I have Spartan lockers front and rear in my 2001 Cherokee. Rear locker was always pretty quiet . When I put the locker in the front it was noisier than in the rear and made it a little harder to drive. I added front hubs and that made it drive by far the best it ever has on the road. Eliminated the the front locker until I engage the hubs.
I was Gonna say if you did selectable on one end or the other i would much rather have the selectable in the rear. Because the auto lockers have great manners up front. They just click. No binding or banging. And if you did hubs then you wont even know its up there at all.
Manual locking hubs is a great tip to help counteract a front locker when you don't need 4WD or the locker. There when you need it, invisible when you don't. Selectable would be great, but after having just the factory limited slip in my 98 ZJ, and learning how it handled, these automatic lockers aren't so bad once you get to know their quirks, and how they handle in different conditions. Even the limited slip got me places that an open diff could have caused issues if I wasn't careful.
I have a c10 truck 2wd installed spartan locker in gm 12bolt. First install it ran great are rarely popped. I did blow the rear gears their was wear I noticed but let it ride. Well after rearend rebuild the locker is loud pops alot also doesnt always lock. From dead stop it locks but rolling spin just get one tire.
Only kuz my headliner ain't on RUclips. Took some of my favorite pix of my XJ, put em thru a pencil sketch filter, made em into a collage, put it on a staggered repeat, and had it printed on a tan/muddy brown fabric and glued it on the headliner. I've done this for a couple of my buddies who had the same headliner sagging problem that I used to have.
This is a solid review. I have been running lunch box lockers in K5 Blazers since the late 90's. I had one failure due to axle shaft breakage of a stock, high mileage GM 10 bolt axle shaft that I admit was my right foot entirely. The particles from the broken axle shaft tore up the locker because I did a trail replacement but did not get all the crap out of the axle housing. The cross pin will wear flats where it engages the locker. Even the "high strength" cross pin will get flats worn on it. At least with a V8 powered heavy pig like a K5 Blazer. It doesn't seem to hurt anything but it does produce some fine metal in the oil. Just keep up on diff oil changes and take the opportunity to inspect things in there. A Spartan locker is 1/4 the price of a full case detroit in 2023 not even including the extra labor involved. I see at lot of comments about how these work. A Spartan locker, Lock-rite, Monkey Grip, EZ locker, etc all work the same; Allow 1 axle shaft to spin faster than ring gear speed but neither axle shaft to spin slower than ring gear speed. They respond to torque applied by locking both axles together. That's it. So on a right turn under light throttle you rig is applying power to the right rear wheel while the left over-runs the ring gear speed. This also causes some of the handling issues since the weight of your rig is shifted onto the left wheel during a right turn; the wheel that is unlocked under part throttle, and all the torque is going to the wheel with the least contact pressure. If you take the same right turn with a heavy right foot both axles will lock together and you get a chirp. If you modulate throttle during a turn you get a bang sonetimes. Particularly at low speed. The parking lot bang when backing out is the differential torque stresses overcomming the spring pressure in the locker holding the dogs together. I've spent decades driving these things and still get a little unpredictable pop here and there in parking lots. It's just a daily reminder you did the right thing.
I ran a spartan in my '98 XJ, same exact setup 8.25" rear. I had a manual trans and that made its lock/unlock extremely predictable. It makes driving even on the street exciting, being able to slide the back around corners. I also found it tracked way better on the highway. The ratcheting noise is cool and fun, not a problem at all unless you are embarrassed by strangers thinking your car is broken. I would definitely do it again if I got another XJ.
@@denverkenyon3203 I didn’t think it was bad at all. Your tires are going to be able to slip if it’s locked when you’re turning, so in the worst case you will hear a chirp or squeal. If you need to turn extremely tightly on dry pavement, just go slow and be gentle.
You get the same kick-out on an icy hill with a LSD too. I've got a factory LSD in my Dana 35 and have had that happen a couple times. It's not a huge deal once you know what to expect.
Thanks. I’m going ratchet in the 8.25 and helical in the Dana 30. Was really unsure, but after watching numerous videos and getting opinions I think that will be good on road manners and Offroad capability.
I installed a Lock-Right in my 93 2wd Toyota pickup in 95, it was the best modification I ever made to any vehicle I ever owned ! Every thing else was stock, with 195/75 R14 snow tires and 300lb in the bed for winter it was the most capable 2wd around. Since then I have almost exclusively owned 4wd TRD Offroad Tacoma's and one Fulltime 4wd FJ Cruiser that I will always regret trading in. I'm currently still driving the 2010 TRD Offroad Tacoma that I bought after trading in the FJ, so my regret isn't too bad. All had/have manual transmissions.
Hey, I grew up in SoDak so that's cool. I tossed Spartans in my front and rear on my Toyota. Converted the front to manual hubs so locker is only active when hubs are locked. I was curious about durability, but sounds like after 70k miles, that's not an issue. Nice jeep, thanks for the vid.
In Alaska, have a ONE owner (me) supercharged 2003 Jeep TJ 4.0L hardtop + 5-speed manual and a Ford 8.8 rear axle with a Spartan locker here, along with a Aussie locker in the front Dana30. When I make sharp turns in 2WD low, it makes the usual lunchbox locker clicking noises. Doesn't bother me as it's _the last of the REAL traditional Jeeps with a tub & straight six_ ! Have almost 100,000 miles on both lockers and still going strong. Good video & nice XJ there!
I had a lunchbox in the rear of an XJ with 35s and a manual trans, it was great off-road, but a bit unnerving to drive on the street. In many turns it would lock under power, then unlock when I shifted which would suddenly change how much it was steering so I had to learn to time it and turn the wheel as I throttled down to shift. In my buddy's XJ with 32s and an automatic it was not an issue. He also had one in the front and it worked way better than I thought it would, no steering difficulties in obstacles or high speed wheeling in 4WD. On road the ratcheting from the front was much more noticeable than a rear, especially in tight turns where it would ratchet pretty fast. You could clearly hear it and feel it through the steering wheel, made it seem like something was broken, but it never upset the steering.
Just bought my “first” xj (there will be more) 90% of the driving will be street, like a weekend trail rider. This is one of the best, descriptive, helpful videos out here for noobs like myself.
