I have a 2010 sport unlimited. I am not building a rock-crawler or the like. This is my family camping and mid-west stupidity platform I have decided to beef up the front axle instead of replacing it, and put a locker in the rear. There are some great threads on these topics on this forum, which has helped greatly in my build decisions. Just wondering which would be better to do first as I have to stage my improvements through the bank (wife).

 

If you do the rear locker first, you may find yourself doing more challenging terrain, which could cause issues with the un-modified front axle. (some people are running into front housing issues on-road with stock tires, no heavy offroad beating required. Others are fine beating it with big tires. Just depends). So my choice between those two options would be to strengthen the front first, and do the locker later.

Then again, if you plan on a regear, that is the time to do both the front sleeves and the rear locker.

 

Just wondering which would be better to do first as I have to stage my improvements through the bank (wife).[/QUOTE]
Think that getting a blank credit from a bank is much easier than pass a wife

 

i took my wife offroading and let her drive. after that she let me spend 6 grand on the jeep that ive only made one payment on.


get her hooked. problem solved.

 

I get pissed now because my wife wants to drive my Jeep everywhere now that she gave the ok for the lift and wheels/tires. If I let her drive offroad I may never get to drive it.

 

Gusset the C's and go ahead and install your locker in the rear. Your type of wheeling kinda spells True-Trac to me rather than a full-on locker. They seem to work very well in JK's from what I've been reading. There's also a locker FAQ on Project-JK.com you may want to read that's very good.

Run it and see what breaks and where it's inadequate. And if you break a front u-joint at the wheel, upgrade your axles. It's the stocker flexing that broke the joint.

 

thankfully the wife is on board, she has been driving the jeep a lot while I have been deployed and is now a full convert now if i could just make that lottery win happen.