After 3 years of running my Aussie Locker it started to act up. It would sometimes not ratchet when I was in 2WD and making turns. This caused my front wheels to chirp and skip. In 4WD it would also bang a lot louder than normal when I would turn the front wheels (when it would give way under tension). The 4WD would still lock but it sounded different than it had up till that time. Upon inspection the stud/spring holes did seem to be ovaled (is that a word?) and I think there was too much play from wear. I would have put in another Aussie Locker, since this one did treat me well for 3 years, but decided to try something different. That is why I went with a Spartan.
Do you think that adding manual hubs would give you less noise and more longevity out of the locker. Seems to make sense to me, but very few on line are talking about it.
The lack of lock out hubs really ups the duty cycle on front lockers as they not only track like the rear in low angle turns but increases with more steering angle. I experience the same in a k5 blazer. The front didn't make it two summers of Colorado wheeling but the rear is 12yrs old now with no issues. Nice vid and keep up the fine work!
A good magnet stuck to each bearing will keep the shims a locker assembly pull tight to the carrier. Never was a fan of using grease. Glad to see you on the road again
Love the map..... it gives me a good idea how far you traveled..... may have to hit up when I decide to do this trail...... White Sands is amazing...... been there many times when traveling to Alamogordo
It is in the bottom of his description. The aussie locker started to pop loudly. He determined it was wear on the 4 pins making the holes oval shaped. He really liked the Aussie, but thought he would try something different.
Also, the Dana 30 comes with the caps marked from the factory. The letters stamped on the housing and cap in your case it'sthe letter H. Right side up on one side and 90 degrees on the other.
You said in the video that you would explain in the comments why you swapped out the Aussie Locker, but I don't see that info. If you had an issue with the Aussie, did you contact the manufacturer, TORQ-MASTERS Industries?
I suspect your Aussie had a problem because you installed it on the front and it has no manual hubs. I think their instructions say not to do this. The thing is constantly working and working overtime being on a steer axle. I would say either install manual hubs or get a locker you can turn on and off. You didn't mention how many miles you put on the Aussie or what oil you used.
@@mikecarr1484 His Jeep doesn't have selectable hubs which means the front axles are always turning, similar to the full time 4wd of the '70's and '80's. He didn't say, but the specs say it's a all wheel drive which means it's always driving the front axles. There is no 2wd. So obviously the locker is always working as shown by his driving it afterwards. You could hear the clicking. To me, it is not a good idea to have lunchbox lockers on the road which is why I've decided against them for my truck. So you see, I did think before speaking and you didn't.
@@trustme7731 it looks like he installed them on the front of an xj, which only comes in part time 4wd. they did not make a full time 4wd xj. on the road, in 2wd, only the rear axle is powered. therefore, the locker is always able to unlock and ratchet in the front (lunchbox lockers only lock up under torque from the engine, but there is none in the front when he’s in 2wd). therefore, it makes no difference wether or not he has locking hubs because there is no way for the front locker to get locked.
I saw in the comments you said you put the locker in the front only and that by doing so the locker will only engage when the Jeep is in 4x4. Can you please explain how it only engages when in 4x4? I thought Jeeps’ front ends spine regardless of it being in 4x4? Or does the locker not engage because no power is getting to the locker in the front when 4x4 is disengaged?
When in 4x2 the main gear in the housing is not engaged, so there is no torque on the axles. There are components that still spin, but they are not fully connected. When you go into 4x4, then it does engage and provides the torque for the front axles. Probably not the best explanation and someone else could answer it better, but that is the gist of it.
Does Spartan make one of these for a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder LE? I cannot find one online. How is this unit different from the LOKKA front diff locker. I did find one of tnhose online but there seems to be a potential problem with that company's customer service. Can you point me in the right direction please? Thank you.
I re-geared my Toyota myself a few years ago. Toyota uses threaded adjusters on the side bearing races to set the backlash. I’ve also seen others struggle with Dana 60’s side bearing shims. Just wondering if XJ’s Dana 30s needed side bearing shimming or not? Love your video, keep up the great work!
If I understand it correctly, the backlash, together with the pinion depth, is a measure of how tightly coupled were the ring gear and the pinion gear by setting the ring gear closer to or farther away from the pinion gear; too tight will result in too much heat and excessive wear; too loose will result in lost of strength and breaking of gear tooth. Given that you ran those gears for thousands of miles without a problem, plus the fact that it is in the front axle, I think you are good. Have a nice trip. Looking forward to your new videos.
Looks pretty similar to AUSSIEs. What was the reason to replace AUSSIES with SPARTANS? Have an idea to replace my stock D30 gears with AUSSIE. But unsure whether I can drive jeep on highways afterwards. If you could help with this information I would be really happy.