People talk these up to be super loud on the road, but i will agree, you wont notice difference unless you have the wheel turned to locked in a parking lot and are giving it some gas. I have about 40k on mine in the rear of my jeep, and have had 0 issues. would recommend this to anyone, just don't install it the wrong way.
By far the best infomercial I have a two-wheel drive trucks that I want to install this particular Locker on but did not have all the info on it thank you for telling us that Good The Bad and The Ugly on this particular Locker I will definitely purchase and install one in my vehicle. Again thank you so much
Just on here doing research looking for a good quality brand to stick in my 99 XJ I just bought two weeks ago. I had posi in my 81 Chevy short box half ton years ago out of a Chevelle .The main reason why I put posi in that was because going hunting and going up steep gravel roads you would just spin one tire it seemed all the way up the hill without it . very irritating, positraction definitely helped, never Spun after that . IT also keeps washboarding and giant holes from forming in the road.
Thanks thanks for the review, I am looking into these for mine ,don’t do hard core off road but want traction in the field and snow, irrigation patches
I have a Spartan locker in the front and I love it. I just got an Aussie locker for the rear. It’s a 95 yj on 35s, I can’t wait to install myself and take it out!!! It’s a super easy install!
I would say the most noticeable thing about the lunchbox locker is how is straightens you out when you step on the gas. Taking a corner on the highway when it down shifts you have to correct for it. I did notice my lock right clicking while turning but it didn't bother me. I have a detroit locker now and I don't hear it at all. Even though the lunchbox locker has a few small cons, the traction is amazing and totally worth it!
@@moparerrnocaryes, its a detroit locker. i bought mine used from a jeep forum but they sell them online or from your local 4x4 shop. They are roughly $700.
@@moparerrnocar Yukon makes the same styler locker, i think its called the grizzly locker. There are a few other brands of the full case automatic lockers but detroit has the best reputation. I have never heard of anyone having problems with them.
I run an Aussie in the back of my 04 Grand, it makes less noise than the stock Vari-lok diff did. The rear does kick more however I was raised in northern Michigan where one has no choice but to know how to drive in the snow. With a Tru-Trac in the front it is quite the capable comfortable trail rig.
I've got a Spartan in the rear of my FJJ60 LandCruiser. I would agree with everything he says. Awesome upgrade. I needed more grip in the woods around my house when gathering wood etc. Massive increase in grip especially with my truck that is leaf springs front and rear which don't flex as good, it was easy to get stuck going through a dip at an angle. Now it's no problem.
Great useful information video. Straight to the point. My 98 ZJ had the factory limited slip rear differential. Great additional traction, but yep, it would get you sideways in ice/snow LOL. Even in full time 4WD. In part time 4WD you didn't even notice it back there except for the little bit of additional traction it gave...2WD it would go sideways on you every chance it had LOL. Once you get used to what it does in certain conditions its so easy to handle and predict what its going to do and when. Go into a turn under throttle, and you can easily do 360's in the middle of the road if you want LOL. Go into a corner, let off the throttle no problems at all in 2WD or full time 4WD mode. If I would have kept the Jeep I probably would have upgraded to something better, however the Jeep is gone now and my next one will be an XJ, and it'll be for some mild to moderate offroad use...it'll be a toy more or less but still be able to drive it on the highway when I want.
WOW. Thanks so much I think the previous owner of my jeep put on spartans it explains the kick out on the snow and noise I keep hearing which I kept on thinking it was a suspension problem
Thanks for the great video, very helpful and informative. I have a Lokka in the front of my Trooper and it does amazing offroad. With the hubs unlocked in 2 WD on pavement, it does not do anything as the front axles are not spinning. As I don't want to spend close to $2000 for an air locker, I am contemplating putting a Lokka in the rear. Your video and the other comments helped me in making the decision, despite many people saying how terrible they are on pavement. I am sold.
I have a powertrax lock right in the rear of my 1st gen tundra and has leaf springs in the rear. I daily my truck and its fine on pavement. Now i do get some wheel hop when backing up in grass on a hill or if you try to doughnut in gravel. Other wise i dont get axle wrap even under hard acceleration or power braking. I almost think its more of a tire issue trying to catch traction when i abuse it. It seems to unlock just fine even in the rain and at highway speed so havent had any close calls daily driving it. Make sure the gap tolerance is within spec and closer to the mid range if you can check it. Some 4 pinions can not be checked.
This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank u so much I was worried I wouldn’t be able to use it as a daily and heard some bad things bout em but I definitely think ima get em now.
Good video! I had an XJ with a lunchbox rear as well and loved its capability. I now have a ZJ. The only reason I hesitate is on this vehicle I tow. I have to back the trailer with precision to get it in its stall. I'm not sure if the Spartan will be a problem while backing with a trailer.
Damn Just stumbled upon this video and hear it about 15 seconds into it I hear you say the black hills forest this is awesome news to me as a kid living in Olympia/Tumwater area...I would drive out Past Little Rock and follow the back roads up into the black hills up to mount Molly, the power tower, the power lines and many miles beyond.... OK time to press play and only 15 seconds in and im happy...
Good stuff my guy, I just finished my 4.5" on my 87 pioneer and I've been contemplating lockers and you've just sold me on a lunchbox, probably going to get one for my front as well. Good info 👌🏻
Been considering getting a front auto locker for my 97 4runner for awhile now but was unsure since it my daily and my wheeler. Awesome video, you covered pretty much all subjects someone would have on these. Thanks man, I think its finally time to place the order
Looking for a locker for my work truck but cant afford an electronic unit. Nice to know these work. My truck will rarely be off roading but when getting fire wood in the woods or plowing snow extra traction is needed. Nice review
So, just put an Aussie locker in my WJ with my buddy and it was in part due to your video talking about how nice this style of locker is. Getting ready for Moab next month!
Puts my mind at ease. All the internet mechanics with all the storys of hell coming apon them when they put in a spartan locker. Putting one in my 81 cj since im wide trac swapping it with some scrambler axles
Hey dude finally a great vid on actual lunchbox locker feedback! Cheers mate! I’m looking at installing one in my 2wd Toyota Fortuner. Its my DD so worried about how road manners are and if my wife will be able to drive it hahaha
@@ty_thejeepguy should only fit in the front..dangerous in rear. iether e locker or good lsd..here in aus, we have ford xy gtho falcons, 1971/2, std with a detroit..you have to take it very easy round corners..
