To lock or not to lock that is the question Any answers???

 

what kind of locker you looking at?

 

Is this your daily driver or offroad rig only? If you have the money and its your daily driver and spends alot of time on the street go with an ARB air locker or the new Detroit electric one for the front. If its a offroad only rig, lincoln lock it or buy a detroit.

 

I love my ARB in the front because it's either completely locked or completely open diff. They makes it a lot easier to turn and less stress on my axle. If you did a straight locker than you'd have trouble making turns unless you have a twin stick transfer case or want to get out and unlock a hub on every turn...

 

Well it is a daily driver for now but the reason I bought it was to haul gravel and use it when the weather gets bad in the winter. I do some offroading at the lake now and again but you can call it a work truck

 

leave it [the front] open, and detroit or powertrax the rear.. You don't want an automatic locker in the front if you drive on snow.

unless you want to be cool, or you do a lot of 4wheeling, you don't need a front locker. I'm not going to start a 2wd/4wd/locker discussion, but if you haven't got stuck in 4wd, you probably don't need a front locker. I suggest the rear since it is easy to get in a spot where both wheels are spinning, and you need an extra wheel turning in the rear.

 

Thanks breman242 I keep hearing about the locker in the front but I keep thinking of the people who break stuff I don't want that I can not afford to have the truck broke down because of U-joints and things. I have ran into situations that needed some extra traction....one wheel in slush and the other in gravel and it is -30 below and I do not want to get out just to lock the hubs for the short distance to the plowed roads

 

since you plan on workin your truck i would say get a selectable front or leave it as is. then put a detroit in the rear....maybe even weld the rear up.

you guys would be surprised.....if you leave one hub unlocked (drivers side is closest) then you can still turn just as good as ever and the traction is 3 times that of regular 4x4. then when you suspect a really rough spot or you start to dig in lock the other hub and she will 90% of the time pull out. i would never go back.....even if i get a DD i will weld the front just bc of all the options you have.

-cutts-

 

Thanks fishmann

 

When I drove my truck locked w/ 1 hub unlocked, it always pulled to the side when I hit the gas, a selectable locker is really great, I have open/locked with the front ARB and LS/Locked in the rear w/ the Auburn ECTED...best possible drivetrain combination and I love it. I drive in plenty of snow and it comes in handy.

 

that's why you don't puch it real hard unless you neeed to. not everything is gonna be perfect.

-cutts-

 

I'm going to go with Bremen on this one and say leave the front open and put a locker in the rear.

The rear locker you will definitely get your money's worth out of. With the rear locker, most of the time you won't even need to lock your hubs in if your tires are good and you air them down a bit. I really like my rear LockRight, it's the best thing I've done for the F350's offroadability.

The front locker you likely wont need unless you are doing alot of real off roading. My rear locker and open front does fine in most circumstances.

I thought of putting a locker, limited slip, or selectable in my front axle when I did the gear change and rear locker on my truck and my thoughts were that for the money, the selectables' high cost, and how often I actually need to use 4wd in a situation where I would be needing a front locker, I wouldn't be getting my money's worth out it. A limited slip I could probably get my money's worth out of and a front limited slip has no adverse effects on steering/handling like a front locker would (I have front and rear LS's in the Bronco). Still, I couldn't justify the cost of adding a front limited slip to the F350, even though it would have been a good choice, just more money than I wanted to sink into the truck at that time, as I was already spending $1650 on the gear change and rear locker, plus rediculus CA tax = almost $1800.

The Bronco is a play toy and I can see someday putting lockers in both ends of that one, but my truck is mainly for pulling my toys out to the desert or mountains, and I 4wheel it while I'm out there, but nothing hairy enough to put it in danger of needing to be towed home, so far...

For me, rear locker + open front = high fun/cost ratio and 'good enough' traction.

 

ThanksThanks socaldesertrider. I agree about the cost to fun ratio and I think I will stick with the rear locker for now. By the way where Are you from in southern california I was raised in san diego and used to go out to the desert and ride Plaster city glamis etc etc

 

I glad someone agrees with me for once

 

Rick, I live in north county Carlsbad and go to Ocotillo alot to ride. It's the area I'm most familiar with. Have also been to Glamis and have ridden up in Temecula and Hemet. I'll probly make trips out to Superstition and Plaster City to check out those places next season, have heard there's good riding there.

Have fun with the locker once you get it in!