Excellent thread. My up front Aussie was the best mod I've ever made. I am still debating a Ford 8.8 or upgrading my D35 with a C clip eliminator/stronger axle upgrade and tossing in another Aussie. I hope this post gets some good responses. I just don't want to mess with a selectable locker in the rear!

 

I contemplated doing the super 35 kit on my TJ...decided it was too much money tho. Came across an 8.8 for 100 bux...cant really beat that. So when it goes in for new gears, Id like to lock it up also...

 

I ran a detroit in my cj model 20.. for the most part auto locker is auto locker back there. I never had major issues. Did fine in snow. I would be sure to look your carrier over and replace if any signs of wear. The full time locker in the cj would unload on slow speed sharp turns and sound like a cannon going off, but that was just with the detroit. Also when shifting at high speed the jeep would move a bit into the other lane from locker push. Again not sure if a aussie would do this. I also have an 8.8 getting ready to go into the YJ, make the dana 35 look like a tooth pick.

 

From what Ive read the Aussie is pretty quiet with just a little bit of clicking...and a bang every once and a while like you are talking about with the detroit. Was your detroit a full locker, or a lunchbox? (not sure if detroit even makes a lunchbox, other than the ezlocker.)

As far as the 8.8, my buddy just put one under his xj...it is huge in comparison to the 35 lol

 

Nothing wrong with an Aussie or other drop in locker in the rear. The disadvantage is that you still are using the stock carrier, which in a D35 is not adequate for some. If you wheel enough to really need a locker, then you will probably break a stock D35 carrier. Not sure on an 8.8" though.
My thought is that if you are re-gearing then you most likely need a new carrier anyway. Why not just put in a full case locker? If you are keeping the gears in the 8.8", then drop in an Aussie or other and you're good to go.
D

 

Ill have to research the gears on the 8.8 if I will need to change the carrier or not. But for now it is a weekend warrior, so I thought the Aussie would be good temporarily...since the price is significantly lower than say a full case detroit.

 

Had a aussie in the C8.25 rear in my XJ.. Loved it.. Made the occasional chirp in the corners but that is normal for there to be a noise when hitting the gas when turning.. From reading Detroit lockers will make a louder pop rather than the lighter chirp that the aussie makes.. Don't touch the gas in a turn and you hear nothing cause the locker will disengage.. Living in a snowy climate when I had my cherokee Puting a aussie in the rear was a lot better choice in my opinion then the front.. and I never regreted a second of it.. Best purchase I ever made for my XJ..
O and it's fun being able to kick your ass end around to.. When I did it intentionaly that is..

I could never understand wanting a selectable rear and lunchbox front then I realized that almost everyone with that statement either lived in the south or it was there play time/trail rig.. Never someone that did that to that there DD and lived in a snowy place..

Aussie lock your rear and then if you want to when the time comes do the same to your front.. If your Jeep is your DD then choose a selectable for your front.. Thats my opinion. Take it as you please

 

If your Jeep is your DD then choose a selectable for your front.. Thats my opinion. Take it as you please

Really, why do you say that? I planned on an Aussie up front too since I dont get snow where I live and because they only lock up under torque (aka. 4WD)

 

There are two key reasons lunchbox lockers are not nearly as popular in the rear as they are in the front.

1) They aren't nearly as strong as a full case locker is. A lunchbox locker is made physically very small to fit inside the carrier. And because 100% of the engine's torque passes through it most of the time, it sees a lot (!!) more stress than the front locker does... the front seldom sees more than 50% of the total torque while the rear very commonly sees 100% of the torque. Because of that, lunchbox lockers do break more often when installed in the rear than in the front.

2) Because the rear locker sees 100% of the torque in 2wd on the street, they don't unlock very easily so they tend to hop, lurch, bang, and generally are poorly behaved when in the rear axle. I had a rear lunchbox locker for a while and its street manners were pretty bad, I didn't like it at all. The full case Detroit Locker was my next rear locker and in comparision, it was extremely well behaved on the street.

There is one lunchbox locker in particular though that is far better behaved than the others (Lockright, EZ-Locker, and Aussie) which is the Powertrax No-Slip. If you really can't afford a full case automatic locker like a Detroit Locker, the best behaved rear lunchbox locker is the No-Slip which is what I'd go with if faced with that decision. I wouldn't even consider installing an Aussie, Lockright, or (especially) the EZ-Locker which is the worst behaving locker of them all. For most wheeling, the No-Slip seems to hold up fine in the rear... it's just on the crazier trails where the fact it is a lunchbox locker (small and not as strong) may be the limiting factor.

 

The selectable lockers are more expensive, but well worth it.

To describe it it's like having the ideal wife - with a switch on her neck. When you've had enough, simply turn it off.

You soon forget price, but you never regret buying the best.

 

I like the fact that you dont have to worry about turning your locker on and off with the auto lockers. They just do what you need them to without having to think about them. I will look into those powertrax Jerry. I heard the name, but dont think I actually looked into them.

 

Turning them on and off is a non issue. You don't even think about it anymore. Just like driving a stick shift. You forget you even do it.

 

I know this has been discussed numerous times... but how bad would it be to run the Powertrax No-Slips front and rear in an area that sees considerable snow and ice every winter? Are they so poorly behaved you can't easily adjust to them (ie slowing down extra slow and letting off the gas for sharper turns) or would they be okay for the average driver who actually understands how to operate his vehicle?

I've got a few tractors at work with selectable lockers and don't have too much of a problem with them...but then again, I think they only lock the rears and not the fronts.

Edit: Nevermind...reading reviews. Sounds like understeer is still a huge issue and while adjustments to driving habits can be made to counter it, it would still create more problems than it would prevent.

 

When I lived in upstate NY, on the Canadian border, I had a YJ with a Detroit rear and TrueTrac front.
- In deep snow they were great. They did not plow local streets, so this was good.
- On hard packed snow I could run in 2x and never had I problem. You need to cost in turns and wait until all 4 tires are pointed in the same direction before getting back on the gas.
- On ice it was a little hairy. With both rear tires spinning the back end would be all over the place. Any hill that was a little off camber, even roads that were heavily crowned would cause this.
For ice the best setup would have been selectables in both ends. Second best would be selectable in the rear and an open front. Although maybe my setup with a twin stick t-case for a front wheel drive option might have been real effective also.
D51