Well done video by the way. I like the explenation then a video example by the way Edit: 2 months since i made this comment, i have a few months on the spartan lunchbox in my amc 20 rear on my cj. I hardly notice the pops but also my v8 is loud. You feel the locker but only if you think about it after the first week of driving. On ice is loves to break lose but even in 2wd if you give her the sauce she digs and takes off on sheer ice. Only complaint is when it binds in a dry parking lot 2nd gear has less torque and somtimes it will buck and jerk a little if rpm is low. Ez fix just drive in 1st in the parking lot or rev it up higher, but also i have stock gears so that doesnt help, but i do alot of highway so thats why.
got a powertrax lock right in my rear ford 8.8 and its almost unoticeable, even with windows down and tight full clock turn its silent, and it only ever locks when im hard on the throttle or going up something, i can give it mild to medium gas pulling onto a road and it stays unlocked and no tire chirp
Well I've got one in the rear of my 350 FJ40 and I hate it and that's about the mildest description I might apply in the comments section of a family oriented channel such as this. That said, it is as harsh as your mother in law, violently unlocks causing the whole car to shudder and frequently won't engage in reverse for some reason especially when cold. If it unlocks violently in the car park of your supermarket, the unlocking is so loud people look. Turning a 90 deg corner the unlocking is so violent the truck shudders. I purchased two and I'll never fit the other one. Where it is good is in steep off road in 4L and good on high speed dirt in 4H but on road in 2WD it is utterly diabolical. Makes me hate driving my truck. I really mean that. Another area where it totally sucks is towing, it doesn't unlock on overrun. The rear leaf springs wind up slightly unevenly inducing a steer from the rear when towing which in turns induces a sway in the trailer as you compensate to stay in the lane. Not good when towing a car on a tandem trailer! I would not recommend anyone to buy one of these things if you like driving your truck on road. Off road they are acceptable. Now I'm faced with what to buy. An air diff lock, an electric diff lock or a Detroit Locker? I like the locking action but they are just so 'agricultural' in operation I question why anyone would ever want one. I'd just pay the money and buy a real diff lock. I should mention I'm a qualified mechanic and I spent a great deal of time setting mine up exactly per the instructions. I even replaced the pinion crosses with NOS ones after contacting the manufacturer. This is how it happened, the original crosses showed signs of wear so I replaced the crosses with non genuine crosses. It was very harsh. I contacted the manufacturer who said it was the china crosses causing it. I sourced NOS Japanese Toyota crosses and it was still exactly the same as the damn china crosses. I opened it up again to see if I stuffed something in the assembly up but all was perfect. I removed and replaced my diff center 3x. Next time it comes out it 'ain't going back in. IMO a junk product and dangerously unsafe for normal driving or towing with leaf sprung rear ends especially when the road is dry. Mine is better when it's wet believe it or not. A LSD is a junk product for hard off road as they have no capacity to drive an unloaded wheel. The clutches just slip and one wheel spins because there's no clutch surface area in the unit and it burns the clutch pack or cones out. LSDs work well where there's no unloading of the drive wheels that you get in certain 4x4 terrain. LSDs work well on smoother surfaces and they seem to work pretty well in sand so long as there's no lifting of wheels like you get in hard off road.
Its simple put auto lockers up front they only engage when front hubs are locked in 4WD mode only by manually doing it , and have manual lockers on the back air operated or electric dosnt mater who cares u can turn them off and on at a flick off a switch on the dashboard , thats the way we do it in Australia buddys 🇦🇺
Nice review. I had Detroit’s on a bronco (front and back) and noticed the same thing plus with the front locked power on turns (going up a hill to a 90 degree turn) I would have to put it in 2wd or let off the gas when possible to make it (snow covered roads).
Lunch box lockers are a GOOD option however For ease of install and cost-$ effectiveness I 100% recommend Lincoln Lock DO NOT waste your time or $ with Limited Slip LS diffs will leave you stuck.
As for the powetrax no-slip. Im more in the city and take out the dakota few times a month. But i also tow. Are they reliable with a load and mainly city dwelling?thanks
I don't understand why you wouldn't run a Spartan locker up front too. But I'm not too much of a Jeep guy so I'm assuming they don't have front locking hubs. So when you're driving on the street it would always be ratcheting. In any type of corner and be impossible to drive on the snow and ice and four-wheel drive
You tires were chirping on the rocks because you were using 4x4 on a high traction surface, it would have done the same thing with the stock open differential.
I have heard mixed things when it comes to the streets and snow, using 4hi. This setup has worked extremely efficient for myself, and it's what I have the most experience in. Hence why I give my opinion on having it in the rear of a rig that sees alot of mixed terrain.
@@ty_thejeepguy rear is way more prone to break your axle when wheeling. front unlocks when not in 4 wheel, rear will always be locked until it senses a great enough load to unlock. which is very rare, hence the chirping and rear steer. front only works when in 4 wheel and when its wet/snow (i live in Colorado) you cant feel or even sense it...
WaynesWorkVlog On the short wheelbase, I like the lunchbox up front and a TrueTrac on the rear. Good manners on the road, a degree of protection in the rear. You get a little extra wheel movement out back when you lose contact, but it catches up pretty quick. Out front, you don’t feel the locker until you need it. No, it won’t take you everywhere, but it is very capable for any driver while reducing risk of damage. Confidence on the trail with confidence to get back out.
The only reason I would install a lunch box locker is if there was no way I could afford a selectable locker. There are also a lot of pros to driving and wheeling with open diff's just depends on your specific needs. Awesome review.
Be prepared for wheel nuts shearing off. Or wheel nuts and drive shaft bolts coming loose. And tyre wear if used on the street regularly. But other than that. A locker diff is exceptional value for money
Shoot, we are at almost 9 years of use on this Spartan locker now. I haven't had any wheel nuts shear off. Even when I used spacers. I did have some odd wear on a set of KM3. However, my current general grabbers are wearing in just fine.
Have you towed a trailer with it? I have found that dry asphalt and reversing can become more difficult having a spartan in the rear. I would say that smooth riding depends alot from your throttle control (keeping the revs eaven and equal to the speed on the turns)
Im so confused from what ive read most guys dont recommend rear lunchboxes because they say they are super sketch. Locking and unlocking brcausevof the torque. What ive seen recommended is lunchbox front with selectable rear.
