Looking for suggestions on front or back or both lockers

[Jakes01234]

For the dana 30 the break is 3:73 and up is one carrier and 3:54 and down is the other... dana 44. Carrier break is 3:73/3:92
but I would also suggest rear. I have an arb because I wanted selectable front and rear and also needed a good air supply so I installed a viair system and now can run airtools fill tires and just about anything with it.. the airline if run properly is no worry at all.. its very strong material and they sell repair kits for lines if sometning happens..

I have been with some friend with the e locker and it seems to perform very well.. no matter whatt locker you choose you will like better than no locke at all

 

[Metcalf]

You can get 'thick' D44 gears to save the cost of a carrier. Also, Factory Rubicon D44 rear gears are the 'thick' version. If you can get a set of take outs you can use those on a factory high speed carrier.

I would do 4.56 gears however. The 4.0s like a little more gearing than most people think. I ran 3.73s in a 2001 TJ with stock 29" tires and the 3spd non-overdrive automatic and LOVED it, one of the best drivetrain combo's I have ever driven, owned, or ridden in. It also got a consistant 17-18 mpg, even on the interstate at 75 with a soft top.

 

[alosix]

I'll have to 2nd metcalf there on the gearing.. Though I had really good luck with the AW-4 (.75 OD ratio) and 4.10s w 33s. I could break the rear tires loose at will on many corners. It didn't like the change to a less flat area + 35" tires.

So if you even think you might one day do 35s, go with the 4.56. The rpm difference between 4.10 and 4.56 isn't really all that much. Actually for me the difference wasn't enough, so I went to 4.88 this time around with 35s and once again have a happy jeep.

I have a set of just taken out thick 4.10s from a rubi sitting here, only issue I think with that would be that the rubi's use a 7/16s bolt and the normal D44s use a 3/8s.

But if the $$ is there. Lock both ends and get it done. If you're paying someone to do the install the extra locker really isn't that high of a percentage of the total job.

 

[Stumpalump]

If you want 4:10's then just buy some Rubicon axels from a junk yard. Selectable locker and bolts right in. Do not spend money to do your stock axles with 4:10's. You won't hardly tell a difference and will wish you had 4.56I never hear folks say they wish they chose higher gearing but have heard a million times "I'd wish I had gone lower." If you want the best non selectable the go with power trax no-slip. Thats the best locker as far as smooth operation and cost that you will get.

 

[stjjames]

I ran an ARB out back & a Tru-Trac in the front for years.
Whereas the Tru-Trac worked well in the wet, in mud, snow etc - it wasn't a locker & when I really needed it to be, it failed me. I have since installed an ARB in the front of rig.
Obviously both would be the best choice, though if you do have the factory LSD - I would toss the E-Locker up front.

 

[jeffy]

If you're going to go with 4.10's then you'd probably break even between the parts & labor cost vs. bolting on some Rubicon D44's. Then you get 4.10's as well as lockers/LSD. You'll need the small compressor for the air though. With the 5-speed, you should be fine with RPM's. Honestly though, I'd go 4.56's like others have said. You might consider plugging in your gear ratios into the gear calculator at: http://jeeptech.com/javaAps/gta.html It will create a graph of your RPM's vs MPH so you can get a better idea of your shift points.

If your still insistent on keep your axles and adding a locker, I'd go with the rear. Most of the 'issues' for not putting it in the rear axle are a bit moot with selectable lockers as you can turn it off. Also, you can use it in 2WD when the terrain is a bit more difficult but not enough to be in 4WD
Even if you have a Trac-Lok rear LSD, it wouldn't change my decision. The Trac-Lok is a very light LSD and because it uses clutch, it wears out fairly quickly. They don't call it the 'Trash-Lok' for nothing. I wouldn't be turned off by ARB's because of the air lines either. Although they cost more, I think the benefits are worth it. They are on par with the Detroit No-spin/SoftLocker in strength.

