locker in the front or the rear first

[praduck]

got the chance to put a locker in the prado and unsure were to put it, in the rear or the front . Prado has 34inch super swampers on it ..Also what would you put in - auto locker or ARB ..

[mudlva]

arb and go the rear first

in when you want it out when you dont and %75+ of your drive is in the rear. it will also save you blowing your CVs

[jeremy]

My 2c - ARB air locker in the front

...many will say rear, but I reckon a front locker is far more helpful. A rear locker is often very little help if you can't get the front up something because the critical wheel is not spinning.

We've only ever had a front ARB in our Nissan, and when we got our cruiser we put an ARB in the back only to be disappointed it didn't have the same effect that a front locker does - needless to say an ARB soon found it's way into the front diff. Even with lockers front and rear, I still use the front locker more than the rear.

...having said that - it could well be a different story with a long wheel base?

[Sadam_Husain]

its a holden vs ford arguement so you might as well stick them in both ends


just to add to the discussion, which end can be vehicle dependant, terain and driving style dependant. Both my trucks have F&R ARB's, my flatdeck cruiser needs the rear locker mostly coz it has heavyduty leaf springs in the back that dont articulate much if anything at all and its always cocking a back wheel and losing traction, the front articulates well and usually always has a wheel driving so I dont really gain much with the front difflock, my 40 series cruiser is the opersite and the front dosent have much articulation and I'm always relying on the front diff lock to get some drive and traction to pull the front up out of holes and get over things

[praduck]

okk then, more info --prado is 5 door auto and 2.4td . also winch on front and 3 inch coil lift. I was thinking in the front ARB as later on i could do auto locker in thr rear. An ARB locker it will be and prado is not the daily drive .

[tweake]

no lsd in the rear?

or stick an auto locker in both for less cost than a single arb.

[slide]

my 2c, do you have lsd in rear?
If so then locker-F + lsd-rear must be better than open-F locker-R?
That is if lsd isn't wornout....
Cheers

[sig]

have had an electric locker in the back of the 40 for 20 yrs,this includes rallying it for several years .the back does 80% of the work ,not many times a fr locker would have got me much further.wheel brakes on the back also helped heaps .personally i like to be able to control what wheels are locked up and when.have got fr and rear lockers in the 80 and hardly use the front one.( imo go the back first)

[mudlva]

My 2c - ARB air locker in the front

...many will say rear, but I reckon a front locker is far more helpful. A rear locker is often very little help if you can't get the front up something because the critical wheel is not spinning.

We've only ever had a front ARB in our Nissan, and when we got our cruiser we put an ARB in the back only to be disappointed it didn't have the same effect that a front locker does - needless to say an ARB soon found it's way into the front diff. Even with lockers front and rear, I still use the front locker more than the rear.

...having said that - it could well be a different story with a long wheel base?

a few years back i competed in a Laurie Sanson with a fornt ARB and open rear and just about went nowhere and when doing hard rough hill climbs the front when locked just dragged me side ways

might be the difference of LWB ??

[kbushnz]

I have a factory e locker in the rear of my LWB Prado....
Started off with open front and rear...
The rear locker has made a huge difference....
However I cant comment on a front in the same truck... mine is still open...
I can keep up with the twin locker guys... and when I cant.... either a tug from the lads or a winch does the trick....

[MNC]

okk then, more info --prado is 5 door auto and 2.4td . also winch on front and 3 inch coil lift. I was thinking in the front ARB as later on i could do auto locker in thr rear. An ARB locker it will be and prado is not the daily drive .

What's your budget? that will be the main deciding factor.

For cost reasons I did exactly what you've suggested above - Auto locker in the rear and selectable locker (factory cable) in the front.

If the lower cost of the auto locker in one end means you can afford to do them both at the same time go with that option.

Got to say I'm not a fan of Auto lockers in the front, others opinions differ.

Of course if budget isn't an issue then just ARB the front and rear...