The Aussie Locker had worn out over time it appeared and was not functioning as it should. I had it for about 3 years. I would have bought another but decided to try Spartan. The Spartan seems to be more quiet on turns when not engaged in 4x4. You also don’t need shims for the Spartan. I think both have done well so would use either again. My Jeep is often a daily driver and am on the highway often. No issues at all with a locker like this. I would not put it in the rear though since then it is locked all the time. By having it in the front it is only locked when engaged in 4x4
@@simpleoverlander Thanks alot for responding. The most important was the info about the rear axle. Thanks. My main mileage is Hwy mileage. Anyway, more info I read about Spartans, more I like it.
Do you think that adding manual hubs would give you less noise and more longevity out of the locker. Seems to make sense to me, but very few on line are talking about it.
A 2000 TJ should have a DANA 30 in the front, but it could have been changed by someone before you bought it. As noted in the above comment by Trust Me this style of locker is not recommended for the front. There seems to be confusion with in the 4x4 community that these lunch box lockers only lock when you have no traction on one wheel, the fact of the matter is they are locked all the time but if you are on pavement they will slip to prevent tire scrubbing those plates ratchet over each other to let the locker slip. Save your money and get an e-locker or an air locker for the front.
They are factory gears and don’t plan on changing them any time soon. They work for my purpose. I won’t put a lunchbox locker in the rear but would add a selectable locker if I ever decided to spend that kind of money on one, but would need to put in a different axle. I won’t lock my D35. Would be nice to have all 4 wheels lock but don’t trust the rear to be locked all the time, with any axle.
If it is a selectable then I would go rear. I personally won’t put a lunchbox locker on the rear and be locked all the time. Everyone has their thoughts on that, but I don’t want to be locked while driving hi-way speeds in rain, snow or ice. That is why my locker is in the front. It is only locked when I engage 4x4. I don’t need to be locked any other time really.
Ok thanks a bunch I wasn’t really sure how all that worked. I guess I was thinking it would be like a positive traction in the rear. I have a 2wd pickup with a posi rear end that works great on roads for winter driving. Thanks for the clarification on that.
I'm putting one in my rear 1st daily driver and weekend trail rig posi rear doesn't hurt nothing and you will be very happy on the trail , you just have to learn how to drive with posi rear end , as my 93 xj won't break loose on road unless I want to give it all she's got captain ..lol
Is the spartan locker the best choice for the front locker? I have Lokka’s in front and rear in my 85 4runner it works fabulous in the rear. But no so in the front. Not only does it turn into a tank. its hard on everything else in the front end. So anybody’s have a better choice let me know. Electric’s is my last option because of the $$$ it cost.
It’s rough in corners and if you don’t accelerate out of every corner just right it will try to lock up and it WILL eventually brake the “ cups” that fit over the axle ends sending metal throughout your diff.
@@Oldcoinsandstuff1 he's putting it in the front all it does is ratchet and two wheel drive. and if you have lockout hubs then it doesn't do anything at all to you lock the hubs and pull the lever
You apparently don't have enough experience with this type of Locker. When they are installed properly and the differential is in good condition they work fantastic.
After 3 years of running my Aussie Locker it started to act up. It would sometimes not ratchet when I was in 2WD and making turns. This caused my front wheels to chirp and skip. In 4WD it would also bang a lot louder than normal when I would turn the front wheels (when it would give way under tension). The 4WD would still lock but it sounded different than it had up till that time. Upon inspection the stud/spring holes did seem to be ovaled (is that a word?) and I think there was too much play from wear.
I would have put in another Aussie Locker, since this one did treat me well for 3 years, but decided to try something different. That is why I went with a Spartan.
O-valed is surely a word in the shade tree lexicon! Along with O S..T!
Do you think that adding manual hubs would give you less noise and more longevity out of the locker. Seems to make sense to me, but very few on line are talking about it.
How do you like the spartan locker?
The lack of lock out hubs really ups the duty cycle on front lockers as they not only track like the rear in low angle turns but increases with more steering angle. I experience the same in a k5 blazer. The front didn't make it two summers of Colorado wheeling but the rear is 12yrs old now with no issues. Nice vid and keep up the fine work!
A good magnet stuck to each bearing will keep the shims a locker assembly pull tight to the carrier. Never was a fan of using grease. Glad to see you on the road again
Just did this yesterday in the rear. Wasn’t very fun to install, but worth the effort for sure.
i love the use of a framing hammer
I like your magnet idea to hold the caps. Now that your on the road I'm thinking this was a good choice to get this done. Great tutorial.
Glad to see you got it done!
