limited slip? or, lockers?

[J10Mike]

ok, now that i'm going to have to do some work on my rear end, i might as well change gears and type of differentials. i currently have open d44 up front and an amc20 in back. should i go for limited slip front and back? or, opt for lockers front and back?
with a 4 inch lift and 35x12.5, what would be the best gearing? i was thinking 3.73 since i do more on road driving than offroad. further, since i'm more on road than off, wouldn't limited slip be the better choice? also, on rare occasion, i may tow light trailers.

mike

[Dogs-in-the-back]

every truck i've ever owned had a limited slip. They've kept me from getting stuck many times, without the goofy side effects of a locker. they do wear out however. I run a auburn gear pro-posi in the AMC-20 under my CJ. its very tight, but I've only driven the **** thing 50 to 100 miles in the last 4 years since I built the jeep. I expect it would loosen up over time.

I'd go limited slip, haven't put on in the wag yet, but I will some day.

[J10Mike]

dogs,
thanks for your input. i seem to have read many posts here about the goofy side effects of lockers. since my j10 is not my daily driver and is driven only here and there, i can't justify the need for lockers.
anybody, your opinions on gearing? 3.73?

[Stuka]

If you do any hauling or towing go with limited slips.

Other wise go with a detroit locker in back, keep the front open if you like, or if money isnt an option then go with a limited slip like a detroit tru-trac.

Also with 35's I would go with 4.10's. 3.73's are the gears you usse with 33's generally. If you where more offroad then on, I would say go with 4.56's.

[J10Mike]

stuka,
do you have any goofy side effects with the detroit locker? I don't usually haul allot and rarely tow anything bigger than a small aluminum bass boat. i like the idea of lockers and find that the ultimate in 4X4. but, for someone who goes offroad rarely, would you?

[tgreese]

Lots of info on the "Randy's Ring and Pinion" site

http://www.ring-pinion.com/standard-carriers.shtml

hth :cool: Tim

[Stuka]

You have an automatic so the locker will act differently then it will with my T18a. A manual will make the side effects of a locker stand out more. When I shift under hard acceleration the front end jumps over. Always freaks people out who ride with me hehe.

With an automatic this really doesnt happen though. Reason it does it with a manual is because during shifting the locker goes into free-mode (unlocked) then i let the clutch out and gas it and then it locks hard and wants to pull the truck perfectly straight (if I am going straight it wont do it, only if I am on a slight turn generally)

The thing you will get with an auto (unless you move to like a 1200-1400rpm stall in the converter or something) is when you go from reverse to drive (or vise versa) the tires will chirp. Otherwise you wont get a lot of the clunking that detroits are known for behind a stick (everytime I let off the gas it clunks, then when I hit the gas it again it will clunk again as its going between lock-free-lock)

[ August 03, 2003, 11:37 AM: Message edited by: Stuka ]

[imported_80cj]

I have a friend with a 83 J-10. He has 4.10 gears and ran 35's for quite a while with very decent performance. When he decided he needed more power to pull his boat, he dropped down to 33's. His truck has a T-176 tranny and if he had a lower 1st gear I believe he would have stuck with the 35's. What he doesn't like is the older generation Detroit locker that I put in for him several years ago. This is the version that Detroit made before coming out with the Soft Locker and it lets you know it's there. I recently installed an Auburn in my 80 CJ-5 and like it very much. It is a very tight limited slip but has very decent street manners. You have to use close to 8 ounces of GM friction modifier in an AMC 20. I believe that without this much additive, it could be quite harsh on the street or at least you would have chatter.

Something I might mention about my friend's J10. This guy is not known for being light footed. His truck has a warmed over 360 and yet, he has never broken anything. I think that says something for the truck. He has a Trac Lok in the front 44 and as mentioned, the detroit locker in the rear. This thing has crawled out of situations that I find hard believe. He swears by the Uniroyal Laredo MT's which have been very recently discontinued.

[jode]

3.73 = big mistake w/ 35s whether on or offroad. It would prolly screw up your odometer reading pretty bad. off the top of my head id say go with 4.10, but the gear guys as mentioned previously would B able to give you the exact ratio to keep everything the same as stock, but with the larger tires....

[Stuka]

Oh yeah I should mention mine is the soft locker. Its very quiet, now and then it will make a click, it has banged on me twice (sounds like a sledge hammer on the dif housing). But otherwise is quiet.

[81amc]

yeah i would go with atleast 4.10's if not as low as 4.88's. I have 3.73's in my other jeep and it has thirty fives and is to gutless, and my odometer is pretty off as well. imo i would go with a detroit in rear and limited slip in front but hey if u have enough go with an ox locker in front. i dont know anyone with one but in all of the articles i have read they seem to be real good. heck if u really have the money go with arb's.
P.S- if u want to know what ur gears would be at with 35's heres how u do it **new tire size/ stock tire size = % of change x original gear ratio = new gear ratio.

[Frankenstien]

I have 4:27's and the speedo is right on with 35's also has great power and zooms up on the highway no problem.

Jason

[J10Mike]

it seems as most are leaning towards lockers and 4.10 gears. any other opinions?