I've got the cash... so front or rear d/lock??

[emkate]

I'm all cashed up and ready to spend some hard earned bucks on an air locker, only thing is I'm not sure weather to go front or rear. I was going to put it in the rear diff, but after talking to the guy at the shop he told me for beach work and stuff I'd be better off putting it in the front diff. However I've just been invited to participate in a hill climb comp(annual thing between a few friends and locals) and I'd love to show the cruiser and patrol guys up in it. So which is it, front or rear? I'd prefer to base my choice on all you guys' experiences and opinions rather then a shop techies'...
Thanks again...Em

[xtreem]

Spend the cash on the rear and put the front one on the credit card. then kick some arse.

[moose]

go the rear for starters !!
will go just about anywhere with the rear Locked !!

[droopypete]

go the rear for starters !!
will go just about anywhere with the rear Locked !!

Moose is correct, go the rear (we are talking air locker here aren't we)
if someone wanted twin lockers on a budget, I would say weld the rear and air locker the front.
you will be rapt
peter.

[stumped]

i think the rear locker would be more useful if ur climbing stuff, cos all the weight is on the rear wheels. locked front won't help as much cos there may not be enuf weight on it to get traction.

i was driving my zook around in front wheel drive for a while when i did the rear diff, if i had to do a standing start on a hill in the wet or with a bit of gravel i found that i spun the front wheels, whereas in rear wheel drive i didn't spin.

[Ric]

i am about to weld the read in mine. then once i got enough money, put a air locker in the front.

[antt]

weld the rear, air locker the front

[greg]

weld the rear, air locker the front

ditto.

Then when you can afford it, go back and get the rear air locked if you want.

If you are only getting one, and don't want to weld the rear, go the rear air locker.

oh, and give that shop techie a clip over the ear from all of us here too

[DeWsE]

Well when chatting to bazooked his thoughts were the lock the front first.
Depends what type of driving you are doing the most of.
The front is better on the beach so if thats the type of driving you do get the front.

I will warn you though that their is only so much beach driving you can do until you realise that zooks belong in the rocks

[antt]

whats so good about having it in the front on the beach? thats no fun, ya cant do big powerslides with an open back and locked front on the beach

[bigsteve]

Weld the rear and get a 6:1

[grimbo]

weld the rear and air locker in the front

[1MadEngineer]

save the money, buy 2 packs of welding rods,weld them both, and then build a full exo and heaps of under body armour. maybe get some crawlers if there is any left.

[redzook]

put the air loker in the front and just leave the rear open till you get money to lock it

locked front will help u get up ledges easier (this was seen on the last night drive when doozor(welded/spool front open rear) got up a ledge straight up the middle were the other three zuks with the welded an airlocked rear had to take another approach)
dont know how a locked front is different to a locked rear on the beach though

i say put it in the FRONT

[droopypete]

That makes 9 for the rear, and one and a half for the front (if you count the wobble head behind the counter as a half )

I would like to add at this point that my suzy in 2wd with the rear locker engaged, amazes me how far it will go before I have to put it in 4wd, it never fails to suprize me
peter.

[-Mandy-]

Put the locker in the rear.
I will back droopypete,I hardly use 4wd,the rear locker is more than enough.(except for the obvious situations).(but mine has a Ezi-locker)

[emkate]

I had originaly thought of putting it in the front, and welding the rear, but

A) I have to drive my zook to work everyday and don't enjoy the thought of an axle or diff crapping itself in peak hour traffic.( or any kind of traffic)

B) Would hate it even more if it crapped itself in the middle of no where

C) I don't know how to weld!!

So I think I'll go with the majority and just get the air locker put in the rear diff. I'm sure it will make the zook far more capable than my driving capabilities.

[grimbo]

In the future when you want to mod the car even more you can always move the air locker to the front and weld the rear. I moved the rear air locker into the front of mine from the rear last year just involves changing a few side gears

[N*A*M]

Weld the rear and get a 6:1

i agree

[Luigi Malone]

put the air loker in the front and just leave the rear open till you get money to lock it

locked front will help u get up ledges easier (this was seen on the last night drive when doozor(welded/spool front open rear) got up a ledge straight up the middle were the other three zuks with the welded an airlocked rear had to take another approach)
dont know how a locked front is different to a locked rear on the beach though

i say put it in the FRONT

I think this way also. I have a Lockrite in the back and an open front diff. It's very good this way, but an ARB in the front would be great. It will pull you up the tricky bits when the rear is losing traction.
I vote front ARB and whatever you want in the rear.
LM.

[grimbo]

put the air loker in the front and just leave the rear open till you get money to lock it

locked front will help u get up ledges easier (this was seen on the last night drive when doozor(welded/spool front open rear) got up a ledge straight up the middle were the other three zuks with the welded an airlocked rear had to take another approach)
dont know how a locked front is different to a locked rear on the beach though

i say put it in the FRONT

I think this way also. I have a Lockrite in the back and an open front diff. It's very good this way, but an ARB in the front would be great. It will pull you up the tricky bits when the rear is losing traction.
I vote front ARB and whatever you want in the rear.
LM.

we have been saying go air locker in the front weld the rear. But if you are only going to lock one end for now, I reckon the rear. Having a diff locked is great, we all agree on that. But to have onlt the front locked will put way more stress on components than having both locked. it is very rare that you will use both locked up for long periods of time. Usually you find you lock the rear first and then if you can't get up the ledge or whatever then you engage the front clear the obstacle and disengage the locker.

Remember steering is way harder with the front locked. i also think that the odd occasions where a front locker will outperform a rear locker are pretty rare. A rear locker will be of more use generally and the car will perform more predictably IMHO

[greg]

lock the back first... then you can go TWO's!!!!!! :two finger peace salute:

[Beastmavster]

If you do heaps of on road driving and it's an autolocker (ie lockright) lock the front first. It won't have any impact on road.

If it's an airlocker rear first.