[updated:LAST EDITED ON 10-Oct-02 AT 08:41 PM (EST)]I'm getting a new truck soon that i'm going to lift and put 35's on it. I want to turn this truck into an off roader and daily driver. I'm goign to lift, new gears and tires and everything at the same time. So what I would like to do is probably go install some kind of locker or something while I do this to save some money if I get it all done at once.

I'm not going to be doing any SERIOUS SERIOUS off roading, but I would like to do it atleast a couple times a month. I've read a lot about lockers, and really it is confusing. Most of my driving will be to and from school, around town and a decent amount of highway miles.

I've read about a locker that you can turn on with the flip of a switch and the rest of the time it's a normal open diff. for normal driving. From my research that seems what would be the best for me. What are some good models? All i've heard of are the ARB one's.

I'd appreciate whatever help I can get. if you can point out some links for research i'd also appreciate that. Thanks!

 

ARBs are very expensive, very nice, but very expensive. I would not suggest a locker for a daily driven truck, it's kind of rough. I bought a truck with a regular open rear end, and for 50 bucks, bought a limited slip from ebay (ford piece) and with the 80 dollar rebuild kit, have one that is like brand new. I think that you should be careful, and watch your spending habits. I've talked to you before about how expensive those mods are going to be. Throwing a limited slip in the back is a fairly easy mod, cheap too. The LS isn't the best off road, but decent. I think that if you get 35" tires, you will want to get an LS (either by the truck having one or you putting one in) with 4 fiber disks on each side. The stock one comes with 3, but you can put 4 in there to make it more agressive. I think that with 35" tires it will be nice. The clutches are little fiber disks that let the LS slip around a corner to resemble an open diff. Because of this, they are not overly aggressive off road in getting lots of power to both wheels like a locker. With 4 disks instead of 3, it's more agressive, but you'd have to buy two rebuild kits, at 80-90 bucks a pop. So you'll have to decide on that later, i'm sure you have enough on your mind already. Don't worry about the differenial for now, pick out your truck first and go from there ok.

Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds .

Thats it for now, saving for a stang. Check out my Gallery for a look-see.


Justin - One Happy FTE Member

 

ABR is the way to go but they are expensive.


1979 F350,4x4,NP435,5:13 gears,Detroit locker in rear with hardened shafts,ABR in the front,L&L Ladder Bars,360 with 428 crank & rods,390 HP heads,Centerforce Dual Friction Clutch,MSD Ignition,39.5x18 Boggers,bucket seats out of a Lightning,& a Southern Body that is perfect.

 

If you're talking about a selectable locker than you choices are an ARB (air actuated), an Ox Locker (cable operated) or an Eaton E-locker(electric). Any one of these would be a perfect choice for a street driven wheeler. If you do intend to go wheeling semi frequently do yourself a favor and get the locker. A locker will take you places that would have you in fits trying w/ a limited slip. Limited slips do very little off road.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 11-Oct-02 AT 08:34 AM (EST)]I've got a couple months before everything happens, so I might as well research everything now. I plan on using the profits(probably around $6k) for all of this. I don't think i'll use all of it, probably around 4k for it. I looked at an ARB set with front and rear and the air compressor and it was about 1500 I believe. What is the reputation of Ox lockers and Eaton E locker?

Should I go with the front and the rear? How well do the selectable ones work on the street?

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 11-Oct-02 AT 10:30 AM (EST)]On my 79 I have ABR in the front and it works excellent, I went with the Detroit in the rear to handle the savvire abuse.
I plan on also in stalling ABRs front and rear on my 1997 because it will be better for trailering in the winter.



1979 F350,4x4,NP435,5:13 gears,Detroit locker in rear with hardened shafts,ABR in the front,L&L Ladder Bars,360 with 428 crank & rods,390 HP heads,Centerforce Dual Friction Clutch,MSD Ignition,39.5x18 Boggers,bucket seats out of a Lightning,& a Southern Body that is perfect.

