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Yukon Zip Lockers

9K views 31 replies 6 participants last post by  gsaxe 
#1 ·
Anybody have any experience or knowledge about Yukon Zip Lockers. They seem to be an air locker, similar to ARB, but are priced a couple of hundred dollars less. On a pair of them, that is a savings of $400.

I have been thinking about going with a pair of front and rear lockers for some time. I know I want something I am control of, so either air, cable, or electric. I had been leaning towards air due to the amount of mud, deep water, flooding etc. around here, figuring electrical is to be avoided as much as possible. I had ARB in mind, but then I started looking at these Yukon Zip Lockers, which have a somewhat lower price.
 
#2 ·
Prot,

I seriously considered the same before I bought my ARB because, like you said, of the savings in price. Yukon makes great stuff, and I'm sure that their Zip locker would be top notch (though I haven't heard any personal testimony, and Northridge4x4.ca didn't know anybody who was running them either). The real clincher was when I read the install guide. They indicate maximum tire size that will void the warranty. And the max tire size is 32" for the D30, 34" for the D44. ARB doesn't have a tire size warranty. Hence the ARB.

If Yukon would step up to the plate and give the same bullet-proof warranty of the ARB, I'd be sold. Until then, I'll be spending the extra $300.
 
#4 ·
Warranty

This is old so you probably have your answer, but I believe ARB and Eaton limit to stock. Yukon will go to 35s on a d44. OX is the only selectable with no tire size limitation on their warranty, they have a hp limit. But I'm probably wrong.

so what did you go with and how did it sort out?
 
#8 ·
#13 ·
ARB warranty:

http://www.arbusa.com/Contact/Warranty.aspx

NOT warrantied for vehicles for tires larger than OEM size, or engines with more power than OEM. 2 year warranty on manufactured defect.

Yukon Warranty:

http://bb.bc4x4.com/showthread.php?171241-Yukon-Zip-Locker-Warranty

No questions asked 2 years..
^^^ Negative. Yukon will not warranty their products with oversized tires, specifically any tire over 34+" for D44JK or 32+" for D30JK. I've got Yukon gears and I'm running 35's, which means my gear warranty is forfeit:

It's states specifically on page 16 for the Zip locker instruction manual and in the manual for all Yukon gears:

http://www.yukongear.com/Downloads/Manuals/Yukon_Zip_Locker_Installation.pdf

http://www.yukongear.com/Downloads/Manuals/Yukon_Installation_Instructions.pdf

Now you might be able to ask Yukon to do something in the event of a failure - and they might decide to be nice - however, their warranty is written in black-and-white. That being said, however, I'm a firm believer that durability is a product of good installation and proper, intelligent use. The Zip locker should hold up fine - and if it does - the lower price than ARB should make it a good deal.

Prot, let us know how it performs and what your take is on the product.
 
#11 ·
rambo3489 said:
Whatcha GET?!? :popCorn:
Yukon zip locker for the rear and leaving the front alone for now. I found a teaspoon of rice sized metal chunks in the rear differential recently so I am having it rebuilt rather than waiting for failure. While it's apart it makes sense to go for a little upgrade.
 
#12 ·
I thought I would post an update. I got the installation done on April 2. My ring and pinion had signs of overheating, had some small pieces of metal missing, displayed signs of shock loading, and the teeth were sharp and were beginning to get that saber tooth look to them. The metal chunks that were found previously apparently were from the factory limited slip.

So, here is what is new in the rear D44:

Master Install Kit (obviously)
Yukon Ring & Pinion (previously had Superior) stayed with same 5.13 ratio
Yukon Zip Locker

Something got messed up with my order and the riddler cover was missing. The good thing is, I am supposed to bring it in for a 500 mile gear inspection/fluid change as part of the break in and they will install the riddler cover at that time.

I have been doing a slow and easy break in on the gears, so I haven't really used the locker yet other than quickly verified that it works.

I already had the ARB compressor and the daystar switch panel that goes just in front of the automatic shifter, at the base of the vertical section of the dash below the factory switches, so now there are two switches there (one for the compressor and one for the rear locker).

I really like having the ability to lock and unlock the rear end on demand, regardless of what range the transfer is case is in.

I am leaving the front axle alone for now.

