New jeep, my second, but my first time owning a JK. I've been combing through and trying to figure out what mods are in place, since I got the vehicle from a dealer that didn't know much about its history. It's kind of a fun puzzle...

Anyway, crawling under the car I noticed that both diffs have some kind of added armor as well as electrical plug near the vent tube. From my previous googling, this is usually how you identify locking diff, but I can't find any switches in the cockpit that would turn them on and off. The rear one is also unplugged. Any thoughts or tips for figuring it out?

Front diff

Front electrical cable

Rear diff

Rear electrical socket (unplugged, wire nearby with broken connector)

 

Welcome to JKF.. an electrical connection at the Diff is indications of an Electric Locker set up; you probably knew that. Strange it is not connected and you cannot find a switch.. I'd do a wire trace, to find where it originates.. as for the axle ratio .. multiple instructions on the NET and Utube videos on how to rotated the wheels/ count the drive shaft revolutions with out removing the diff covers.. Covers are definitely aftermarket.. Good group here with much knowledge and not shy with opinions.

 

You don't provide much information on what the jeep is, but I'm taking a guess that is not a rubicon, so you have a sport or a sahara that someone swapped rubi axles into. You have trussed and gusseted D44s with Poison Spyder diff covers and it looks like maybe JKS quick disconnecting sway bar links.....or another brand. Here is the bonus news. You have RCV axles shafts in that thing and what looks to be either Reid or Ranchno knuckles. That one little bit in a picture looks orange like Reid, and considering that has RCV shafts in it that wouldn't be shocking. Take more pictures of the suspension and further out so can see all the steering. Presume there are decent ball joints in that axle too. The little bit of the front track bar that I can see looks like Synergy, and that would make me think the tie rod is Synergy as well but can't see the ends....can only see it's not stock. Also, the tiny bit of the upper front control arm looks like Metalcloaks yellow zinc coating. You might have MC lift on that....more pictures please.

As far as the locker goes, if those are not under a rubicon, then the previous owner had those hooked to switches in the cab that were likely removed pre-sale for whatever strange reason. The rear plug for the actual locker actuator is broken, but that can be replaced for about $30. It is simply a bridge connection from the external wires to the internal wires that plug in on the other side. If you remove that 8mm bolt holding it in you should have enough room to pull it out and unplug the interior wires when you replace it. The other bigger plug is the plunger that tells the dash in a rubicon that the locker is activated. That does not need to be used if not in a rubi. Assuming lockers are actually in there, you could wire those up very easily. You can run 12v directly to the 2 actuator wires and hear the locker click as it engages and disengages up front, and in the rear once you replace that connection. You could also open up those diffs and take a look.