Hey guys I have been out of the locker market for some time now and am sure a lot of new stuff is on the market. I use to run full lockers in a 77' F150 front axle and unlocked the hub to make a sharp turn. I know they got a lot of selectable lockers now. The question.

What is the best selectable lockers out there? Air-lockers, electric-lockers or cable-lockers? What brand name do you now trust and what are the pros and cons of each type of locker? This is going into my 2001 SD for off road and mud bogging. I am thinking the electric-locker, open front when I am driving around, flip a switch on the dash board and have a solid front axle when I just need to go straight the HARD way!!

 

selectable loockers rock heard bad things about e locker not holding up been using arb for over 15 years have brnc w/ them and a jeep w/ them wheel w/a guy that has a ox locker he likes it

 

I run lockers in my trucks, and very seldom get out to unlock a hub (drive-slugs don't give you the option) to make a turn. It hops on the street sometimes, but never a big deal.

As far as my SD goes, I run a Dynatrac Pro-Roc 60 up front with an ARB, and my Excursion got the 60 out of the SD, and an ARB lives in there too.

Depending on the front axle you have (2001) think you have a Dana 50, you may want to get a stronger axle before you consider a locker.

 

ARB Lockers are the way to go you hardly ever need 4x4

 

ARB and OX are the best. ECTED is another option but it's not a full locker/.

 

I went with ARB's front and rear and I'm happy. They are very strong and it's nice to have the option of an open axle for tight turns.

 

Thanks guys, I'll check on the ARB's. Yes its a DANA 50 up front but it has been plenty strong so far. I should consider upgrading to a 60 before I spend more money into the 50 thought. It will depend on the cost I guess.

 

If you wheel hard, you will break the D50 with 37's... but thats wheeling pretty damn hard with a lightly modded engine. D60 may not be worth it to you, but those lockers will make stuff break easier.

Don't get OX... they used to have horrible customer service, not sure now though. I heard they are getting straightened out under new owners, don't know if thats true though. Bottom line, can't go wrong with an ARB

 

Raw, I DO wheel this truck very hard and the 50 has held up to my right foot. But the left front hub is finally wearing out after 220,000 miles and is getting ready to cost me some money. Plus I know the locker will add some new pressure to it. I fiqure $500? to fix what I need in the 50, but I can get a stock 60 with 40,000 miles on it for $850. I think the best investment I can make is going to the 60 from a 2003 F250SD. It will be a straight bolt out- bolt in conversion.

I dicided on the ARB front and back, with the air compressor large enough to air-up tires if I wanted to. A grand total of $1965 for parts only. Is that a fair price for what I get?

 

I would go ahead and get the D60 then. You may still break things on it wheeling hard, it'll just take a lot longer.

If you aren't going to be using it on the road much, or if you will be and don't mind a little quicker tire wear, then just weld the rear. That price on the ARB's sounds right, but I don't really know exactly.

 

I want to weld the rear so bad but I am worried how it will handle on the road. I can deal with it but my wife drives the truck sometimes and don't want to throw her and the kids in a ditch because the rear won't corner. That is all I use to do to my Dana 44 FRONT and rear on my 77 F150 when I was younger. I would lock the front hubs in when I went off the pavement and have to unlock the left front to make a sharp turn. Man did I break some stuff with that truck!!

I heard the 10.5 is a good strong axle. It will hold up to a welded diff on the road with no long term problems, other than tire wear of course?

 

yeah, you won't break the 10.5" rear esp not with 37's. just tire wear

 

I would love to have a solid locker to borow to see how it handles on the Interstate and around town before I weld mine solid, but it sounds like that is what I am going to do because I need to save $900 where ever I can. If the rear axle is not tracking true to the front it will show up with a welded diff!

 

You are going to be getting rid of your carrier anyways on the 10.5" if you put in an ARB, you may as well just weld it, see if you like it, then replace it with the ARB if you dont.

 

Sound like the perfect solution to me!