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Lock Right locker install

11K views 34 replies 12 participants last post by  PSD150 
#1 ·
A few months ago I got a near new lock-right locker off of craigslist for $100. I couldn't pass it up. I have known about the lock right locker for a long time but never wanted to spend the money on it because of the many complaints of the "clicking" or "ratcheting" sound that it makes when going around a corner. People also say that it isn't as strong as a "true locker"

Well, my opinion is it's just as good and I love it. Not only is it a lot cheaper, but it is a lot easier to install....probably. I say probably because if you have a limited slip rear (like I had) you have to pull the whole carrier and replace it with an open carrier. This is not that hard, just time consuming. If you already have an open rear however, all you need to do is pull the spiders, throw this bad boy in and go!

If you do have to replace the carrier, don't be afraid of it. Setting the backlash and such is not difficult at all. It is just time consuming to get it within proper specs because you have to install, measure, then take it back out to make any adjustment to the shims. Then install again, measure, and repeat until you get it right.

Another tip. The 10.25" and 10.5" carrier assembly are identical and interchangeable.

I've had it in for just under 3 months now and I have beat it just to see if it would last. Mods to my truck are in the sig, and it's been just fine. Now, I don't beat it every day, I just did initially to see how it would do. No issues yet! There are many people that claim big tires and extra HP are bad on these things, but, these comments are usually coming form jeep owners and smaller vehicles owners. It is my understanding that the jeeps and zukis, and other vehicles that typically run a lock right do not have hardened steel cross pins, where as the cross pin in our sterling rear end is hardened, and a lot of the issues people have with them breaking don't apply to us. I know that anything is possible and can break, but from my research people have issues with detroits breaking just as much as these. So I definitely recommend people giving these a shot and trying them before they just blow them off.

Also, the noise. I am being dead honest here, if I wouldn't have done the work myself, I seriously wouldn't even believe the locker was back there(except for the obvious of being able to spin around any corner I want now). Maybe it's because my truck is diesel, maybe it's because it's a crew cab long box, but I don't hear it making noise or clicking, or anything. Some people also say that if you hit the skinny pedal while on the interstate, or just going down the road, the vehicle will want to change lanes. Not mine. It's just there and never fails.

I will say I have not towed with it yet, so I can't comment on that. However I do not tow heavy on a daily basis, so I am not too concerned with that. I feel as long as I'm smart and careful, it shouldn't be an issue.

These are all my opinions and I just wanted to share my real world experience with everybody about the lock right locker in a lifted, slightly modified HP truck.





I am still trying to get a good chance to leave :scuffy somewhere and get pics. I just need to find a "safe" place where I can do that.
 
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#2 ·
Thanks for sharing. It's nice to see reviews on different products and to check back in for updates. Appreciate you taking the time to share your experience!
 
#4 ·
I had one behind a supercharged 4.0L SOHC ranger (8.8" rear) and it lasted about a year (engagement teeth were rounded which would force it to separate under power losing the locked rear). Other than that, it behaved rather well on the street. When I did tow something, I had to make sure I had extra tongue weight or the added torque required to pull a trailer would lock the rear up around EVERY corner. However, this was with a light weight Ranger. SuperDuties might have enough extra weight to force the cogs to unlock.

If I were to set up a carrier, I'd just go with a selectable locker.
 
#5 ·
I've had them in vehicles before, instal is very easy, huge bonus. They real damn strong, never seen one break. But they are rachety. The full Detroit is smoother. Interesting to hear a long term review in rear end of a superduty. Let us know.
 
#6 ·
Im VERY interested in hearing how durable they are...I have an open diff and it sucks..being mines a dana 80, the lockers are super expensive for mine..im somewhere about 500/1000 at the wheels now...I spoke with Richmond gear about their lock rite. They told me with my old setup(numbers you see in sig) that it would be too weak...so I stayed away...never heard of anyone on here installing one...I am curious on how well it lasts...
 
#9 ·
Im VERY interested in hearing how durable they are......never heard of anyone on here installing one...I am curious on how well it lasts...
This is exactly why I'm doing it and will post back on here from time to time and let people know.


I wouldn't use one in the rear personally. Especially with higher horse trucks, I think the ARB or Zip locker would be more durable.

