Topic: Spartan lockers Front & Rear for daily driver

[Osage1978]

So I've bought 2 Spartan lockers for my little 82 daily driver, they're safely at Zuk's waiting on me to ship him my 3rd members

My question is for you guys running these on the street at times am I going to regret this decision and how much is it going to effect my driving when not off-road

[blackdiamond]

bestgen doesn’t like his for sure. I would highly recommend my Detroit for a rear application. It has the classic “bang” on occasion but is quiet most of the time. In the front with hubs out you’ll never feel any difference with a locker.

[fasterspider]

My rig's rear 3rd chewed up and spit out a Lockrite auto locker, so I went to a welded rear but, that ate up too much tire tread so I bought Tacoma E lockers and fit them to my 85 front & 87 rear axles.
There is nothing like selectable traction devices and Taco lockers are affordable but, limited to 4:88 gear ratios so I've been informed.
I am really happy with my Taco lockers and how they actually work.

[mudmaster]

The Grizzly is also a good option for the street.

[redneckcustoms13]

Depending how you drive will be a key factor here. A friend has a taco with a Spartan in the rear. When I drive it I have to be easy on accelerating while turning on the street or I get a clunk. If you know what it's going to do and can drive around it you'll be fine.

I have a true Trac in my tow rig and LOVE IT! yes it was expensive and yes I felt like a fool paying for it. Once I drove the thing around it's like it's not even there until I need it. Perfection in the world of street driven "locking" rear diff.

Taco e locker is cool to, I have one and a housing I modified for it but haven't put to use yet.

[blackdiamond]

The Grizzly is also a good option for the street.

I still need to meet up with Chris and go for a ride in Myles 4Runner with a Grizzly to compare to my Detroit.  I thought Chris indicated that the Grizzly makes the same noises as the lunchbox lockers that most find annoying on the street.

[mudmaster]

I have one in the Jeep and I haven't noticed any quirky handling.

[:)bestgen4runner]

I still need to meet up with Chris and go for a ride in Myles 4Runner with a Grizzly to compare to my Detroit.  I thought Chris indicated that the Grizzly makes the same noises as the lunchbox lockers that most find annoying on the street.

Not so far. Only had two pops from Myles's grizzly. 30 mile on it at this point.
My Spartan pops and cluncks all the time. Like all the time.

[H8PVMNT]

I used to run lockrites and the Detroit ez-locker in the rear.  They make a lot of noise, more bucking on certain kinds of pavement in the summer.  Whenever you go to the tire shop they tell you your rear end is broken  . Where your at with your throttle in a turn has a lot to do with how much noise they make.  It's nothing you can't get used to.  The full Detroit we ran in my wife's 4runner was way smoother for sure.  We have aussies in front ends now and I think they are the smoothest of the lunch box lockers by far.

I run welded and spools in the rear now so I'm probably not the one to consult on street manners .

[Osage1978 [OP]]

I went with the Spartan lockers because of the price & Zuk said he prefers them over other lunchbox lockers, I'm hoping to maybe run one up front until I change gears down the road and maybe then go to a selectable type. I'm running 31x10.5 super swampers. If the rear holds up when I eventually get to 35's I may go with something else. This is my first time putting lockers in a vehicle for myself, having driven others off road I'm excited to see the difference it makes vs my current open diffs

Thank you men for your information, it's greatly appreciated

[blackdiamond]

I went with the Spartan lockers because of the price & Zuk said he prefers them over other lunchbox lockers, I'm hoping to maybe run one up front until I change gears down the road and maybe then go to a selectable type. I'm running 31x10.5 super swampers. If the rear holds up when I eventually get to 35's I may go with something else. This is my first time putting lockers in a vehicle for myself, having driven others off road I'm excited to see the difference it makes vs my current open diffs

Thank you men for your information, it's greatly appreciated

The difference with lockers is significant, even one in the rear makes a huge difference.  I think I would go with a Detroit rear over lunchbox lockers front and rear. Just don’t want to hear that clicking noise...

[Congill77]

Depending how you drive will be a key factor here. A friend has a taco with a Spartan in the rear. When I drive it I have to be easy on accelerating while turning on the street or I get a clunk. If you know what it's going to do and can drive around it you'll be fine.

I have a true Trac in my tow rig and LOVE IT! yes it was expensive and yes I felt like a fool paying for it. Once I drove the thing around it's like it's not even there until I need it. Perfection in the world of street driven "locking" rear diff.

Taco e locker is cool to, I have one and a housing I modified for it but haven't put to use yet.

I loved my taco e locker. I had the full housing which is 3 inches wider over all I believe


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[fasterspider]

I loved my taco e locker. I had the full housing which is 3 inches wider over all I believe


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My buddy who has been helping me build my rig for the past almost three years said the Tacoma axle housing was prone to twisting under hardcore crawling so I stayed with the 87 3" wider rear axle housing I paid too much for in my 85 Xtra-Cab when I put the Taco locker in.

[Congill77]

My buddy who has been helping me build my rig for the past almost three years said the Tacoma axle housing was prone to twisting under hardcore crawling so I stayed with the 87 3" wider rear axle housing I paid too much for in my 85 Xtra-Cab when I put the Taco locker in.

, should of told me you needed the 87 housing. I had one laying around that I just wanted out of my garage


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[fasterspider]

, should of told me you needed the 87 housing. I had one laying around that I just wanted out of my garage


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Hind sight is always 20/20. 😉

[Congill77]

Hind sight is always 20/20.

