Dana 60 E Locker

[Evolved]

I am currently gathering parts for a 4 seater and I am at the point where I have the all of my other axle/differential parts with the exception of my front locker. I want to run a selectable locker up front and am looking at options. I ran an Eaton on my old little right side drive buggy with 60's with zero issues. However, that had the 2.5 four banger. My 4 seater will have a stock 5.3 in it.

In the GOAT I had a Yukon zip locker and really liked it. I just like the simplicity of the E Locker not having to worry about a compressor and air lines. Plus it costs a lot less than an ARB and Zip Locker with a compressor.

Does anyone have any experience an E Locker in a Dana 60 and a V8? I have read some stuff on Pirate, there are some older threads (like 7-8 years old) that crucify the product and a few other threads that say some good things. I know technology has changed a ton in 8 years and hopefully any bugs that they had with the E locker have since been fixed.

Thoughts, opinions??? I would love to hear about the E Locker more than your opinion on an ARB and Zip. Mainly because I have ran them and know what I am getting.

Thanks!

 

[DaveB]

I have an e locker in my rear 60 on my commando and have had no issues at all. I do tend to drive like the old guy I am but I let others in the family use it too. We did Pritchett Canyon with it and it survived.

 

[Evolved]

I have an e locker in my rear 60 on my commando and have had no issues at all. I do tend to drive like the old guy I am but I let others in the family use it too. We did Pritchett Canyon with it and it survived.

How long have you had it and what motor are you running? a V8?

 

[mbryson]

I have an e-locker behind a tired TBI 350. My e-locker kind of doesn't count as it's a pre-production unit that we "fixed". I've had it in my front Chev 60 for ten years now. I do like it quite a bit but put ARBs in my JKU when I "built" (more bolted together than built) that. I strongly considered an e-locker and like how mine works.

I don't use my selectable lockers much but when I do, I engage them without wheelspin and while the drive train is at "rest". I engage the lockers, advance the vehicle a few feet and then navigate the obstacle and turn them off. I've had great luck with that method and haven't had any failures to my ARB (had a set in an XJ with D30/D44, current JKU with D30/D44) or my E-locker ("Jeep" conglomerate with Chev D60). I did notice a few guys this year (including my son in my JKU) engaging lockers with wheelspin. I don't know if that's good for any selectable locker?

I usually drive like an "old guy" (not as old as Dave but...) but occasionally go back to 17 yrs old and break something.

 

[DaveB]

The commando has a 350 V8 in it with TBI. I've been using it on the trails for about 3 years. I also select the lockers while stopped and then disengage them as soon as possible.

 

[Evolved]

I did notice a few guys this year (including my son in my JKU) engaging lockers with wheelspin. I don't know if that's good for any selectable locker?

I would agree. I never engaged them while on the pedal. That seems tough to do for me. Too many things going on at once for this simple mind.

I definitely drive conservative... I like to wheel and not fix things. This sport is expensive enough.

 

[RockChucker]

what's the plan for the rear? if i was only doing a selectable at one end, it would be the rear rather than the front. steering is way better (ie, you can turn up onto obstacles rather than get pushed off them by a locked rear end). just my $.02. I don't have any experience with e-lockers. Seems like John Currie ran one in his 4500 car though (?) if that's worth anything.

 

[Evolved]

what's the plan for the rear? if i was only doing a selectable at one end, it would be the rear rather than the front.

The rear will probably be welded or a spool. There is really no reasoning behind this decision, I have actually never really thought about it much at all. All 3 of the buggy's that I have owned all had a selectable locker up front and either a welded or a spooled rear. I guess I am just used to it and comfortable with it.

 

[mbryson]

I REALLY liked moving from a spool to a Detroit in my 14 bolt. I would LOVE to move to a selectable in the rear but the Detroit is good enough most of the time. The Detroit lets me set up for lines I prefer better than the spool ever did. I would assume a selectable would be a decent improvement over the Detroit but I'm not willing to spend the $ to do so.

