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Diff locker for front axel

  • horam_jimny
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26 Nov 2014 14:13 #130678 by horam_jimny
Diff locker for front axel was created by horam_jimny
From reading quite a few posts over the years about a rear diff locker (Lockrite I think is the most common) that is permenantly installed as opposed to the ARB style air lockers. It seems that if your car is a daily driver too then they're not the most comfortable to live with.

Why don't they do a Lockrite style one for the front axel? Seeing as it isn't engaged when driving on road it wouldn't cause any issues for normal driving (assuming you had the vacuum system or manual hubs installed) yet when you're offroad and engaged 4wd it would be working as it should?

There must be issues with this theory as otherwise I'm sure it would be more popular but I can't seem to work out what they are.

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26 Nov 2014 15:25 #130684 by mlines
Replied by mlines on topic Diff locker for front axel
Its much simpler than that. They do not do a lockrite style locker for the front because the Jimny was never sold in mainland USA!. The rear lockers just happen to fit because the ones from a SJ fit. But the Jimny fronts are different from an SJ so there is no lockrite solution.

ARB from Australia do produce for the Jimny but they do Air Lockers. There is also a Chinese copy and a German air-locker available for the front.

So no technical reason, its commercial - no-one has made one.

Martin

2003 M13 early KAP build.
3" Trailmaster lift with 1.5 Spacers on front
Customised winch bumper and roll cage
235/85R16 Maxxis Bighorns on 16" Rims, 4:1 Rocklobster, Rear ARB locker and on-board air
Corrected arms all-round, rear disks, Recaro seats and harnesses

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  • TomDK
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26 Nov 2014 16:12 #130685 by TomDK
Replied by TomDK on topic Diff locker for front axel

mlines wrote: Its much simpler than that. They do not do a lockrite style locker for the front because the Jimny was never sold in mainland USA!. The rear lockers just happen to fit because the ones from a SJ fit. But the Jimny fronts are different from an SJ so there is no lockrite solution.

ARB from Australia do produce for the Jimny but they do Air Lockers. There is also a Chinese copy and a German air-locker available for the front.

So no technical reason, its commercial - no-one has made one.


German Air-locker? Never heard of that. Do you have a link?

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  • vitara_mad
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26 Nov 2014 16:13 #130686 by vitara_mad
Replied by vitara_mad on topic Diff locker for front axel
jimny front diff is 2 pin & lockrights work in 4 pin diffs

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26 Nov 2014 16:47 #130689 by mlines
Replied by mlines on topic Diff locker for front axel

TomDK wrote:
German Air-locker? Never heard of that. Do you have a link?


typically I cannot find the link now. It was in an orange/black box with, I think, a wolfs head on it. I was offered them to sell in the store a couple of years ago but never came to a deal. It could have been a Chinese copy of an ARB in a smart looking box.

Martin

2003 M13 early KAP build.
3" Trailmaster lift with 1.5 Spacers on front
Customised winch bumper and roll cage
235/85R16 Maxxis Bighorns on 16" Rims, 4:1 Rocklobster, Rear ARB locker and on-board air
Corrected arms all-round, rear disks, Recaro seats and harnesses

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26 Nov 2014 18:30 #130698 by Busta
Replied by Busta on topic Diff locker for front axel

horam_jimny wrote: From reading quite a few posts over the years about a rear diff locker (Lockrite I think is the most common) that is permenantly installed as opposed to the ARB style air lockers. It seems that if your car is a daily driver too then they're not the most comfortable to live with.

Why don't they do a Lockrite style one for the front axel? Seeing as it isn't engaged when driving on road it wouldn't cause any issues for normal driving (assuming you had the vacuum system or manual hubs installed) yet when you're offroad and engaged 4wd it would be working as it should?

There must be issues with this theory as otherwise I'm sure it would be more popular but I can't seem to work out what they are.


No issues with your theory- it's a popular way to run a cheap locker on daily-drivers in America and Australia. It's just a shame there isn't the hardware available to do it on a Jimny!

