Manual Lockers

[Backne]

This is only my second post so pardon for any newb-ish-ness...

Keeping with my "manual" theme from my original thread, I have some questions regarding lockers.

To back up - I'm finally in a position to start a build (from the ground-up) and going through the very pleasurable experience of performing the virtual build before pulling the trigger.

Basic specs I'm aiming for include:
- JL (2-door)
- Completely upgraded suspension/shocks/axles (~3.5" lift, ~37" tires) - TeraFlex?
- Manual transmission

I've been spending a lot of time on TeraFlex's website. They seem to have decent stuff but not married to them (yet).

OK, back to the lockers topic. ARB e or air lockers seem to run the table and are the most popular. That said, I'm (very) attracted to manual (Ox) lockers. I don't yet know what the drawbacks would be for these manual lockers on a JL. I'm eye-ing TeraFlex's Tera60 Front end and CRD60 back end and they come with ARB lockers as an option - not clear to me if their axle packages are compatible with Ox manual lockers.

So my questions include:
1) Am I missing any significant drawbacks to manual lockers - how come they seem to be so unpopular? For the same reasons why I love manual transmissions would be why I'd like manual lockers.
2) Any thoughts to TeraFlex axle compatibility with Ox lockers (I'm eventually going to reach out to them as well)?

Thx,
Mike

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[scrape]

This is only my second post so pardon for any newb-ish-ness...

Keeping with my "manual" theme from my original thread, I have some questions regarding lockers.

To back up - I'm finally in a position to start a build (from the ground-up) and going through the very pleasurable experience of performing the virtual build before pulling the trigger.

Basic specs I'm aiming for include:
- JL (2-door)
- Completely upgraded suspension/shocks/axles (~3.5" lift, ~37" tires) - TeraFlex?
- Manual transmission

I've been spending a lot of time on TeraFlex's website. They seem to have decent stuff but not married to them (yet).

OK, back to the lockers topic. ARB e or air lockers seem to run the table and are the most popular. That said, I'm (very) attracted to manual (Ox) lockers. I don't yet know what the drawbacks would be for these manual lockers on a JL. I'm eye-ing TeraFlex's Tera60 Front end and CRD60 back end and they come with ARB lockers as an option - not clear to me if their axle packages are compatible with Ox manual lockers.

So my questions include:
1) Am I missing any significant drawbacks to manual lockers - how come they seem to be so unpopular? For the same reasons why I love manual transmissions would be why I'd like manual lockers.
2) Any thoughts to TeraFlex axle compatibility with Ox lockers (I'm eventually going to reach out to them as well)?

Thx,
Mike

Ox lockers are great, you just need to find a place to mount 2 shifters.

I don’t want to say anything bad about teraflex, so I won’t. Instead I would insist that you talk to Fusion4x4 before making a decision.

 

[Backne]

Ox lockers are great, you just need to find a place to mount 2 shifters.

I don’t want to say anything bad about teraflex, so I won’t. Instead I would insist that you talk to Fusion4x4 before making a decision.

First - this forum is freaking awesome - this community replies so quickly!

My TeraFlex "arm" can be twisted. I'm starting with a clean sheet of paper so I'm completely open to other after-market options (if this is what you are alluding to). Feel free to DM me if you have opinionated topics you wish to share more privately.

OK, so I'm not too "uncool" for wanting manual lockers - whew!! I'll take a look at Fusion 4x4. Best Mike

 

[Rploaded]

Arb is great I run them with Fusion 60/80. I ordered the arb as I don’t have to mess with the levers of the ox or find a place to put them.

Dan @ fusion is great to work with.

 

[Sheepjeep]

I ran a ox on the front of my old xj and know a lot of people who run or have ran arbs. Both are great selectable lockers and rarely do you hear about one or the other blowing up is guys, but that is not to say they are without their short comings.

For the arb their biggest short coming is the air system, so there is a lot of moving parts involved from the compressor to the wiring to the air lines of one of those fails you are without lockers but you can bring spare parts for most of that minus the compressor and get it fixed ok the trail. And in the end you get on board air.

The ox locker is just as solid as the arb and the diff cover if comes with is nice and thick and can take a beating. Is biggest flaw is the cable, it can be hard to run neat and you may not be able to get the shifter in the perfect spot but there are alternative actuators where you can have a electric solenoid or air system move the cable and run the cable to an easy spot and you just have a switch in the cab. The other big thing is the cable coming out of the diff is a rock magnet and can be damage real easily so I would recommend getting their locking slug that you replace the damaged cable with and will keep it locked like a spool. I ran with that for years on 37s and had no issues minutes the shitty turning spooled front and rear.

https://ox-usa.com/lockers/15-amc-20.html

 

[D60]

I've never understood why OX or some of the Eaton electric options didn't clobber ARB *in the aftermarket*

I had ARB's in my old Bronco and the rear always leaked under load. Never could pin it down, new seals didn't fix it. Plus I never trusted the air lines....and basically anything that has to hold pressure is prone to problems.

That said ARB is unquestionably tried and true and they DO work. I just feel like there's still a better way and everyone just gave up looking for it.

 

[scrape]

Not a fan. Saw them when they first came out....lots of problems

You're a true OG then, these things have been on the market for like 20 years. I never had any problems with the newer ones that I've worked on, or wheeled with anyone who has had problems. I saw a ton of them at KOH this year, and there was a pretty sick 3 axle truck running them, I'll see if I can find pics.

Will agree though that the cable is not in the greatest spot compared to air or e-lockers.

 

[scrape]

I had ARB's in my old Bronco and the rear always leaked under load. Never could pin it down, new seals didn't fix it. Plus I never trusted the air lines....and basically anything that has to hold pressure is prone to problems.

Case deflection. If the case spreads a bit and you lose carrier preload, it will leak. Can't really fix that. I personally like air lines, I think they make for an easier trail repair than cables or electronic wiring, but that's just me.

 

[D60]

Case deflection. If the case spreads a bit and you lose carrier preload, it will leak. Can't really fix that. I personally like air lines, I think they make for an easier trail repair than cables or electronic wiring, but that's just me.

That was always my suspicion, something flexing just enough to let air leak, but pulling the diff cover, having someone load it up in a difficult spot and laying under there with a bottle of soapy water was never really feasible....

The thing with air is you MUST have pressure for it to work. If someone could devise a shift fork situation like t-cases and FADS/CADS you can theoretically slide that by hand and leave it engaged.

Stripping a few wires and even twisting them together with some electrical tape (in a pinch) seems easier than ensuring a leak-free seal on an air line.....but right now it's really just a moot point since there's so few options other than ARB

I think a lot of guys running their system on a York (which is the RIGHT way to do it) don't even know if they have leaks because they can't hear the compressor cycle over the engine or the York recovers so quickly it hardly runs but for a second or two. And I guess like anything else small leaks aren't the end of the world, provided they stay small.

 

[InvertedLogic]

For the reasons above, electric always seemed to make more sense to me than air. Electric -> mechanical movement instead of electric -> air -> mechanical. Less failure points and the whole system doesn't need to be air tight.

 

[scrape]

If someone could devise a shift fork situation like t-cases and FADS/CADS you can theoretically slide that by hand and leave it engaged.

That's exactly how the Ox lockers work. There is a big fork mechanism on the inside of the diff cover that engages the locker. You can manually engage/disengage the fork in the event of a cable failure with the tool that was linked earlier in this thread.

 

[Gatorhead96]

There's a good video on YouTube explaining the different style lockers and their pros and cons.

 

[Backne]

There's a good video on YouTube explaining the different style lockers and their pros and cons.

I bet you are referring to this! I love it, very helpful/educational!

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