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Locker Front or Rear

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Offline bashzuk

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Locker Front or Rear
« on: March 08, 2005, 04:11:15 PM »
Newbie Zukier
I have a stock Sammy with 1" shackles with 235/75/15 wildcat all seasons for Mods so far.
I was thinking about adding a locker next since I've heard it's the best off road addition you can make.

What I was trying to figure out is should I add one to the front or rear first. also how hard is putting one of these in your self and what tools would I need other than basic hand / air tools. Or should I get the completely assembled third memeber from samaraisalvage.com for $400 with locker installed.
Any Info would be great thanks.
Mean Green Wheeling Machine
88 Samurai 1" Shackles SPOA with 32" Tires
It's not a Jeep thing, it's not a Suzuki thing, or a Chevy,Ford thing.
It's a wheeling thing now get out and do it!

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mudfkr

Re: Locker Front or Rear
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2005, 04:59:10 PM »
Quote
I was thinking about adding a locker next since I've heard it's the best off road addition you can make.


Hmmm......
I put mine in the rear first but only  because I got it cheap. I'm currently fitting my front one at the moment so I can't say what the difference of having the front one is but theres alot of times I wish the rear one was up in the front !

Some people say rear some say front but it's one of those ford vs chevy arguments really.  ;D

OK I say front  ::)




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Offline mbmarkyb

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Re: Locker Front or Rear
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2005, 05:39:46 PM »
I did rear first, makes loads of difference and then the front and  I dont tend to lock the front that often but when all four are locked its pretty good.

I think it depends what type of locker you are planning on fitting
« Last Edit: March 08, 2005, 05:40:45 PM by mbmarkyb »
Markyb (UK)
UK Vitara JLX SE

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Offline bashzuk

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Re: Locker Front or Rear
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2005, 01:19:25 AM »
Well since I'm trying to keep the rig as cheap as possible. I only paid 500 for it and 200 for shackles and tires. I was thinking of putting lockrite lockers in it. it's mainly a trail rig but I do drive it on the street, which is why I was thinking of putting the locker in front first. keep it street drivable while adding some traction for the trails.

I'm also really interested in how hard it would be to put one in myself I have done most every other mechanical thing to vehicles except pull apart and put back together a differential.
Thanks for the info so far ;D
Mean Green Wheeling Machine
88 Samurai 1" Shackles SPOA with 32" Tires
It's not a Jeep thing, it's not a Suzuki thing, or a Chevy,Ford thing.
It's a wheeling thing now get out and do it!

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Offline Bigzook

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Re: Locker Front or Rear
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2005, 01:32:33 AM »
You can still drive on the street with a rear locker. I drive my little one several times a week. It's locked all the way around. I wouldnt put a front locker in unless you plan on power steering at the same time, or want to look like popeye. ;D

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Offline Bobzooki

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Re: Locker Front or Rear
« Reply #5 on: March 09, 2005, 01:33:34 AM »
Well, I would be inclined to say to put it in the rear.
When I'm wheeling, and things start to get gnarly, I put the rear locker on, and when that's not enough, I put the front locker on, too.  Steering becomes real tough with the front locker on.  But that's with ARB air lockers, which are the same as a spool when they're turned on.
Bob

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Offline zookaholic

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Re: Locker Front or Rear
« Reply #6 on: March 09, 2005, 01:40:29 AM »
rear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1987 Samurai, neon green, 1.3 stocker, 6.4:1 trail tough tranfercase, spoa, warn 8000, 34" swampers
1988 samurai (project, on blocks)

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Offline bashzuk

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Re: Locker Front or Rear
« Reply #7 on: March 09, 2005, 01:48:48 AM »
So it sounds like put it in the front and I'm going to have to fight with the steering more than I already do, or spend the several hundred dollars to put in power steering.

hmm I do need to get more work outs in.  ;D

Is it really that much harder to steer with a front locker, my wife loves to drive it as well.

Which still leads me to the question of how hard is it to put in one. (never taken a diff apart before) :-/
Mean Green Wheeling Machine
88 Samurai 1" Shackles SPOA with 32" Tires
It's not a Jeep thing, it's not a Suzuki thing, or a Chevy,Ford thing.
It's a wheeling thing now get out and do it!

