Aussie lockers in Colorado weather?

[cfr]

Anyone here run an Aussie locker in the front?

My Wrangler X Unlimited is open in the front and at $300 with a DIY install this price seems unbeatable.

I've read that it will "crab walk" on ice but remember that it's only engaged when in 4wd. Just how bad is this?

Looking for personal experience. I've read lots of opinions on the JK Wrangler forums but not a lot of first-hand experience.

[DETN8R]

I've run my Aussie in the rear now for over a year.
From what I hear if we he had locking hubs on the front axels throwing in a locker like an aussie in the front would be no problem on the street.

Everyone always says to run a selectable up front.

[Brody]

I've read that it will "crab walk" on ice but remember that it's only engaged when in 4wd. Just how bad is this?

Looking for personal experience. I've read lots of opinions on the JK Wrangler forums but not a lot of first-hand experience.

Any locker in the front, be it an Aussie, ARB, Detroit, Lincoln Locked or whatever, will try to go straight as both wheels are turning. As a result, if you are on an icy trail and it is even slightly off camber, your rig will want to crab walk. Ditto on an icy, off camber section of paved road...your rig will want to slide sideways off the cambered slope.

Simply the nature of the beast. That is one of the reasons that the selectable lockers are so popular...you can run fully locked or in 4 wheel drive with only one front wheel turning...and can switch back and forth. Dependent upon what conditions you expect to run your Jeep in, especially whether you find yourself using 4WD a lot on the regular roads in the winter, you may find that a selectable is the way to go. It is just about the only way you can have both, as you surely do not want to be locked in the front on even icy pavement...

I have had rigs that I ran Lincoln Locked front and rear. They worked fine off road, but I never ever locked in the hubs when I was on pavement...ever....

Right now I have either a Detroit Locker or an ARB in the rear, depending on the axle that is underneath it. I have an ARB in the front. Most of my winter driving, no matter the snow conditions, on regular roads, I can do in 2 wheel drive, with few exceptions. On trail, in winter conditions, I am switching back and forth between being locked in front or in regular 4WD.

Let your driving dictate which one you are going to get. If you anticipate using 4WD getting to and from home to work in winter conditions, then you are pretty much locked (pun) into getting a selectable locker. If it is going to be for for trail use, then go with the cheaper non selectable locker.

[Warrlord]

Ditto what Pete (Brody) said. I have Detroits at both ends. With the hubs locked & in 4wd on a slippery (icy) street, it usually will want to go straight when you're trying to make a turn.
However, being locked in the rear makes it to where you might not need 4wd on slick streets provided the tires are in good shape. I remember driving rear wheel drive vehciles since '79 on slick roads all the time because I never had a 4wd until '95. All bets are off though if there's 6 foot drifts in the road :D time to lock the hubs & engage 4wd.

If you'll rely on always being in 4wd on slick streets in winter, I think you'd be better off with a selectable locker.

[Aaron]

Ditto what Pete (Brody) said. I have Detroits at both ends. With the hubs locked & in 4wd on a slippery (icy) street, it usually will want to go straight when you're trying to make a turn.
However, being locked in the rear makes it to where you might not need 4wd on slick streets provided the tires are in good shape. I remember driving rear wheel drive vehciles since '79 on slick roads all the time because I never had a 4wd until '95. All bets are off though if there's 6 foot drifts in the road :D time to lock the hubs & engage 4wd.

If you'll rely on always being in 4wd on slick streets in winter, I think you'd be better off with a selectable locker.

And I've read on other forums, if you have a D35 in the rear, you don't want to lock it as it just cannot take the extra stress of having to force both wheels to turn. I'm no mechanic so I don't know that to be the case, but its what I've read.

Aaron

[Funrover]

And I've read on other forums, if you have a D35 in the rear, you don't want to lock it as it just cannot take the extra stress of having to force both wheels to turn. I'm no mechanic so I don't know that to be the case, but its what I've read.

Aaron

All how you drive, I have seen many D35's locked with 0 issues.

[Warrlord]

And I've read on other forums, if you have a D35 in the rear, you don't want to lock it as it just cannot take the extra stress of having to force both wheels to turn. I'm no mechanic so I don't know that to be the case, but its what I've read.

Aaron

Yeah, the D35's aren't known for strength. However, my brotherran a Detroit in his D35 in his XJ for years with 35" tires & 4.56's. We wheeled together & he never had an issue with it. Of course we would both wheel with the same credo............

"As slow as possible, as fast as necessary"


I think that's what kept both of us wheeling more than fixing.