So I'm running a 96 xj as a professional locksmith in colorado. Thanks I'm thinking I'll be getting one for my rig. Had wondered about drivability over time and it seems just fine.
Anyone experience axle wrap resulting in wheel hop. When in grass or gravel. Hard acceleration and even power braking is fine. Sometimes the rear will slide and not hop but sometimes i get that wheel hop at low speeds. I almost blame the tire but the leaf springs do have more miles than you'd imagine but i have a toyota so they are hard to kill
Great video man, we are thinking of adding these to the front and the rear of our JK sport. I noticed you didn’t recommend using them in the front can you give me some insight on that?
It’s because it can make it difficult to steer and cause under steer, particularly on a wet road. They are great if you put manual hubs on your Jeep though.
Yes! Sorta, so I always compare it to a LSD on steroids. It's locked, until enough pressure is applied to compress the springs. Then it will unlock allowing the tires to spin separately. However, when gas is applied, it's locked up. For the price, it's hard to beat.
Thanks for a good video. I am looking at setting up an Isuzu Rodeo for wheeling and trying to glean what info I can about lockers. I get the impression that some of the ratcheting style lockers might act differently depending on variables like spring strength, tire size and vehicle weight. ?? Yours seem to be working properly. That's good!
thanx for the info , trying to decide from this or trutrac for the rear as its my daily driver . I always hear its cons about having it as a daily driving in the winter .
Thanks for sharing. At some point in the not too distant future, I will be putting a locker in my 94 XJ. I have the Chrysler 8.25, just don't know the spline count. Seems there are 2 different splined axles options for my XJ.
Thanks a lot for your video. Very helpful the honest way you putted it! I’m thinking about to install a spartan lunchbox on my 97 TJ that I just bought and I was wondering if there would be a good idea to install it in the front a rear axle?? I heard that I should install just in the front axel so I wouldn’t have any problem since in the city I can have just 2WD! Do you have any idea 💡?? Thank you again for the helpful video. Paulo.
Hey Paulo, I don't personally have experience with that. I will say, in theory it works. I've heard tons of good feedback with running the setup like that!
Thanks for posting your thoughts on this. I have a mid 90's yota 4x4 ex-cab that I'm about to lift and do a wider rear axle / long travel front and regear to 4.88s. I really wanted to do LSDs or lockers but the cost is ...so costly. At under $300 each for these it's really a no-brainer based on your near 80k miles testimony here. I'd probably go with the same brand for front and rear since I'll be doing both at the same time. So I guess the big question is are there some lunchboxes that are better than others?
The noise and ratcheting are much worse in a short wheelbase TJ. Seems like rear leaf springs take the jerk out. Buddies YJ no big deal, my TJ bucked and twitched.
I wish I could give you advice regarding towing. However, I cannot. the most I've towed was a 1,500lb U-haul around 1,000 miles. While the jeep did great. it wasn't much weight.
@@ty_thejeepguy Lol! That's actually perfect. I'm gonna just be hauling a 1500 lb tear drop camper. So how was the locker? Any locking or unlocking at unwanted times? Any potentially dangerous situations?
Awesome video I'm thinking of adding a spartan in the rear of my 99 wj with trutrac lsd up front since its my daily and roads get icy and snowy here in the winter and ive heard front lunchbox lockers suck in snow and ice on road. What were you running up front in the video? Lsd, open, selectable?
I had the E-Z locker in my 65 mustang and it would clunk around turns unless i was giving it hell then i had positrac. I would imagine these in my jeep would be the same.
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I have Spartan lockers front and rear in my 2001 Cherokee. Rear locker was always pretty quiet . When I put the locker in the front it was noisier than in the rear and made it a little harder to drive. I added front hubs and that made it drive by far the best it ever has on the road. Eliminated the the front locker until I engage the hubs.
I went ahead and pinned this as it is the MOST helpful comment I've seen here. Thank you!
I have this same setup but with a TORQ locker and it's really nice
I was Gonna say if you did selectable on one end or the other i would much rather have the selectable in the rear. Because the auto lockers have great manners up front. They just click. No binding or banging. And if you did hubs then you wont even know its up there at all.
Manual locking hubs is a great tip to help counteract a front locker when you don't need 4WD or the locker. There when you need it, invisible when you don't. Selectable would be great, but after having just the factory limited slip in my 98 ZJ, and learning how it handled, these automatic lockers aren't so bad once you get to know their quirks, and how they handle in different conditions. Even the limited slip got me places that an open diff could have caused issues if I wasn't careful.
I have a c10 truck 2wd installed spartan locker in gm 12bolt. First install it ran great are rarely popped. I did blow the rear gears their was wear I noticed but let it ride. Well after rearend rebuild the locker is loud pops alot also doesnt always lock. From dead stop it locks but rolling spin just get one tire.
Best headliner on RUclips.
bootsnthejeep Thanks! Gotta match the Jeep!
He's rocking his interior camo too.
Hands down haha 🙌
Haha yup as soon as I clicked the vid I was like THAT HEADLINER!!! 👍
Only kuz my headliner ain't on RUclips. Took some of my favorite pix of my XJ, put em thru a pencil sketch filter, made em into a collage, put it on a staggered repeat, and had it printed on a tan/muddy brown fabric and glued it on the headliner. I've done this for a couple of my buddies who had the same headliner sagging problem that I used to have.
This is a solid review. I have been running lunch box lockers in K5 Blazers since the late 90's.
I had one failure due to axle shaft breakage of a stock, high mileage GM 10 bolt axle shaft that I admit was my right foot entirely.
The particles from the broken axle shaft tore up the locker because I did a trail replacement but did not get all the crap out of the axle housing.
The cross pin will wear flats where it engages the locker.
Even the "high strength" cross pin will get flats worn on it.
At least with a V8 powered heavy pig like a K5 Blazer.
It doesn't seem to hurt anything but it does produce some fine metal in the oil.
Just keep up on diff oil changes and take the opportunity to inspect things in there.
A Spartan locker is 1/4 the price of a full case detroit in 2023 not even including the extra labor involved.
I see at lot of comments about how these work.
A Spartan locker, Lock-rite, Monkey Grip, EZ locker, etc all work the same;
Allow 1 axle shaft to spin faster than ring gear speed but neither axle shaft to spin slower than ring gear speed.
