Lockers: front axle vs rear

[crapyota]

rear.
ive been locked in the rear,and open up front for awhile now.
i seem to do alright,but i have definatly learned what i can and cant do.

so my question is how lazy am i? that i havent pulled my thirds yet, welded the open one and put the locker up front.

 

[zukkev]

As stated, if I could only afford to do one axle, It'd have to be the front/ then weld the rear....
I did the locker thing in the rear, then ended up spooling it...left it open in the front; and there were times I wish I was locked in front...and now I am........kinda.

 

[Wildman1]

When I broke my rear drive line up at Evan's (recently) I figured "oh well I'll just putz around in front wheel drive" Well being locked up front with a detroit, linked with air shocks. and my tires air down, I was unable to climb the simpliest obstacles because there simply wasn't enough weight on the wheels. but I could do some nice front digs :redneck:

Not the same situation. If your rear tires were still driving things would have been different.

 

[JOOP]

Not the same situation. If your rear tires were still driving things would have been different.

True,

 

[messix]

lockers are for no talent wussies, go open front and rear :fawkdancesmiley: :stirpot:

master the line, and challenge the trail not build a rig that over compensates the trail :stirpot:

 

[dirtygoat]

Maybe... I guess i took it to mean hypothetically if you could only have one locker.


Since by your logic, both axles could be welded for (basically) free and the whole thing would be moot.

I was wondering, does anyone run a welded front on here...

If so, how does it feel...

 

[messix]

like your streering wheel isn't conected to the sterring box

 

[crazybluerider1]

I run spooled front and rear. It's not that bad. You definitely need at least hydro assist though. It is a bitch to steer if you only have power steering. Turning radius is a little larger but with front digs thats not that big of a deal. I ran the shoe string 3 weeks ago and did not have to back up once. The traction is well worth it.

 

[greenie]

so far looks like more votes for rear (big suprise) but people who have more experience are saying front:flipoff:
good thread:beer:

 

[pokey]

so far looks like more votes for rear (big suprise) but people who have more experience are saying front:flipoff:
good thread:beer:

yea I guess 30 years aint ****:haha: Problem is with many of todays visa card wheelers is that they have no expieriance wheeling without lockers :booo: Many of us old farts wheeled for years open and then powerlocs became more available and then true lockers like detroits became available. Nowdays if you believe what you read on bbs's you cant go wheeling without being locked on both ends and have 38" tires:booo: :haha:

 

[PORTER]

so far looks like more votes for rear (big suprise) but people who have more experience are saying front:flipoff:
good thread:beer:

Keep telling yourself what you want to hear, The most experienced have said rear, the inexperienced arent listening.
:fawkdancesmiley:

 

[Money Mark]

Front.

 

[CHOP SHOP]

Keep telling yourself what you want to hear, The small tire, short wheelbase, jeep owners have said rear, the folks with a normal wheelbase and capable rig arent listening.
:fawkdancesmiley:

more appropriate for this thread:haha: :cheer:

 

[runner over]

lol:corn:

 

[Broken Again]

If you cannot afford $250 for a 2nd locker, perhaps this sport is not for you.:fawkdancesmiley:

 

[greenie]

more appropriate for this thread:haha: :cheer:

LOL, so true:awesomework:

 

[Digger 5]

yea I guess 30 years aint ****:haha: Problem is with many of todays visa card wheelers is that they have no expieriance wheeling without lockers :booo: Many of us old farts wheeled for years open and then powerlocs became more available and then true lockers like detroits became available. Nowdays if you believe what you read on bbs's you cant go wheeling without being locked on both ends and have 38" tires:booo: :haha:

Pokey is right, many of us wheeled for years open before we stepped up to LSDs. Lockers are a huge advantage.
There are exceptions to nearly every rule but locking the rear first is best.
While Joop's example is extreme, no rear drive at all, it shows just how much more the rear actually does. Drive a trail in rear only then front only and see the difference. Weight transfer is a huge issue and in steep terrain the front is almost completely unloaded.
Let's say that you have 1 front tire in the air, the front is locked and you have marginal traction in the rear. If you don't have great traction up front, you will probably spin the one front tire with traction and the rear will revert to open. Meaning that you basically have 1 wheel providing traction- the front. With the rear locked you will have 2 tires pushing or 100% more traction.
As I said earlier, there are always exceptions, and there is probably some situation where a front locker would do more good than a rear, but my experience points to a rear locker being more beneficial.
Now after all that B.S., if we're talking about a Dana 30/35 combination- lock the front first and save for a real rear axle.

 

[CHOP SHOP]

did any of you old farts ever beat on auction cars? Ill take a front wheel drive honda over an old rear wheel celica any day.:awesomework:


WHEIGHT TRANSFER IS ONLY A BIG PROBLEM IN 3 FOOT LONG JEEPS.:beer:

 

[greenie]

Pokey is right, many of us wheeled for years open before we stepped up to LSDs. Lockers are a huge advantage.
There are exceptions to nearly every rule but locking the rear first is best.
While Joop's example is extreme, no rear drive at all, it shows just how much more the rear actually does. Drive a trail in rear only then front only and see the difference. Weight transfer is a huge issue and in steep terrain the front is almost completely unloaded.
Let's say that you have 1 front tire in the air, the front is locked and you have marginal traction in the rear. If you don't have great traction up front, you will probably spin the one front tire with traction and the rear will revert to open. Meaning that you basically have 1 wheel providing traction- the front. With the rear locked you will have 2 tires pushing or 100% more traction.
As I said earlier, there are always exceptions, and there is probably some situation where a front locker would do more good than a rear, but my experience points to a rear locker being more beneficial.
Now after all that B.S., if we're talking about a Dana 30/35 combination- lock the front first and save for a real rear axle.

much love for the old school wheelers. Its always fun trying to get them to let a little air outa their tires though:eeek:
i wheeled open diff for a long time too. then added one locker, and a year later another. I wonder how many of the folks who voted here have tried them on both ends?

oh, and to reinforce what chopshop is sayin, my old E-150 van with fresh studs aint got nothin on those frontWD minivans in the snow.

 

[Digger 5]

oh, and to reinforce what chopshop is sayin, my old E-150 van with fresh studs aint got nothin on those frontWD minivans in the snow.

That's a weight issue. Your van has no rear weight but the front wheel drive mini van has all it's weight on it's nose.