I have one in the front D60 in my Jeep on 37s. I welded the 10.50 rear.
I promise I'm not trying to be mean, a dick, an ahole, rude, or anything of the like, but it's posts like these that absolutely drive me nuts. Comments like these are all you ever find when trying to do research on something that isn't considered "the normal thing to to". People always bash a product before they even try it or say not to use something without even trying it themselves. Everything is always hear say.

I only paid $100 for the locker, and then the cost of the fluid (which probably needed changed anyways). If it doesn't hold up and breaks, all I have to do is put the spiders back in and I'm back right where I started and only paid 100 bucks to have a crap load of fun.

The point of the post was to help anybody else who may be doing research on the topic and wants to know some real world testing comments, not just hear say which is pretty much all I could find when researching it. I'd probably estimate 90 percent of the posts I read about the lock right were people saying stay away for this reason or that, but hadn't actually tried it. Then the very few posts that I found where somebody had actually tried it, were generally good comments.

But either way, only time will tell how it holds up, and I will continue to push the limits of it and see what happens and post back here from time to time with any updates.


Also, on occasion I will hear it ratchet, but I have to be listening very hard to notice it, which usually I space off at the sound of my turbo anyways. :nod:

But as stated, I'll report back over time with any issues I encounter.
 
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#8 ·
The Lockright in these trucks WILL wear out extremely fast. Also if you are not hearing it ratchet, its because the locker is stuck locked. This happens with them some times when they flex and get caught on the guide pins. Had one do this to me in my crown vic I had. Easy way to tell try a U-turn and I bet the inside tire starts to chirp and make all sorts of noise even with no throttle.

Also FWIW...the cheapest I can find a LR for is around the 400 mark. The True Trac is 500. TT is also all mechanical, and wont wear out. Need more proof, Dodge has been using a helical rear limited slip for over a decade now with awesome results.
 
#12 ·
Ok well then OP this really should read:

If you can get a 100.00 lockright for the rear go for it and tell us how long it lasts and how it acts.

Nothing wrong with that at all.

However, as I stated I HAVE TRIED the lockright several times. Fom my Jeep to the P71 I had. They work....for a while and then wear out. On a diesel truck especially one capable of close to 1k ft/lbs of torque, I wouldn't waste my money, and I don't think other people should either, especially when your talking about 150.00 difference between the True Trac and a lockright. Why do something twice, when you can do it right the first time and be done.

That said, I could see running a lockright in the front axle for sure. In fact thinking of getting one for the truck we sponsor for sled pulling, but then again it is only really goingto be used in a straight line and not ratcheting all the time.
 
#13 ·
For a hundred bucks I would have given it a shot, though I know it wouldn't last long in my truck.
 
#15 ·
That's exactly the point. for $100 bucks, why not try it and see what happens. That's all I want to accomplish and post back here for anybody to read if they are researching the topic. When I was trying to research whether or not it would work in a modified diesel, or just diesel in general, I was able to find very little info from people who actually used them in a diesel. Most input was people who never used one at all and just automatically suggest name brand and main stream type stuff (ie, arb, Detroit, ect) but may have never even tried one of those.

Either way, RARELY did somebody elaborate on why they felt one way or another.

My buddy has an ARB in his jeep and has had nothing but probably with it ever since he has had it. I don't know why, but it never works for him when he needs it. And the few people who posted back real world experience with the lock right in a diesel, had mostly positive things to say.

Also, with the tru-trac, it's my understanding that when turning and accelerating to the left, both wheels spin, however when going to the right, only one wheel will spin(or vise-versa). I obviously have not tried one, but that's what I have read reported back on the tru-trac. That doesn't seem like "the right way" to me.

"I'm-too-cheap-to-buy a-full-case-locker" is ridiculous. You don't know me or my finances, I drive a modified 6.0 for Pete's sake. It's $100. I'm gonna try it regardless of being cheap or a millionaire. And "Why do something twice, when you can do it right the first time and be done" is just a matter of perspective. If whatever you do works, then isn't that basically done right?

That's all I got. All I want to do is post for others to be able to make an educated decision on whether to run one or not.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Don't believe everything that you read on the internet.....My truck will whip to right just ad good as it does to the left. That poster was an idiot.

And most of us did reply and elaborate as to why we wouldn't run it. It again has to do with the TQ output these trucks are capable of. They also wear out pretty quick in a DD application. We also do NOT see these used very much in the racing, drifting, and performance applications where HP/TQ are higher then a 200hp weekend warrior jeep.
 
