I want to get some lockers for my bj42.
I was thinking lock rite in the back and an arb air locker for the front.
I was thinking of going that way cause the lockrite is nice and cheap but I dont want to go breaking too many birfields so I thought an air locker would be the best.

It is driven on the street.

What do you guys think??

Personally if you have it avail. I would weld the back. I hated the lock right in the back, too unpredictable. Plus it broke:rolleyes: Front ARB sounds good though.

I am not keen on welding the back. I would prefer a locker.
I have heard of other people pulling the lockrites out after fitting them cause they are noisy.
Are they that bad or are people just fussy?? I know my landcruiser is noisy as anything with heaps of rattles etc, so unless they sound like the diff is going to drop out i dont think one more noise will hurt me!!

well if its just the noise they are worried about then they are fussy. I just hated the locking and unlocking and jerking when I turn a sharp corner. I just didnt like the characteristics of the locker. I know what the welded rear is going to do all the time. I guess I would say other then that Detroit. The day I upgraded to 35's it went POP! Detroit or welded for me. just my .02:flipoff2: :beer:

arb front and rear

They way i understand it is the the lockrite is the same in operation as a detroit. Correct?
The lockrite keeps the standard carrier and replaces the spider/side gears where as the detroit is a new carrier using original ring and pinion.
So with my understanding a lockrite would be better than a detroit because it will be the same to drive with, just the lockrite is a hell of alot cheaper than the detroit, granted the detroit would be stronger.
But you can buy another lockrite if you break one and still be ahead compared to buying a detroit!

arb front and rear would be nice, but i am a tight ass!!

I have an EZ in back and it is nice and quiet.

Of course I have a nice long FJ-55. I am sure it would click like a mofo in a 40/42.

Get a 55! =)

After having my Powertrax no-slip for a year, it has broken in well and is hardly noticable on the street. I am sure its not as strong as the Detroit but its on pavement manners are very acceptable. I would purchase another without reservations for the rear, and put a arb in the front when funds allowed.

Just my .02

My buddy has a easy locker in the rear and ARB in the front and his is a daily driver, it worked great for the first two years but now its starting to wear out and it'll "release "and bang"" going staight down the freeway but you get what you pay for they do work good when there new but they do wear out especially in the back but if money's tight I say go for it. As for as the noise its only when it releases and engages the rest of the time you don't know its there. Just my experience
I have just installed a ARB in the front of mine and I haven't decided what to do in the rear yet, my thought is Detriot only because if your Air fails you still have one locker working. And I like to do thing once but you can't hardly beat a locker that you can get for under 250 and takes under an hour to install.

I have ARBs front and rear and no complaints. But it is a constant worry about the air supply. If I had to do it again, I think I would put the ARB in the front and weld the rear.

I am running Lock rights front and rear.....I love the rear, hate the front. I originally just ran the rear locked for years and had no problems or complaints. Yeah, lockrights are a little noisy but not any worse than swampers going down the road. As far as the spooky handleing.......your not driving a race car!!!!!!!! Be nice to it in the corners and you'll be fine. It will take a hour or so of cruising around town to get the feel for it. I just put a lockeright up front and within 2 days of installing it, blew a hub and a birfield. The traction is great, the road manners suck. If you live in the snow areas or she is your daily driver, go with either a ARB upfront or a limited slip. They both work great upfront. I personally am going to a front ARB when money allows......

Just my personal oppinion.......:rasta:

I gotta agree with the welded rear theory. The only time a locker should disengage is when you are backed off the throttle, allowing the teeth to override. 99% of people do NOT back out of the throttle around a corner, and the tires chirp all the way because the locker stays locked. And, if it doesn't stay locked, it releases violently, loudly, and irritatingly.....(is that a word?!?)

I also experienced LOTS of locker "action" when driving perfectly straight roads....since you are not under hard power on the highway (cruising speeds), the locker teeth may override due to a very minor irregularity...road changes, small variations in tire size or pressure, etc. The resulting jerking motion when the locker does re-engage as you begin a slight incline and the power comes back in will toss you hard on the freeway. I experience none of the drawbacks of a locker with the welded rear, and IMO, the driveability is much higher.

I prefer driving my Cruiser with un balanced bias 38 SX's and a welded rear much more than the EZ-lock rear with balanced radial 33's.

Originally posted by mickbj42
arb front and rear would be nice, but i am a tight ass!!
How many welds can you replace for the cost of a lockrite?
If the welding is done correctly you shouldn't have to worry about it. Weld the rear and put a detroit up front. Then you save money all the way around. A detroit is chaeper than an ARB and won't let you down like an ARB can in a number of ways.

Originally posted by woody
The only time a locker should disengage is when you are backed off the throttle, allowing the teeth to override.

