Is a locker necessary with Trac-Lok?
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 420
Likes: 0
From: Surprise, Arizona, United States
Is a locker necessary with Trac-Lok?
My 09 Jeep came with Trac-Lok, according to a friend who I consider knowledgeable about Jeeps I was telling him that I wanted to get locking differentials like he has in his 06 Rubi.
He told me it wasnt necessary for the rear axle since I have Trac-Lok and he said if anything I should just do the front axle if I am really concerned....he also commented that I probably dont even need that as I dont plan on doing anything hard-core.
Any comments on these comments that he made?
He told me it wasnt necessary for the rear axle since I have Trac-Lok and he said if anything I should just do the front axle if I am really concerned....he also commented that I probably dont even need that as I dont plan on doing anything hard-core.
Any comments on these comments that he made?
JK Junkie
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,355
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
Don't know about the trac-lok but if you don't plan on doing anything too crazy you won't need a locker. But my experience is that the more you go off roading the more you want to do. Hence I am saving for locker
.
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JK Jedi Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,800
Likes: 374
From: Midwest City, OK
I have the limited slip differential (LSD, aka Trak-Lok) and kept up with two JK
Rubi's with lockers on a number of trails in Moab, including Poison Spider Mesa,
and Fins and Things. You also have the brake lock differential (BLD), which is
pretty effective at locking up a wheel that loses ground contact. At one point
on Fins and Things, on a particularly tough climb, a fellow in a rental TJ
approached me and commented that we were all lucky to have lockers. He'd
tried and tried and could not make the ascent. I pointed out that, while my
running buddies had lockers, I did not. If you're not running stuff tougher
than this, I wouldn't bother with lockers:
In Moab:
In Disney:
Rubi's with lockers on a number of trails in Moab, including Poison Spider Mesa,
and Fins and Things. You also have the brake lock differential (BLD), which is
pretty effective at locking up a wheel that loses ground contact. At one point
on Fins and Things, on a particularly tough climb, a fellow in a rental TJ
approached me and commented that we were all lucky to have lockers. He'd
tried and tried and could not make the ascent. I pointed out that, while my
running buddies had lockers, I did not. If you're not running stuff tougher
than this, I wouldn't bother with lockers:
In Moab:
In Disney:
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
From: York Pa
if you are not running in any competitions, then lockers are WAY WAY OVER RATED AND OVER USED!!!!!!
I wil NEVER put lockers in my TJ or JK, I prefer the bragging rights of running with the big dogs that a re locked front and rear, and still struggle. If you just learn the basics of picking the right line and keeping you tires on the ground then you do not need them. I have never been in a situationthat lockers would have made the difference. I haverun trails from green to black at all the local parks, and still havent need them. you may not be able to run the exact same line as a locked jeep, but you can finness your way over or through any obstacle with common sense and knowing your vehicle. as long as you are not running in deep mud, then the JK's BLD is really all you need anyway. Hummer H1, and Landrover have been using these for decades now.
2007 JK Unlimited
3 Inch BDS Lift
35x12.5x16 Yokohama Geolander AT/S
16x8 Cragar Soft 8 Black Steel Wheels
Custom front Winch Bumper from RoundStar OffRoad
Mopar Offroad Rear Bumper
Oilpan/Tranny skid Plate by Skid Row
JKS Quicker Disconnects
Skyjacker Brake line extenders
Skyjacker Adj Rear track bar
High Clearance Adj Front Lower Control Arms by RocKrawler
Warrior Products Rear Safari Doors
Plenty of ROCKRASH
I wil NEVER put lockers in my TJ or JK, I prefer the bragging rights of running with the big dogs that a re locked front and rear, and still struggle. If you just learn the basics of picking the right line and keeping you tires on the ground then you do not need them. I have never been in a situationthat lockers would have made the difference. I haverun trails from green to black at all the local parks, and still havent need them. you may not be able to run the exact same line as a locked jeep, but you can finness your way over or through any obstacle with common sense and knowing your vehicle. as long as you are not running in deep mud, then the JK's BLD is really all you need anyway. Hummer H1, and Landrover have been using these for decades now.
