Outer Limits 4x4 Board

So here goes, shopping around for a rear locker as it appears my side gears and locker are worn out. I still want to have a locked rear and a Air locker is still out of my price range, that and it would be approaching 1/4 of the cost of my Sierra almost..

BBM Lockright - $399 / Not sure if this is with couplers, picture is a powertrax with couplers. Not sure if this is with Freight..?

Snake Racing - $720 doesn't say but picture does not show one / No talk of Freight.... And have they seen how much everyone else is selling lockers for...?

Spidertrax - US $289.00 / then there is freight and our sad conversion rate now. This is for the Lock-Right 1530 Locker with couplers

Trail Tough - US $209 / Again freight currency and this is the Lockrite 1510 so no couplers

Trail Tough - US $109 Mini Spool / Again freight and US dollar. But Im not sure if I still need the spider gears with a Mini spool.

Low Range Off-Road - US $269.00 Again freight and US currency. Powertrax Lockright with Couplers #1530

Locktup 4x4 - $529.66 / Includes couplers and freight.

I have ordered parts of all these companies bar Locktup. So far all freight from the US has been quick and without any issues. I would consider a Mini spool but cant seem to find the exact wording or explanation as to whether or not it replaces the spider gears which would be good.

Minispool replaces the spider gears and the side gears.

try 4wd systems ph 08 83690033 del aus wide and their goanna lokka is usally around the $499 mark

hillbilliywheelchair wrote:try 4wd systems

Thanks, have you dealt with these guys personally..? And does the Goanna Lokka use couplers..?

On that note I know Mini spool is far less dodgy than welding (not taking away from the fact that it still works) but am I asking the same question in saying what are they like on the road...? e.g no difference.

Mini Spool from Low Range puts Aus cost at - $355 freighted another $170 puts me with a auto locker with couplers....

i have so have most of my mates i got two in my bros zuk and two in my pootroll they where always helpfull and do come with coplers

if your happy to go a spool in the rear, save your $300+ and just weld it.
yes the same, a good welded center is the same as a spooled center, just cheaper.
the money you save by welding, buy a lock right for the front.

Yeah I agree if you want constant lock just weld, in a zook other things will fail before a properly welded diff. That said I hate welded and spooled cars/4bys, like mentioned go the 4wd systems lokka which is an aussie company and like the rest is just a complete copy of a lockright.

I had my local 4Wd shop look at the $wd systems lockers and they didn't make them for the sierra. I'm puttin a spool in the rear and a detroit easy locker in the front

Thanks for info sofar, I all ready have a welded front, yet I dont worry about the welding there as its really only used when Im going slow in low range and short periods. The reason I'm considering a Spool is that is reversible for down the track, but my second idea is that the Sierra could possibly become my daily driver for the rest of the year whilst I finish uni. So it wont just be a weekend wheeler, so Im worried a welded rear might not hold up for all the driving I do during the week and the wheeling on weekends.

But Im going to give the local guys a call and see what they have first then make up my mind.

I use to have a 4x4 systems locker in the front of my 75 series. It came with good instructions and was easy to fit. Changed itto front and rear air lockers now. I rang them up the other day to get one for the rear of my 92 sierra. I was told that they haven't released them yet but the will be out by the middle of the year for about the $500 mark. Im gonna wait till then I know there a good thing

If you ask nicely, loctup will probably give a discount!

When i was looking around they had the best deal (lower price than advertised)

I cant speak from experience, but i did do a fair bit of research and found that apparently the goanna lokka isnt quite as smooth action as loctup's Richmond Lock-right.

BTW i havent fitted the lock-right, im using it as a paper weight because i ended up welding the rear end which is by far the most cost effective, traction increasing mod you can do. Lock-right will either go in the front, or be sold.

make sure you ask about frieght, snake racing didnt say anything when i called them up to give CC details, however charged it onto my card regardless.

mike_nofx wrote:If you ask nicely, loctup will probably give a discount!

When i was looking around they had the best deal (lower price than advertised)

I cant speak from experience, but i did do a fair bit of research and found that apparently the goanna lokka isnt quite as smooth action as loctup's Richmond Lock-right.

BTW i havent fitted the lock-right, im using it as a paper weight because i ended up welding the rear end which is by far the most cost effective, traction increasing mod you can do. Lock-right will either go in the front, or be sold.

Smooth? Haha I have yet to see a lockright that is smooth in action, I know mine isn't lol, you do learn to drive differently and live with the odd *click BANG!* though.

I got my minispool for the rear of my 91WT from Lowrangeoffroad before the dollar went to $h1t.

I have a Lockright in the front - I would NOT want one in the back!!!

Mine is not a daily driver, but it 'could' be. Sharp slow corners are my only real 'on-road' problem, as the zook has a tendency to "pig root" a bit. I try to avoid this where possible, as I'm sure my axles don't like it too much! Otherwise I am 100% happy with my minispool - On the highway/general driving you will hardly even know its there.

Welded or minispooled - same result, but the minispool is bullet-proof!

Cheers,

Pez

In case anyone is interested, here is a step by step install (with pics) of a TT Minispool into a zook.

http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content/topic,9054.0.html

Cheers,

Pez

Thanks for your info and link Pez.. . The Mini spool is truly mini for a Sierra Diff. One thing I liked about the Locker (lockright) was it seemed that it stopped the driveline bind up being to bad when the front was locked in and on the rocky surfaces. So at the moment I have sent of a email to Low Range Offroad to ask a little information on freight.

get one thru 4wd systems i have bought about 5 lokka's about $480 and had no drama and very quick service.

aaron

No worries Mud-Pig.

