Calgary Jeep Association

4x4 Related Groups => Tech Talk => Topic started by: youngen18 on June 15, 2005, 11:26:57 AM

Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: youngen18 on June 15, 2005, 11:26:57 AM
Anyone have em. Whats the dealio
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: apex on June 15, 2005, 01:46:11 PM
They'rrrrrrrre GREAT! You should get one!

listen to that Kris guy


  :P
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: Abrasive on June 15, 2005, 01:59:29 PM
^
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Don't listen to Greg, he's just jealous of my charming personality and rugged good looks.

I'm going to have to go out on a limb and diasagree with you Greg.
I've been doing quite a bit of research on these things and they seem to be the BEST non-selectable choice for a front locker on a daily driver, regardless of the price (which happens to be pretty good as well).
I've found many reviews on them, and everyone has been very pleased and surprised with how quiet the actually are when compared to their competition. I think the last straw for me came after reading this article on Pirate:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/productreviews/aussie/
and
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=179701

The guys on Pirate seem to really know their stuff (more than can be said for most of the randoms on the net who review things, myself included.lol) and if they say it's good, then it probably is. This will probably be the next mod that goes into my TJ.

$0.02

Kris
Title: Re: Aussie Lockers
Post by: Dadzooks on June 15, 2005, 02:40:55 PM
Quote from: "youngen18"
Anyone have em. Whats the dealio


Same thing as an EZ locker....sometimes refered to a lunchbox locker. I had one (EZ locker) in the rear for 2 years with 33's.....it eventually stripped out but did work well and served its purpose while I had it in. I have no complaints.
Title: Aussie!
Post by: Elsifer on June 15, 2005, 03:12:36 PM
They're from the southern hemisphere, so they reverse rotate compared to the northern hemisphere lockers!  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: Mudhawg on June 15, 2005, 03:29:28 PM
Talk to 80CJ he has em
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: HBZ on June 15, 2005, 05:18:36 PM
I have a lot of happy customers running these.
They are not a HD locker, but they work awesome.

For a daily driver, very well suited.

 :D  :D
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: youngen18 on June 15, 2005, 06:48:42 PM
Thnx for the input. I noticed em on the hoyboyz site, i think, when i looked on it for the flat fenders and they seemed to look like  a good deal. Mine is a daily driver so it might be worth it.

HBZ, maybe u can shoot me a pm with ur prices on em for a dana 35 installed, if not i can always shoot an email at u.

Jon
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: HBZ on June 15, 2005, 07:09:41 PM
PM'd you Jon.
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: youngen18 on June 15, 2005, 08:07:58 PM
got it thnx :)
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: Dadzooks on June 15, 2005, 08:08:30 PM
Quote from: "youngen18"
Thnx for the input. I noticed em on the hoyboyz site, i think, when i looked on it for the flat fenders and they seemed to look like  a good deal. Mine is a daily driver so it might be worth it.

HBZ, maybe u can shoot me a pm with ur prices on em for a dana 35 installed, if not i can always shoot an email at u.

Jon


They come with very easy to follow instuctions....if you can do an oil change you should be able to tackle this project.

The locker only replaces the spider gears
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: youngen18 on June 15, 2005, 08:15:06 PM
good to know. I work at an oil changer right now so i should be ok then haha. Thnx for the input :)
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: henry on June 15, 2005, 09:51:38 PM
I know a rear Aussie is my next additon to the Comanche.  Price - good, reviews - good.  Rear traction - good.  Just need a few more $$$ and I'll be giving Rob @Hoyboyz a call. 8) The info I read on them was only in regard to a rear application, any info if one is in the front diff :?:  That might be my next mod after the rear locker install.

Darren
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: youngen18 on June 16, 2005, 02:52:16 AM
i talked to 80cj and he said he had one in the front but took it out cuz he thought it was why he kept breaking u joints but he said it operated nicely and he still has his rear installed. It deffinitley sounds like a good deal. And now that i have got a lot of input from the cja crowd, it makes me want it even more. :p

Now im just thinking whether i want a winch first or a locker first.......
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: henry on June 16, 2005, 02:00:39 PM
Absolutely get a WINCH first.  Lockers will not get you home, a winch might. 8)
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: HBZ on June 16, 2005, 04:42:53 PM
Or...

Get locked and spend less time stuck,
and wheel with a buddy or two.

my 2 cents
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: youngen18 on June 16, 2005, 06:07:23 PM
Quote from: "henry"
Absolutely get a WINCH first.  Lockers will not get you home, a winch might. 8)

True but my friends winch does. We'll see what happends as time comes i guess. :p
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: Abrasive on June 16, 2005, 06:29:19 PM
Don't be "That Guy"
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: BlackYJ on June 16, 2005, 07:58:19 PM
If you are relying on a friends winch because you want to get lockers first, then you have got something wrong.  These are the situations were you landing up spending a night in the bush because the winch you were relying on broken down

ABSOLUTELY GET A WINCH FIRST!!!
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: TJ54 on June 16, 2005, 09:07:00 PM
What are peoples thoughts on putting a lunch box locker on the front axle of TJ, which does not have selectable hubs. Even though in theory an Aussie type locker should not lock unless there is power applied, It just doesn't sound like the best idea to me.
I would think with locked hubs you should have a selectable locker, or put in a manual hub kit, which is probably a good idea anyway.
Ian
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: TJ54 on June 16, 2005, 09:12:41 PM
Quote from: "youngen18"
Quote from: "henry"
Absolutely get a WINCH first.  Lockers will not get you home, a winch might. 8)

True but my friends winch does. We'll see what happends as time comes i guess. :p


Yeah, but if you are going up a hill and you friend is behind you and can't get past, what are you going to do?
And sometimes one winch is not enough. Sometimes your buddies winch won't work, And sometimes you will be silly enough to go out by yourself.
These are all my experiences.

A winch should be the very first mod to a jeep.
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: BlackYJ on June 16, 2005, 09:48:33 PM
TJ54 since the TJ axles are always turning in the front, I don't think whether you had power going to them or not, I think it would still lock up, especially in corners.

A YJ might be a little better because of the 3-piece axle setup but still, I would not run a automatic in the front unless I had manual hubs
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: Abrasive on June 16, 2005, 10:03:37 PM
The Mysterious Workings of an Automatic Locker (as I understand it, and, most importantly, in theory)

And automatic locker, be it Detroit, powertrx, aussie, etc. all work on the same principle. The only difference is how the mechanism go about achieving said goal.
When going in a straight line, the locker is engaged.
As soon as one wheel wants to spin, all torque is removed from that wheel.
Therefore, if one tire is up in the air, that tire will want to spin faster. This will then cause the automatic locker to disenguage power to that wheel and apply  all the torque to the wheel that has traction.
When turning, the outside wheel must turn faster than the inside wheel (unless your spinning your tires around a corner), therefore, the automatic locker will disenguage all torque to the outside wheel, and supply 100% of the power to the inside wheel (read: the wheel that is turning slower).
Once the vehicle is straight again, the wheels will turn at the same speed, therefore locking the locker again, and providing equal torque to both axles.

Now, If you get on the throttle too much and spin the inside tire while turning, then it will catch up to the speed with which the outside wheel is spinning and the locker will enguage. But as long as you keep your foot out of it, you shouldn't have any problems. So, if you've got a front locker (particularily in the winter time), you're going to have to be conscientious of the fact that if you lose traction with your inside wheel, your locker will engage.

Note, that I do NOT have a front locker. This is all information that I've been able to gather from Mr. Cole (the fellow that runs Torq Masters) and people that have run automatic front lockers.

$0.02

Kris

P.S. With regards to street driving, automatic lockers are designed to disengage when turning a corner.
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: BlackYJ on June 16, 2005, 10:20:15 PM
That is mostly true, however you got it backwards, when going straight the locker is disengaged because there is no power going to the locker since the hypothetical spider gears are not turning.  As soon as the tires start to turn at different rates (ie corning or offroad) and under power, it locks up and delievers 100% of the power to BOTH tires.  The is why when a tire is in the air and locked it will still turn.

See the thing with automatic lockers is that if there is no power to them they act like an open diff.  This is why coasting around corners does not adverse effects on the vehicle with the locker locking up.

Anyways enough for one night and just my comments
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: Abrasive on June 16, 2005, 10:33:14 PM
I HATE to argue with someone MUCH more experienced than I, such as yourself, but that isn't the way that the Aussie Locker is designed (read: supposed) to work.

I may well be wrong, and have it all backwards, but here's a link to an explanation on the subject from the manager of Torq Master (the company that distributes Aussi Lockers), as well as a link to their "How it works" page.

The quote is posted by "aussielocker". It's about half way [EDIT: more like 3/4 of the way down] down the second page.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=167389&page=2&pp=25

The section in the "How it works" page is listed as "Simple explanation of the "Aussie Lockers" operation"


http://www.offroadlockers.com/works.php/TM4900c0/9000/.html

As I stated before, I may well be the victim of good marketing, but it seems that the locker is "supposed" to disengage the outside wheel in a turn."

Kris

P.S. If my post reads as being sarcastic or disrespectful, I assure you that it is not. I'm the first one to admit that I'm new to this whole scene and I would not want to come off as being condecending or "know it all"ish. I'm just sharing what I've been able to gather, and if someone has better information, I'd love if they would please post it to correct any false understandings I very well may have.
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: Crazy Davey on June 17, 2005, 02:55:44 AM
There is some people here who need to do some serious research before they answer a tech question on any website. All the info is out there, go find it, very easy.

Quote
That is mostly true, however you got it backwards, when going straight the locker is disengaged because there is no power going to the locker since the hypothetical spider gears are not turning. As soon as the tires start to turn at different rates (ie corning or offroad) and under power, it locks up and delievers 100% of the power to BOTH tires. The is why when a tire is in the air and locked it will still turn.

See the thing with automatic lockers is that if there is no power to them they act like an open diff. This is why coasting around corners does not adverse effects on the vehicle with the locker locking up.

Anyways enough for one night and just my comments


BlackYJ start reading and repost. You are wrong about how lunch box lockers work.

If anyone here wants to know how lockers work, call me at 605-9116 and I will explain it to you. I have installed and worked with most locker designs on the market. The concept is not hard to understand, some people will never get it.

Kris, you are on the right track :D
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: BlackYJ on June 17, 2005, 06:41:02 AM
I was thinking about it about after and I realized that I was wrong, as long as there is power, the locker is locked.
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: AMCcrazy on June 18, 2005, 08:48:47 AM
I tried to sell some of these on the old site for 2 months and nobody even took a bite. so FYI you can get one sent to you directly from Aussie for about the $350 canadian thats landed to you doorstep price and yes they come with very detailed instructions. I personally have one in the front of my FSJ 76 chero and I cant believe it is so Quiet.  I have a friend with front and rear in an 86 gr waggie and another with a rear in a hopped up TJ. I have also put them in a 81 cj front and rear. All of the above with no problems except my self I broke a stob and inner axle pulling someone out backwards high spinning then one wheel caught. BTW my rear is a tightened up limited slip. I also have no lockers left as I sold them all.
Title: Aussie Lockers
Post by: youngen18 on June 18, 2005, 02:38:20 PM
Thnx for the info guys/gals/jeepers :)
Gotta love a community that is willing to help someone out when theres questions to be answered. :)