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Anyone installed a front locker and rear LSD?

fat_head

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Just curious, but why not? Don't get me wrong, selectable lockers are amazing and anyone would be crazy to not prefer them to open diff. However, you do have more stuff that can break vs a lunchbox locker.


Round two.....

1. What brand did you go with and how bad is the ratcheting when turning?

2. Is you Jeep stock? Meaning tires and/or lift.

3. How has your components handled it? Any issues with to much stress on
U-joints? Or any similar mechanical issues?
1) Spartan locker. $215.00 on Amazon right now https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07M7L8YX3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 On ratcheting, I honestly haven't noticed it at all. I drive around as if nothing has even changed, like it's not even installed.
2) I have rubicon springs, teraflex shocks, teraflex steering stabilizer, rubicon t-case, milestar patagonia 35's on aluminum aftermarket wheels (can't remember the name), teraflex front quick disconnects. No lift outside what the the rubicon springs give you.
3) I installed the locker last summer. I've driven 5k miles since which includes 4 days in moab. So far nothing has broken because of the locker install. I'm getting the rear differential looked at right now at the dealer (it's clunking), but that's a known issue with the LSD.
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basinite

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1) Spartan locker. $215.00 on Amazon right now https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07M7L8YX3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 On ratcheting, I honestly haven't noticed it at all. I drive around as if nothing has even changed, like it's not even installed.
2) I have rubicon springs, teraflex shocks, teraflex steering stabilizer, rubicon t-case, milestar patagonia 35's on aluminum aftermarket wheels (can't remember the name), teraflex front quick disconnects. No lift outside what the the rubicon springs give you.
3) I installed the locker last summer. I've driven 5k miles since which includes 4 days in moab. So far nothing has broken because of the locker install. I'm getting the rear differential looked at right now at the dealer (it's clunking), but that's a known issue with the LSD.
Thanks again bud. Appreciate the info.
 

Bulldog4xFour

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I love having a LSD in the back, IDK but being able to do burnouts with my JLUSD makes me happy. I do think that eventually I'm going to have to swap it out for an ARB locker, that's part of the reason I didn't get a Rubicon is because of wanting an air locker with 35 spline axles.

What I'm wondering is if I keep the LSD in the back for now, would I have any issues with going with a 35 spline axle shafts in the font, would it cause any issues? I know that the JK Rubicon had 30 spline count in the front and 32 spline count in the rear, but would it work the other way around, would having 35 count in front and 32 count in the rear cause any issues?

Im also thinking about doing a lunchbox locker in the front because of cost, but should probably just save for the ARB locker instead, spend once cry once type thing.
 
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Why not? Just curious.
On road manners thats it. My JL is 99% of the time on the road, and lunchbox lockers are not the best option for onroad manners. The dana 30 is not "brittle" it is a better axle than previous models and it is absolutely worth investing on a good locker. The JL is new and not a cheap old vehicle, I just rather save a bit more money and installing an ARB locker.

However, I am going 33s and thats it. If I was gonna go 35s I would just find rubi takeoff axles and call it a day. Everything I want to tackle I can with a rear LSD, 33s and a front locker with my 2 door.
 

basinite

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On road manners thats it. My JL is 99% of the time on the road, and lunchbox lockers are not the best option for onroad manners. The dana 30 is not "brittle" it is a better axle than previous models and it is absolutely worth investing on a good locker. The JL is new and not a cheap old vehicle, I just rather save a bit more money and installing an ARB locker.

However, I am going 33s and thats it. If I was gonna go 35s I would just find rubi takeoff axles and call it a day. Everything I want to tackle I can with a rear LSD, 33s and a front locker with my 2 door.
I figured it was something along those lines, I have similar concerns. My Jeep is my daily driver, its a 2020 and I'm already approaching 25,000 miles. I have to be very careful regarding mods such as this.
 

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I watched Ronnie Dahls video on lockers. Watched another video which said the opposite. If course, they were doing different types of off roading. The video that said rear locker is more important was showing vehicles climbing over rocks (not boulders). With the vehicle going up and over stuff, the rear is doing most of the work. Plus the issue with not being able to steer with the front locked. I have an lsd. While trying to climb over stuff im often spinning my rear wheels just like an open diff jeep. Ill see if i can find the video im referring to
 
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I watched Ronnie Dahls video on lockers. Watched another video which said the opposite. If course, they were doing different types of off roading. The video that said rear locker is more important was showing vehicles climbing over rocks (not boulders). With the vehicle going up and over stuff, the rear is doing most of the work. Plus the issue with not being able to steer with the front locked. I have an lsd. While trying to climb over stuff im often spinning my rear wheels just like an open diff jeep. Ill see if i can find the video im referring to
Please share if you can find it. the few I watched, one of them even showed the rear locker only could be even dangerous.
 

