Rob (Bessiethebeast)
I wished I could join you.....but the reason for my message is because I am thinking of putting an auto front locker (lokka brand). I am very curious which one you put in your 4x4, would really appreciate some feedback after your trip and see if you made it up Rocky without winching?

Kind regards

Rob

Talby (Talbs79)
I’ll let you know! But so far if I would have know how much it would have cost me I would have got an E locker . I pulled my diff apart and it was out of spec and I couldn’t make the shims to make it right so I sent it to the diff shop. $380 originally to put it in and it went from that to $1260 cause diff needed a rebuild... now that’s $1260 + $650 = $ 1910. I’ve got a quote from ARB for an air locker for $2100 (includes new bearings) and I’m spewing cause there’s no going back as the diff bloke had my car apart

Talby (Talbs79)
I put the lokka brand in also

Matthew (discomatt)
Cockpit and airoplane are a real mess at the moment, they will test / trash your car if you had to winch on rocky.
if you do Lyndells make sure you walk half way up first because there was a rolled car on it last weekend with no way around. If anyone drove down and found it they would be in real trouble trying to reverse back up.

Talby (Talbs79)
Thanks mate

Rob (Bessiethebeast)
Talby, hey thanks for the info so far. Bugger about your diff being outta spec

Talby (Talbs79)
Hey mate got my car back yesterday, got home and locked the hubs, noticed straight away. Keen to see how it goes on the track but you think a 79 steering is like a bus already it makes it worse so doing tracks like zig zag tk would be a mission and a half I recon

Rob (Bessiethebeast)
Between Lana and I we have a SWB Paj with manual rear diff lock, 80 Series with rear ARB diff locker, LWB Paj or the 'shopping trolley' and the GU 4.8 Patrol. Only ever driven manual diff locked vehicles. Also, I am not particularly mechanically minded.

The Patrol, I only paid $13k and set about doing a budget build. It came with a 2" little tired OME lift, ARB roof rack, crappy home draws, Nissan steel bullbar and some very doggy wirering. Since buying it less than 3 years ago I have installed HD clutch, Marks Adaptor's 83% low reduction gears, 35" tyres, Runva winch, replaced the dual battery system with a third battery & CTEK DC to DC & smart pass charger, and KINGS draws and driving lights. Still more to do; rock sliders, rear bar, new suspension and locking diffs. By the time I am finished the car will be almost worthless (to anyone else but me) and the value will only be in the accessories! So in my effort in keeping costs down I was hoping to get away with an auto front locker and manual rear locker.

My principle concerns with an auto locker in the front that the steering would be seriously compromised. Is there a difference between locking the hubs and pulling the stick into 4x4? I drive mostly 2WD and only select 4x4 because I am likely to brake traction, so if it is not to compromised in 2WD that would be OK with me.

Hope that helps you to understand why I am so curious about your experience and insights.

Rob