Im looking to lock up the front of my 95 sidekick... Maybe? Im new to the locker thing. I saw that low range has the lockrite for the front. Does anyone have any feedback on that. If so how hard is it to install? Any other routes that I should look in to?

Look around on the site and you will find great info.
This was found in the archives on this site...
http://www.zukiworld.com/month_020103/feature_frontendupgradeswithhagen.htm


Hope this helps you!!!!

Jerry!!!

Do you have a locker in the rear allready? If not you might want to do the rear before the front. A locker in the front makes it hard to steer.

Derek

Do you have a locker in the rear allready? If not you might want to do the rear before the front. A locker in the front makes it hard to steer.

Derek

but only if your off road. Adding a front locker doesn't affect normal daily driving. Although I wouldn't install a front locker without upgrading the front end to steel parts, or welding braces and gussets to the stock aluminum.

I'm not sure I really "get" why a locker would be beneficial in the front. My understanding is the lockrite's only unlock when not under power (coasting with clutch-in during a turn). During offroading, when 4WD is engaged I don't think I'd be coasting with the clutch in much, so the locker would mostly be engaged right? Why not just go with a spool or welded front?

My biggest thing about the locker in the front would be that I am a high school kid with a multi purpose vehicle. I do alot of highway driving as well as alot of off roading. So a locker in the rear would not work for me... yet! But a locker in the front would only be engaged with 4x4. Any other alternatives to keep the high way capability and improve the off road capability?

Poker in the rear.

You wont even notice a locker on the highway, your really only going to feel them when your in town making tighter turns.  And a spool you will feel mostly all the time, i have heard they aren't that bad at all...but you can except to see some really fast tire ware.

as for a locker in the front, you can always just turn one hubb out when you want to make a sharper turn.  I could see having a spool in the front a good thing if it was a beefed up trail rig, but if your going to be on road to, it might suck.  For any situation where you would have to use 4wd on the highway for snow, it would be a little crazy.


Amilla

I agree if your going to do a locker in the front, I wouldnt bother doing it with the stock front housing.  weak as they are the added stress I wouldnt trust to them... seen to many go BOOM!

One don't spool or weld the front.  You wont be able to turn.  I have a ARB front and rear, its like having a spool that you can turn on and off.

Most of my offroading is with the front end open.  I only turn it on when I'm heading into an opstical.  When it's on its a bear to turn.

As for the front, I have a friend that put his first locker in the front and said it helped out a lot.  But it's amazing what you can go through in 2wd and a locker in the rear.

Good luck

Trail tough has a locker for the front and it works great. I would suggest going w/ a steel front settup and 27 spline axles

   Kevin

I personally follow the "if it's not broke, dont fix it" mind set with mine. I ran a locker in a stock 89 diff and never broke the casing( running 29's and 31's). It will greatly depend on how hard you push your ride and how bad you beat it. When I went to 33's, and 5.83 gears I upgraded to an Anvil and XL-7 third.
Try a locker, if you tear up a housing then upgrade.

Most of the housing damage I have heard about was from hammering on it in reverse.

Zig

I personally follow the "if it's not broke, dont fix it" mind set with mine. I ran a locker in a stock 89 diff and never broke the casing( running 29's and 31's). It will greatly depend on how hard you push your ride and how bad you beat it. When I went to 33's, and 5.83 gears I upgraded to an Anvil and XL-7 third.
Try a locker, if you tear up a housing then upgrade.

Most of the housing damage I have heard about was from hammering on it in reverse.

Zig

Thanks guys. I am not one to push the limits of my rig yet. The only time I will abuse it is when my buddy in his stock toyota thinks he can out crawl me.  Im just looking for another upgrade for out in the hills. Thanks everyone!!!

Locker in the front with hubs locks sure. Or you can go with ARB. I had a friend who did locrite in the front worked good in the woods but u get alot of axle bind when turning in the woods. I would save up for a ARB .

I wish they would make a elec front locker for the kicks.

a locrite will never affect your turning, your tire wear, or break any thing as long as its working proper, a loc right is designed to spin freely when one tire needs to turn faster than the other (witch solves the steerig) a locright is designed to unlock and work like an open carrier automaticly. this steering issue is b.s. i have spooled front and rear axles and run bigger tire than mostly everyone and can turn fine, my rear end chirps when turning corners on pavement, i also run a 2 door tracker with 33" tires stock aluminum front carrier and drive every day on road with my locrites my tires wear completly normal, i have not broke a housing, i can turn fine, and it works great. i have had one issue with my hubs locked in i was making a tight u turn on road and my front locright failed to release causing a cv shaft to explode, a trip to the junk yard and 10 bucks later all was solved. get a locker you will love it!