I have spoken to a few people that have Lockrights in the rear and the feedback I get is varied. Some like them, others don't. Some are very noisy, some are quiet. Some unlock easily and some rarely ever unlock (like mine).

Most of the bad feedback I have heard is to do with the 'occasional' unpredictable nature of them. I can say that I am only just happy with mine - I will eventually air lock the front when I find the spare coin! (and I will leave the spool in the rear!)

(ps - I have only had experience with Richmond Lockrights - no other brands...)

Cheers,

Pez

I have been considering an auto locker for my sierra but having read this I'm not so sure. I live on a fairly winding stretch of road which is often wet and i tend to accelerate thru corners. Would I get myself in trouble with one of these? I drive an 89 sj50 with 1.6(16v) on 29" bfg mdders. I've always read in 4wd action that you have to adjust your driving style to suit and auto locker but they never say in what way!

I reckon the people that are whinging about them are those who have attempted to install and set them up themselves. I run my lockrite in the rear and airlocker front and the lockrite is fine. if you hit the gas going around a greasy roundabout then it'll usually understeer and try and push you straight which is no problem if you are ready for it and drive accordingly.

i would strongly advise spending the $150 bucks or so to get someone to install it who knows what they are doing. Mine hardly ever makes noise when engaging or disengaging. I love it!

Yeah I love my lockright too, professionally installed by the previous owner who was a mechanic at a 4wd and offroad racing specialist. It's still going strong after a few years of service. And like mentioned mine also is quite %90 of the time, it's only on odd occasions is will do the ole click bang, that and the usual click click click into car parks with the clutch in is it.

In the wet I don't find it a hinderance at all, sure it can induce a little oversteer but I don't mind that. I'll take oversteer instead of understeer any day and I find it usefull sometimes, I am used to it though after owning a modified V8 commodore.

As i am running a detroit easy locker i had no such drama with clicking, clunking and banging. Mine operates perfectly smooth with only the quietest of clicking on a full lock turn on pavement.

Thats not to say i think they are a good idea to have in the rear of any car. The problem i have found is the back lash which i believe is where the pins move back and forth in the tapered groove in the centre. mine is terrible to drive rite now as it has a cheap clutch and is very hard to let the clutch out slowely resulting in a big bang when the backlash takes up.

I'm planning to move mine to the front and use a spool in the rear as there should be no backlash with a spool. and i find when in 4wd the front diff seems to carry the back diff on take off resulting in alot less of a bang.

i figure if the rear has a spool then it should carry the front even more.

now can any1 tell me what a coupler is. i have no idea but i have seen lock rites with and with out couplers. can some1 please explain.

As i ordered a lock right with couplers i actually recieved a detroit easy locker. i am un aware if it has couplers or not

The standard Lockright #1510 uses the factory side gears, which is what the go is in my Sierra. The side gears are now worn out to the point that i dont have a locked rear and I have a constant unloading.

Cant find an image that i can get to work in here check out the differences between the two on Spidertrax
http://www.spidertrax.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.20/.f

The one with couplers #1530 replaces them, my understanding is the couplers are stronger and mesh better.

MUD-PIGSIERRA wrote:The one with couplers #1530 replaces them, my understanding is the couplers are stronger and mesh better.

But are a bit more violent in their engagement (supposedly)

zookimal wrote:But are a bit more violent in their engagement (supposedly)

Well I'll def be able to answer that in a few weeks from the comparison between the two.

ok thanks for the info guys. I now know my detroit easy locker does not come with couplers and it uses the spider gear to engage. I'm sorta gettin the idea that this may be the cause of so much backlash.
As the spider gear looks to have much deeper teeth than that of the lockrite with couplers. So in turn would need the clutches (centre pieces of the set up. un-sure of name for these) to move further out to fully engage. witch in turn would mean more rotation of carier.

Am i on the rite trck here? such a simple set up, but it would seem to have me beat on why i can't eliminate back lash. I'm thinkin alond the lines of shims to keep the spider gears closer to centre. this could turn bad quicly but i hate this un-pleasant backlash. Could turn it into a lock diff with no give there for eliminating the purpose of havin a easy locker.

Might give detroit a call. Any other ideas

they rely on too many precise measurements, this can all be thrown out of wack if the diff has done a heap of k's etc. sidegears, thrust washers and cross-shaft block (if the coupler version) have to be within good tolerences or the system won't function properly. hence why they are a cheap way of locking a diff.

Sorry to hijack but in relation to the couplers. If I were to order a lockright with couplers and a set of double toughs for the front that would be all I need?

Yes that's all you would need, or you can now order the 26 spline side gears if you all ready had a locker in there. They are $53 US each so you need two.

dank wrote:I reckon the people that are whinging about them are those who have attempted to install and set them up themselves. I run my lockrite in the rear and airlocker front and the lockrite is fine. if you hit the gas going around a greasy roundabout then it'll usually understeer and try and push you straight which is no problem if you are ready for it and drive accordingly.

i would strongly advise spending the $150 bucks or so to get someone to install it who knows what they are doing. Mine hardly ever makes noise when engaging or disengaging. I love it!

Exactly right, if youre Lockrite doesnt work properly, it isnt fitted properly. I fitted mine myself and its smooth as glass. I got a heap of weight in the back too.