NewHilux.net

look here

http://youtu.be/SxoISM0BMyU?t=5m56s

Certainly wouldn't be any weaker than an LSD i wouldnt think

Ask the vendor, tell them the purpose you're buying it ... ask if its fit for it...

Quick question... The hilux has no center diff, therefore the front and rear drive shafts turn at the same speed when in 4wd. So, if I put a locker in the front diff, stopping either front wheel from spinning at high speed under loss of traction, will the speed of the rear wheels also be contained, meaning no excessive spinning? And will this lack of high speed spin help the rear in any way?

It would limit the speed of the other driveshaft as long as the end with the locker didnt break traction. But the end without a locker could still have 1 wheel turning faster than the other

I'm thinking of installing a locker and I've got a question for the guys with front diff lockers. What is the steering actually like when the front locker is engaged? People have told me front lockers are no good cause you can't steer. Is this true? Have you got some steering ability?

strangenuts wrote:I'm thinking of installing a locker and I've got a question for the guys with front diff lockers. What is the steering actually like when the front locker is engaged? People have told me front lockers are no good cause you can't steer. Is this true? Have you got some steering ability?

yes an no...

With the likes of elockes and air lockers you can hit the switch the locker disengages (may not straight away) and its back to normal.
The steering gets heavy when you turn as the wheels are locked to the same rotation 100% lockup through the diff so if the wheels aren't turning or you trying to make a tight corner (outside whats to move faster than the inside) they effectively bind making turning almost impossible. If you stuck on a rock wall ect. and all wheels are spinning at the same rate you can still easily go lock to lock

theory is you only turn it on when needed and turn to back off once you done. I love my lockers it would be the first thing I would mod on a 4wd, cannot beat 100% traction to all 4's.

Can definitely still steer on loose surfaces mate, beach etc , just heavier. Just have to be kind to it, and try not to steer or be turning too much when using a front locker as it puts big stress on parts.

Yeah right, kind thought as much. Keen to get one.

I got the front elocker and love it. Can steer on loose serfaces (mud, slippery hills - where you need more traction). But I recently busted a CV on a rock step with the wheel turned and locker on. Not sure if it was the wheel drooping, or the steering that caused the stress, but having locker on was enough to bust the cv

But in answer to your question, you can steer your way with the front locker (just a bit heavier), but wouldn't be turning the steering wheel to full lock.

Were you up it or were you just crawling?

As wirh Parr, I love my lockers and as said a few times, I only use the front one when really needed. Bottom line is, if your steering loads up you have plenty of grip across your front axle and therefore don't need your locker, so turn it off, otherwise you risk busting CV's or blowing up the steering rack.

Same as others, front locker sparingly with limited steering input. I'm probably a bit different in mine is a Triton but my rear locker is always on as it is factory fitted and disables the abs as a bonus when offroad.

Great thread boys, I've been tossing up which way to go with lockers, mine is an 2012 SR5 extra cab with ally tray, looks like the front locker is the best option.

Agree with the majority of comments.
I had both front and rear Harrop E-Lockers in my last Patrol and they were fantastic!!
No compressors to run, no 'o rings' leaking and within $100 or so of the ARB air lockers.

That Patrol copped a lot of abuse and the solid front axle coped just fine......now I've got the Lux, I'll be putting another E-Locker in the front but will be FAR more cautious and conscious of keeping the front wheels straight.
The Hilux IFS and CV's simply won't cop the same levels of abuse.
Cheers, S

Sideways wrote:Agree with the majority of comments.
I had both front and rear Harrop E-Lockers in my last Patrol and they were fantastic!!
No compressors to run, no 'o rings' leaking and within $100 or so of the ARB air lockers.

That Patrol copped a lot of abuse and the solid front axle coped just fine......now I've got the Lux, I'll be putting another E-Locker in the front but will be FAR more cautious and conscious of keeping the front wheels straight.
The Hilux IFS and CV's simply won't cop the same levels of abuse.
Cheers, S

Sounds like you have done a bit of serious 4wding but you complain about running a compressor so I gather you have never aired down?

