lockrite diff locker any good

[pearson]

just wondering if any body knows much about lockrite diff locker and if they are any good

[blkmav]

I have a US made by Richmond Gear Co. Lockright in the front of my GQ. Best mod ever. Be careful of cheaper AU made auto lockers.

[pearson]

are the au made lockers crap what sort of $$$ are we looking at for a us locker

[blkmav]

There has been reported failures of both. I am of the opinion the failures were due to incorrect fitment. I think mine was under half the price of an ARB air locker. If you are going to do comp work you'll want an air locker to be able to turn it on/off when you want. For general bush bashing you can't beat an auto locker as it's always locked. It's amazing how slow I can now drive hard tracks when I used rev the crap out of the truck to get up without the locker.

[GUEEY]

i had a Power Trax Lockright (USA) in my GQs (X2) had it for 7 years.
Exellent simple traction without the needs of other gear IE air compressors , Valves and Airlines to get broken.
Installed it was about $1000 a few years back.
Be very cautious about the chepo LOKKA , they are riding on the back of Lock-rights and Detroits.

Cheers Grant

[blackmav]

I have the same as BLKMAV, Richmond Locrite in the front of mine. I was warned off the other brands of auto lockers. No problems yet, its been in there since xmas and I give it a bit of a hard time.
Very happy with it.

[InSanE]

keep saving and get an arb locker

[Patchy]

keep saving and get an arb locker

big statement there. are they really worth the $$$ plus air tanks and bits and pieces

[blkmav]

keep saving and get an arb locker

Why?

[JBE]

I'v had my Powertrax Lockright in the front of my LWB GQ for a couple of months. Once you get used to them, they are great. I bought it from the US which cost me $AU 420 to my door.

Cheers
Joachim

[badger]

DO NOT EVER EVER EVER EVER WELD OR USE AN AUTO LOCKER IN A FRONT DIFF

WHY DO U PEOPLE KEEP ASKING THIS QUESTION

IF U CANT AFFORD AN AIRLOCKER WAIT!!!!!

i will say no more

[blkmav]

DO NOT EVER EVER EVER EVER WELD OR USE AN AUTO LOCKER IN A FRONT DIFF

WHY DO U PEOPLE KEEP ASKING THIS QUESTION

IF U CANT AFFORD AN AIRLOCKER WAIT!!!!!

i will say no more

Yawn

[blackmav]

DO NOT EVER EVER EVER EVER WELD OR USE AN AUTO LOCKER IN A FRONT DIFF

WHY DO U PEOPLE KEEP ASKING THIS QUESTION

IF U CANT AFFORD AN AIRLOCKER WAIT!!!!!

i will say no more

Good , don't say anymore. Don't back up your claims. Is the sky gunna fall if he does fit one?
You probably had a mate who's girlfriends, mothers ,2nd husbands, stepsons organ donors auntys, hairdressers mechanic had one that failed.

[JBE]

DO NOT EVER EVER EVER EVER WELD OR USE AN AUTO LOCKER IN A FRONT DIFF

WHY DO U PEOPLE KEEP ASKING THIS QUESTION

IF U CANT AFFORD AN AIRLOCKER WAIT!!!!!

i will say no more

Yawn

Yawn x2

Badger, are you actaully able to elaborate why you wouldn't use auto locker in the front?
Do you have any first hand experience with auto lockers youself?
The guy didn't ask about welded diffs at all.

People seem to be very opinnionated about auto lockers. Most people who have them in their cars are quite happy with them. Most people, Iknow who are religuosly against them, have never driven them.

Once you understand how they work and drive accordingly, they are a great traction aid.
They lock both wheels by default (i.e. positive locking) and unlock the side with the lesser traction which is the outer wheel of a turn (opposite way to an open diff). This causes slightly bigger turning circles for the vehicle, but it hasn't been a problem on my trips which are mainly shale rock and gravel around Sydney.
They only occasion where I noticed a disadvantage over air lockers or open diffs was when I had to turn on a very muddy surface.

Cheers
Joachim

[zookjedi]

my mate runs an auto locker in the front of his gq and never had any dramas , i run airlockers in my gu, but the $$ is a big difference , i like the airlockers simply cause you can switch em off and have fun driving stuff that would be too easy with the lockers, sounds dumb but it isnt always easy to find challanging stuff that posses no risk to your panels .

