What Front traction aids do you like

[AaronPaige]

I'm rebuilding my recently damaged 01 tj I have(on order) full body protection and metal cloak fenders but I'm shopping front lockers or limited slip but have seen that with out turn out hubs forint traction aids are not recommended by the manufacturer, what are you running and how do you like it... I'm hopping to dd this jeep for short around town trips, so I don't really want to feel it every were I go but want to stay away from selectable lockers if I can... What you running

 

[Kevin B.]

I ran a limited slip in the front of my last 4Runner, and didn't like it. With the hubs locked in, it caused understeer on icy pavement whether I was in 4wd or not, and it wasn't very useful offroad. For a truck that sees wintery streets, I think the front should be selectable or nothing.

 

[Gravy]

Do you need 4wd for around town in the winter in Price? If not, I'd run a locker.

Kevin is right though: with a LS up front and a 95" WB you're going to understeer (push the front) badly in the snow in 4wd.

 

[AaronPaige]

That's what I'm afraid of... I probably won't really use 4wd on the pavement but I don't have the option of hubs so I guess ox gets my vote

 

[skippy]

I love my yukon zip locker just the flip of a switch away

 

[Lonnie]

That is why i like the ARB. if you need it push a couple of buttons and you are locked. When you do not need it you do not know it is there.

 

[mbryson]

I'd go selectable. Pick your favorite. Yukon seems like the best bang for the buck, ARB has a reputation- (proven to some of us that we like them, proven to others that don't ), OX (debate over the cable but I've not seen many issues the past 10 years or so?) or an electric (I run an ARB in my JK and an Eaton E-locker in my trail rig's front axles---Love the on/off feature)


The selectable isn't usually the cheapest, but for my $, it's the most worth it.

 

[flexyfool]

Get a selectable locker if you have the money.

A tight limited slip can be very helpful offroad as long as you don't lift tires. They work great in mud, snow, and loose hill climbs. I used to wheel with a guy with a pair of Detroit Trutrac limited slips. He would do everything other people did with a pair of lockers but not if a tire came off the ground. He actually did better on many loose hill climbs because he could keep it steered straight while those of us with lockers were fishtailing. He also never broke axle shafts and wheeled the heck out of a 30 front and 35 rear.

If you are mostly wheeling slick rock, don't bother with a LS.

 

[flexyfool]

Selectable lockers do have reliability issues. Get on a trail ride with 10 rigs with 20 selectable lockers, and I bet you at least 1 of those 20 isn't working for some reason or another.

Other issues: Air lockers can freeze up in humid cold weather climates. Not something to worry about in Utah. Driving through brush can easily rip the air lines off the housings. Again, not something to worry about in Utah. It is possible to bash the linkage, of OX and electric lockers, against a rock and break it. I ruined an OX cable this way.

 

[N-Smooth]

I'm a big fun of Aussie and Spartan lockers (lunchbox). You can't beat the $300 price tag and reliability. I never worried about needing 4wd in the winter because having a locker in the rear axle makes it unnecessary. Anyways, $0.02

 

[AaronPaige]

I have been around air lockers a far amount and when you need it most somthing is acting up, the compressor is cool to have but that is the only reason I don't want selectable any one else like or dis like the other brands of selectable

 

[mbryson]

Selectable lockers do have reliability issues. Get on a trail ride with 10 rigs with 20 selectable lockers, and I bet you at least 1 of those 20 isn't working for some reason or another.

Other issues: Air lockers can freeze up in humid cold weather climates. Not something to worry about in Utah. Driving through brush can easily rip the air lines off the housings. Again, not something to worry about in Utah. It is possible to bash the linkage, of OX and electric lockers, against a rock and break it. I ruined an OX cable this way.

I'm curious to why the Eaton E-Locker hasn't caught on stronger? They're not not that cheap (priced the same as an ARB last I checked) but the only thing showing outside the axle is two wires. Talk about simple and if you need to, easy to fix. Mine is an early pre-production unit that I had Mike at Summit Machine work over a little for me. I've had zero issues with it since fixing it. They don't seem to release quite as quickly as an ARB.

There was (maybe still is?) the electric locker that's a limited slip/locker. That has NO appeal to me at all.

I've not heard of any real issues with the zip locker either. Are they a simpler setup than the ARB or is the installed base just not as big?

 

[gertsch]

I've been running ox lockers for close to ten years now. I love then. If you don't like manual engagement then the sell kits to make them electronic or air operated. I current have the electric kit on my grand. Works beautifully!

 

[UFAB]

ARB



Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Morganwoody]

I just installed a Grizzly Yukon in the front of my TJ. Only been out once but really like it so far.

 

[STAG]

As far as I know, the only electric locker that is limited slip when not locked, came from factory in Hummer H1's.

I have an electric selectable locker in the rear, and my next major mod is definitely a selectable locker for the front. But I don't plan on that for winter on-road driving. Just the harder offroad trails when flex is causing my front tire to come off the ground enough to lose traction and me being forced to "bump" the obstacle.

 

[I Lean]

The Auburn ECTED is supposed to be a limited slip when "open", and a locker when locked...but I'm pretty sure in the real world, it's just a tighter limited slip when in "locked" mode. So not terribly awesome.

I'm an ARB fan. I'm in the group who believes any reliability issues are almost always caused by install errors. If they're installed and plumbed correctly, they work very well for a very long time. Zip lockers would be the same for me, since they're essentially the same.

 

[1993yj]

ARBs would get my vote. Something selectable for sure, and when ARBs are setup properly they are just as reliable as any other locker in my experience.

 

[Unimog]

If the engine is running, I've never had the air lockers in the mog fail to function. Ive been with guys whose arb lockers weren't working, but it was always compressor issues and usually electrical. Luckily the mog's compressor is just a small 7th cylinder sticking out the side of the engine.

 

[thenag]

I know that when I wanted to upgrade my lock-rite to a selectable in my front d60 I didn't go with OX because of the cable hanging out of the diff. (although the HD diff cover is a plus) Also the Air or Electric OX is just an OX with a short cable and a air/electric solenoid.

For me it was between the eaton and the ARB, I didn't really consider the Zip too much because it seems like ARB has been slightly re-designing their products, basically they have been doing it so long they figured out how to improve them and I feel (I have no proof for this, I have never seen a Zip) that they have a few years on Yukon.

At one point Carl (I Lean) said "if you have an air source get an ARB"

My np231 range box is air shifted so keeping my OBA running is pretty important

Nathan
build thread
http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?83436-Nathan-and-Tanja-s-99-XJ-Build-up

So I got an ARB