To get Lockers or not in my JK Sport?

[Dozilla]

I have a 2013 JKU Sport 3.73 automatic 3.5" AEV lift and 35" Nitto trail grapplers, winch....


Living in Arizona more Jeepers are into the Rock Crawling scene. I lean towards the Overlanding scene....but haven't got out that much yet..

So what I need to know is this.... How much or have you ever needed lockers to deal with a issue while Overlanding? If so could you have dealt with it in a different way such as a winch?


Any thoughts or help is great!



Donny

 

[evilfij]

Should have bought a rubicon if you wanted lockers. Do you have the trac loc rear?

 

[Brandon Libby]

Is it necessary, no, but there are times when you won't be able to find a suitable anchor for your winch.

A rear locker will do you well. It allows you to stay in 2WD more which reduces wear and tear, and leaves 4WD as a secondary backup. I would recommend a selectable unit, as there are situations where a locker may impede performance.




Sent via exhaust note.

 

[Dozilla]

I don't think I will ever NEED lockers...But I was asking if anyone else with experience at overlanding has actually ever needed them or if they had them if they ever actually use them...

I will be regearing soon to 4.56. Since they will be open it would be a good time to throw lockers in if they will truely needed. I would put ARB air lockers in.

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero:You're asking a SIMPLE QUESTION that takes a BOOK to answer-

Lockers depend on vehicle/traction/terrain/gear ratios/DRIVER--some conditions where a new driver NEEDS LOCKERS, an experienced driver won't-

I choose areas in the desert that I frequent, where I use my lockers every time, but

I could go different trails and airdown and take a lot longer time to reach my destination-

Having lockers is like having a parachute--You won't need it most of the time, but when you do--be glad you gotem-

Now if you're a weekend warrior/w a DD and you just frequent (?) fireroads--you don't need expensive lockers-

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO

 

[dddonkey]

If you can swing the lockers when regearing your rig I would.

 

[jscusmcvet]

There is a night and day difference in the capability of any rig with and without lockers. Throwing a locker in the rear is the way to go in my opinion. You can go with something simple such as a Spartan, do the install yourself, and be in and out in a couple hours.

The benefit is that you do not rely on momentum when you encounter an obstacle. Momentum is the breaker of parts in many, many circumstances. Even if you are not expecting the obstacle in "overlanding" it is bound to happen at some point, when the forest service road is washed out, unexpected rains come, etc... Also, to me part of the nature of overlanding is the ability to look at the lonely two track old jeep or logging trails and say... "let's go that way". Capability extends beyond the rock crawling world...

In my view there is no reason NOT to do a locker. Don't be scared away from the stories of on road handling. It is just a matter of learning how your locker behaves on the road, particularly in corners when wet or slick in any way. Stay off the gas while in the corner and you are good. I had a Spartan in my xj and it made it twice as capable and was nearly invisible on the road.

John

 

[NJAdam]

With the latest round of mods to my LJ I did an air locker (front) and haven't looked back. There's been a few times instead of using my winch I flipped the compressor on and locked up and made it out without the use of the winch.

I chose to lock the front over the rear for my own reasons and it hasn't let me down yet. I will eventually lock the rear but have to find the funds!

 

[BADDANDY]

Lockers allow you to go on trails that would be undoable, potentionately dangerous, or cause breakage. It's unbelievable how easy they make trails seem vs unlocked when you need them. Remember 90% of all trails are easy with that one obstacle that makes it a locker trail. It sucks when you can't go that way because you rig is limited. I did the Rubicon by myself that I wouldn't have done if I hadn't had lockers. I needed them 4 times on 2 obstacles that break rigs, and 2 that could cause loss of life if done wrong. They will also allow you to drive trail that doesn't require them in the dry, but may be sentence #1 in rain or snow conditions, again limiting your route. As stated earlier, don't waste your money for lockers if you're never gonna go off the beaten path. Get a winch instead. I bought both my old TJ and new JK as Sport's, but wanting Rubicons. I waited for a deal on Rubi axles for the TJ as I did alot of trail in that rig and was limited to where I could go/wheel what I wanted. Best investment I made. I don't run trail hardly anymore, but guess what, I just slapped some Rubi axles under my JK, not limited anymore again! The great thing about a Jeep though is that you're already 50% ahead of any other rig made in the capabilities of where you want to go, STOCK! I just limited myself w/35's, 3.5" lift until I found my axles at a price that was good for me. BTW, I'm 95% at a Rubi's capability while $6,000 less at this point! Bide your time, try ever increasing tougher trail, learn what you want to do and what you need to get there.