but for the $$ and no chance of doing an air line etc the auto lockers would be the go ( i run one in my zook and have never had any dramas and it gets treated pretty rough its an ez-locker )

cheers Jai

[badger]

i wouldnt use one in the front because they are sh1t

imagine trying to turn a sharp corner on a slope or the like when your auto locker wont unlock

or driving up the beach at 80kms tourque steering because u have a locked front diff

yes i have heard all the correctly set up autolockers dont have these problems. but in the 20 plus cars i have experianced with them not one has worked well and all the ones that changed to airlockers after repeatedly breaking cv's hubs n axels found there diffs lasted better and they got alot further off road

i guess its just an oppinion n we all have one but he did ask for advice

[blkmav]

i wouldnt use one in the front because they are sh1t

imagine trying to turn a sharp corner on a slope or the like when your auto locker wont unlock

or driving up the beach at 80kms tourque steering because u have a locked front diff

yes i have heard all the correctly set up autolockers dont have these problems. but in the 20 plus cars i have experianced with them not one has worked well and all the ones that changed to airlockers after repeatedly breaking cv's hubs n axels found there diffs lasted better and they got alot further off road

i guess its just an oppinion n we all have one but he did ask for advice

You obviously can't drive with an autolocker the same way as you would with an air locker. Same as you can't drive a Pajero in the same lines as a Patrol. You need to drive within the bounds of your vehicle. I have heard all the negatives about autolockers and am yet to find a situation where I have had a problem driving with it. As I stated earlier for non comp use an autlocker is the way to go.

[JBE]

Agree with blkmav. I also think yopu can't compare a dodgy set up autolocker with a properly installed airlocker as some people do.
If the autolocker is set up properly, it will unlock when it's supposed to.

I also think that most of the CV damage people talk about is caused by incorrectly installed auto lockers.

I agree with the comment on torque steering and I personally wouldn't install it in a truck with permanent 4WD.

[Gruntahunta]

I had a lockrite in the front of my hilux for near 10 years and i never had a problem with it. I drove it accordingly and allowed for it in tight stuff. It was a "Get me out of trouble" thing, not for comp use. No doubt i would have walked home on numerous occasions without it and i think this is the sort of thing they are designed for. Not everyone is into comps! It allowed me to go much slower through tough stuff and not knock my truck around. I didn't have a winch on it so i needed the traction it afforded me. Horses for courses i think, they do a great job for what they were designed for. And yes i have had it on the beach and no it didn't tear the wheel out of my hand.......

I now have a GU ute with a front ARB Airlocker and winch. Only reason i got an airlocker was because i was warned off putting the auto lockers in the big horsepower trucks as they tend to break them. I also wanted an air compressor on board as well so it serves a couple of purposes.....

Cheers..................Pete!

[phil_fehlberg]

There have been discussions, on other forums, about the installation of an LSD in the front. What do you guys think of that?
Phil

[Mick.]

There have been discussions, on other forums, about the installation of an LSD in the front. What do you guys think of that?
Phil

I don't think it would be worth it. It would cost you nearly the same price to put a LSD in the front as what it would a auto locker i'd imagine.

BTW I'm running a Detroit sof locker in the front of my patrol and I think there brillant. Mine isn't noticable on sand what so ever and it always unlocks when needed too.


Cheers Mick.

[badger]

to properly install and set up an autolocker in my experiance costs almost as much as an airlocker

and for my money id spend the extra bit to get 100 times better outcome
but hey its my oppinion and the oppinion of atleast half the people on this forum but in the end its your truck and your entitled to your oppinion

[LOCKEE]

I have had both and rather the Airlockers Front and Rear in my current GQ.

If you ran muddies or All Terrains I believe the Powertrax is an option but rather the selectable Locker.

I have run the Powertrax in GQ's and GU's , 80 and a Hilux.

Drive them like a high powered front wheel drive on greasy roads and you will do well.

[David_S]

I have had a "Detroit" by Tractech in the rear of my MQ for over 10 years and an ARB in the front for the last 5. A Great combination as you are not totally reliant on one compressor. I would not be happy putting any auto-locker in the front as there are many occasions when you don't want a locker engaged as they tend to push you sideways on a slippery slope. I even got myself out of a slippery river bed once when I was jammed between some rocks by actually disengaging the ARB.

Here are some comments based on an article I wrote for our local club a few years ago.

"The 'Detroit' works brilliantly off-road especially rock hopping but does have some idiosyncrasies. I have one in the rear and an ARB in the front. When engaged the Detroit acts as if the axles were welded together. When you lift a wheel 100% of the torque goes to the other wheel. However because of the backlash built into the unit (which equates to about 1½" at the tyre tread) the locking/unlocking action can be quite abrupt and with all the torque suddenly going to one half-axle there is a definite risk of axle breakage. If you break one you may not notice immediately (apart from the bang) as the other continues to drive. My instruction book recommends you check periodically to see if you have a broken axle by driving against a bank and checking both wheels are turning! The fact that they are always on is an advantage except on a cross-slope. Like all lockers they tend to push you downhill in these conditions.

On road they can be a bit of a bore, particularly around town. I have found two main problems. The first is when negotiatng a sharp turn on a dry pavement such as in a car park. All the torque goes to the inside turning wheel as the outer one cams out and free-wheels. The inner wheel is inclined at times to break traction in a series of small leaps and squeals leaving much rubber on the pavement. The second is that the unit sometimes seems to "lock up" unnoticed and then "unlock" with a loud bang and a disconcerting sideways hop! This second problem can be minimised by ensuring that the tyre diameters, pressures and wear are the same, that the axle end play is adequate and that the vehicle is evenly loaded. But it still happens occasionally and usually in an embarrassing place such as the starting line of the South Island Coast to Coast safari.

