T-Case Gears vs Air Locker

i have been batting this idea around for awhile. for someone with a 5 speed what do you think is the better choice and why?

the gears would be useful but regardless of how low the gear you are still in an open diff vehicle. an arb air locker would give you the advantage of a 50-50 rear lock, but how often would you really use it??

all opinions welcome!!

"If" I had the money I would go for a locker first(rear only) then lower gears. Reason being is you can climb obstacles slower if you have both rear wheels actually turning under power. The reason we have to "charge up" obstacles is we need the wheel speed of our "4(1 front and 1 rear) wheel drive" to get up without slipping! With lower gears we would still be slipping on those same obstacles because of our "limited slip":mad: Now with both gears and locker the only thing that will limit you is the flexibility of IFS. But hey we know these aren't Jeeps! I'll keep my A/C and other amenities!

I feel "my" need for lower gears is more for going down hill and not having to ride the brakes at all. As low as 4Lo in 1st in a 5 speed is it isn't slow enough!

If you had a automatic then lockers are the way to go.

Manual? - then maybe low gears first.

The one time I was on a run with a manual X with lockers, I could smell his clutch quite a bit of the time. He said he had to maintain about 2400 rpm. I was just idling along with my auto xmsn and lockers.

Lockers definitely let you drive slower over most obstacles thus reducing wear and tear on your X.

Rear locker = nice. Front and rear = GREAT.

Toy Man

I say low gears.

Lower speeds means less punishment on the vehicle (a good thing since we drive new trucks), and a locker just gets me places that the rest of the trucks in our club can't go. Many times when I'm forced to bang up rocks because I lack the torque to do it slowly, not that I don't have traction (actually it's more of a give it gas and bump the front tires over the rock, not just throttle through banging the crap out of my truck :D ).

Also I drive a 5-speed and a new clutch costs as much as the lower gears.

this is good stuff :ylsuper
gracias

a locker just gets me places that the rest of the trucks in our club can't go

I think this is a misconception.

I use a locker(s) to save wear and tear on my X versus trying to be king of the mountain. (and as an extra safety/confidence factor).

You can go crazier places with lockers but that is not why I purchased them or how I use them.

Toy Man

Originally posted by Toy Man


I think this is a misconception.


Do you have an Automatic?

Do you have an Automatic?

Yep..

Toy Man

Originally posted by Toy Man


Yep..

Toy Man

That's probably one reason for our different views. It's very hard to go slow up obstacles without stalling or burning your clutch with a manual. I think if I had an auto I would be more inclined to get the locker as well.

i am still confused. the ability to go super slow would be great on the clutch. although having the rear axle locked up would allow you to easily climb anything.
damn it, i am still confused. might just flip a coin.

Originally posted by evergreen
i am still confused. the ability to go super slow would be great on the clutch. although having the rear axle locked up would allow you to easily climb anything.
damn it, i am still confused. might just flip a coin.

Get a lift you hoser. :sun:

Originally posted by Schludwiller


Get a lift you hoser. :sun:

i get plenty of lift from the 32's:finger:

besides if i don't lift it, i won't need to spend another $500-$600 on a steering system.

If you are eventually getting both, I would go with the gears first. I drive an automatic, but have seen the Calmini gears in action on a manual they are amazing. Also get a CIBS kit. Nothing like stalling going over a ledge and then finish climbing over on the starter. If you slow it down you have a better chance to keep from breaking a tire loose. Also I wouldn't recommend a front locker without beefing up the steering. I had problems with it trashing my centerlink rapidly and breaking tie-rods.

Mike, the way I see it is the locker will help you climb things but you are still climbing them too fast. Also, having the lower gears will allow you to get cleaner starts without breaking traction and that's where i have most of my problems. THere have been many, many times where my lack of traction had more to do with breaking traction right away due to the gearing than because one wheel was off the ground.

All said, my top priority right now is power! I'm sick and freakin tired of shifting the damn truck constantly on the highway to maintain speed and as much as I wish it weren't the case, that's where I spend most of my time.

I might put the T-case gears in when I rebuild the transmission though if finances permit, and I'm still waiting for an electric locker damnit!
.

Originally posted by ChuckH


All said, my top priority right now is power! I'm sick and freakin tired of shifting the damn truck constantly on the highway to maintain speed and as much as I wish it weren't the case, that's where I spend most of my time.


You really need to buy that Audi dude. :) But I agree with your points about the speed/traction thing.

thanks for all the input everybody.
i ordered the t-case gears last night.:cool: