[Washi]

Hi!

First off, I would very much appreciate it if everyone could stay civil in responding to this thread, we're all friends here!

I am still pretty new to this Jeep scene and am finally starting to start my build up of the vehicle. I am sick and tired of a 3.07 rear end , so changing that is priority for me.

I have the new carrier, gears (4.56) , seals, bearings etc. for the D30, but now need to find the route to take for the D35c out back. I have been swimming through all the threads about the different kits and lockers and lsd's, but everything is just overwhelming me and is starting to muddle now.

I am looking for simple, effective, and cost effective. I try to be easy on my Jeep, and very much a fan of putting it in 4lo and idling everywhere I want to go. My plans in the future are for 33's at MAX, on a 2.5-3 inch lift. Nothing major. The trails I see can be VERY narrow (ATV trail my foot!), fairly twisty at times, steep up down and across, with loose gravel, snow, mud (I try to avoid at all costs), loose and hard dirt, with rocks and boulders no larger than say, your back seat. You know... off road.

I am trying for an all purpose build, not specializing in any one arena as far as performance. I also see a LOT of street time and snow and ice driving as this is my one and only DD .

I am thinking that a 27 spline C-Clip eliminator with a true-trac LSD would be right for me, with another one up front eventually or a lunch box (Spartan) . Money is, of course, an issue....wierd.

I am just wondering if this setup will hold for me. I am just now noticing all the threads about how weak the D35c is, and all the mods people do to them to keep them alive, it actually has me a little nervous to be honest .

Oh! I also don't really have the time to do any of this myself. I am a mechanic by trade (Jet Engines), but really don't have a work space, some of the tools, or time. So if anyone out there can recommend a good place to have this stuff done (including the gears) around the Ogden/SLC area, that would be great!

Sorry for rambling, been working 14-15 hours a day, 7 days a week for about 7 weeks now and am delerious Got a call a minute ago saying that I didn't have to come in tonight though, I think it's time for some driving..... or something else

Thanks again, and sorry!

[Jerry Bransford]

Because you don't want/need a rear locker and want to run a Truetrac LSD, I would go for Superior Axle's c-clip eliminator kit. The hardened 27 spline alloy axle shafts it comes with are extremely strong, there are some here running that exact kit with a locker and 35" tires and haven't managed to break anything even after some very hard wheeling.

[never monday]

An Aussie for the front and a selectable locker for the rear. The rear should be a 30 spline Super kit

[Washi]

Thank you very much JB! A short concise answer to my unfocused questions! That's what I will do then. Thank you. Now... where do I get it from? A google search doesn't return hardly any hits, and the one offered on 4wd seems a lot more expensive then what some others say they got theirs for, and Superiors website doesn't list it, or I can't find it.

[Washi]

Oh, wait, a new option. Just saw your post after I posted Never monday. I have thought about a selectable in the rear, but am not a fan of electrical wires, cables, or air lines and compressors. I love simple. But a auto locker in the rear, I think, would be dangerous for me... The 235 kit that I was looking at though, was the 30 spline Auburn Ected combo. When I first saw these I wanted them bad because of the LSD/Locker, but there has been some bad things said about them here. That one also appeals to me due to the fact that I can get it for $876 from 4ws, then I'd just need to get the new RP gears

[never monday]

Talk to local Jeepers about how a Detroit handles in your area. Or, get over the fears of control failures. Jeep installs air and electric lockers from the factory. They don't like having to pay for warranty failures, so it must be well tested.

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally Posted by Washi

A google search doesn't return hardly any hits, and the one offered on 4wd seems a lot more expensive then what some others say they got theirs for, and Superiors website doesn't list it, or I can't find it.

Call Superior Axle Monday, it's not yet on their website.

[Washi]

Originally Posted by never monday

Jeep installs air and electric lockers from the factory. They don't like having to pay for warranty failures, so it must be well tested.

Hah! Very true! A good point of view on that one. The only problem is that those are manufacturer installed and warrantied, and if I put one, or rather have one put in, no one will warranty that.

I do like the look of the S35 w/ Auburn Ected from 4ws for $876 though. Hmmm, two viable options to check into. Thank you very much for the inputs!

As far as fear of control is concerned, I have never driven with a locker before. But there are plenty of horror stories around about changing lanes, or not turning. Besides, I aint scared! You scared.....

[Tuffjeeper]

Washi, where do you live? I am in Spanish Fork.

I often drive a 95 YJ with a Detroit in it. I have driven it in the snow multiple times. Some will say that Detroits or any auto lockers are nowhere close to Manageable. I will disagree.