On the highway it is more a question of adjusting your driving style. For example the back of the truck may "twitch" due to the inbuilt backlash when going from "drive" to "coast" in a corner as the torque flow is reversed - inside wheel during acceleration, outside when decelerating. This occurs as the torque to the wheel changes abruptly from 50% to 100%. In vehicles with permanent 4WD this twitchiness is, I understand, not so noticeable as the change in torque at the wheel is only from 25% to 33% (3 wheels driving rather than 4). The solution in my case (with part-time 4WD) is to avoid torque reversal by neither changing gear nor switching from acceleration to deceleration in a corner, which after all is only good driving technique.

There is another slightly disconcerting feature with vehicles such as mine which have the handbrake on the transmission. After the handbrake has been applied and the footbrake released the vehicle can roll back slightly as the backlash in the unit is taken up. It feels like a mile but is in reality only a couple of inches. You just have to learn to be patient with well-meaning bystanders who call out that your truck is " getting away"! To be honest, my truck did nearly get away once when I noticed it moving but stood watching, assuming it was the backlash! This handbrake problem can also be tricky when winching up a hill and driving the wheels at the same time. If the wheels take over so that the rope goes slack and you then stop and apply the handbrake the run-back of the vehicle before the brake takes effect can put quite a shock load on the rope if you are not careful. I got myself in a spot of bother recently when this happened and the rope jammed itself between the sheave and the cheeks of the snatch block. (It was raining too of course)."

My conclusion after 10 years?
If you do a lot of offroad work and don't drive much around town then a "Detroit" or similar is well worth a try. If you only go offroad occasionally then a limited slip differential or a locker which can be disengaged (such as the ARB) would be my choice. However it may be that with more recent units Tractech have solved the problems related above in which case ....ummm?

As for maintenance - I have done none to the unit in the 10 years though I do periodically adjust the axle end play. I had it set up originally by a professional as I am not up to adjusting gear clearances. I just use the diff oil grade recommended by Nissan. SAE 90 gear oil. I don't think it matters too much which brand as with the frequent river crossings I do I change the oil regularly.

Cheers, David

[DR Frankenstine]

NO!!!

[stool]

Go for it mate very little to be concerned about

[John H]

I have had one of the cheaper 'Lokka' lockrights in my GQ for around 7 or 8 years. Yes, you have to drive accordingly as the torque steer is annoying on general dirt road driving. For touring the Lokka sux as high range 4x4 is useless in most cases (due to the tight steering).
If I had the money at the time I would have gone an Air Locker, but for the money it hasnt been all that bad - if it was I would have ditched it long ago.
I had a problem with it around 1 year ago when I had to replace the little spring loaded pins but asside from that it has been 100% reliable. In some ways it is nice to just drive through the rougher trails witout having to think about pressing extra air locker buttons.
Thats my 2c worth - I dont think they are too bad if you are strapped for cash...

PS. Probably worth mentioning that I like to crawl rather that use the go pedal too heavily. I am sure that something like an Air Locker or a Detroit would be stronger.
PPS. The Lokka (done by 4WD Systems) probably comes out of China or Tiawan (not Aus). I wouldnt be supprised if LockRights also come from Asia. It is simply the way the world is going and the Asian's can make damn good stuff for a few grains of rice a day.

[zook chick]

to properly install and set up an autolocker in my experiance costs almost as much as an airlocker

and for my money id spend the extra bit to get 100 times better outcome
but hey its my oppinion and the oppinion of atleast half the people on this forum but in the end its your truck and your entitled to your oppinion

Well your experience is pretty off track mate. It cost us $30 to hav a lockrite lokka fitted in our rear diff on the lux. If u pull it all out & give it to em (which lets face it.... is not very hard) then its cheap as chips. and on your earlier comment on not being able to turn a corner if its in the front. u obviously havent driven a car running one & if u did then you dont really know how to. All you have to do is be off the throttle & it unlocks. if your flat foot she will bite in but all u have to do to unlock them is to back it off.

True u are entitled to your opinion but so is everyone else. cheers guys

[Batcho Snr]

I have a "Lokka" in the front of my GQ. Best investment I ever made. Yes the turning circle is reduced but if you coast in corners there are no problems. In sand they work fantastic (the front turns like the rock crawlers when their "digging') the front pulls it's self around. As for strenght I've had mine for about 3 years and no problems though I have broken a cv but that happens with air lockers as well

[ozy1]

i am a big fan of air locers, but we have also had auto lockers in an MQ patrol,

it reall does come down to personal opinions, i have seen and driver with auto lockers and they are great, especially with budget in mine, they are always there, less mechanical parts ofr failure, no air lines, no eletricals no compressor,

but i do love the Air lockers for their ability for turning them on and off, as i have experience driving a ledge, when the rear locker in was pushing me further and further towards the clif edge, but once i diengaged the rear locker, it drove up no dramas,

if your goign to get into comps id tend to go for the airlockers,

find someone with the set up your looking for, and see if they can take you for a spin, even let you drive so you can get your own opinion, it will help you make the choice on your hard earned dollars,