Wish I would've had them before this 3,000 mile trip this spring. At this point I was 1,000 miles from home and on top of the mountains in the middle of nowhere! Winch would've been useless. Lots of shoveling and airing down 6 tires got me out.

 

[Charlie56]

See if this helps
We do overlanding, not rock crawling.
Take a look at the youtube video of a trip we did a few weeks ago.
At minute 2:30 I stopped and engaged the lockers. Could I have made it without them? Probably. but I like pushing the "easy" button a lot more than setting up a winch pull.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCKUm9ei_6I
So my answer to your question is, yes I use them when I need them.

 

[Septu]

If you're in there already (I assume you're paying someone) to regear things... I would save your money until you can lock it. I wouldn't bother with a limited slip unless you lived somewhere up north where you get real winters for half the year. Half the cost of lockers is the install.

As for when you need them... all depends on exactly what type of overlanding you do. If you're just exploring new places, and sticking to highways and fire roads, then no you won't need them. However if you do like to go exploring, then there are times where lockers will help you when nothing else will. I've slid my jeep partway off the trail up in the mountains, where there was no trees/rocks to winch off of (didn't have my winch then anyway). While I'm sure if I dug enough I probably would have gotten out... and I had to dig a lot anyway. But I know I was damn happy to have the lockers. Especially as a recovery/tow/tug would have been hard/uncomfortable in the situation I was in as the only access was from the rear.

Naturally we didn't take a picture until after we were partially out.

 

[MuckSavage]

Get at least one. It'll allow you to take obstacles slower, less wear & tear, and less bouncing around. I installed my rear locker when my Lab Retriever got up in years. I felt bad watching him fall down in the back of the XJ when I needed momentum over the obstacle, with the locker, I could just slowly walk thru.

 

[carbon60]

The benefit is that you do not rely on momentum when you encounter an obstacle. Momentum is the breaker of parts in many, many circumstances.

*Exactly* my thoughts.

I have a fully locked rig and that means I'm barely moving through obstacles that others need to mash their gas pedals to bounce through.

When you have a heavy truck, loaded to the roof with expo gear, you don't want to be bouncing. Ever.

A.

 

[DeucesALLin]

I personally wheel a JK on 37x14.5" Iroks. Hydro assist. All that... I now tow it to difficult trails behond my overland fitted Grand Cherokee. Why? Because turning a 10 hour drive into 16 due to deathwobble sucks. 37"s break things. Lockers break things. I wanna break the toy, not the weekend.

Locker: Sure, if you already have a winch. Because winching on the trail is fun, waiting for the guy who is WRENCHING on the trail- not so much.

Your JK is MORE than capable of holding its own offroad. If it is a JKU then you have more to work with than many.If you earn how to make BLD work for you in the JKU, you wont need lockers on a typical espidetion. With your longer wheelbase, a winch and a front locker would be my bet. Even a Spartan/Aussi like I run on my 2 door, wouldnt be noticable in your 4 door.

Also: I would lose the 37"s and go to 35"s or less for overlanding. I know the JKU looks great with that much meat, but thats ALOT of rubber to try and source at 2 am Sunday morning on the side of a rual highway. And if you are paying attention to your max GVW, youll see that alot of JKUs actually EXCEED their max just in accessories.

 

[Dozilla]

Thanks for all the replies!!! I am going to get at the least the front locked and most probably the back too. I'll just have to wait another couple months to swing the funds since they cost so much.

Thanks again for the the help!

Donny