DirtyKK

I acquired a new ARB for uber cheap and could potentially sell it if I think installing two LSDs would be more beneficial then having just the one locker. In 4 low the ESP is not as sensitive and im thinking that the ESP could actually help the LSDs act like more of a locker almost instead of stopping wheel spin to the point its bogging down the motor. All of my local wheeling is sand, dirt, mud and water crossings. I get a tire off the ground often depending on the obstacle. Im wondering that when I do get the tire off the ground is the LSD going to give me enough umph to get up and over where a locked axle would surely shine. So how bout a vote and some opinions? I only want to do one of the two to save on some coin. So no I will not be going LSD/ARB, neither will I settle for LSD/Lunchbox.

phljeeper

The locker will work much better than the LSD when you have a wheel off the ground in an off camber situation. The ESP is deactivated when in 4LO so it will not help you out. If you have a locker already, go for it. I am running an ARB in the rear and a Detriot LSD in the front and get the best of both worlds. I was back and forth on what to do and the end result of locking the rear is a very capable Jeep.

DirtyKK

Thanks for the reply. The ESP is not completely disabled in 4Low, it is just not as sensitive to wheel spin but will still kick in if there is too much.

porters

Not to confuse ESP with BLD, but BLD still works in 4 low and BLD provides LSD style, not locker style, traction when one wheel is lifted. BLD in conjunction with a mechanical LSD would work together to increase effectiveness.

Even together BLD and an LSD would not equal a locker and that's what the question is about.

When answering that question there are several things to consider. There are some very good LSDs out there. I would recommend a helical gear LSD like a Truetrac over a clutch style LSD. The helical gear LSDs will not wear our and will lock up very tight. Add BLD to two Truetracs and that would get you a long way with no worries about air line leaks. It would be a reliable traction aid that most of the time would just work without you having to think about it.

On the other hand there is no substitute for a true locker. Lockers will get you places no other traction aid can. They are strong and if installed properly can be very reliable. However, lockers can and do fail due to various reasons and it is not uncommon to find someone on the trail trying to fix a leak in the air line.

If you need the kind of traction that only a locker can provide then install your ARB and carry some spare seals and fittings with you on the trail just in case. If you don't need a full locker, two Truetracs are certainly a good alternative that will just quietly work when you need them without any worries or fears or maintenance.

DirtyKK

that is the best explanation i could have asked for Porters. sorry for the previous confusion on my part about the ESP also. Now i still need to decide. I have the ARB ready to install when i regear and an OBA setup for airing tires but I was definitely considering the tru trac up front and the oem trac loc to save myself some cash and the hassle. maybe replace the trac loc with a tru trac but would almost feel like im wasting money there.

ClaytonT

I'd go with the locker. They even make 2wd pickups incredibly capable.

DirtyKK

the purpose in doing one locker now or two limited slip now is so i will not have to pay for 2x the labor in the long run.

porters

Here are some additional thoughts. The rear Trac Loc is a clutch style limited slip and in perfect conditions can transfer up to 50% of the applied torque to the opposite wheel. However, these clutch packs wear out quickly and may not much help after about 30K miles. At that point the LSD needs to be rebuilt to regain their effectiveness. If you are past 30K miles mark and are going to regear, and have decided to keep the Trac Loc, then have them rebuild it while you are in the neighborhood. You can also have them bias the clutch packs higher for even more traction.

If you add a standard Trac Loc to BLD, together they could transfer approx 75% of the applied torque. That sounds pretty good on paper but it's not the 100% transfer of a full locker.

A TruTrac on the other hand can transfer 75% of the torque all by itself. If you add BLD the number is probably higher, maybe 82% or so. The big advantage of a TruTrac is the fact that they don't wear out like the Trac Loc will. over the long run they pay for themselves when compared to a clutch pack LSD becasue they do not need to be rebuilt over and over.

One last note. Full lockers can prevent excessive wheel spin when a tire is lifted. Most of the time axles or u-joints break when a wheel is in the air spinning and then that wheel touches down. As that tire touches down the momentum of the tire causes a lot of stress to the axles resulting in the break. A locker has no wheel spin in this scenario.

However, if your not lifting wheels, the LSDs are easier on the drive line components from a normal wear and tear perspective. Lockers cause a lot more stress on the drive line components when engaged than an LSD. That extra stress will cause drive line components to wear out quicker with a locker than an LSD. A locker will prevent you from breaking an axle due to wheel spin, but over time it can cause the axle to fail due to metal fatigue.

Anyway I hope this helps.

owtcast

Do the locker in the rear, LSD in front if you are regearing. If you're not regearing, just the locker in the rear will save you money for not having to setup two axles. And it will be far more capable than 2 LSDs.

azrwilkinson

Thats what all the long time jeepers around here have told me. Lock the back first. Hope you get it all figured out.