[hayden1992]

Hey guys just wondering if this locker is any good?

http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/spartan- ... uzsam.html

Or point me in the direction of someone selling one second hand or new

Cheers Hayden

[MrRocky]

I hate my spartan compared to the richmond/powertrax lockrights ive previously had. Others have no issues very mixed reviews in the usa.
As for 2nd hand lockers, it can be hard to pick up wear when you look at them, for the sake of saving $150 just buy new

[jdk81]

I've done about 80,000 km with an auto locker in the rear of the car.
I have a spartan in the front, which I can tolerate (for now).
I'm mostly sick of them.

I whipped the autolocker out and welded the rear.
Honestly air locked front and rear is what I really want.

2nd hand autolockers can wear a bit even after 10,000 km there's wear and tear.
As above, its not really worth it to save a bit of money.
Id keep saving and get a chinasoong.

[hayden1992]

Cheers for the information lads i really apreciate it!

Do you guys have links or sore locations to alternative
Lockers?

[rustyzook]

Hi mate, I run a lock rite in the front and air locker in the rear (also vitara power steering) I love it! The setup works really well!

As for an auto in the rear, I did this years ago and hated ever single day of it.

[rustyzook]

jdk81 wrote:

Honestly air locked front and rear is what I really want.

Keep the auto in the front, air in the rear! I have this setup and I can't see the pros of putting an air locker in the front! Also I run vitara power steering and chromos

[Gwagensteve]

That might work where you live but it sucks in Victoria. Auto lockers in the front are a very poor choice in local conditions. I'm Airlocker front, spool rear.

Being able to unlock the front to regain steering control in low traction situations is very important where we drive.

Steve.

[rustyzook]

Gwagensteve wrote:

That might work where you live but it sucks in Victoria. Auto lockers in the front are a very poor choice in local conditions. I'm Airlocker front, spool rear.

Being able to unlock the front to regain steering control in low traction situations is very important where we drive.

Steve.

Yeah ok, I've never felt that I've needed to be able to unlock the front no matter what terrain I'm driving in the setup works really well. and I take the girl to all different spots around NSW and it's worked a charm no matter what the terrain is. Can't say Iv "lost steering control" unless I'm really really really stuck.

Interested as to why you chose to spool the rear over an air locker?

[alien]

Mechanical simplicity and cost would be the key motivators.

The main advantage of the airlockers is that you can run open diffs 90% of the time, and lock on command.

[rustyzook]

Yeah that's why I have air locker in the rear and auto in the front. It's nice on the tar and drives really well off road, I find with the auto locker in the front I hardly use the rear air locker.

I find I have no use for an air locker in the front. if it was a spooled or auto in the rear (have had welded rears before) I wouldn't like it one bit. Just my personal choice.

[MrRocky]

Down a steep hill with rocks and 4psi has you wanting the front unlocked

[rustyzook]

im not saying it's the best I'm just saying I'm happy with it, I've never wished it was unlocked in any condition I've driven it in, including steep terrain. I'm happy with it and it works really really well for me. It's how I will be setting up the next one too!

[alien]

I'd say you'd be the minority rustyzook.

Mine's airlocked front and rear and the flexibility it gives offroad is great. I'm able to drive open diffed up until i'm on something stupid, then lock the rear, and if i get a bit stuck a flick of a switch to engage the front and generally off i go (rocks, not mud). The flipside is also true though. Sometimes i presume i'm going to need front and rear locked, then find the front impossibly hard to steer and spinning the wheels, leaving be crabbing sideways. Again, flick a switch to turn the front off and i regain steering and can drive out.

That's my personal experience though, totally irrelevant to you =)

[rustyzook]

Yeah fair enough, I mentioned before I have vitara power steering so I don't find it hard to steer at all, I guess if I didn't have the power steering it would be a diffrent story.

Thanks for your input it's always interesting to get a few diffrent opinions and find out how other people setup their cars. It's gives anyone reading the pros and cons of each way they can setup their own car.

[jdk81]

rustyzook wrote:

jdk81 wrote:

Honestly air locked front and rear is what I really want.

Keep the auto in the front, air in the rear! I have this setup and I can't see the pros of putting an air locker in the front! Also I run vitara power steering and chromos

I too run vit power steering (and chomos) that's not the problem.

The more I think about it, the more I remember how many times I have been shitty with the auto locker in the front.
It makes a huge difference to turning circle (drives me nuts).
The darting and diving is very unsettling.

Being unable to steer at times where I wish I could really drives me nuts.

It's hard to tell how much of a difference the auto locker actually makes at times, but it comes at a huge cost of driveability/usability to save a few hundred dollars over a chinasoong.

[Gwagensteve]

The biggest areas where an auto locker erodes drivability is on steep descents (where a selectable locker would always be disengaged) and on slick clay, where there is often inadequate traction to disengage the locker.

Of course there are some people who believe that both of these things aren't possible, but they're real in my experience.

Steve.

[rustyzook]

I never said I didn't believe it's not possible, all I said was it suits me and works well, I haven't had an experience where I want it unlocked. That may very well change with where I have moved to and the totally diffrent terrain. But so far so good.

I do value everyone's input on the matter and I'm not trying to start some petty argument over the fact of how people set up their own car. It works for me I'm happy with it. If it dosent work for you that's fine and that's why we are discussing how everyone is set up.

[Gwagensteve]

That wasn't a dig at you at all rustyzook, it was a dog at the confused people who believe an auto locker is unlocked by default, which would make those two scenarios impossible.

My personal experience wig front auto lockers is very limited- I've never owned a car with one, but I've seen plenty drive badly in my years in the Suzuki club in Vic.

[rustyzook]

Haha sorry Steve. All good!