I am glad I had this done because even though it was not going to fail immediately, it was ticking time bomb that was going to fail eventually. Overall, I am satisfied with my decision.
 
#14 ·
Since I am still lockerless but deciding soon I will try to revive this. SubAtomic I see your pdf that says d44 24" max tire size and am not being argumentative just for fun. Is that old? Current Yukon site says d44 35" limit. Of course more worrisome is its says void if used off road:mad:. Still better than ARB who limits to stock in writing anyway. So aside from lawyers...Prot, how do you like your ZIP
 
#16 ·
Hey, no prob. In my experience, any Yukon documentation will undoubtedly refer to Dana Spicer specs which state that a 34" max tire size for a Dana Spicer D44/D44JK axle. This is clearly stated in their install guides and in their "differentials" book. Fact is that any axle assembly, no matter what make, no matter what size - is designed to service a certain size tire, a certain vehicle weight, and a certain intended use.

That being said, each of these variables can have a different effect on the end product. Because the manufacturers have no control over your *intended use* and (somewhat) your gross-vehicle weight, they usually stick to the rated max tire size for warranty purposes. True, you can roll 35's or even (gulp) 37's on stock axles with no extra added beef, stick to the street (ie. intended use) and have no issues. Or you can take the same rig and hit the rocks and bend up your tubes, inner "C's" - or in this case - grenade your ring and pinion/locker. This is why sleeves, trusses, and gussets are popular/recommended - however, once you get over a certain tire size (and low gear range) - the ring and pinion becomes the weak point and the only practical solution is to go with a larger ring and pinion - which means a bigger axle assembly (ie. D60).

Again, I'm sure that companies like Yukon and ARB need to draw a line in the sand somewhere when it comes to a practical warranty policy on their products - or else they'd be taking a hit when everyone put 38" tires on their D30/D44JK axle assemblies...

To Prot - I am very interested to see how you make out with these Yukon Zip lockers. I was seriously considering these when I purchased my ARB for my D44 rear axle assembly. :wave:
 
#15 ·
Zip has been good so far but on the other hand I have been working so much that I have not had a chance to really need it. I am starting vacation soon so hopefully I will be able to go wheeling then.

FWIW, unlocked on the street it actually seems somewhat quieter and a slight feeling of less rolling resistance than it did with the factory limited slip. It probably is just my imagination though.

After I get my electrical upgrades done I will turn my attention to the front axle.
 
#17 ·
I am getting zips front and rear. I bought them from and they will be installed by alljeep.com. The owner is a local to me and I talked to him a lot about arb and zip. He only carries zip now. He said he has only had one failure (wouldn't engage once installed) with a zip locker and it was warrantied 100% by Yukon. When I say 100% I mean they shipped a brand new locker out, paid for the install of the new locker and didn't even request the other locker be sent back.

That was when he decided to stop carrying ARB too. He said there are very few applications that he can't use the zip. When I was at his place he did have a TJ with a ford 8.8 that he was putting an ARB in. He also said the zips are better to install (easier and less likely to leak because the zip fittings are better).

He had a zip in his JK with 37's. And he runs zips in his TJ buggy with 40" stickies. He had two sets of tera60's in the shop that looked like they were getting zips (boxes sitting next to them).

I searched online and couldn't find any negative posts by actual zip owners. There is a youtube video that shows a zip locker failing but it was made by ARB (**red flag**) and the locker in question doesn't appear to be an actual production zip locker, it looks like a prototype or something.

All manufacturers have to put limitations in but from what I have seen both zip and arb are good about warranties on things but generally the problems I have found were manufacturing defects and not failures from use. Yukon's warranty is longer though.
 
#18 ·
Everyone has seen the ARB video about the zip lockers. If you're like me, you're still waiting for any practical, real-world, first-hand experience with the Zip locker. Of course, Yukon is a solid brand and I like their products, however, I shy away from anything that isn't proven. ARB lockers are proven. And the only ARB fails I've heard of are from extreme hard use (ie. "I've got a sponsor) and, perhaps, from bad installs. Plus, I really can't see how a zip locker is any easier to install than an ARB - I've installed my ARB myself and it is not much more different than a typical diff install. The only trick is that they specify in their instructions to use a case spreader to get the carrier preload correct - which is/may be a picking point with many backyard differential installers. The fittings comment is not really valid, either - I'm an instrumentation technician by trade, I deal with fittings on a regular basis and ARB's fittings/connections are good quality and fit for purpose.