Having had both front and rear ARB lockers on last and this Hilux I Can confirm they are very good. Only problem I ever had was a branch breaking off the rear airline where it went into the diff up the Tele Track but was a quick fix.

Hehe, I reckon more people should play with tyre pressures so they understand what their vehicle's actually capable of before they even worry about lockers.
Every track across The Simpson (and elsewhere) is testament to the number of people who try to blaze through with highway pressures.

I have a compressor with multiple points around the car for the tyres (and other things) but I dislike driving with a compressor constantly running. It's just another un-necessary noise to bear.

Not saying they're bad. ARB air's have served many people well, E-Lockers are just the next evolution, simpler and for around the same money, perform at least as well, if not better.
Also if an airline gets snagged it can be a real bugger to repair whereas the E Locker can just have the two wires twisted back together and taped up if no tools are handy.

Cheers, S

Edit to add: Front locker and a reasonable rear LSD will get you most places.

The compressor will run for all of 3 seconds to activate the ARB lockers then turns off. The last Hilux I had it mounted under passenger seat without any dramas.

And like any 4wd accessory everyone has their own opinion on that parts performance of which we all respect. I was just wondering how a compressor running (it doesn't) would be a problem.

ARB have an airline going into theirs whereas Eaton have an electric cable. Broken down both are very very similar.

Sideways wrote:I have a compressor with multiple points around the car for the tyres (and other things) but I dislike driving with a compressor constantly running. It's just another un-necessary noise to bear.

Homer is absoulutey correct if your compressor runs for longer than a few seconds then you have an air leak. Normal operation the compressor only cuts in intermittently. I have had two vehicles with them and i can assure that this is the case.
As for you comment about only driving in a straight line with a front locker this is also not the case. You can turn with the front locker engauged, just not full lock whilst stomping on it. The cv's aren't as weak as you think.

For my two cents i will be going a rear locker on my new hilux because it will get you pretty much everywhere you want to go. But twin locked is fun

Hehe, I love my LSD but twin lockers are definitely way more fun out in the bush

I've clearly got the wrong impression with the air lockers - the two trucks I've been in with them must have had issues then - they were cutting in and out quite a lot. I just thought that was normal?
Reading back, perhaps I should have said more intermittent, rather than constant.

Anyhoo, the owners of those two rigs had even mentioned it as being annoying, hence the reason I started looking at alternatives when building my last truck.

The locked diff thing - I guess my experience with locked diffs etc comes from a rallying perspective. We ran lockers for many years (before we could afford good ratio LSD set-ups) and experienced the constant stress and loads placed on axles/driveshafts.
Of course you can turn the wheels, I was just thinking more that with the front diff locked and a good fist of lock on, you may be stuck a little and need to 'give it a bit'. Those front shafts look a little on the small side to me but very glad to hear they're tougher than they look.

Cheers, S

Sideways wrote: I've clearly got the wrong impression with the air lockers - the two trucks I've been in with them must have had issues then - they were cutting in and out quite a lot. I just thought that was normal?

Perhaps they were turning them on and off a lot? Though intermittent sounds more like a slow leak or a dodgy seal, or a bad install or any number of possibilities

I got the rear locker only on my hilux, but only because I couldn't afford to get the front as well. I have used both front and air lockers in anger before, but usually for climbing steep inclines or to get unstuck when the back end got hung up (this on a 100 series). If i needed steering i only engaged the rear locker, straight line the front locker went on only if needed.

So far in the hilux I have hardly had to use the rear locker, and even then, when I did it was on a dune and the only reason I flicked it on was to keep from cutting up the track. The peace of mind of having the locker if I need it is priceless though when you're the only 4wd on a track and recovery options are limited.

I guess that's one particular advantage of all lockers though, you can crawl where others have to use momentum to get through, I'd like to think all serious 4wders should have lockers to look after the tracks but that'd be boring I guess Also saves a bit of wear and tear on your vehicle

Meanwhile, I use my compressor that was installed with the air locker all the time, bike tyres, car tyres, wheel barrow tyres.... and never having to wait for the air at the bloody servo Very convenient bit of kit