Love the map..... it gives me a good idea how far you traveled..... may have to hit up when I decide to do this trail...... White Sands is amazing...... been there many times when traveling to Alamogordo
Why did you replace the first locker? I missed it
Great question ! I was wondering the same
It is in the bottom of his description. The aussie locker started to pop loudly. He determined it was wear on the 4 pins making the holes oval shaped. He really liked the Aussie, but thought he would try something different.
Try something different? The spartan is a copy of the Aussie Locker 😀
AKA Detroit locker?
Also, the Dana 30 comes with the caps marked from the factory. The letters stamped on the housing and cap in your case it'sthe letter H. Right side up on one side and 90 degrees on the other.
With those springs on the inside, how would you even take it back apart?
How’s the spartan treating you now? Were you pretty hard on the Aussie locker? What size tires were you running?
Your caps are already marked from factory. There’s a vertical H and a horizontal H on the diff on each side. There’s the same markings as the caps.
You said in the video that you would explain in the comments why you swapped out the Aussie Locker, but I don't see that info. If you had an issue with the Aussie, did you contact the manufacturer, TORQ-MASTERS Industries?
Mine has a bolt in it ???? Do I have a carrier that shouldn't be in my housing ?????
Did it last? A friend of mine said they shattered around 3 Spartan lockers over the years. How is the durability for you?
I suspect your Aussie had a problem because you installed it on the front and it has no manual hubs. I think their instructions say not to do this. The thing is constantly working and working overtime being on a steer axle. I would say either install manual hubs or get a locker you can turn on and off.
You didn't mention how many miles you put on the Aussie or what oil you used.
Not if you can run 2wd .. think before you speak .
@@mikecarr1484 His Jeep doesn't have selectable hubs which means the front axles are always turning, similar to the full time 4wd of the '70's and '80's. He didn't say, but the specs say it's a all wheel drive which means it's always driving the front axles. There is no 2wd. So obviously the locker is always working as shown by his driving it afterwards. You could hear the clicking.
To me, it is not a good idea to have lunchbox lockers on the road which is why I've decided against them for my truck.
So you see, I did think before speaking and you didn't.
@@trustme7731 it looks like he installed them on the front of an xj, which only comes in part time 4wd. they did not make a full time 4wd xj. on the road, in 2wd, only the rear axle is powered. therefore, the locker is always able to unlock and ratchet in the front (lunchbox lockers only lock up under torque from the engine, but there is none in the front when he’s in 2wd). therefore, it makes no difference wether or not he has locking hubs because there is no way for the front locker to get locked.
I saw in the comments you said you put the locker in the front only and that by doing so the locker will only engage when the Jeep is in 4x4.
Can you please explain how it only engages when in 4x4? I thought Jeeps’ front ends spine regardless of it being in 4x4? Or does the locker not engage because no power is getting to the locker in the front when 4x4 is disengaged?
When in 4x2 the main gear in the housing is not engaged, so there is no torque on the axles. There are components that still spin, but they are not fully connected. When you go into 4x4, then it does engage and provides the torque for the front axles.
Probably not the best explanation and someone else could answer it better, but that is the gist of it.
Never ever use a regular hammer on the center pin.It can put fractures in it and you won't know till out on the trail. Get a deadblow or brass hammer.
Does Spartan make one of these for a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder LE? I cannot find one online. How is this unit different from the LOKKA front diff locker. I did find one of tnhose online but there seems to be a potential problem with that company's customer service. Can you point me in the right direction please? Thank you.
P.S. I meant for the front diff.. I have an OX for the rear.
I was going to do this to my 09 jk but since I traded it for a Rubicon I no longer need too. Have fun on your trip.
That Rubicam looks good. You should have a lot of fun going places in that 👍
I re-geared my Toyota myself a few years ago. Toyota uses threaded adjusters on the side bearing races to set the backlash. I’ve also seen others struggle with Dana 60’s side bearing shims. Just wondering if XJ’s Dana 30s needed side bearing shimming or not? Love your video, keep up the great work!
Thanks!
I can’t remember if I needed to remove side shims when I put in the first locker. Maybe someone else can comment if they know.
If I understand it correctly, the backlash, together with the pinion depth, is a measure of how tightly coupled were the ring gear and the pinion gear by setting the ring gear closer to or farther away from the pinion gear; too tight will result in too much heat and excessive wear; too loose will result in lost of strength and breaking of gear tooth. Given that you ran those gears for thousands of miles without a problem, plus the fact that it is in the front axle, I think you are good. Have a nice trip. Looking forward to your new videos.
@@simpleoverlander In my dana 30 the shims were under the carrier bearings. Not going to see them unless you changes those.