They respond to torque applied by locking both axles together.
That's it.
So on a right turn under light throttle you rig is applying power to the right rear wheel while the left over-runs the ring gear speed.
This also causes some of the handling issues since the weight of your rig is shifted onto the left wheel during a right turn; the wheel that is unlocked under part throttle, and all the torque is going to the wheel with the least contact pressure.
If you take the same right turn with a heavy right foot both axles will lock together and you get a chirp.
If you modulate throttle during a turn you get a bang sonetimes.
Particularly at low speed.
The parking lot bang when backing out is the differential torque stresses overcomming the spring pressure in the locker holding the dogs together.
I've spent decades driving these things and still get a little unpredictable pop here and there in parking lots.
It's just a daily reminder you did the right thing.
I like that headliner fix. If mine ever starts drooping,it's goin plaid.
I ran a spartan in my '98 XJ, same exact setup 8.25" rear. I had a manual trans and that made its lock/unlock extremely predictable. It makes driving even on the street exciting, being able to slide the back around corners. I also found it tracked way better on the highway. The ratcheting noise is cool and fun, not a problem at all unless you are embarrassed by strangers thinking your car is broken. I would definitely do it again if I got another XJ.
1000%
If I have a spartan locker with a manual, how bad is it really? If I am making a sharp turn and need to give it gas, how much does it affect turning?
@@denverkenyon3203 I didn’t think it was bad at all. Your tires are going to be able to slip if it’s locked when you’re turning, so in the worst case you will hear a chirp or squeal. If you need to turn extremely tightly on dry pavement, just go slow and be gentle.
@@MiketheBassManthanks
You get the same kick-out on an icy hill with a LSD too. I've got a factory LSD in my Dana 35 and have had that happen a couple times. It's not a huge deal once you know what to expect.
Thanks. I’m going ratchet in the 8.25 and helical in the Dana 30. Was really unsure, but after watching numerous videos and getting opinions I think that will be good on road manners and Offroad capability.
I installed a Lock-Right in my 93 2wd Toyota pickup in 95, it was the best modification I ever made to any vehicle I ever owned ! Every thing else was stock, with 195/75 R14 snow tires and 300lb in the bed for winter it was the most capable 2wd around. Since then I have almost exclusively owned 4wd TRD Offroad Tacoma's and one Fulltime 4wd FJ Cruiser that I will always regret trading in. I'm currently still driving the 2010 TRD Offroad Tacoma that I bought after trading in the FJ, so my regret isn't too bad. All had/have manual transmissions.
Hey, I grew up in SoDak so that's cool. I tossed Spartans in my front and rear on my Toyota. Converted the front to manual hubs so locker is only active when hubs are locked. I was curious about durability, but sounds like after 70k miles, that's not an issue. Nice jeep, thanks for the vid.
In Alaska, have a ONE owner (me) supercharged 2003 Jeep TJ 4.0L hardtop + 5-speed manual and a Ford 8.8 rear axle with a Spartan locker here, along with a Aussie locker in the front Dana30. When I make sharp turns in 2WD low, it makes the usual lunchbox locker clicking noises. Doesn't bother me as it's _the last of the REAL traditional Jeeps with a tub & straight six_ ! Have almost 100,000 miles on both lockers and still going strong. Good video & nice XJ there!
That is awesome! I'd love to get the rig to Alaska, we were out there but with no Jeep! Thanks for the comment and feedback.
I had a lunchbox in the rear of an XJ with 35s and a manual trans, it was great off-road, but a bit unnerving to drive on the street. In many turns it would lock under power, then unlock when I shifted which would suddenly change how much it was steering so I had to learn to time it and turn the wheel as I throttled down to shift. In my buddy's XJ with 32s and an automatic it was not an issue. He also had one in the front and it worked way better than I thought it would, no steering difficulties in obstacles or high speed wheeling in 4WD. On road the ratcheting from the front was much more noticeable than a rear, especially in tight turns where it would ratchet pretty fast. You could clearly hear it and feel it through the steering wheel, made it seem like something was broken, but it never upset the steering.
Just bought my “first” xj (there will be more) 90% of the driving will be street, like a weekend trail rider. This is one of the best, descriptive, helpful videos out here for noobs like myself.
Thank you, was specifically looking for info on daily driver manners and longevity. A Spartan locker is in my future.
OM617YOTA Glad to see that my video helped! Happy trails!
People talk these up to be super loud on the road, but i will agree, you wont notice difference unless you have the wheel turned to locked in a parking lot and are giving it some gas. I have about 40k on mine in the rear of my jeep, and have had 0 issues. would recommend this to anyone, just don't install it the wrong way.
@@x00xero00x Thanks! My truck is a straight piped diesel, doubt anyone will hear it anyway.
Thank you! I'm thinking about installing lunchbox lock on my 1998 GMC Jimmy. Nice explanation!
By far the best infomercial I have a two-wheel drive trucks that I want to install this particular Locker on but did not have all the info on it thank you for telling us that Good The Bad and The Ugly on this particular Locker I will definitely purchase and install one in my vehicle. Again thank you so much
Just on here doing research looking for a good quality brand to stick in my 99 XJ I just bought two weeks ago. I had posi in my 81 Chevy short box half ton years ago out of a Chevelle .The main reason why I put posi in that was because going hunting and going up steep gravel roads you would just spin one tire it seemed all the way up the hill without it . very irritating, positraction definitely helped, never Spun after that . IT also keeps washboarding and giant holes from forming in the road.
super loud bang.. a little thud I've had a few lunchbox lockers. They do bang and thud but it's the locker working.
Thanks thanks for the review, I am looking into these for mine ,don’t do hard core off road but want traction in the field and snow, irrigation patches
Really liked the review about your locker. It was a very detailed and informative video! Keep it up!
A’s Car Reviews & More thanks man! Quality wasn’t there as much. Practice makes perfect!
I have a Spartan locker in the front and I love it. I just got an Aussie locker for the rear. It’s a 95 yj on 35s, I can’t wait to install myself and take it out!!! It’s a super easy install!
I would say the most noticeable thing about the lunchbox locker is how is straightens you out when you step on the gas. Taking a corner on the highway when it down shifts you have to correct for it. I did notice my lock right clicking while turning but it didn't bother me. I have a detroit locker now and I don't hear it at all. Even though the lunchbox locker has a few small cons, the traction is amazing and totally worth it!
Did you go with an actual detroit locker or detroit trutrac?
@@moparerrnocaryes, its a detroit locker. i bought mine used from a jeep forum but they sell them online or from your local 4x4 shop. They are roughly $700.
@@moparerrnocar Yukon makes the same styler locker, i think its called the grizzly locker. There are a few other brands of the full case automatic lockers but detroit has the best reputation. I have never heard of anyone having problems with them.
the main issue they SAY is when you're on ice but i never had that issue.. you just know how to drive on ice.
@Sine Pari its easier for the rear end to slip out on you but its not hard to avoid that with throttle control.
Any more honest and you’ll be a priest. Very nice, simple review. Thank you.
I run an Aussie in the back of my 04 Grand, it makes less noise than the stock Vari-lok diff did. The rear does kick more however I was raised in northern Michigan where one has no choice but to know how to drive in the snow. With a Tru-Trac in the front it is quite the capable comfortable trail rig.
Yooper?
@@stupidasshol3 Nope, still a Troll. Close though, Atlanta area.
I've got a Spartan in the rear of my FJJ60 LandCruiser. I would agree with everything he says. Awesome upgrade. I needed more grip in the woods around my house when gathering wood etc. Massive increase in grip especially with my truck that is leaf springs front and rear which don't flex as good, it was easy to get stuck going through a dip at an angle. Now it's no problem.
Great useful information video. Straight to the point.
My 98 ZJ had the factory limited slip rear differential. Great additional traction, but yep, it would get you sideways in ice/snow LOL. Even in full time 4WD. In part time 4WD you didn't even notice it back there except for the little bit of additional traction it gave...2WD it would go sideways on you every chance it had LOL. Once you get used to what it does in certain conditions its so easy to handle and predict what its going to do and when. Go into a turn under throttle, and you can easily do 360's in the middle of the road if you want LOL. Go into a corner, let off the throttle no problems at all in 2WD or full time 4WD mode. If I would have kept the Jeep I probably would have upgraded to something better, however the Jeep is gone now and my next one will be an XJ, and it'll be for some mild to moderate offroad use...it'll be a toy more or less but still be able to drive it on the highway when I want.
Outstanding! Great footage and examples. Answered all my questions! Keep on Jeepin!
WOW. Thanks so much I think the previous owner of my jeep put on spartans it explains the kick out on the snow and noise I keep hearing which I kept on thinking it was a suspension problem
Thanks for the great video, very helpful and informative. I have a Lokka in the front of my Trooper and it does amazing offroad. With the hubs unlocked in 2 WD on pavement, it does not do anything as the front axles are not spinning. As I don't want to spend close to $2000 for an air locker, I am contemplating putting a Lokka in the rear. Your video and the other comments helped me in making the decision, despite many people saying how terrible they are on pavement. I am sold.
I have a powertrax lock right in the rear of my 1st gen tundra and has leaf springs in the rear. I daily my truck and its fine on pavement. Now i do get some wheel hop when backing up in grass on a hill or if you try to doughnut in gravel. Other wise i dont get axle wrap even under hard acceleration or power braking. I almost think its more of a tire issue trying to catch traction when i abuse it. It seems to unlock just fine even in the rain and at highway speed so havent had any close calls daily driving it. Make sure the gap tolerance is within spec and closer to the mid range if you can check it. Some 4 pinions can not be checked.
This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank u so much I was worried I wouldn’t be able to use it as a daily and heard some bad things bout em but I definitely think ima get em now.
Ordering tonight, thanks for the great review, restored 98 TJ 4" lift on 33's, next 17" wheels on 35's!!
No problem! Consider hitting the subscribe button! Happy trails!
Good video!
I had an XJ with a lunchbox rear as well and loved its capability. I now have a ZJ. The only reason I hesitate is on this vehicle I tow. I have to back the trailer with precision to get it in its stall. I'm not sure if the Spartan will be a problem while backing with a trailer.
Damn Just stumbled upon this video and hear it about 15 seconds into it I hear you say the black hills forest this is awesome news to me as a kid living in Olympia/Tumwater area...I would drive out Past Little Rock and follow the back roads up into the black hills up to mount Molly, the power tower, the power lines and many miles beyond....
OK time to press play and only 15 seconds in and im happy...
Pretty sure he’s talking about South Dakota, I miss the Capitol state forest though.
Dam. now I have no excuses for my old 4R... Do the rear with the rebuild. The kicking out might actually make for some hilarious fun.
My last four trucks have had a lock rite locker in the rear diff. No problems street or off road.
Good stuff my guy, I just finished my 4.5" on my 87 pioneer and I've been contemplating lockers and you've just sold me on a lunchbox, probably going to get one for my front as well. Good info 👌🏻
Truly appreciated info. Does narrow it all down. 👍
Been considering getting a front auto locker for my 97 4runner for awhile now but was unsure since it my daily and my wheeler. Awesome video, you covered pretty much all subjects someone would have on these. Thanks man, I think its finally time to place the order
Put a Detroit TrueTrac or a no slip locker by powertrax in rear and selectable locker up front .
Looking for a locker for my work truck but cant afford an electronic unit. Nice to know these work. My truck will rarely be off roading but when getting fire wood in the woods or plowing snow extra traction is needed. Nice review
So, just put an Aussie locker in my WJ with my buddy and it was in part due to your video talking about how nice this style of locker is. Getting ready for Moab next month!
Puts my mind at ease. All the internet mechanics with all the storys of hell coming apon them when they put in a spartan locker. Putting one in my 81 cj since im wide trac swapping it with some scrambler axles
Thanks mate great review cleared up all my concerns
Great honest video 👍
Hey dude finally a great vid on actual lunchbox locker feedback! Cheers mate! I’m looking at installing one in my 2wd Toyota Fortuner. Its my DD so worried about how road manners are and if my wife will be able to drive it hahaha
No problem, I'm glad I could help!
Excellent video , thanks I just ordered a spartan locker for my project 93 xj . Daily driver to work and weekend trail rig
I love that head liner!
I’d put a limited slip LSD in rear, an automatic in front and only do 4WD off road at lower speeds, not on paved road.