Both Lockrites and Detroit EZ lockers are designed to disengage (unlock, ratchet etc) only one wheel BOTH when you are on the throttle (accelerating) or backed off the throttle (decelerating). One wheel can go faster than the ring gear when the R&P contact is on the "drive side" of the teeth (accelerating). One wheel can go slower than the ring gear when they are driven on the "coast side" (decelerating). They have problems disengaging smoothly when they are in between drive and coast, like idling or coasting around a turn. They only lock both wheels when one wheel is slipping.

For such a simple looking device, their operation is quite complex.

Welded Lincoln lockers look simple and operate simply and they are cheap.

I recommend the Detroit Soflocker 225SL124A which is available to you since you have a full floater. I don't recommend welding for a couple of reasons:
1) Welds have a habit of breaking; Detroits never do
2) If you ever drive on ice or even wet tarmac consider that with a welded rear end you will ALWAYS have at least one tire slipping on ANY turn, whereas with a Detroit you will have traction on one tire and the other will be "free-wheeling" but still holding the vehicle on the road. If traction is that poor the tractive tire will speed up to the speed of the free-wheeling tire and the diff will temporarily lock again.
3) The Soflocker is NOT unpredictable and rarely if ever clanks or clunks.
The ARB is excellent for the front.
Charlie

what about a limited slip? is this a bad idea for a cruiser that is also a daily driver?


:beer: :usa:

LSDs are great for daily drivers and mild trail rigs. They have none of the drawbacks of lockers (unpredictability, loss of traction on ice, breaking axles, etc), but they greatly increase traction. I ran LSDs front and rear on my 40 for years with excellent results. There is nothing better for snow and ice in my opinion. I am now going to welded diffs and Detroits because I like the rocks more now, and my rigs are 90% trail only now.

Originally posted by Charles Aarons
I recommend the Detroit Soflocker 225SL124A which is available to you since you have a full floater. I don't recommend welding for a couple of reasons:
1) Welds have a habit of breaking; Detroits never do
2) If you ever drive on ice or even wet tarmac consider that with a welded rear end you will ALWAYS have at least one tire slipping on ANY turn, whereas with a Detroit you will have traction on one tire and the other will be "free-wheeling" but still holding the vehicle on the road. If traction is that poor the tractive tire will speed up to the speed of the free-wheeling tire and the diff will temporarily lock again.
3) The Soflocker is NOT unpredictable and rarely if ever clanks or clunks.
The ARB is excellent for the front.
Charlie

IMO:
1) Yes this is true if not welded properly. If welded properly will last a lifetime.
2) Not trying to be a smart ass, but, does it snow in Australia? If it does, there was a thread about this in the general 4x4 discussion and I belive the concensus from the snow guys was welded is best because of absolute predictability.
3) While I'm not familiar with the softlocker, I would think that any locker capable of unlocking at a given time could be unpredictable.

What I am getting at is, mickbj42 is obviously not on an unlimited budget. So why discount a proberly welded rear, and then buy the most expensive locker for the front? Personally, I look for the most bang for my buck. While the ARB is a great idea, it has it's drawbacks. Many different parts in the ARB system that can cause failure to lock. Also When locked, an ARB wil not give at all
it's like running a spool. Kind of scary on a birfield equipped vehicle.

Just my opinon.:D

Originally posted by Charles Aarons
1) Welds have a habit of breaking; Detroits never do

Come on Charlie...that is a bold statement!

[/B][/QUOTE]The ARB is excellent for the front.[/B][/QUOTE]

Agreed if you have Birfields, otherwise Detroit in the Front as well.


Weld it like this and you will never have a problem with it breaking

Welded is strong I just dont like it, a bit dodgy.

I have welded a heap of car diffs in the past.

A good way to make it even stronger is then place a small section of thin flat strap steel over the section you welded then weld that is too. I have never seen one break that way.

got ARBs front and rear in my BJ42, i like it
havent had a drama yet...touch wood

although compressor failure can turn it from super capable into pretty stuck, pretty quick

:D

hehehe, a friend of mine has a cable rear and airlock front (airlockers engage faster) in his V8J40, and its SUPER capable

shorties r00l

Mick -

I run a LR rear and ARB front. Its great.

I have never had the problems in a straight line that Woody mentioned, but I have had excess engagement/disengagement because of a 2 psi pressure differential.

The only time during normal on road driving that I feel the LR is in a parking lot or when it is snowy/icy out.

Works for me. A Detroit would be nice in the rear, but it does add a few bucks to the price.

Welded is fine on a trail truck. Most of the folks I know who started out welded are now running spools thos - they are cheap and indestructible.

Jim