Either way, I'll digress. For now I'm really looking forward to Prot's and Duneslider's assessments after the field test.
 
#19 ·
I can't comment on the difference in the install, as I haven't installed either. I was just going off of what this guy said, and he has installed 30-40 and sold even more so I figured he has a good idea. I also don't know exactly what the fittings are like for the arb locker. The zip uses what I call a press-lock fitting. You just cut the tubing and slide it in and it locks in place. No ferrules or compression nuts. I use press-lock fittings on a very regular basis at work and have had very few problems with them and like how easy they are to work with. Some tend to feel the ferrule/compression type fittings are better, I guess I like easy if it works. I also like the solenoid the zip comes with, again, can't comment on the one with the arb since I haven't seen those. I do know that I can get solenoids like the zip one at my local Air/hydraulic supply house.

From what I could see when I was looking, the ARB wasn't several hundred dollars better (time will tell though). Since I have always rooted for the under dog I figured I would give the zip a try and see what happens. Plus, this guy gave me a great price on the lockers and install. I was planning to do all the work myself this winter but ended up almost being the same as having him do it for me. The only downside is I don't have a reason to buy new tools now.

By the way, from what I hear talking to several diff installers, a diff spreader is very nice to have.
 
#21 ·
Sorry, but just because you can manage without a diff spreader doesn't mean that you don't need one. Anybody can pry a diff out of a housing using any number of methods. It is the "pounding" back in with shims in place to get the preload that isn't right. You end up damaging shims, side-load the bearings and you probably won't get the proper preload anyhow. A spreader makes this way too easy - spread, put diff with bearing races and preload shims in place, put bearing caps on, release spreader, and tighten bearing caps. Just because you can beat on something doesn't mean that you don't need the proper tools for the job.
 
#22 ·
SubAtomicGenius said:
Sorry, but just because you can manage without a diff spreader doesn't mean that you don't need one. Anybody can pry a diff out of a housing using any number of methods. It is the "pounding" back in with shims in place to get the preload that isn't right. You end up damaging shims, side-load the bearings and you probably won't get the proper preload anyhow. A spreader makes this way too easy - spread, put diff with bearing races and preload shims in place, put bearing caps on, release spreader, and tighten bearing caps. Just because you can beat on something doesn't mean that you don't need the proper tools for the job.
There is no pounding or beating whatsoever. I have been a professional tech for 15 years and the beat it pound it method is not how I do business. If you have the proper shim driver and know what you are doing with the proper shims you will not damage one. With this method I always get the pattern I want and the right preload. A housing spreader is great but it is not needed to do the job right. The way I do it the ring gear comes out with ease with no shock to any parts.
 
#23 ·
Talked to Yukon yesterday about warranties. Yukon says the $50 YES lifetime is no questions PERIOD and that the tire size chart is in any case, like subatomic said a reccomendation not a warranty limitation. About the off road use limitation they said that refers to abuse like reapatadly dragging your dif back and then forward over a boulder and smashing the case, after I pointed out where their site said this and read it to them. Breakage while just accelerating, even off road is manufacturer defect. I am deciding between the Zip for $900 with compressor and YES warranty plus approx $500 install OR $650 detroit and $200 install I am still waffling........thanks everyone for chiming back in on a much beaten horse!
 
#27 ·
My front is done and sitting in the garage on the shelf, just gotta find time to swap the axles out. Should have the rear back in a week or so.

I need to get a compressor figured out though. I was wanting to go with the viair ada system but I am running out of coin fast and may just have to get the cheap arb for now.
 
#29 ·
I went to Holly Beach today and drove up and down the beach in the sand. This is the place that made me want to get a locker in the first place. Last time I was there, I got a little nervous because I thought I was going to get stuck. At the time, I put it in 4Lo and was able to get out. Still, that nervous feeling stuck with me so I got the lockers.

