Lockers?

[Walking Eagle]

Matt, I know you have had experience with lockers on the Explorer. Knowing that I do a lot of pavement driving what type of setup should I look for? If I remember correctly, you had bad experience with a company in the past. The reason I ask this, 4 Wheel Parts is having a sale this weekend and I've been wanting to do this. Depending on cost, I may just do it.

[mattadams]

I had an ARB in my Explorer, and your right, I had several bad experiences with it.However, for a different application it coudl be an entirely different story. you should be alright with a full-time locker in the rear, like a powertrax, something like that, but for the front you definately want one that is switchable (like the ARB, and I think Detroit was working on one but not sure if its available for our applications).
in extreme wheeling they definately come in handy, otherwise I wouldn't really bother with it, the no-slip you've probably got in the rear is sufficient for the light ot medium stuff.

[Tray]

Yeah, everyone I've talked to in the past have had wonderful experiences with ARB. True most have been from Australia, and were putting them on their Toyotas, but I think the whole 'application' statement could really come into play.

When I was thinking of building a Land Cruiser up into an off-road monster, that was definitely in my plans, but I'll never do anything extreme enough in my truck to warrant the consideration of a locker.

[mattadams]

Yeah, a lot of people swear by ARB, i think they just didn't do enough R&D on the Explorer locker myself.
The advantage of an ARB is you can set up an on-board air compressor that you can use for airing upt ires when you do the real extreme stuff :).

[Walking Eagle]

I've been stuck a handful of times even with limited slip. I figured this would be a good idea. I'll have to look into pricing and see.

[mattadams]

well gotta remember, a locker wont get ya unstuck, it'll keep ya from getting stuck in the first place :). If you get stuck where both wheels arent spinning, your gonna get stuck with lockers too :). All lockers do is make sure that if one wheel is spinning,t he other one is too.

[Walking Eagle]

That's the thing, when I've been stuck one tire spins freely and the other one will not kick in to action.

[mattadams]

ok then, you could benefit from a locker :).

[Walking Eagle]

If I only wanted to pay for a rear locker now, would that hurt anything? Then later I would add a selectable up front. I don't think this is like gears, where the front and back have to be the same on a 4x4.

[mattadams]

No problem at all. My explorer only had a rear locker.

[cory]

hey jeff mine spin and why does your pretty truck need a locker to drive on the street.

[Walking Eagle]

:violent1:

[Walking Eagle]

After all of that, I've been looking but have not found anything for the 9.75.

[mattadams]

They exist. I looked into pricing for them at some point. I think I looked at the powertrax.

[Walking Eagle]

Thanks for the information.

[Walking Eagle]

Here is one of those times I wished I had a locker.
http://walking-eagle.com/test_page/rmftc/101305.jpg

The front tire sunk like a rock. The two back tires were on the surface. The one tire not moving was on solid ground and the one tire spinning was on frozen mud and I could not get any traction.

[Walking Eagle]

I stopped by 4 Wheel Parts this morning and they looked up the 9.75 and did not have anything listed except an Auburn LS and Eaton LS. I already have LS and it does not help me. I'll have to contact Powertrax and get some information from them.

[mattadams]

hmm weird I could swear I priced a bunch, maybe they stopped making them or something because of not enough demand? Might put something up on FTW too, I'm sure someone there has one.

[Walking Eagle]

The guy at 4 Wheel Parts said the trucks are still relatively new and companies have not started making them. I did look through FTW, but could not find anybody that had one.

[mattadams]

NEW? Please, its used the same axle for like 8 years now... problem is, there is only one configuration that you will receive that axle with, the 5.4L V8 engine. Which is a bummer, I think its a good axle. i wish they used it on more things!
Wish you luck. Maybe you can find something at truckfest next weekend :).

[Walking Eagle]

I'm hoping truckfest has other suppliers than just one's that supply to 4 Wheel Parts.

[mattadams]

I forgot to mention... I got the "real story" from ARB at Truckfest. Apparently they DONT have a locker for the 9.75 but are working on developing one. No ETA. i offered mine as a guinea pig, I dont think they were interested. LOL.