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Please share if you can find it. the few I watched, one of them even showed the rear locker only could be even dangerous.
ill look for it.
Think about how many vehicles come with a rear only locker. Very few actually come with a front.
 

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I may be mistaken. Could have sworn i saw that. Ill leave it up to far more knowledgeable people on this site than me lol.

i have an lsd rear. For a few hundred bucks i would lnt mind trying a lunchbos of some sort on the front before diving into real lockers front and rear $$$. I dont mind any noise at all. My dynomax muffler delete will probably block it out lol
 
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I may be mistaken. Could have sworn i saw that. Ill leave it up to far more knowledgeable people on this site than me lol.

i have an lsd rear. For a few hundred bucks i would lnt mind trying a lunchbos of some sort on the front before diving into real lockers front and rear $$$. I dont mind any noise at all. My dynomax muffler delete will probably block it out lol
Absolutely. Front and rear locker is the way to go I agree. Just trying to save some money! lol. If you go front first at least you have the LSD on the rear, better than just open. I did initially think I was gonna just get the rear one first and just get rid of the LSD. But I changed my mind.

I think the reason why so many vehicles come with rear locker only is because a locker is vastly superior than a LSD. And all of these vehicles have independent suspension, and are not intended to truly crawl, like a Jeep. The rear locker offers a lot of traction on most situations these vehicles will encounter. Now regarding the issue of a front locker and turning, isn't this a problem with the rear locker as well? I mean on 2WD the vehicle is RWD and having the rear locker on is gonna cause binding. I don't know really. But if front locker is more of an issue when turning on 4WD, then I get it why they wouldn't put it in tacomas and such.

But a front locker should get you out of a lot of situations when climbing traction is necessary, specially if crawling over obstacles. The LSD just needs a little traction to work out so I think it is a decent combo.

I hope I am not wrong.
 

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1) Spartan locker. $215.00 on Amazon right now https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07M7L8YX3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 On ratcheting, I honestly haven't noticed it at all. I drive around as if nothing has even changed, like it's not even installed.
2) I have rubicon springs, teraflex shocks, teraflex steering stabilizer, rubicon t-case, milestar patagonia 35's on aluminum aftermarket wheels (can't remember the name), teraflex front quick disconnects. No lift outside what the the rubicon springs give you.
3) I installed the locker last summer. I've driven 5k miles since which includes 4 days in moab. So far nothing has broken because of the locker install. I'm getting the rear differential looked at right now at the dealer (it's clunking), but that's a known issue with the LSD.
im a total newb as far as these things are concerned. i was thinking of re-gearing. if i were to install this spartan locker, would i be skipping regearing the front axle?
 

zeebo56

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im a total newb as far as these things are concerned. i was thinking of re-gearing. if i were to install this spartan locker, would i be skipping regearing the front axle?
From reviews it seems like you can regear and still use this? Not 100% sure though. Seems interesting.

Does someone use the same thing on the rear as well. Do they have one for the dana 35? I am kind of interested in this as well.

EDIT: actually nevermind, I reread the reviews and none are for the JL. Also no idea if they work with aftermarket gears or not.
 
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fat_head

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I watched Ronnie Dahls video on lockers. Watched another video which said the opposite. If course, they were doing different types of off roading. The video that said rear locker is more important was showing vehicles climbing over rocks (not boulders). With the vehicle going up and over stuff, the rear is doing most of the work. Plus the issue with not being able to steer with the front locked. I have an lsd. While trying to climb over stuff im often spinning my rear wheels just like an open diff jeep. Ill see if i can find the video im referring to
Putting it in the rear would be better if you have an open rear diff no BLD.
 

fat_head

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Thanks again bud. Appreciate the info.
I have now gained some experience with highway driving on snow and ice in 4hi with a lunchbox front locker. 😐

It does get grabby and pull-ee. I found myself taking it out of 4hi (because the front is locked) when I wouldn't have if it wasn't locked.
 
 



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