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  • xtremedetailz
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26 Nov 2014 19:43 #130705 by xtremedetailz
Replied by xtremedetailz on topic Diff locker for front axel

Busta wrote:

horam_jimny wrote: From reading quite a few posts over the years about a rear diff locker (Lockrite I think is the most common) that is permenantly installed as opposed to the ARB style air lockers. It seems that if your car is a daily driver too then they're not the most comfortable to live with.

Why don't they do a Lockrite style one for the front axel? Seeing as it isn't engaged when driving on road it wouldn't cause any issues for normal driving (assuming you had the vacuum system or manual hubs installed) yet when you're offroad and engaged 4wd it would be working as it should?

There must be issues with this theory as otherwise I'm sure it would be more popular but I can't seem to work out what they are.


No issues with your theory- it's a popular way to run a cheap locker on daily-drivers in America and Australia. It's just a shame there isn't the hardware available to do it on a Jimny!



Does rob storr not offer a front conversion kit for the lockrite?

Im sure i seen it on his website.

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  • jimnydms
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26 Nov 2014 20:14 #130709 by jimnydms
Replied by jimnydms on topic Re:Diff locker for front axel
Rob storr does offer a conversion for the front I am in the process of sending off a front diff, spare rear diff and a lock rite and he is making me a 4 pin front diff out of the above parts with locker for the front on 26spline side gears to take his HD shaft s and cv s.

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  • rexthecat
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26 Nov 2014 20:20 #130710 by rexthecat
Replied by rexthecat on topic Diff locker for front axel
Trouble with putting a diff lock in the front axel you cant disengage in the front axel is once your in 4wd your diffs locked which means the wheels turn at the same speed, to go round a corner they need to turn at different speeds. Not all off roading is on a surface that let your wheels slip easily. Hard dry mud is like concrete, if the wheel cant spin its gonna stain the half shafts. It's not like you cant turn atall but the turning circle is much bigger. A lot of the time off roading you want to get round tight spots, a diff lock on all the time would make a pretty crap off roader I reckon.

Diff locks in the front are great where you want 100% traction! stick it in low 1 and crawl up stuff at tick over while discos try and charge up up and just wheel spin near the top.

Diff locks are great but you'd only need to use them a tiny amount of the time.

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  • TomDK
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26 Nov 2014 21:57 #130713 by TomDK
Replied by TomDK on topic Diff locker for front axel

rexthecat wrote: Trouble with putting a diff lock in the front axel you cant disengage in the front axel is once your in 4wd your diffs locked which means the wheels turn at the same speed, to go round a corner they need to turn at different speeds. Not all off roading is on a surface that let your wheels slip easily. Hard dry mud is like concrete, if the wheel cant spin its gonna stain the half shafts. It's not like you cant turn atall but the turning circle is much bigger. A lot of the time off roading you want to get round tight spots, a diff lock on all the time would make a pretty crap off roader I reckon.

Diff locks in the front are great where you want 100% traction! stick it in low 1 and crawl up stuff at tick over while discos try and charge up up and just wheel spin near the top.

Diff locks are great but you'd only need to use them a tiny amount of the time.


Agreed :)

Which is why a lockright in the front diff is a bad idea if you ask me.
And also when locking the diff you put all the power and torque to one wheel making shafts and CVs more prone to breaking. So uprated shafts and CVS is a must. But still a bad idea. Only locker for the front diff is an air locker.

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  • Leathery1
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26 Nov 2014 22:39 #130717 by Leathery1
Replied by Leathery1 on topic Diff locker for front axel
Having tried a Lockrite in the rear, I can only imagine how horrendous it would be in the front!
If you need that kind of traction then spend the money and do ARBs front and rear.
My lockrite has to come out before it snows this winter as I can just imagine what would happen, but I LOVE the traction it provides when you get in a sticky situation off road. I cant justify the cost of ARBs on a daily drive (unless I have a lottery win some time soon!)

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26 Nov 2014 22:50 #130719 by Busta
Replied by Busta on topic Diff locker for front axel
Old thread on this same topic.

If a lockrite works as it should (e.g. locks when one wheel loses traction, unlocks when both have traction) then I can't see the problem? We're not talking about welding up the diff- A lockrite is not always locked, so wouldn't be the same as trying to turn with a locked ARB.

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