First off let me say that it can get squirrelly at times and the locker will want to let the Jeep slide sideways. Thats if you are using more skinny pedal than you should be. If you treat it like an egg it is manageable. From what I've seen here in Utah as you probably well know, the only major you would have with snow anyways will be in slower speed situations >40 mph. And that is just usually in residentials, by the time you get to any well used roads they are just usually wet rather than snow covered.

I see it as putting on a lift kit. A lifted Jeep reacts different than stock. A Detroit reacts different than stock. When you learn how to drive a lifted Jeep, take turns slower, etc the stability change is invisible. Again same with a Detroit, after learning how to drive it, it will become transparent.

Snow should not sway your decision to install an Auto Locker.

my .02

[Washi]

Hmmm. Thank you for the input Tuffjeeper! I am up in Clearfield so I don't have to be too far away from Hill AFB. Your insight on the auto locker in the rear is about what I thought it would be like. So I could then, heh, do a C-clip elim, re-gear, and stuff an aussie in the front and rear at the same time. This, then, could potentially keep me happy for awhile until I can figure out the exact locker setup that I really want to do. But, if I remember MRBlaine correctly, the C-Clip Eliminator only comes in 27 splines? I am not sure I have seen any lockers in 27 splines, but I KNOW that the Detroit TruTrac is only in 30 splines. Hmmm. I can see whey Never Monday suggested the S35 w/30 splines and locker.... I just don't know what I want, that's the problem. Part of me knows that it will be happy with an LSD, the other screams for a locker. How does a Aussie in the front with a LSD in the rear work out? Anyone use this setup?

Oh! Also, I have been dying to ask this question. An auto locker locks up under load and unlocks when off the gas, hence having to coast around corners. So, and don't yell at me, I cry easily, how then do they help you out (lock up) if you put the Jeep in 4lo and just let it idle everywhere (like I do)? Does this mean that I will have to constantly be on the gas, maybe install a hand throttle to constantly apply power?

Thanks!

[never monday]

Eliminator kits are available in 27 or 30 spline.

Be careful with a lunchbox locker even with the eliminator kit. The carrier can't handle the stress.

[Washi]

Oh, poo. Why is it so hard for me to figure out which way to go on this? Well, I am going with a eliminator kit! I made a decision, yay! Now which flavor elim kit and with which toppings.... You know, I am normally a very decisive person.

[never monday]

Get the 30 spline ECTED

[Washi]

I am almost certain that I will go with the 30 spline ected now, and an aussie up front. Thank you never monday and JB. I am not spurning your in put JB! I was just presented with two viable options, and i guess I didn't really know what I wanted. Thank you for your inputs!

[Tuffjeeper]

Originally Posted by Washi

Oh! Also, I have been dying to ask this question. An auto locker locks up under load and unlocks when off the gas, hence having to coast around corners. So, and don't yell at me, I cry easily, how then do they help you out (lock up) if you put the Jeep in 4lo and just let it idle everywhere (like I do)? Does this mean that I will have to constantly be on the gas, maybe install a hand throttle to constantly apply power?

Thanks!

Its kindof hard to explain but this is how I understand it. In a turn an open diff will allow the inner tire to slow down. With an automatic locker the inside tire maintains the same speed while the outside tires speeds up and ratchets.

You can be under power around corners but it requires a lot more input to keep it turning. You can tell this by letting off the gas and getting on it again it will push in corners, but it wont chirp tires if that makes sense.

Now this is all opinion here... But I know that Jerry can back me up on this as well as Phil Howell from Four Wheel Drive and Sport Utility Magaine that an auto locker in the front works. Jerry has run one for years with no issues that I can remember him telling me. A while ago Phil put out an article and said that if it were him he would put a Detroit in the front and something like an ARB in the back. Putting something like a Detroit in the front (and back) is against the grain to most. If for no other reason I will be doing it just to prove a point that it can be done and still be street worthy.

Before I say this next part I want you all to know I am not trying to flame or fight, but I feel that it needs to be said.

My buddy equipped his Bronco with Auburn Limited slips fore/aft and was beyond dissatisfied. He said that they "went to lunch" when he needed them most. After his first trip to Moab the rear was replaced with a Detroit and never looked back. I do know that the Ected is different, in that it is a selectable locker. I would go ARB for a selectable locker. I don't know where I heard it, but IIRC I heard that the Ecteds are sometimes frustrating to engage/disengage. If I am thinking of another product please correct me.