Before this thread takes off again with opinions, I like to point out something that is always way overlooked. The JKs have a brake lock differential (BSD) system. If you understand it and know how it works, it is nearly as good as lockers. Problem is, people have no idea it's there or if they do, don't understand how it works.

Next time you are climbing a hill and losing some traction, keep light throttle on. After a couple seconds you will notice all the wheels turning as if they were locked. Essentially, the computer senses the slipped and applies braking to the spinning wheel, resulting in the wheel with traction to start turning. The computer is darn good at it and will have the tires moving like they were locked.

I run the hardest trails I can find and I rarely use my lockers. I have more fun running with an open diff. Once you turn them on, you can barely steer. Really though, you can run some of the hardest trails out there without lockers.

What really makes the difference is good tires, correct tire pressure for the trail, and what I feel is most important is proper gearing and transfer case ratio. When I see JKs in the rocks having issues, it is almost always due to gearing. They can't go slow enough. If you don't have a Rubicon, get a Rubicon transfer case. It is the best mod I have ever done (if you knew my build, you would know that is a meaningful statement).

 

Or, just buy a set of Rubicon take-off axles and sell your axles. That will cost less that just about any option. If you keep an eye out, you will find some already regeared. Or, there is a guy who sells new front Rubicon axles for about $1800 with whatever gears you want. So, $1800 for a D44 with 4.56 gears and a locker, minus about $700 that you sell the D30 for, and you are at about $1100 for a reageared front Rubi axle that is brand new.

 

Based upon your comments, would you upgrade the factory LSD to a trutrac while having the carrier open for re-gearing?

 

I can't honestly say if a true trac would work better. It is my understanding that it is much stronger and better designed. However, I haven't heard of the stock one having issues. You'll have to do some research on that one.

However, if you are going to spend the money on that, might just spend a few hundred more and get the Eaton E-locker. If I had chose front or rear, I would have a selectable in the rear for sure. I bet if you called around to some of the large drivetrain shops, you could find a good deal on one.

 

I wish i had enough money to stop worrying about decisions cause i'm kind of like in the same boat, except i don't have a factory LSD in the back of my Jeep. i've done reasearch about any possibility available with different shops to do gears, and locker front/rear, locker rear and TT front, etc, it would cost me about $3500 to do gears, elocker rear and TT front, not counting taxes and miscellaneous.

In anoher forum i've been pointed out doing anything other than c-gussets to my D30 front would be a waste of money, and that i should save the money for an aftermarket d44/pr44. Frankly, there is a lot of mixed opinions about the case, and because i don't want to spend the money in my rig based on the assumption that i should do "xyz" mod now, because this or that, and risk blowing my front diff off no matter what, i've decided to do baby steps, leave my front open for now, and simple do the c-gussets there, as for the rear, i'll go with an eaton elocker, which btw i would do,regardless if i had LSD or not in the rear diff, the front seems to be the weakest point by far in our rigs, and i've had other rigs with just a rear locker that went pretty much anywhere, so for now not having a front locker wouldn't be the end of the world for me.

I'm even debating not doing gears and simply installing the eaton elocker in the back, frankly with the 3.21's and the 33's my Jeep doesn't have much issues moving around, if i had the 3.8 engine with the old trans, gears will definitely be my first mod, i just tested with a friend this past Sunday, and his JKU with 33's felt really bad driving around town, my gosh, he also felt the difference driving mine, day and night difference.

Yes, i'm aware i'll be paying double for the install work, but considering the amount of money i'll be saving today (doing just elocker and c-gussets, i'm estimating to pay $1500 for parts and install) vs the benefit it would give me in the long run, and because i won't be doing 35's for at least another 2 years or so, i have no reason to spend close to $4k in mods after taxes, and be always worried about my D30 is going to explode anyways. An aftermarket 44 modded with gears and locker or TT is another $3500-$4000, might as well start saving for something like it now, so in 2 years i can do that at the same time i'm adding the 35's.

If it does or doesn't make sense to follow this approach, remember in the end, money comes out your pockets, and ultimately the decision is yours, if you can afford it, by all means, go for it.

Have fun.