 

[jeffjeeptj]

I had a 2002 TJ 5speed with rear D44 w/ LSD, 3.73. 5 speed, and 33" AT BFGs. Now have a 2005 LJ Rubi 6speed with stock axles and the same BFG 33s. I am almost 58, but have had 4X4s since 17 years old. I am NOT a heavy duty crawler, but do enjoy some agressive trail riding.
I live in east Tennessee on the Cumberland Plateau which has some hills. I recently got back from the Outer Banks. I did not put the Rubi into 4wd while on the beach, even in the soft sand. Air was reduced to 16 PSI in the tires. There were a couple of places where I just flicked the rear locker on to solve a traction problem. I do wish the gears were 4.56, even on the freeway.
HTH

 

[wjeeper]

If you're going to go with 4.10's then you'd probably break even between the parts & labor cost vs. bolting on some Rubicon D44's.

Looking on car-part.com (great resource for parts hunting) you can get a Rubi 44 front starting at about $1700 most of the complete axles listed are in the $3000 range!:Wow1:.....just about the same story for the rears

However you can get a housing thats bent or has some bent brackets and steal the gears and lockers for around $600ish + new install kit for each end...........

I will echo others and say lock the rear first, if your driving needs necessitate something in the front and you have money left go for it. As far as selectable or not its really all personal opinion, I prefer a detroit in the rear and an open front. Lately I have been just getting by with a rear limited slip and front set of tire chains.......I really only "need" a locker when the clay roads in S. Utah get slick or there is lots of snow.

Just throwing in my $0.02

 

[Metcalf]

I don't think you can install the Rubicon locker in a 'normal' TJ D44 housing. I think there is some extra castings/holes in the Rubicon housing. Could be miss-remembering though.

I don't see any reason to swap out your existing D44 rear.

The D30 front is almost as strong as the D44 Rubicon front. Both generally break the u-joint before the inner axle. If I was going to swap a housing out I would go find a high pinion D30 front axle housing out of an XJ ( the no-disconnect version ). This gets the driveshaft up out of the way and is stronger than the low pinion unit in my experience. Have the driveshaft up is great for dialing in caster vs pinion angle. The housings are pretty easy to find, and everything from the knuckle out bolts on. You can also have your front gears and locker set up in the new housing....and swap it in the driveway one weekend.

 

[bluejeep]

I was convinced that up front was better if I could only do 1 end. My silly head said the same thing as some as the other 'front first' advocates - "back always has more weight on it in a climb so shouldn't slip, front can pull you up, etc....."

So I did put one in the front. An OX cable actuated unit. Then I went wheeling.

Found out quickly I should have put it in the back axle first. During climbs (when I need a locker most) the front can get lighter, as expected, so even tho both tires will turn, they have less traction and aren't that capable of pulling. They're both turning, and neither is pulling.

The back axle, with all that weight on it, can still be unbalanced side to side, so 1 wheel can AND DID lift, spin, and there goes all the power to the other side of my 'unlocked' rear axle.

Bottom line, I'm an advocate of installing a locker in the rear axle first if you can only do 1 at a time

ps - I'm locked front and back now - love it
:wings::smiley_drive:

 

[alosix]

I don't think you can install the Rubicon locker in a 'normal' TJ D44 housing. I think there is some extra castings/holes in the Rubicon housing. Could be miss-remembering though.

I don't see any reason to swap out your existing D44 rear.

You'd need to figure out how to get the 5psi air line into the diff, that might just be a factory fitting, though honestly you could probably just have a gasket and carefully tie the line up inside of the diff.

You would need a notch in the right side carrier bearing cap, but that's not much different than you'd do for a ARB install.

 

[Desert Dan]

I had great luck with ARB lockers in my YJ.

If you are re-gearing and have the diffs apart you might as well get lockers front and rear!

 

[Metcalf]

Isn't there more to the Rubicon TJ locker.....I remember some electric stuff also? I'm thinking that was for the locked-unlocked indicator.

 

[alosix]

Isn't there more to the Rubicon TJ locker.....I remember some electric stuff also? I'm thinking that was for the locked-unlocked indicator.

Yeah, lots of extra crap in a real rubi, but if you just put 12v to the right place on the pump it will fill up to its 5psi or so and stop.

I pulled out the lock indicator on mine after the wire got ripped off from the sensor outside and the indicator became a pain on gear setup time ... The only thing left is a carling tech switch and the air pump for the front end.