WV99XJ

Who has a front locker in the D30? I was thinking about the Aussie Locker. Anyone have opinions?

zeeksta

i have a trutrac limited slip in mine. i love it.

WV99XJ

is it noisy? How does it work? Price? thanks

TEEJ

Aussie Lockers look like the best way to go...so far...but, they are still running tests. The engineer I spoke to there said Mid April they will have completed the testing, and have all they need to sell proven/tested "Next Gen" JK D30 lockers.

So, Mid-April is a week or so from right now (Today's the 7th....) - So, Personnally, I'd wait a bit.

The Aussie's allow the outside tire to turn faster on turns like an open diff...BUT, they ALSO MAKE the inside tire turn at gear speed as well...so, its a true locker, that turns the outside tire faster on a turn, and STILL makes the inside tire work to move you.

(On an open diff, or an "auto differentiating locker" - they unlock the inside tire and spin the outer one faster, as it has further to go around a turn......OR, make both tires turn at the SAME speed, DESPITE the fact that the outer one has a longer trip, etc.)

So - the Aussie solution to still propel both tires, at ALL times, but with the outer one going faster as needed, makes it front axle friendly, unlike the competition, where you have to sometimes unlock to make a tight turn, or just plow wide once in a while, etc.

The Aussie is also quieter....most people can't here it inside while driving....outside, a quiet ratcheting type clicking, on turns, is audible to those close by, outside the rig.

The other lockers either chirp, skidder, or make louder ratcheting noises on turns, etc...as the outer tire and inner tires build and release tension as they go around the same turn, but at different speeds.

So considering the Aussie is a 1.5 -2 hr driveway project a monkey could do, vs the work to install some other lockers, and the Aussie being less then $250 DELIVERED....its hard to beat.

So far, a few people here HAVE installed the D30 front locker on their JK's, and no one has had a problem I'm aware of...DESPITE the new D30 being a bit different than the old one...it worked well anyway....so, the testing and so forth will address the differences, and make it an even BETTER fit than the accidentally workable fit thus far.



I'm waiting at least.

zeeksta

you can search trutrac on the net, they will do a way better job explaining it.
its a limited slip not a locker
i didnt want a locking diff on the front of my swb jeep
its not noticable at all except for the traction

TEEJ

LSD's are great up front too...I know a lot of people who went that route to avoid a front locker specifically because of the limitations a front locker traditionally imposed.

Now that the Aussie Locker overcomes most of those limitations, and costs less than the LSD, its become the better answer...especially as the LSD has a break-a-way torque spec....so it essentally works like a full locker in a straight line, or on turns, until the difference in torque between the two sides has built up to the break-a-way torque setting, and then the LSD lets go, and the diff functions like an open diff, with no torque to the slower tire.

In general, lockers and LSD's (if too tight/too high a break-a-way torque) tend to accelerate tire wear on a DD...but on a part time 4wd rig....that's mostly negated for a front diff..

Enteric

So, how do you turn on the Aussie Locker? Is it turned on as soon as you stick it in 4hi or 4low?

TEEJ

Correct, as soon as you are in 4wd...the hubs are engaged, and you are locked and loaded.

TEEJ

Well, other lockers in the snow tend to crab...as does LSD, etc.

IE: You tend to plow a bit wider on turns, and, you can slide a bit more to your down hill side, etc....but you tend NOT to get stuck...

In snow, especially deep snow that traps other rigs....once an open diffed tire slips, the other tire stops....as the slipping tire is going faster, and gets all the go go juice.

In the same scenario...the locked diff keeps BOTH tires turning....so if one slips, the other is still moving you, etc.

On MOST lockers, the crabbing and plowing wide is controllable if you know how to drive, and know its going to occur, etc....and you plan for it....EXACTLY like you'd plan to drive on snow with a regular rig and NO locker....you KNOW you'll slip more if the ground is slippery, etc....and drive accordingly.

With an Aussie Locker...their lawyers make them use a std locker admonition about snow/ice....but, with the outside tire able to go faster, just like an open diffed rig, it mitigates the normal locker induced effects.

It will not ELIMINATE locker induced effects, as it DOES keep turning the inboard tire too...but it DOES allow the turned tires to push you in the direction you pointed it better, and plow less, etc.

Interestingly...a front ONLY locked rig tends to crab less, as its typically the REAR END that slips out first when locked anyway....so the problem is worse when the REAR is locked than with the front.

element981

Crabbed???