 

[skippy]

The rear will probably be welded or a spool. There is really no reasoning behind this decision, I have actually never really thought about it much at all. All 3 of the buggy's that I have owned all had a selectable locker up front and either a welded or a spooled rear. I guess I am just used to it and comfortable with it.

I like spooled rears, selectable fronts as well in my trail rigs

Good Call!

 

[Evolved]

whelp... the deed is done. Sort of I guess.

I swung by 4WP and ordered an E Locker this morning. Took them in the best price I found on the internet and they came pretty close to matching it (shipping was the issue). I am happy with the price I paid and didn't feel like I gave them more of my hard earned cash than I should have. I got 3-4 prices from vendors on Pirate that claimed they had the best prices and all of them were at least $125 more than what I actually paid. I guess it does pay to NOT work during the day and sit on the internet and price match (when I SHOULD be working).

 

[zukgod1]

What did you pay can I ask?
I've got 2 60's I'm gathering parts for and I'm leaning towards the E Locker as well. Had great luck with my current ARB set up just want something simpler to hook up/run.

 

[johngottfredson]

I had the eaton e-locker in my front Dana 60 on my f-350 7.3 diesel. No problems, but it wasn't a crawler rig so I don't think I strained it too hard. I mostly had to go out of my way to find reasons to engage it...

 

[Evolved]

What did you pay can I ask?
I've got 2 60's I'm gathering parts for and I'm leaning towards the E Locker as well. Had great luck with my current ARB set up just want something simpler to hook up/run.

Sorry, I missed this. I ended up paying $820 (I believe). I can't remember exactly

 

[Bart]

I guess I'll be the devil's advocate here, but I hate spooled and welded rears. It's harder on front end parts and pushes/plows through turns. I'd much rather run a Detroit or even lunchbox up front and a selectable in the rear.

 

[I Lean]

I guess I'll be the devil's advocate here, but I hate spooled and welded rears. It's harder on front end parts and pushes/plows through turns. I'd much rather run a Detroit or even lunchbox up front and a selectable in the rear.

If you have the ability to run 2WD low range especially, I agree with this. Or just go selectable at both ends.

 

[Kevin B.]

You guys are saying an automatic locker in front and open or selectable rear is going to be easier steering than a selectable front and automatic or welded rear?

 

[I Lean]

2WD with an auto-locker in front is basically going to drive like an open front.

Welded/spooled rear is always going to try to push you straight. Automatic locker in the rear is better than a spool, but still can tend to push you around.

 

[Kevin B.]

2WD with an auto-locker in front is basically going to drive like an open front.

Is it? Or only if you unlock a hub? I thought the locker would always be working to tie the wheels together, 4WD or not. I know the front TrueTrac in my last truck was working any time I had the the hubs locked, even in 2WD.

I've never had a front locker at all, but I'm about to. I was going to put my elocker in front, but I can put it in the rear and move the Spartan 3rd to the front just as easy. I'm just having a hard time wrapping my brain around a front automatic/rear selectable being better than a front selectable/rear automatic. Does it make a difference that I'm not rocking a huge wheelbase or giant tires yet?

 

[I Lean]

Is it? Or only if you unlock a hub? I thought the locker would always be working to tie the wheels together, 4WD or not. I know the front TrueTrac in my last truck was working any time I had the the hubs locked, even in 2WD.

I've never had a front locker at all, but I'm about to. I was going to put my elocker in front, but I can put it in the rear and move the Spartan 3rd to the front just as easy. I'm just having a hard time wrapping my brain around a front automatic/rear selectable being better than a front selectable/rear automatic. Does it make a difference that I'm not rocking a huge wheelbase or giant tires yet?

When there is no load on an auto-locker, it ratchets to allow differentiation. Your TrueTrac would always want to limit the differential action, just by design. So yeah, in 2WD an auto-locker becomes mostly transparent.

In your case (not having 2WD low-range), I'd probably leave your Spartan in back, and use the E-locker up front. If you're in 4WD, the auto-locker up front will almost always make steering harder.