If you were only gonna lock one axle up, which one would it be and what would you use and why?

 

You have a D30 front - lock the rear.

You are in Texas - go for a detroit. If you want a selectable, get an ARB. If you don't spend a lot of time with tires in the air and want to save a little money, get a TrueTrac.





Or you could add some more info so people aren't guessing about what you want or need or would be best for you...

 

So I wasnt really talkin about for myself. Just wanted to know the advantages of having to use a front vs a rear on the trail. Dont really care to get into the "dont lock a 30" or "autos suck in the snow". When is it better to have the front locked or vise versa. Thanks for the reply though. I guess I should have been more clear.

 

For me, the decision was made very clear by the few times I've broken something and came out on only front or only rear. I've had front and rear lockers since 1990 and over the years I've broken a few parts and have had come out on either front only or rear only(ahem- more than once).

By far, the rear axle does a lot more work. Any slight uphill with front only required a run or a tug(or winch). With rear only (2 low), which I use quite a bit anyway, I can get around almost as well as a guy with 4 WD open/open.

Aside from my own personal driving experience, I've been wheelin' over the years with guys that were locked only rear or locked only front. The guys that were locked front only usually had a much tougher time than a guy with a rear only locked.

 

Definitely the rear first.
1) Adding a locker increases the stress on the axle. ( an open diff will equalize the torque applied to be the same as the axle with the least amount of traction, limiting the max torque to 50% of the engine power. A locker will provide up to 100% of th engine power.
2) Putting 100% of the engine power on one ujoint is not a good idea.

3) The rear axle does most of the work when climbing due to the weight distribution as you go uphill. The front axle does more work going down hill. ( most of the time downhill doesn't require a locker, its the uphill part that needs more traction.
Tom

 

This is all good info, and reasons why I just ordered up a rear detroit for myself!

 

...and exactly the opposite of what I've heard before. Don't anyone take that as a smartass reply, either, it's just the truth. I have NO experience with lockers. Hell, I only bought a Jeep a year ago because I'm too old, fat, and lazy for dirt bikes anymore.

 

I add this to the discussion because, I believe it is along the same lines as the OPs question/interest. (Also, if I started a whole new thread just on this topic I do not think it would draw much interest on this forum.) One of the forum's resident experts states the opposite of what I would have expected. Before I explain my thoughts/experience let me state my question: If the rear is most important in crawling then what is the purpose of the front digs of an Atlas transfer case?

Ramblings……..
It is common practice to upgrade the front of any crawler because of broken parts due to the use/abuse the front end takes. Also, it has always been the tradition to have the front end smaller than the rear for the above stated reasons by Dynatrac and Socal Tom. The rear sees a lot more work due to the weight of the vehicle and load bearing down upon it. The manufactures install smaller diffs in the front because they can and the axles will handle the normal use. That is until you get to the use of a crawler. As a crawler it is common to have the same size front and rear. As we see in all the “cookie cutter” JKs . Valid reasons all the way around.

In addition, it has always been common practice to have the more capable carrier in the rear due to steering/handling/safety concerns. Locking the front has always been aftermarket territory of the person that knows the ins and outs of such equipment. Till we were blessed with the rubicon; even then gear and speed limitation were put in place to keep the unknowledgeable from harming themselves.

Manufactures have usually gone with 30/44 in a ¼ ton, 44/60 in a ½ ton, 50/70 or similar in a 3/4ton, and 60/80 or 10.5” or GM 14 bolt or similar in the rear for a 1 ton. Point of humor for me… installing Dana 60s front and rear on smaller vehicles are often call “toning up” referring a increasing the tonnage rating of a vehicle, i.e. ¼, ½. ¾, 1, 1 ¼ etc. (In theory only because to actually increase the GVWR takes axles, suspension, frame, and brakes….and no not power). People often get this confused and associate a Dana 60 with a 1 ton or higher rating. Actually, I have had many ½ tons with a 60 in the back and a 44 in the front. I speak in general terms only because, just a few weeks ago our friendly neighborhood Dynatrac rep corrected me in the ring gear size of the HD 44. Before that day I had thought all Dana 44 R&Ps were created equal.


Actual question:
I just had you read three boring paragraphs of my thoughts so I can ask this of you while being on the same page as I am. The “front digs” allow for front axle only usage. From just my thoughts this would be extremely handy when it is time to pull yourself up and over a rock without the possibility of an “oh SHIT”. The situation would be from catching traction in the rear at the wrong moment and causing a flip or turnover. Also, limping home with a broken rear diff without having to pull any parts is way cool. After all this am I missing or over stateing advantages of “front digs”????????

 

Very good info here guys! I just think that there has got to be more situations where a front locker would benefit you more than just a front "dig" situation. Can anyone think of one?

 

I think there is alot of support for locking the front for the wrong reasons and it stems from the TJ world. In the TJ, one of the most common axle combos is 30/35. It this case its better to lock the front because the 35 is a piece of shit. I think this is the reason so many people say lock the front even though I dont think it makes sense. Thats my theory anyway. I chose to lock my rear first with an ARB. Just did it so cant comment yet, hope I made right decision but most of my friends with two lockers say they hardly every use front locker and use rear locker a lot. thats why I went with a rear locker only.