 

The ARB(or is it ABR?) seems the most popular. I couldn't find an OX Locker for the Ford 8.8 rear end. And the Eaton locker seems to be only for chev's(bleck). So I think i'm gonna do some more research on teh ARB's.

 

It's ARB. Keep in mind that is 1500, without installation! Installation is going to be another grand depending on your area, some areas charge differently.


Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds .

Thats it for now, saving for a stang. Check out my Gallery for a look-see.


Justin - One Happy FTE Member

 

Its ARB I typoed .

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 11-Oct-02 AT 03:29 PM (EST)]If I get the gears and locker installed at the same time probably save me some money. I'm talking to a friend who got gears and lockers installed at the same time and he got charged about a grand for both in installation.

 

Well, unless you want to pay to have the installation done twice, get them done at the same time. However, gears = about 400-450. ARB's 1500, install 1000. Do you want to spend a tad under 3,000 dollars for this? Plus your tires/wheels are going to be about 1500, the lift kit another 1000, this is A LOT of money to spend. I was faced with this decision too and came to the conclusion that I can't afford it all. There is a lot you could do with 5-6 thousand dollars. With this, what you're getting out of 5-6k isn't much. Tires, lift, gears and a couple lockers. 5-6k? no thanks. I don't think you're going to need lockers, ARBs are sweet but they are extremely expensive. I just bought an LS, which arn't as bad as people think, then don't work well when they have some miles on them, but they are easily rebuildable after 50-60k miles. 50 bucks for the LS, and 75 for the kit to rebuild it to brand new status. For 125 bucks you can't beat it. You could also get a limited slip in the front for about 300. They are not bad at all for the kind of off-roading you're going to be doing. IMO money is better spend in other places. Like I said you can build the LS into a really agressive one for another 75 bucks and it'll work the nuts.

Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds .

Thats it for now, saving for a stang. Check out my Gallery for a look-see.


Justin - One Happy FTE Member

 

I dunno, I have a lot of time to think about it. Maybe i'll just get a ARB in the rear and leave the front open or maybe LS? Or would a semi open rear and LS front be bad for when the rear is open?

The tire wheel combo I found is about $1200, gears $500, lift $500, locker(front and rear) $1500. Installation for gears/locker about a grand. So it'd be about 5k. And about 3k for the beefed up LS. Ughhhh choices.

 

I would recommend a Detroit Locker for the rear. They drive great on the pavement, despite what people think. In fact I don't even notice mine on the street. You won't have to worry about friction modifiers (like for limited slip), or clutches wearing out. And it won't break. Some people say it wears your tires out faster... well maybe, but not a whole lot. I've had several trucks with DLs and the tires always lasted just like I expected.

I know more than a few people who have got stuck because they "forgot" to turn their ARB on... you won't have to worry about that with a Detroit. Plus you won't have to worry about broken air lines and failed air pumps. Seen that too. Getting stuck really sucks.... lockers are all about not getting stuck, and you're less likely to get stuck with a Detroit over a LS or ARB. Period.

A Detroit is cheaper than the ARB, but more than a limited slip.
If you can't afford a Detroit, I would choose a LS over the ARB. A good LS will get you through quite a lot. The ARB is somewhat overkill for "occasional" off roading.

 

How much pavement driving do you do? I do 25 miles between work/school everyday. And once a month i'm going on either a 200-500 mile highway trip. Do lockers like high speeds? Because I go 70-80 MPH on the highway the whole way. What kind of driving do you do(street off road)? And how was your ride affected before and after?

The detroit was not an option before, but i'm going to research it now.

 

My buddy had a truck with a locked rearend and he later removed it cause it was terrible in the snow. He had a short bed reg. cab,, I heard that they are not as bad with longer vehicles. Just something to think about if you live in the mountains.


1995 F150XLT XCab 8'Box 4X4
w/ a 302 - 5spd