[praduck]

Both diffs are open at the mo.
I have done a deal on the ARB locker so the only cost to me is the instill and hard were to make the ARB work -small cost to me .
Or the deal on the auto locker is no cost supply and instill all part of the deal.
Budget is small , very small.. Not big enough for 2 Auto Lockers at all. But ARB is sooo cool right.
The plan was to get it up and running for christmas as going south this year and i the only one in our group that still has open diffs.
I do tow a trailer with camping gear and childrens bikes etc.

[Jerry]

worth keeping an eye on TM ... lockers (both e-lockers and arb) come up for sale occasionally

[tweake]

a lot of the locker web sites recommend rear first. its the one that gets most of the weight (ie going up hill) and does most of the work.

not sure what rear diff they have but install should not be to hard. you might have to make/find a tool for tightening the adjusters. if you can get the ARB for the price of an auto locker then its a no brainer......go ARB!

[NJV6]

Front first

[kbushnz]

Well I think you have your answer.....
Do what ever yah like cause there is no wrong one.!!

[TJ]

Both diffs are open at the mo.
I have done a deal on the ARB locker so the only cost to me is the instill and hard were to make the ARB work -small cost to me .
Or the deal on the auto locker is no cost supply and instill all part of the deal.
Budget is small , very small.. Not big enough for 2 Auto Lockers at all. But ARB is sooo cool right.
The plan was to get it up and running for christmas as going south this year and i the only one in our group that still has open diffs.
I do tow a trailer with camping gear and childrens bikes etc.

If I had that deal, my choice would be ARB in the rear first. Then wait and see if the deal could be repeated for front at a later date.

[MNC]

...I have done a deal on the ARB locker so the only cost to me is the instill and hard were to make the ARB work -small cost to me .

OK, so the actual locker itself is costing you nothing??? Then the answer is ARB auto locker.

If your only doing one locker then chuck it in the rear.

...the deal on the auto locker is no cost supply and instill all part of the deal.
Budget is small , very small.. Not big enough for 2 Auto Lockers at all...

However, if you aren't paying anything for the auto locker as well (sounds like only cost is labour to install?) then why not try and install it in the rear yourself???? Its not hard to chuck an auto locker in the rear diff at all. Even if you've never done one before it should only take a morning to do it. Best Answer (assuming you cant afford 2 x ARBs or are able to install an arb yourself) - Pay to get the ARB upfront and put auto locker in rear yourself.

I'm assuming you've only struck the one deal for either arb (plus small cost to install) or auto locker and no install cost? If this is right then go ARB in the rear (then you'll have all the plumbing in ready for an ARB in the front when you can afford it)

[tweake]

the other optoin is to fit an lsd in the rear. eg swap with someone who wants an open diff for a locker.
lsd in rear and air locker up front is a good combo.

[Sadam_Husain]

I think the advice just about covers the whole selectable/auto/open/LSD/other/new/secondhand/front/rear/both/none spectrum now


hope this thread is of some use to you mate, just goes to show some things arent quite as simple as you sometimes think

[praduck]

Thank you all for the great advice.
Sounds like the rear is the way to go first so it shell be
an ARB in the rear and hope at a later date to get an ARB in the front one day. thanks again

[praduck]

Merry christmas to all ...

Well just a wee up date ...
We now have a spartan locker in the rear and love it ..
I have twin batterys in my prado now and the winch is running sooooo much better ..
Santer was kind and the prado did receive some more goodies tooo
Roll on 4x4 trip next week to twizel
keep it deep and go hard..

[tallsam66]

In the wiring loom that comes with ARB lockers & also there compressors you cant engage front locker unless rear is engaged first.

[Sadam_Husain]

In the wiring loom that comes with ARB lockers & also there compressors you cant engage front locker unless rear is engaged first.

Yep if you follow their wiring otherwise you loop the feed to the front and rear switches together so you can turn the front on without the rear being on. Cant say its often I'll run the front without the rear but theres been the odd occasion I have to try and avoid the arse end sliding off into something ugly

[rokhound]

avoid the arse end sliding off into something ugly

Nothing worse than sliding into an ugly arse.... Oh wait.....nope, read it wrong, carry on gents

[Sadam_Husain]

Nothing worse than sliding into an ugly arse.... Oh wait.....nope, read it wrong, carry on gents

Wrong forum westie