Hey bud I appreciate this video and it gave me a lot to think on... subscribed and am hoping to see a lot more of your videos
The headliner looks like my mother's table cloth😅😂
welp you've convinced me. Seems like my 86 hilux is gunna get an overhaul.
Great review and exceptional experience! Definitely taking your advice and moving forward with a rear spartan locker!
Cheers!
Glad I was able to help!
@@ty_thejeepguy should only fit in the front..dangerous in rear. iether e locker or good lsd..here in aus, we have ford xy gtho falcons, 1971/2, std with a detroit..you have to take it very easy round corners..
Well done video by the way. I like the explenation then a video example by the way
Edit: 2 months since i made this comment, i have a few months on the spartan lunchbox in my amc 20 rear on my cj. I hardly notice the pops but also my v8 is loud. You feel the locker but only if you think about it after the first week of driving. On ice is loves to break lose but even in 2wd if you give her the sauce she digs and takes off on sheer ice. Only complaint is when it binds in a dry parking lot 2nd gear has less torque and somtimes it will buck and jerk a little if rpm is low. Ez fix just drive in 1st in the parking lot or rev it up higher, but also i have stock gears so that doesnt help, but i do alot of highway so thats why.
Thanks Sam! I appreciate it!
Thanks for the info and your video was well put together 🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼
Glad you liked it!
got a powertrax lock right in my rear ford 8.8 and its almost unoticeable, even with windows down and tight full clock turn its silent, and it only ever locks when im hard on the throttle or going up something, i can give it mild to medium gas pulling onto a road and it stays unlocked and no tire chirp
Well I've got one in the rear of my 350 FJ40 and I hate it and that's about the mildest description I might apply in the comments section of a family oriented channel such as this.
That said, it is as harsh as your mother in law, violently unlocks causing the whole car to shudder and frequently won't engage in reverse for some reason especially when cold.
If it unlocks violently in the car park of your supermarket, the unlocking is so loud people look. Turning a 90 deg corner the unlocking is so violent the truck shudders.
I purchased two and I'll never fit the other one.
Where it is good is in steep off road in 4L and good on high speed dirt in 4H but on road in 2WD it is utterly diabolical.
Makes me hate driving my truck. I really mean that.
Another area where it totally sucks is towing, it doesn't unlock on overrun. The rear leaf springs wind up slightly unevenly inducing a steer from the rear when towing which in turns induces a sway in the trailer as you compensate to stay in the lane. Not good when towing a car on a tandem trailer!
I would not recommend anyone to buy one of these things if you like driving your truck on road. Off road they are acceptable.
Now I'm faced with what to buy. An air diff lock, an electric diff lock or a Detroit Locker?
I like the locking action but they are just so 'agricultural' in operation I question why anyone would ever want one.
I'd just pay the money and buy a real diff lock.
I should mention I'm a qualified mechanic and I spent a great deal of time setting mine up exactly per the instructions. I even replaced the pinion crosses with NOS ones after contacting the manufacturer. This is how it happened, the original crosses showed signs of wear so I replaced the crosses with non genuine crosses. It was very harsh. I contacted the manufacturer who said it was the china crosses causing it. I sourced NOS Japanese Toyota crosses and it was still exactly the same as the damn china crosses.
I opened it up again to see if I stuffed something in the assembly up but all was perfect.
I removed and replaced my diff center 3x.
Next time it comes out it 'ain't going back in.
IMO a junk product and dangerously unsafe for normal driving or towing with leaf sprung rear ends especially when the road is dry. Mine is better when it's wet believe it or not.
A LSD is a junk product for hard off road as they have no capacity to drive an unloaded wheel. The clutches just slip and one wheel spins because there's no clutch surface area in the unit and it burns the clutch pack or cones out.
LSDs work well where there's no unloading of the drive wheels that you get in certain 4x4 terrain. LSDs work well on smoother surfaces and they seem to work pretty well in sand so long as there's no lifting of wheels like you get in hard off road.
Its simple put auto lockers up front they only engage when front hubs are locked in 4WD mode only by manually doing it , and have manual lockers on the back air operated or electric dosnt mater who cares u can turn them off and on at a flick off a switch on the dashboard , thats the way we do it in Australia buddys 🇦🇺
Nice review. I had Detroit’s on a bronco (front and back) and noticed the same thing plus with the front locked power on turns (going up a hill to a 90 degree turn) I would have to put it in 2wd or let off the gas when possible to make it (snow covered roads).
Lunch box lockers are a GOOD option however For ease of install and cost-$ effectiveness
I 100% recommend Lincoln Lock DO NOT waste your time or $ with Limited Slip LS diffs will leave you stuck.
Hey Uncle Quack, I want to say thanks for watching, and I appreciate your input!
Thank you, this was very helpful.
Excellent video and thanks for the info , I'm buying one of these for my daily driver 93 xj
Your running automatic trans right
If you're running Manuel it will lock when on deceleration if you in gear so that's another thing to get use to
I went with the powertrax no-slip and it's gotten me everywhere offroad...they are great if you are patient and get to know them.
glockster I agree! Love having my rear Spartan locker!
As for the powetrax no-slip. Im more in the city and take out the dakota few times a month. But i also tow. Are they reliable with a load and mainly city dwelling?thanks
The music is totally rad!
Thanks man!
I don't understand why you wouldn't run a Spartan locker up front too. But I'm not too much of a Jeep guy so I'm assuming they don't have front locking hubs. So when you're driving on the street it would always be ratcheting. In any type of corner and be impossible to drive on the snow and ice and four-wheel drive
You tires were chirping on the rocks because you were using 4x4 on a high traction surface, it would have done the same thing with the stock open differential.
Fore the most part, you are very correct! I do believe it has exaggerated the effects.
nothing's up, thanks for asking.
Spartan in the front and nothing in the rear is WAY better for daily driving and works AMAZING off road.
I have heard mixed things when it comes to the streets and snow, using 4hi. This setup has worked extremely efficient for myself, and it's what I have the most experience in. Hence why I give my opinion on having it in the rear of a rig that sees alot of mixed terrain.
@@ty_thejeepguy rear is way more prone to break your axle when wheeling. front unlocks when not in 4 wheel, rear will always be locked until it senses a great enough load to unlock. which is very rare, hence the chirping and rear steer. front only works when in 4 wheel and when its wet/snow (i live in Colorado) you cant feel or even sense it...
