i'm seriously considering putting a lock right in the front diff.

can people share their experience(s) please. if i do go ahead, i will limit/shorten the front end droop about 1" or 2" to try and save the cv's.

how is it with a lock right in the front diff? will it be the same as having one in the back? i have one in the back, and it carries on a bit, but i dont usually care.

what problems do people have with a lock right in the front?

can i safely run one in the alloy diff? i dont do a lot of rock work, high grip surface work, so maybe it may be ok.

i also dont mind getting out to unlock and lock the hubs if you even have to do that. will it be ok with hubs locked and transfer in 2wd. (thinking it will be unlocked as the drive shaft doesnt drive the pinion pin)

i know steering will be affected, but is it that bad?


also, the lock right to fit is a sierra one, in a sierra centre, but i cant remember anything about a retaining sleeve so that the pins do not fall out. or do i use the original centre?

thanks heaps guys.
Steve

i'm seriously considering putting a lock right in the front diff.

I don't think you will be disappointed.

can people share their experience(s) please. if i do go ahead, i will limit/shorten the front end droop about 1" or 2" to try and save the cv's.

probably a good idea and I'm thinking of the same.

how is it with a lock right in the front diff? will it be the same as having one in the back? i have one in the back, and it carries on a bit, but i dont usually care.

I only heard mine while decending a steep twisty trail. Not one noise going up or under power. My understanding is under power, it "locks up" and will only ratchet when "undriven" (i.e. decellerating/steady speed).

what problems do people have with a lock right in the front?

None for me yet (but I've only been wheeling on it once)

can i safely run one in the alloy diff? i dont do a lot of rock work, high grip surface work, so maybe it may be ok.

Time will tell. One thing is that I don't have to be as heavy footed now, so I'm hoping that will offset the added stresses. Without the locker, I found my self having to "pop" over some obstacles that I can just crawl over now.

i also dont mind getting out to unlock and lock the hubs if you even have to do that. will it be ok with hubs locked and transfer in 2wd. (thinking it will be unlocked as the drive shaft doesnt drive the pinion pin)

I think hubs locked but in 2wd you would hear it pop (undriven, it'll unlock). It's made to unlock so it shouldn't hurt it (but I wouldn't run like that all the time).

I'm still running the auto hubs that came with my trac.

i know steering will be affected, but is it that bad?

I didn't find steering any harder than when I ran without it. I also have power steering  

The mini-spool I have in the back is what really "pushes" me straight.

also, the lock right to fit is a sierra one, in a sierra centre, but i cant remember anything about a retaining sleeve so that the pins do not fall out. or do i use the original centre?

I had Brent at TrailTough make me one.

Essentially, you take a kick/trac/vit third. In that you put a sami/sierra carrier that has been machined larger to accept the RH side CV shaft, install the locker, setup the ring gear. Others would be better at the details (since I didn't actually do it).

I figured it was worth having someone who has done it before cook one up for me (and the machining+labor+parts charged wasn't excessive).

thanks for that snofalls, i will be looking into it here in Oz, to see if i can get one done.

thanks again.
steve

i'm seriously considering putting a lock right in the  i will limit/shorten the front end droop about 1" or 2" to try and save the cv's.

You should measure how much droop you have first. Its probably not much more than 2" anyway.

You should measure how much droop you have first. Its probably not much more than 2" anyway.

Rhinoman, i went out today to measure travel on the front.

i measured from the bottom on the RIM, straight up to the bottom of the guard. i think this is how people usually measure ride height and stuff.

Sitting in my driveway, bottom of rim to bottom of guard is 31".
Full compression, the measurement is 27".
At full droop, or fully extended, the measurement is 35".

so total, is 8" of travel, 4" droop and 4" up travel.

oh yeah, when i measured the compression and droop measurements, i actually had a wheel off the ground, i dont know if that makes a difference, but i figured if a wheel lifts, then something has got to be at full droop.