This is true


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[Osage1978 [OP]]

So this truck will be daily driven around 6-7 miles max & the wheeling it does will be general off road and mild. Mud, dirt trails and very mild rock while hauling firewood and hunting dogs . I've bought the Spartans so I'll probably go ahead with them and upgrade as my skills & truck progress. I'm only running stock suspension ( it's supposed to have a 3" lift by a previous owner but I can't tell it ) and 31x10.5 super swampers, stock 4:10 gears I'd like to get it taller and eventually run 35's & 5:29's . I took a job locally for 1/2 the pay to be closer to the family so buying different lockers is pretty much a no go for the moment.

Thank you to everyone who has chimed in, really appreciate everyone's comments

[blackdiamond]

It sounds like you would have been better putting all of your funds towards a single longer for the rear rather than splitting it for two less expensive lockers.  It sounds like you don't really need two lockers for the wheeling that you plan to do and all automatic lockers have some downsides when they are not needed.

I hope you're happy with the results.

Have you upgraded the front axles?  If not, don't put a locker in there unless you want broken axles...

[Osage1978 [OP]]

No I haven't upgraded it unfortunately, but like the 200 other things on my list I really want to lol

You're correct about what I should have done, But it's the live & learn thing.

 I had driven a local Cherokee before & after Spartan lockers f&r and my buddy loved his & the difference was unreal so I jumped & ordered up 2 .

It was like the first time a teenager see's boobs all I could think about was getting my hands on some for myself.

[Osage1978 [OP]]

My story is essential this: I was 16, my sister's boyfriend had a bad a** 83 Toyota pickup with 33's . He took it anywhere & everywhere he wanted, hauled way more in it that he should have been able to. It was the coolest thing I'd ever seen as a kid & something of a local legend around here from the things he did in such a tiny truck. Grew up reading 4x4 mags, owned a jeep or two, saw the Marlin Crawler truck in magazines which kept me wanting a Toyota

Turn the page, I'm 40 now. Bought the nicest first gen I could find locally and am basically learning as I go, making plenty of mistakes along the way unfortunately

[blackdiamond]

Skip the front locker for now. You’ll regret it if you break an axle and didn’t  need the locker.

[Osage1978 [OP]]

I appreciate the advice, maybe I'll look into some longfields & tackle the front axle all at once. Summers coming quick here and I'll be busy cutting once I start I can't afford to have the truck down

[blackdiamond]

30 spline RCV axles and hub gears.

[Osage1978 [OP]]

Lol was just looking at some
http://www.rcvperformance.com/product-details.aspx?sku=CVJ2851-PU

[redneckcustoms13]

Stock axles will be fine as long as you dont go treating it like a traxtor and snatching every thing you see.

[Osage1978 [OP]]

I just have to buy what I can when I can. I've got a wish list that's adding up quickly and I'll have to either win the lottery or take a second job at the least to ever finish it

[H8PVMNT]

Just don't sit and spin in anything but mud or snow or turn around in the v-notch.  I also helps to take the birfs apart, clean them and pack them with nice fresh grease. You'll be OK with 31s as long as you don't dumbass it  .  A front locker is a doubles edged thing, you can do more easier so you can hack on it less, but you can break a lot easier if you push it, so develop a methodical driving style. I did pretty good with a front locker on IFS and 33s for years until I upgraded my t-case gearing and started doing competitions.  Then we broke CVs like glass .

[T-Revv]

My rig's rear 3rd chewed up and spit out a Lockrite auto locker, so I went to a welded rear but, that ate up too much tire tread so I bought Tacoma E lockers and fit them to my 85 front & 87 rear axles.
There is nothing like selectable traction devices and Taco lockers are affordable but, limited to 4:88 gear ratios so I've been informed.
I am really happy with my Taco lockers and how they actually work.

Selectable is always the best way to go for a rig that is street and trail. Im also using tacoma E-lockers, but with 5.29 gears.  I put them front and rear.

I went with the Spartan lockers because of the price & Zuk said he prefers them over other lunchbox lockers, I'm hoping to maybe run one up front until I change gears down the road and maybe then go to a selectable type. I'm running 31x10.5 super swampers. If the rear holds up when I eventually get to 35's I may go with something else. This is my first time putting lockers in a vehicle for myself, having driven others off road I'm excited to see the difference it makes vs my current open diffs

Thank you men for your information, it's greatly appreciated

Technically the Spartan is a lunchbox locker.  Lunchbox just refers to a non- full carrier replacement style locker (becuase theyre small enough to fit in your luchbox unlike a full carrier replacement locker).  You should be fine with a Spartan only running 31's, once you get up into the 35 inch range you will be pushing the limits of a Spartan.  A Spartan in the front is fine.  It wont cause any difference unless your hubs are locked in.  Once your hubs are locked in it will be hard to turn if your on the throttle.  Having one in the rear you will just have to learn to take turns off the throttle to let it ratchet, otherwise you will burn through tires.

[Osage1978 [OP]]

Thanks guys, I'll remember to take it easy but I have definitely been known to "dumbass" it at times so I should probably look to upgrade axles before I go with bigger tires & lower t-case gears which are a future plan for sure.

[blackdiamond]

Thanks guys, I'll remember to take it easy but I have definitely been known to "dumbass" it at times so I should probably look to upgrade axles before I go with bigger tires & lower t-case gears which are a future plan for sure.

Larger tires will obviously increase the risk, but you're more likely to break axles with your stock transfer case gears.