[Marko_SJ]

Who here drives auto locked and tows trailers often.

I'm worried mainly about low speed manoeuvring, for example backing up a drive way and in the bush and anything you can think of really.
I have heard its not ideal in conversation with some people, some further google searching revealed that it was not a good idea. (ford bronco guys I think)
No discussion on here came up when I searched.

So Auszookers, what have you found?

[Joe]

I had an auto locker in my sierra and towed my bikes around most weekends without any issues

[Built4thrashing]

everyone that doesn't drive suzukis are big wingers....... Yes its not ideal but neither is having an open diff when wheeling.

[christover1]

I have auto lockers front and rear and in an auto Vitara, I find reversing easier towing my camper,
as it don't spin wheels trying to back up hills.
You will be fine.
If you can afford an air locker, great, if not an auto locker is brilliant.

I tow on road, off road, touring, and occasionally hard core trips,
only issues are normal trailer reversing issues.

[Built4thrashing]

christover1 wrote:

I have auto lockers front and rear and in an auto Vitara, I find reversing easier towing my camper,
as it don't spin wheels trying to back up hills.
You will be fine.
If you can afford an air locker, great, if not an auto locker is brilliant.

I tow on road, off road, touring, and occasionally hard core trips,
only issue is the idiot trying to reverse the trailer.

Fixed it for you

[christover1]

Yep, that is the usual issue with me

[Marko_SJ]

Thanks guys, I thought this would be the case. Some people complain about suzuki's being "rough" and truck-like too I guess.

christover1 wrote:

I have auto lockers front and rear and in an auto Vitara, I find reversing easier towing my camper,
as it don't spin wheels trying to back up hills.
You will be fine.
If you can afford an air locker, great, if not an auto locker is brilliant.

I tow on road, off road, touring, and occasionally hard core trips,
only issues are normal trailer reversing issues.

Thanks christover you (as well as others) towing a camper is what made me think "hmm something isn't right with these stories I'm hearing"

Built4thrashing wrote:

christover1 wrote:

I have auto lockers front and rear and in an auto Vitara, I find reversing easier towing my camper,
as it don't spin wheels trying to back up hills.
You will be fine.
If you can afford an air locker, great, if not an auto locker is brilliant.

I tow on road, off road, touring, and occasionally hard core trips,
only issue is the idiot trying to reverse the trailer.

Fixed it for you

I think every now and then everyone has their moments of brilliance

Thanks folks

[Built4thrashing]

Jokes aside, I have seen Chris tow his camper through places most wouldn't consider just driving......

[Marko_SJ]

Haha, my box trailer has been some interesting places too. Currently outside mvr goyder with me inside writing this with my samsung flip phone.

[Marko_SJ]

Hi guys, the locker has been in for a few days now and sometimes it makes hardly a noise at all (if the steering wheel wasn't light I'd think it was in spool mode) with normal driving, just as long as I coast around corners.

However, mainly during slow manuevres it is doesn't seem to unlock (even w/ foot on the clutch)

Yes, all original side gear and spider gear shims were removed as per directions.

I am getting the feel for the way it drives, but it will 'loosen up' after a while won't it?
I am worried about tyre wear thats all. Other than that I feel I have to adjust the diff again as it is noisy.

I am useless at diffs

Cheers,
Mark

[tanshi]

i doubt its going to "loosen up" if its not right i would say it needs adjusting

[christover1]

My front Spartan was tight at first.
It is perfect now.
Probably takes a while for the oil to get round everything,
springs to soften, etc.
I know nothing of the engineering stuff, but mines fine now it has been used a while.
(My rear Lock rite was already fitted, is very old now, and I hardly feel it.
Tyres will wear a bit faster, but happy with the life I get out of mine.

Change the diff oil a few times when new is wise.
I changed mine at 500K and 1000K, then back to normal service k's.

[Marko_SJ]

Ahh I thought so. I didn't wanna contradict Tanshi by saying that others have found they do wear in.

But I should have made myself more clear, it was backlash and carrier bearing preload that I need to play w/ again, (third time lucky?) as we know there is nothing to adjust in the spartan itself.

I drove home from work with the windows down and it made barely any noise, just a soft "click-clack-click-clack" going around corners. I think it will be right, the only problems are my diff setup which I'm gunna do again tonight. You don't learn by taking it to someone else.

Thanks Chris

[christover1]

There will be a lot of slack in the drive shaft, if that is what you mean?
It was only a problem to me until I got used to it.
It is a function of auto lockers, though my Spartan has much less than my lock rite does.
The pins that drive diff move in an oval shaped hole, so they have a bit of slack.
But you should make sure the diff is set up well.

[tanshi]

I stand corrected. Sounds like a really good reason not to have one to me. Shrugs

[larry]

i had slack in the driveshaft on my old lockright and ive found my current spartan to do the same but not as bad.
i managed to snap a pin in the old lockright, if id know the slack was part of teh design i probably wouldnt have done so much shock loading (read: clutch dumps)

[christover1]

My rear will get a Spartan, if the lock rite lets go, or a spool

[Marko_SJ]

christover1 wrote:

There will be a lot of slack in the drive shaft, if that is what you mean?
It was only a problem to me until I got used to it.
It is a function of auto lockers, though my Spartan has much less than my lock rite does.
The pins that drive diff move in an oval shaped hole, so they have a bit of slack.
But you should make sure the diff is set up well.

The problem I had was diff noise.

I knew the back end would feel sloppier, it is "the diff is setup well" bit that I had to improve on. I double checked it all and reset backlash to .0005 plus a bees thingy (stock setting anyway), which is what it was when I pulled it out first time, carrier bearing preload/adjustment was probably not as good as it could be so I re did that as well. Before I pulled the diff apart I measured a starting torque of 1.5 lbs w/ the spring balance (very low really compared to FSM) and it was back at that when I put it back together tonight.

If it plays up when I road test it again tomorrow its going to a diff shop.

tanshi wrote:

I stand corrected. Sounds like a really good reason not to have one to me. Shrugs

The fact that they wear in, and then eventually out? or the increased driveline slack? It wasn't that much anyway.

You are only looking at the disadvantages. Through LROR there is almost one grand difference from ARB to a spartan to lock one end of a WT.

I saw it on special so bought it with an order for other stuff so mine was cheaper again.

Price
Nothing really to fail etc compressors and air-lines
no mounting a compressor / finding space / wiring
when locked you still have differential action

They are far from ideal on road, but I feel a limited slip would be better for road use any way, than an open (for road use) selectable locker.