oeser

I just got back from Moab a couple of weeks ago. I watched a buddy of mine who has rear lockers only attempt to climb a portion of slick rock. He got both his front wheels over the crest and had one wheel with good contact and the other front wheel was just spinning. I was with some very experienced guys and they all agreed, if he had front lockers he would have made it up. The one front wheel that had traction would have pulled him over the hump. As it was he just backed down and went around the easy way.

Sometimes you can't make it without them. They do make a difference.

dmhines

Lockers were not in my budget when doing gear swap ... so all I got is BLD.

However ... I have gone up some trails and when I got to the top I was asked if I had lockers since my JK made it look rather easy ... it was also a TJ driver who asked ...

tslewisz

What was your buddy driving? If it was a JK, I would have expected the BLD to help him out. I've not only felt it working, but I've seen it on other JK's. It's pretty darned effective, and easier on parts than a locker.

tslewisz

A disco'd BLD'd JK is pretty damned capable.

Lorrel

Lots of good posts here.
JKc, let me add. Lockers have their merits, but let's not jump the gun. You posted you're connected for a Rubi, I would think that it's a front, so the locker you speak of needing I guess is a rear. At least that's how I see it. So with that in mind think about this..
I have a 94XJ with 6" and 33's locked front and back since 96, and there are very few places I go where I'm stopped. I also have a winch when it happens. Now the wife has an07 Jk Unlimited X since Oct 06. All the winters we've had here on the eastern side of Pa she has gone everywhere I've gone on-road, and has had no problems. That with just the X's BLD. Where I power through, she just kinda dances through, and has much better control of her Jeep than I have of mine. Lockers front and rear in snow are sometimes a bad thing when I break traction.
She doesn't take the JK where I go off road, but if she would, I know she could not keep up. Now on the other hand, were we to give her a Rubi axle up front and leave the rear alone, I'm thinking. hmmmmmmm?
Most of the time when I go out, if I lift a tire, it's one of the front. Since I have a locker up there, the other tire still has traction. With a Rubi front, she would too. Now to aid, I have a rear locker, but she would have the BLD in the back which would act somewhat like a limited slip. With that in mind, I do believe even without the locker the rear, she would still have a very capable vehicle. Now say somehow she lifts a rear tire. Yes she would loose traction in the back, however she would still have both tires up front pulling, and if a rear tire is lifted most of the weight would be up front anyway. hmmmmmmmmm??
I say forget the rear locker for now. Get the front Rubi axle first and formost, and get it in there before the giant tires and gears, and see how it goes. If it works out OK, you've saved about $500. If it doesent live up to your expectations, take the $500 you saved and get a locker.
Just my opinion.

viking

I have a x and have a air locker in the front d30. I have used it for a 1 1/2 years with no problems. The d30 is stronger then people give it credit for. You just select and deselect when you need it. With the sway bar disconnects you should be fine. The hard core off roader will tell you locker in the back first but if you have swaybar disc. lock the front. Now when I go to 37" a d44 will be in place in the front. But for now I am perfectly happy.

aristobrat

I've seen that situation a gazillion times.

Why doesn't BLD kick in when that happens? One tire with good traction sitting there doing nothing, while the other tire with crap traction sits there spinning.

azrwilkinson

Ok....BLD? Isnt that bassically limited slip diff.? Thanks

opdsgt

I put an Aussie in my D30 front this year and the improvement it made over my JK's performance in last year's trim is immeasurable. Very strong and dependable, relatively easy to install, very affordable.

The Next Gen Dana 30, reverse cut, high pinion diff is plenty strong for 33s or 35s, even locked, provided you add sleeves, gussets and shafts -AND- have a little respect for your equipment (read: don't drive like a redneck monster truck driver).

Sidebar: I've gotten away with driving some fairly technical trails in Moab with an open front, but there is near limitless traction in that venue; front and rear lockers are mandatory if you want to tackle the harder trails in Colorado where you frequently have to deal with wet granite, talus, mud, etc.

aristobrat

I guess? Its when the computer can tell one wheel on the axle is spinning freely and applies the brake to just that wheel to help send torque to the other wheel.

Some people swear by it being almost as effective as a locker. I've never seen it work. Was just curious why it wouldn't in the scenario when a JKs breaking over something and one front wheel has good traction and the other doesn't.