2007 JK Unlimited
3 Inch BDS Lift
35x12.5x16 Yokohama Geolander AT/S
16x8 Cragar Soft 8 Black Steel Wheels
Custom front Winch Bumper from RoundStar OffRoad
Mopar Offroad Rear Bumper
Oilpan/Tranny skid Plate by Skid Row
JKS Quicker Disconnects
Skyjacker Brake line extenders
Skyjacker Adj Rear track bar
High Clearance Adj Front Lower Control Arms by RocKrawler
Warrior Products Rear Safari Doors
Plenty of ROCKRASH
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 364
Likes: 1
From: Denver, Colorado
if you are not running in any competitions, then lockers are WAY WAY OVER RATED AND OVER USED!!!!!!
I wil NEVER put lockers in my TJ or JK, I prefer the bragging rights of running with the big dogs that a re locked front and rear, and still struggle. If you just learn the basics of picking the right line and keeping you tires on the ground then you do not need them. I have never been in a situationthat lockers would have made the difference. I haverun trails from green to black at all the local parks, and still havent need them. you may not be able to run the exact same line as a locked jeep, but you can finness your way over or through any obstacle with common sense and knowing your vehicle. as long as you are not running in deep mud, then the JK's BLD is really all you need anyway. Hummer H1, and Landrover have been using these for decades now.
2007 JK Unlimited
3 Inch BDS Lift
35x12.5x16 Yokohama Geolander AT/S
16x8 Cragar Soft 8 Black Steel Wheels
Custom front Winch Bumper from RoundStar OffRoad
Mopar Offroad Rear Bumper
Oilpan/Tranny skid Plate by Skid Row
JKS Quicker Disconnects
Skyjacker Brake line extenders
Skyjacker Adj Rear track bar
High Clearance Adj Front Lower Control Arms by RocKrawler
Warrior Products Rear Safari Doors
Plenty of ROCKRASH
I wil NEVER put lockers in my TJ or JK, I prefer the bragging rights of running with the big dogs that a re locked front and rear, and still struggle. If you just learn the basics of picking the right line and keeping you tires on the ground then you do not need them. I have never been in a situationthat lockers would have made the difference. I haverun trails from green to black at all the local parks, and still havent need them. you may not be able to run the exact same line as a locked jeep, but you can finness your way over or through any obstacle with common sense and knowing your vehicle. as long as you are not running in deep mud, then the JK's BLD is really all you need anyway. Hummer H1, and Landrover have been using these for decades now.
2007 JK Unlimited
3 Inch BDS Lift
35x12.5x16 Yokohama Geolander AT/S
16x8 Cragar Soft 8 Black Steel Wheels
Custom front Winch Bumper from RoundStar OffRoad
Mopar Offroad Rear Bumper
Oilpan/Tranny skid Plate by Skid Row
JKS Quicker Disconnects
Skyjacker Brake line extenders
Skyjacker Adj Rear track bar
High Clearance Adj Front Lower Control Arms by RocKrawler
Warrior Products Rear Safari Doors
Plenty of ROCKRASH
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Super Moderator
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,750
Likes: 89
From: Arizona
I'm sure where you run lockers are optional. Not so much where we go.
JK Super Freak
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,315
Likes: 1
From: Texas
On my last JK I had the LSD rear and installed a locker on the front.
I installed the Aussie locker on mine and will do it again on my new JK. I just won't wait so long to do it. Can you wheel without one? Yes Will it make a difference if you put one in? Yes Would it be worth it to you? Don't know.. I suggest you wheel it and see if you think you need a locker. We all live in different types of terrain and wheel differently. My Aussie locker might not be ideal for someone in Colorado using 4wd on the highway at speed. I live in Central Texas so that's not how I use my 4wd. Mine is all offroad.
My new JK has an open differential front and rear so a locker for me is a must. What type of locker is a decision based on experience, budget, application and area. Just my $0.02 but with current markets it's probably worthless.
I installed the Aussie locker on mine and will do it again on my new JK. I just won't wait so long to do it. Can you wheel without one? Yes Will it make a difference if you put one in? Yes Would it be worth it to you? Don't know.. I suggest you wheel it and see if you think you need a locker. We all live in different types of terrain and wheel differently. My Aussie locker might not be ideal for someone in Colorado using 4wd on the highway at speed. I live in Central Texas so that's not how I use my 4wd. Mine is all offroad.
My new JK has an open differential front and rear so a locker for me is a must. What type of locker is a decision based on experience, budget, application and area. Just my $0.02 but with current markets it's probably worthless.