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Offline chet

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Re: Locker Front or Rear
« Reply #8 on: March 09, 2005, 03:32:49 AM »
a loc-rite has instructions and as long as you folow them its easy. put it in the rear. The front will cause other problems like blown birfs and hard steering because it will be doing most of the work. Also if your wife only drives it on the street she will not notice it in the front due to the hubs being unlocked. She will notice it if its in the rear though. clicking around corners, they occassional BANG in parking lots  ;D and a little different handling in corners and in the rain. Nothing you can't get used to though.
1991 4 door kick, 2" coil spacers, 30" Coopers, winch, locker, rust, dents, etc.

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Offline 1bigtracker

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Re: Locker Front or Rear
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2005, 03:36:43 AM »
Quote
So it sounds like put it in the front and I'm going to have to fight with the steering more than I already do, or spend the several hundred dollars to put in power steering.

hmm I do need to get more work outs in.  ;D

Is it really that much harder to steer with a front locker, my wife loves to drive it as well.

Which still leads me to the question of how hard is it to put in one. (never taken a diff apart before) :-/


a front locker will make it harder to turn, but with such a small tire, i don't think i would worry about it.  we are all running 31 to 35 inch tire on ours with lockers.  

if its too bad then do power steering later


stu
« Last Edit: March 09, 2005, 03:37:26 AM by 1bigtracker »
   

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Offline nitromax

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Re: Locker Front or Rear
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2005, 04:10:45 AM »
Quote
a loc-rite has instructions and as long as you folow them its easy. put it in the rear. The front will cause other problems like blown birfs and hard steering because it will be doing most of the work. Also if your wife only drives it on the street she will not notice it in the front due to the hubs being unlocked. She will notice it if its in the rear though. clicking around corners, they occassional BANG in parking lots  ;D and a little different handling in corners and in the rain. Nothing you can't get used to though.

Scared the H*ll out of a friend of mine when he backed up the Zuk just a little and it gave that loud "BANG", scared,red face out of the window to look what he'd hit ;)
I'm used to it as the Chevy does it all the time. Clicking sound in the parking lot really attracts attention ;)
Pushing power in the mud and sand is awesome (locker in the rear, QuickLok write-up here: http://www.nitromax.nl/SAMLOCKER.HTM )
1600 cc 8v, MegaSquirt EFI, Camden SuperCharger, Calmini 3" Shackle Reversal, IronMan 3"suspension lift, SPOA and 2"bodylift, 4.16 T-case, QuickLok rear, 33x12.5 ProComp XT's on 8"rims with 1"wheelspacers.

Check it all on : www.nitromax.nl
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Offline purevil71

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Re: Locker Front or Rear
« Reply #11 on: March 09, 2005, 04:28:21 AM »
When I first got my sami, it had a locker in the front only.  open hubs, you would never notice it.  Locked hubs, yes it was a little hard to turn, but nothing like people make it out to be.  People made me think it would be impossable to go any where but in a straight line.  You do notice it, and get used to making 5-point turns when all of your open buddies are just zoomin around the curves, but other than that, it's not bad.  I think the bennies outweigh the turning problems.  Let you friends sit around and cuss you when you walk right out of something they struggled forever with.
And as far as your going to start breaking things in the front with a locker...it's all in how you drive it.  I have never broken anything in the front and I'm not exactly easy on my rig.  BUT, I do know when to lay off of it and call for help on things.
If I could only lock the front or the rear, I would lock the rear first cuz to be honest with you, it is really hard to turn on the pavement with the front hubs locked in.
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Offline Bobzooki

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Re: Locker Front or Rear
« Reply #12 on: March 09, 2005, 05:07:04 AM »
When I'm ready to turn, you hear this psssshhhhhh, as the ARB air locker is turned off.  Heather didn't like that sound.  In fact, she didn't like that sound SO MUCH, she ripped the axles out from under her rig, and put FJ80 axles under it, so she could put in electronic lockers...

;D
Bob

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Offline mesjr2004

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Re: Locker Front or Rear
« Reply #13 on: March 09, 2005, 10:57:12 AM »
a locker in the front reallyn isnt that bad and for wheeling just put it in 2wd until you need 4wd  the locker only engages when their is power to the driveshaft . it does make it harder to steer but you will be rewarded. as far as broken parts ,you wont have to beat on it as hard to get over a obstical

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Offline wezzlegod

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Re: Locker Front or Rear
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2005, 11:20:34 AM »
rear ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D  it  gives you 100% more traction and it is easy to install. just follow the instructions that come with it.
get a good tourqe wrench. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
black 89 sidekick toyota 22re L52 5speed trans w/ duel t cases. toyota axles w/coil springs 4 link double triangle 3 link front, 5.29 r&p, lockers ,35x12.5 tires, rock rails ,custom plate steal bumpers, killer xm sounds ext ext ext