Aussie locker

[BayouGold]

Thinking about getting one of these for the front. Everything i've read seems to be pretty favorable. It's only $240. Should be ok up here huh? Just be careful in the snow? Anybody got any opinions?

[PaulW]

Thinking about getting one of these for the front. Everything i've read seems to be pretty favorable. It's only $240. Should be ok up here huh? Just be careful in the snow? Anybody got any opinions?

I ran a detroit in an xj for one season in the snow.  i'd highly recommend getting good at installing it and removing it.  you'll want to do it every year.  but for the price it's cheap traction.  but becareful, I've seen the pins shear off and get stuck in the lockers in those, causing them to not unlock!

[calvynandhobbs]

I've thought about putting an Aussie in the front of my XJ, but I have to wait a little while longer for other repairs and things to be done first. Everything I've read has been good about the Aussie. I have a couple friends with them and they love them even in the front of their Jeeps. In 2wd you shouldn't notice them at all, but in 4wd steering will be a little more difficult and your TJ will want to go straight in the snow rather than turning. My friends drive all winter long without problems, but it takes some time to get used to.

[PaulW]

I've thought about putting an Aussie in the front of my XJ, but I have to wait a little while longer for other repairs and things to be done first. Everything I've read has been good about the Aussie. I have a couple friends with them and they love them even in the front of their Jeeps. In 2wd you shouldn't notice them at all, but in 4wd steering will be a little more difficult and your TJ will want to go straight in the snow rather than turning. My friends drive all winter long without problems, but it takes some time to get used to.

Before the aussie was out, I used to have a welded disco front end.  I just used the posilock engagement system, and it worked great.  Was a cheaper alternative at the time for front locker.  Most of the time I would run it "open"  some vibrations on the highway, but hey the truck was made for wheeling.  Worked great with both diffs welded.

[kirksjeep]

Are you going to swap gears first?  Your running 3.07's right??  If so, that's going to put a lot of strain on the drivetrain.  The weak link in the Dana 30 is the u-joints.  Upgrade the front 297x U-joints with the 597x U-joints and they say you gain something like 20% in strength, they are the same size, just the forging process is different (hot vs cold forging).  Alloy Brand U-joints come with a 5 year warranty for about $40 each.  If you are going to go through the work of swapping in an Aussie and U-joints, I would also upgrade your outer axle seals.  The good ones run about $75 but keep all the dirt and water out, unlike the little plastic disk that is in place now.  One last thing, carry spare axle shafts.   

[BayouGold]

Thanks for your opinions. I got 4.56's in that 44 i bought for the rear so i've got to get the front ones done. Was looking at yukon shafts. 4wd groupbuy had those & the yukon super joints for about $60 cheaper than alloy usa & their u joints. I was planning on running open up front until i can afford a selectable locker but i came across an article on the aussie & did a little reading about it. Like i said earlier everything i read seemed pretty good, just wanted to ask the experts!

[Axle]

I would say if your pinching some pennies, the Aussie is the way to go.  If you are putting chromoly shafts in that 30, then you can run an auto-locker with those 33's.  If you were to go up in tire size, I would recommend a selectable.  I can help you install the Aussie in about an hour in your driveway. 

[PaulW]

If you want help with the gears I can set em up for ya.  Fairly cheap I might add.

[Axle]

We can also do your sye, but it would be better to do both (sye and locker) at the hobby shop.  The gears are your call.  Either Ctaxle, myself, paul, or whomever you decide.  Ctaxle will warranty his stuff.  I can't do that.  What I can do, however, is go "Awe man, that sucks," and help you fix it!   

[PaulW]

We can also do your sye, but it would be better to do both (sye and locker) at the hobby shop.  The gears are your call.  Either Ctaxle, myself, paul, or whomever you decide.  Ctaxle will warranty his stuff.  I can't do that.  What I can do, however, is go "Awe man, that sucks," and help you fix it!   

Well as I've posted before I've been a professional tech for 11 years. I've worked at both ford and chevy dealers and have done about 50 gear sets under warranty.  I've done about 15 on jeeps for friends.  I'll even back up my boast with a verbal promise that if the gears fail from installation, I'll pay half the cost of new gears out of my pocket.

[PaulW]

Not trying to toot my own horn, but I have to feed my kids.  And I have a 4 month old that can only have Alimentum formula.  She's allergic to almost everything else.  And at $30 a can, 2 cans a week....Now you know why I go broke!!

[RnnngTrails]

I just got a new factory air pump for $176. I dont really know what the rest of it would run you (harness, lockers, switch) (I can ask next time i'm there if you want) but the factory lockers for the 03 - 06 rubicons have been good to me thus far.

[PaulW]

I just got a new factory air pump for $176. I dont really know what the rest of it would run you (harness, lockers, switch) (I can ask next time i'm there if you want) but the factory lockers for the 03 - 06 rubicons have been good to me thus far.

i still like to weld diffs.

[rocket]

get a toyota e-locker rear.  bullet proof!  no one upgrades the rears in toyota, no one!

[PaulW]

get a toyota e-locker rear.  bullet proof!  no one upgrades the rears in toyota, no one!

I bet i could break it...