Looks pretty similar to AUSSIEs. What was the reason to replace AUSSIES with SPARTANS? Have an idea to replace my stock D30 gears with AUSSIE. But unsure whether I can drive jeep on highways afterwards. If you could help with this information I would be really happy.
The Aussie Locker had worn out over time it appeared and was not functioning as it should. I had it for about 3 years. I would have bought another but decided to try Spartan. The Spartan seems to be more quiet on turns when not engaged in 4x4. You also don’t need shims for the Spartan. I think both have done well so would use either again.
My Jeep is often a daily driver and am on the highway often. No issues at all with a locker like this. I would not put it in the rear though since then it is locked all the time. By having it in the front it is only locked when engaged in 4x4
@@simpleoverlander
Thanks alot for responding. The most important was the info about the rear axle. Thanks. My main mileage is Hwy mileage. Anyway, more info I read about Spartans, more I like it.
Do you think that adding manual hubs would give you less noise and more longevity out of the locker. Seems to make sense to me, but very few on line are talking about it.
That would make sense in a front diff because when you unlock the hubs, the diff and driveshaft shouldn't rotate.
Does anybody make a video for a rear Dana 44 Spartan locker jku?? I can't find any.. Help?
Is there a reason for not.going with Power Trax Lock Right (all the others are copies of this) or the quieter power trax no slip other than cost?
Is there a video for the axle removal or is it like most axle
Did it wear out or did you just swap it out?
Great video! Did you end up having to use the shims on the spartan locker ?
It's a lot easier to install if one pulls the wire pins prior to putting in the crosspin...
So did you sell the Aussie locker?
Are the diffs the same for a 2000TJ? Thinking about doing something this
A 2000 TJ should have a DANA 30 in the front, but it could have been changed by someone before you bought it. As noted in the above comment by Trust Me this style of locker is not recommended for the front. There seems to be confusion with in the 4x4 community that these lunch box lockers only lock when you have no traction on one wheel, the fact of the matter is they are locked all the time but if you are on pavement they will slip to prevent tire scrubbing those plates ratchet over each other to let the locker slip. Save your money and get an e-locker or an air locker for the front.
Nice job.Is that a factory 3.55 ring and pinion and do you have a locker in the rear?
They are factory gears and don’t plan on changing them any time soon. They work for my purpose.
I won’t put a lunchbox locker in the rear but would add a selectable locker if I ever decided to spend that kind of money on one, but would need to put in a different axle. I won’t lock my D35. Would be nice to have all 4 wheels lock but don’t trust the rear to be locked all the time, with any axle.
You sound like Matt from Bleeping Jeep
Why does everyone waste the time removing the ring gear. It is not necessary or the carrier. Just do it inside.
I want to put one in my xj should I do front or rear. And reason why. I’m thinking rear because of growing up old school as in posi rear
If it is a selectable then I would go rear. I personally won’t put a lunchbox locker on the rear and be locked all the time.
Everyone has their thoughts on that, but I don’t want to be locked while driving hi-way speeds in rain, snow or ice. That is why my locker is in the front. It is only locked when I engage 4x4. I don’t need to be locked any other time really.
Ok thanks a bunch I wasn’t really sure how all that worked. I guess I was thinking it would be like a positive traction in the rear. I have a 2wd pickup with a posi rear end that works great on roads for winter driving. Thanks for the clarification on that.
I'm putting one in my rear 1st daily driver and weekend trail rig posi rear doesn't hurt nothing and you will be very happy on the trail , you just have to learn how to drive with posi rear end , as my 93 xj won't break loose on road unless I want to give it all she's got captain ..lol
What fender flares do you have
Is the spartan locker the best choice for the front locker? I have Lokka’s in front and rear in my 85 4runner it works fabulous in the rear. But no so in the front. Not only does it turn into a tank. its hard on everything else in the front end. So anybody’s have a better choice let me know. Electric’s is my last option because of the $$$ it cost.
Air is the best I think but $$$$$
Put manual hubs on, problem solved.
There's a H stamped in upright and sideways position on the housing and the bearing caps to orient them.. look closely.
Replace the Aussie with an inferior copy, why? If the Aussie was worn out, this fixed it every bit as much as a replacement Aussie would have 🤷🏽♂️
This type of locker should not be used as a daily driver, in my opinion.
Can you provide a reason.
It’s rough in corners and if you don’t accelerate out of every corner just right it will try to lock up and it WILL eventually brake the “ cups” that fit over the axle ends sending metal throughout your diff.
@@Oldcoinsandstuff1 he's putting it in the front all it does is ratchet and two wheel drive. and if you have lockout hubs then it doesn't do anything at all to you lock the hubs and pull the lever
You apparently don't have enough experience with this type of Locker. When they are installed properly and the differential is in good condition they work fantastic.