Topic: Lock Right lockers - the truth

[snorklehead]

Alright, I was reading today from another forum and I read the following:
".AVOID the Lock Right!!!!!...the Lock Right reuses the stock pinion shaft that has these grooves machined into it....for the spider gears i guess???...well with full locking capabilities and 35s..the pinion shaft in my Diff broke in two places leaving it floating around in its hole to catch on my pinion gear everytime it came around in the rotation...well this isnt good...the shaft chews away at the pinion gear and makes this horrible jerking sensation when accelerating like the gears are skipping a tooth...the truck will be driveable but the loud popping and jerking aren't going to go unnoticed for long...go with the No-Slip if you can...it seems to be the best insertable locker around for an 8" at least on a 4cyl...It comes with a new pinion shaft with no grooves or anything machined into it...It seems to be forged from higher grade steel...Also take the time to replace the drift pin ($.67 at the dealer) that holds the pinion shaft in place..they tend to bend under high loads...Thats my experience with Lock Rights...may have been a fluke but maybe not..." I have a lock right in the rear and experience the jerking sometimes when it feels the lock right lets go and catches. I have heard this is very normal..but maybe not...any advice....i figure i could pull the cover and check it out myself...just dont want to if i dont have to. Thanks   FYI i have 92 v6 PU.

[krawlr]

Yes, a Lock-right will bang pretty good under the right conditions when in turns.

That's the first time I've heard of the shaft snapping like that. 35's with a little too much happy foot maybe?

[cruzila]

I would never buy a lockswrong

[snorklehead [OP]]

Alright so how many people really think they suck?    I try to drive appropriately on road to avoid the bang and pop, and only run 33's. I guess I had heard they were a good locker and this is kinda new to me. Of course im new to the sport so im still learnin...ya get what a pay for....  

..maybe ill look for a spool   :oops:

[cruzila]

It's not the banging popping, it is the fact that under load they lock. A spool would compound that. If there is no give in the differential, something has to give. They are: the axles (constantly twisting), the driveline (more load on the ujoints and slipyoke), the rear of the transfer case (it will wear bearings and the seals). I have seen this and the only thing to do is to go with a part time/selectable locker. ARB used to be the only game in town but the TRD electric is becoming more popular. There are others too but I have no experience with them.

[krawlr]

I had the L/R in the front of my Taco, but it was the only thing available at the time. It's benefits outweighed it's drawbacks but I'm not going to miss it. I drove an S10 with one in the rear for a few weeks and just got used to it. I do know of a couple people who had them removed because they could not get used to them.

I waited on the ARB for the rear and my front D44 is getting an ARB.

[snorklehead [OP]]

Yeah, I got the locker cheap from someone who won it in a drawing. I understand about the breaking of vital components under load. I figure this is just the name of the game..regardless. I would like to have the ARB..but as you mentioned price is a big factor. Thanks for your opinions of the lock right. I figured it wasnt the best but still a good start...definately better than an open diff. Cheers  

[pattypaul]

ive got a lock right and i have had no problems.its not a clutch locker so it isnt going to be smooth.just remember to coast through to turns and dont get happy with the right foot on pavement and remember its a give ,take thing to get off road performance youare going to giveup streetability