwell piece and the release date was pushed back several times due to engineering problems, according to Daniel Bongard, who was good about posting updates on Pirate.
There are probably a LOT more FGs running around than guys willing to spend a few grand locking up their weekend rock buggy or mud truck, imo....
Would be curious to hear what you were told for R&D time and minimum order. With FG being so much more popular down under, I am surprised they have not done this yet....
Thankfully there is an abundance of axles from which to choose in the US, most have a plethora of locker choices and are suitable for the front or rear of an FG, assuming you are willing to dump the factory axles.
Cheers
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whatcharterboat
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
We even seriously looked at making our own axles and using an existing diff locked centre. With the FG it was not that simple, at least from what we found looking at the diff centre casing. I just spoke to our guy 5 minutes ago and we're still moving forward with a mechanical locker anyway.
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PKDreamers
Adventurer
Question why couldn't you make a LSD front diff? Because the rear LSD is great.
Too hard to do ??
Too hard to do ??