I applaud your effort TexasTech, but I am the master of the google search.
I continue posting questions on here because I want the opinions of everyone around here! I could easily spend hours reading millions of different opinions on google, but I prefer to get the opinions of people I know, in a sense, and trust.
I mean, it all depends what website I happen to click. If I click a website "PRO-AUSSIE-LOCKER" of course i'm going to find some opinions supporting it.
I want the opinions of the fellow off-roaders here at FTE! Good or bad! You all have helped me with pretty much every decision I wasn't sure about since i've got my F-350 back on the road. And the past few posts i've made I have gotten awesome feedback.
Ask the guys that have busted them, and you will hear all sorts of bad things about them. Ask the guys that use them, and dont wheel hard enough (no disrespect) to break them, and you wil hear nothing but praise.
This too is all about application.
I am against any "lunchbox" locker. Simply does not offer the strength or the reliability that is required to get the job done, for me.
If the task at hand requires a locker, then only the best will do, and the best has to be the strongest available.
"Cheap" and reliable are not the same. Break a cheap component once, and by the time it gets replaced, you are in the neighborhood of just buying the better component from the beginning. I just eliminate the wasted money from the beginning.
Perhaps some can get one of these to survive, and while it may work for a few, it may not work for others.
Again different applications require different components.
If you wheel real hard, you may consider something a little stronger.
I'd ask what your running but you've already given me a not-so-brief rundown!
And thats good, I want to hear what people have busted the lockers with and what they're running them successfully with.
I suppose the main difference here from other reviews and such are that I can TALK about these opinions, I can get the facts. Every detail can be straight and not just "I ran them in my 02' Ford they suck" and "I love this locker! Been running them for 6 years in all my trucks"
I know exactly what you mean man. You have the skinny on my junk so you know that I am not light on parts.
Here is somthing to consider though. I mention reliability. This is a key factor as far as I am concerned. Relaiability and repeatability are very important.
What I mean is that any given component has a threshold, and a limit. If you drive to this limit, or close to it every weekend, then the components will become fatigued and eventually fail. Run any component close to 100% and the reliability goes down, and the ability to repeat the process becomes much lower.
Now run any devive that can withstand more punishment, and the device will last much longer, and can do it over and over again. You will not be running this component anywhere close to 100% so naturally it should be able to withstand much more abuse time and time again.
This is the difference between setting the bar, or just struggling to keep up.
Ask the guys that use them, and dont wheel hard enough (no disrespect) to break them, and you wil hear nothing but praise.
.
This is me. Ed and I have two VERY different styles, and both work for their application. I used to think I was going to drive like Ed, but after years of experience, I have found I probably will NEVER be that way. To this end, a drop in is excellent because it gives added traction without added cost. Consider how YOU will drive and whether or not you need the more expensive parts.
As far as the aussie, I have no personal experience, but it appears to be a smooth forgiving locker that would be great for the front. Lots of guys over at fullsizebronco.com run them in a D44F.
Last time I checked, Aussie doesnt make lockers for 1-tons. Only the D44's and below. More for like jeeps and smaller rigs.
I ran one in my D44 Front with 38's, I broke hubs, stock axles, and chromo axles, but the locker held up fine. I had it in there for about a year.
I have heard, and do beleive, you will be prone to break "lunchbox" style lockers quicker with tires above 35 or 36's. Granted, it will probably hold up ok, but you will run that risk.
__________________ 99 F150 Under the knife again. SAS, 1tons with 17.5 "'s of lift with 44's.
That is my point. If you are really on a tight budget, these drop ins are hard to beat. Also, don't know if you can do gears, but a full replacement (like detroit) requires some gear setup to install it, whereas a lunchbox locker doesn't.
I have installed a aussie locker in a friends landcruiser a couple of years ago and it always seems to work well, he complains about the ratcheting noise going around corners. I run detroit lockers front and rear in my Jeep Cj but to tell you the truth if I ever break the rear one I'll just install a spool, it will do the same thing for a lot less money.
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Jack
94 F250 XLT x-cab E4od 4x4 IDI 7.3 turbo lots of mods
97 F250 XLT CC E4od 4x4 7.3 a few mods, more to come
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This is me. Ed and I have two VERY different styles, and both work for their application. I used to think I was going to drive like Ed, but after years of experience, I have found I probably will NEVER be that way. To this end, a drop in is excellent because it gives added traction without added cost. Consider how YOU will drive and whether or not you need the more expensive parts. 