WaynesWorkVlog On the short wheelbase, I like the lunchbox up front and a TrueTrac on the rear. Good manners on the road, a degree of protection in the rear. You get a little extra wheel movement out back when you lose contact, but it catches up pretty quick. Out front, you don’t feel the locker until you need it.
No, it won’t take you everywhere, but it is very capable for any driver while reducing risk of damage. Confidence on the trail with confidence to get back out.
Used to live in Spearfish. Man I miss that area.
I have never seen a matching shirt and headliner before 🤔
Dude likes his red and black checks
The only reason I would install a lunch box locker is if there was no way I could afford a selectable locker. There are also a lot of pros to driving and wheeling with open diff's just depends on your specific needs. Awesome review.
Be prepared for wheel nuts shearing off.
Or wheel nuts and drive shaft bolts coming loose.
And tyre wear if used on the street regularly.
But other than that.
A locker diff is exceptional value for money
Shoot, we are at almost 9 years of use on this Spartan locker now. I haven't had any wheel nuts shear off. Even when I used spacers. I did have some odd wear on a set of KM3. However, my current general grabbers are wearing in just fine.
BEST intro!
Have you towed a trailer with it? I have found that dry asphalt and reversing can become more difficult having a spartan in the rear. I would say that smooth riding depends alot from your throttle control (keeping the revs eaven and equal to the speed on the turns)
Im so confused from what ive read most guys dont recommend rear lunchboxes because they say they are super sketch. Locking and unlocking brcausevof the torque. What ive seen recommended is lunchbox front with selectable rear.
So I'm running a 96 xj as a professional locksmith in colorado. Thanks I'm thinking I'll be getting one for my rig. Had wondered about drivability over time and it seems just fine.
Judith hates the Spartan but loves the Tartan!
Anyone experience axle wrap resulting in wheel hop. When in grass or gravel. Hard acceleration and even power braking is fine. Sometimes the rear will slide and not hop but sometimes i get that wheel hop at low speeds. I almost blame the tire but the leaf springs do have more miles than you'd imagine but i have a toyota so they are hard to kill
Great video man, we are thinking of adding these to the front and the rear of our JK sport.
I noticed you didn’t recommend using them in the front can you give me some insight on that?
It’s because it can make it difficult to steer and cause under steer, particularly on a wet road. They are great if you put manual hubs on your Jeep though.
Do you make the custom headliner? I've never seen that before. Such a good idea!
I did, there's tons of write ups online that should help you do something similar!
so these lockers are just like having a locking diff, except its permenantly locked?
Yes! Sorta, so I always compare it to a LSD on steroids. It's locked, until enough pressure is applied to compress the springs. Then it will unlock allowing the tires to spin separately. However, when gas is applied, it's locked up. For the price, it's hard to beat.
I like how you and Judith match.
Good stuff, Ty!
Thanks for a good video. I am looking at setting up an Isuzu Rodeo for wheeling and trying to glean what info I can about lockers. I get the impression that some of the ratcheting style lockers might act differently depending on variables like spring strength, tire size and vehicle weight. ?? Yours seem to be working properly. That's good!
You’re correct, while they are overall mostly the same, there’s some small differences between all the brands!
thanx for the info , trying to decide from this or trutrac for the rear as its my daily driver . I always hear its cons about having it as a daily driving in the winter .
No problem "eatnpooter1634", glad I could help!
Thanks for sharing. At some point in the not too distant future, I will be putting a locker in my 94 XJ. I have the Chrysler 8.25, just don't know the spline count. Seems there are 2 different splined axles options for my XJ.
I'm putting one in my samurai what gear oil do you use, synthetic or straight gear oil. Thanks
Thanks, yeah I've got a daily driver wj, looking into lockers
Thanks a lot for your video. Very helpful the honest way you putted it! I’m thinking about to install a spartan lunchbox on my 97 TJ that I just bought and I was wondering if there would be a good idea to install it in the front a rear axle?? I heard that I should install just in the front axel so I wouldn’t have any problem since in the city I can have just 2WD! Do you have any idea 💡?? Thank you again for the helpful video. Paulo.
Hey Paulo, I don't personally have experience with that. I will say, in theory it works. I've heard tons of good feedback with running the setup like that!
Thanks for posting your thoughts on this. I have a mid 90's yota 4x4 ex-cab that I'm about to lift and do a wider rear axle / long travel front and regear to 4.88s. I really wanted to do LSDs or lockers but the cost is ...so costly. At under $300 each for these it's really a no-brainer based on your near 80k miles testimony here. I'd probably go with the same brand for front and rear since I'll be doing both at the same time. So I guess the big question is are there some lunchboxes that are better than others?
So what did you go with?
The noise and ratcheting are much worse in a short wheelbase TJ. Seems like rear leaf springs take the jerk out. Buddies YJ no big deal, my TJ bucked and twitched.
I have a rear LSD and it is the same thing. I have to put it on 4WD when I am on snow.
I'm considering trying to make a locker fit a 95 corolla, perfect garbage mud toy. 😂
Very informative user review. Any cons or experiences with towing and having this locker?
I wish I could give you advice regarding towing. However, I cannot. the most I've towed was a 1,500lb U-haul around 1,000 miles. While the jeep did great. it wasn't much weight.
@@ty_thejeepguy
Lol! That's actually perfect. I'm gonna just be hauling a 1500 lb tear drop camper. So how was the locker? Any locking or unlocking at unwanted times? Any potentially dangerous situations?
No Pavement Please not that I noticed when I took the trip!
I wish the prices were still the same 🤦♂️
That was really helpful. Thanks for the info. Is your front diff open or do you have a LS?
At the time of this video it was open! It now has a powertrax Grip pro
Have you changed your diff oil.? How does that locker wear since its metal on metal?
The plaid makes it faster !
Gotta suit up on Plaid! Adds +10 rock crawling knowledge
Awesome video I'm thinking of adding a spartan in the rear of my 99 wj with trutrac lsd up front since its my daily and roads get icy and snowy here in the winter and ive heard front lunchbox lockers suck in snow and ice on road. What were you running up front in the video? Lsd, open, selectable?
Any problems with shavings in the diff oil? I read that somewhere and it made me think twice.
I had the E-Z locker in my 65 mustang and it would clunk around turns unless i was giving it hell then i had positrac. I would imagine these in my jeep would be the same.