Today, the way the locker worked seemed surreal. I got into some loose sand and could see the chevy Z71 starting to get bogged down and I could feel myself sinking and losing traction. I was in 2H intentionally so I could find a spot to test the locker. I put the transmission in neutral hit the switch on my compressor and on my locker then put it back in drive. I was moving again without hesitation. The locker engaged so smoothly with no noise or hesitation I wasn't sure if even engaged at first. The only indication of it working was suddenly I was moving along with good traction. I came to a big dip in the sand so I put in 4Lo before entering it and I just walked in the hole and walked out like it was nothing, no kicking up sand or spinning tires or anything. All while this was happening, the Z71 had to break off from following me and get to harder ground because he was getting buried and had very little traction.

My main take away from this is the locker tamed the computer. Previously I had problems with the esp, traction control, and all the rest of the computer garbage taking over, applying brakes and gas at the same time which causes the jeep to go nowhere and just shake in place. With the locker, that does not happen because I can just press a button to get more traction, so the computer never senses that anything is wrong.

The smooth seamless engagement was nice. Almost too nice because other than better traction, I had no way to know if it actually engaged or not.

The Goodyear Duratracs performed well in the sand.

I do have a couple of things worth noting on today's trip though. I drove a couple of miles at about 5 mph in the sand. It was in the upper 90's today plus the humidity was really high. Towards the end, I started smelling hot oil. The more I sniffed, the more it seemed like the smell of automatic transmission fluid. I did not get any warning on the dash or anything and I had no indication of anything wrong, other than the smell. Needless to say, a transmission cooler is on my want list. I had been looking at many different types recently and have not decided on what to go with. Some have fans, some do not. Some look like a an a/c condensor while others seem like a round tube with fins on all sides.

The other thing that happened was the blower motor on my a/c stopped working. It was working and I stopped at a store to pick up a bottle of water. When I went to leave, no blower motor. I shut the jeep off and restarted it a few times but nothing helped. I messed with it on the way home and for little while it started blowing again, but just barely. I left it off for the rest of way home. I checked fuses and nothing is blown. I did a search and there are many threads about it. Since Monday is labor day, everything is closed. On Monday I am going to the dealer. I think it is the blower motor resister because for a while now it seems like only the high setting works and any other setting barely puts out.

i had planned on installing my dual battery system and high output alternator this weekend, but I am going to hold off on that until the blower motor is fixed so that I don't introduce another unknown.

The locker in the rear worked so good that I want one for the front now. I am just weighing my options regarding the axle.
 
#30 ·
For any who might be interested I just ordered a Grizzly for 520 delivered, with a Labor Day sale from Auto Anything. Had a huge cluster**** over the lifetime warranty which AA was not prepared to sell yet, but still bought it straight from Randy's for another 50 bucks. They claim it is a no questions asked replacement. The collaterol damage coverage is just one year on the griz, 2 on the zip.

It will be going in my rear d44 (4 door auto 4.1 gears) and I am leaving the front open but trussed, for now.:2thumbsup:

also FYI I did check around. I got qoutes from desert rat, 4 wheel parts, and several local 4x specialists and yes it included the compressor and switches. "and now you know the rest of the story" Paul Harvey
 
#31 ·
For any who might be interested I just ordered a Grizzly for 520 delivered, with a Labor Day sale from Auto Anything. Had a huge cluster**** over the lifetime warranty which AA was not prepared to sell yet, but still bought it straight from Randy's for another 50 bucks. They claim it is a no questions asked replacement. The collaterol damage coverage is just one year on the griz, 2 on the zip.

It will be going in my rear d44 (4 door auto 4.1 gears) and I am leaving the front open but trussed, for now.:2thumbsup:

also FYI I did check around. I got qoutes from desert rat, 4 wheel parts, and several local 4x specialists and yes it included the compressor and switches. "and now you know the rest of the story" Paul Harvey
Something doesn't add up. The grizzly is an autolocker like the Detroit so it doesn't need a compressor or switches, it just automatically locks when it senses the need. So if you scored a compressor and switches with your auto locker that is cool!
 
#32 ·
sorry if my lack of grammar and disparate responses led to confusion. I am one of those guys who has been debating auto vs selectable and yukon vs others for a long time on many threds. I was looking at and getting qoutes on the zip/eaton/ox/arb, subject of this thred and my last line. But, yesterday I ordered the grizzly.:pickle:
 
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