#17 ·
Don't believe everything that you read on the internet.....My truck will whip to right just ad good as it does to the left. That poster was an idiot.

And most of us did reply and elaborate as to why we wouldn't run it. It again has to do with the TQ output these trucks are capable of. They also wear out pretty quick in a DD application. We also do NOT see these used very much in the racing, drifting, and performance applications where HP/TQ are higher then a 200hp weekend warrior jeep.
In this thread yes, and I appreciate it. But most threads I found people didn't say why.
 
#18 ·
UPDATE!

Well, I just wanted to give a quick update now that we're mostly through winter and it's been in the truck for awhile.

The lock rite is still holding up well! I have had no issues with it and the tires appear to be wearing just as normal.

I've towed our skid loader around with no ill effects quite a few times.

I also feel as if the locker kind of helps to get around in the snow. Where as before, when starting at a stop sign, one wheel would spin and I would just creep through the intersection. But now, for the most part the truck just goes forward as if it were dry. Sometimes the tires would spin, but only a little bit.

I have also done over 10 4wd boosted launches since installing it and even still no issues.

Overall, for the 100 bucks I paid, I'm still very happy with it and still able to lay TWO nice black marks down anytime I want.
 
#21 ·
That is great to hear! Im still thinking of getting one for the front...
 
#22 ·
1.5 year UPDATE!

Hey everybody!

So I have had the lock right locker installed for almost a year and half and I wanted to update everybody that I am still extremely satisfied with it! especially at the $100 price-tag.

Now, I haven't just been babying my truck. I have used it at two local small mud run/"bogs"(videos of that on my youtube page), as well as towed with my truck quite a bit. I still yank the skid loader around from time to time. and I still get at least two vehicles a month and tow them home from over 60 miles away. I know that doesn't seem that far, but point being, over time it adds up, and just the overall factor of towing with the locker scared some people in reviews. I have still noticed no ill effects of it and it continuously proves it self over and over. I went all last winter without needing 4x4 one single time, and same with this year. I love the control it gives me over the truck.

I have also driven it from Omaha, NE to Grand junction, CO straight back to north of Chicago, IL to pick up a 66 t-bird, and trailered that car back home to Omaha and the locker never made it self known. I have also taken the truck to Denver quite a few times.

Oh, and to top it off, this truck is also still my DAILY DRIVER. Mods are in my sig, so you can see the performance my truck has....

Tires aren't cheap, but here it is...STILL leaving TWO black marks. The video and the pic afterwards... mine are the two further out.

 

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#23 ·
Another Update

Got another good update for anybody interested or future researchers. This thing is still absolutely amazing. It has been holding up perfect and performing flawless. Recently I swapped to a 2006 coil spring suspension and in the process of swapping rear ends, I also swapped the lock right. I would like to think the proof is in the pictures that a lock right will clearly hold up just fine in a diesel application, and especially a modified 1 ton diesel.





 
#25 ·
I already have a Detroit in the rear, but I am considering a lock right for the front. It's good to know that it holds up well in a heavy diesel truck. I have Spartan lockers (basically the same as a lock right) in the front and rear of my Jeep XJ and they work great but they don't make a Spartan for a Dana 50, just a Lock Right.
 
#26 ·
I have full time locker in front and regret it. Couldn’t steer in 4wd so had to add a hydro ram (not cheap). Works insane off road but not great on icy roads, front end will “push” through any corners so I can’t run in 4x in those type conditions, I just end up flipping esof back and forth. Front Axle not as strong either, I snapped the inner axle once. Won’t put in a non selectable front locker ever again
 
#29 ·
It must be the extra weight, my Jeep steers just fine in 4x4 with a front autolocker.
 
#34 ·
Back in the day I had a yota, amongst others rigs, with a small block. It had limited slip in rear and locked up front. Several of us actually ran that combo. We used to leave the right hub locked in and the left unlocked. That way if/when we needed 4x4, I'd just pull the t-case in and away I'd go. Same as an open front diff and I could steer just fine. If I got into some deep enough mud or snow I could crawl out onto the tire and lock the other side in. It didn't happen very often though. It was an 83 yota with 12in lift and 39.5 boggers. I never got stuck after the boggers went on
 
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