Anybody running aftermarket lockers?

What ones are you running and why did you chose them? I am not finding too many people at all on here or pirate4x4 for third gen tacomas. Am I missing a thread? If so post the link.

 

I haven't seen any threads of people running aftermarket lockers on 3rd gens. The products are out there, but there's not much discussion because a locker is not an LED bar and that makes it unworthy of the 3rd gen sub-forum .

I'm guessing that few people actually do the kind of trails that require lockers, and the ones that are doing that kind of stuff, are making do with the elocker in the off-road.

 

There's people running arb lockers on their 3rd gens

 

My taco is in the shop having front and rear ARB air lockers installed right now. ARB's were the obvious choice for reliability and quality. Im not a serious rock crawler, just want that extra protection against getting stuck, and for those unexpected hairy sections of trail out in the extreme backcountry.

 

If you don't mind me asking how much are you paying for parts and labor?

 

I'm interested in this as well. Also hard to find information on people comparing the reliability of the e-locker of the offroad to an aftermarkt air locker. Although I know the arb locker is tough as nuts, at what point do you justify an aftermarket locker. Good luck with your search for answers.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/going-from-the-stock-e-locker-to-an-air-locker.481437/page-2

 

My question is since the arb locker basically replaces everything inside the diff what if i wanted to regear? Do i regear the arb kit? Or do i get the arb locker with gear ratio i want?

 

Your better off regearing at the same time. ECGS sells assemble 3rd members with whatever gear ratio you want and ARB lockers. That's the easiest way. But I will warn you there is nothing easy about the front clamshell differential. Just ask @MO Tacoma

 

I found the cheapest/best way for me to do it was to go with third members from East Coast Gear. Setting gears is a bit complicated and putting in third members is a lot easier. IMO, if you want to do gears and lockers at some point, I would do it at the same time. It will save you a lot of money. Check out ECGS. When you get lockers, choose the gear ratio you want to end up with.

 

Chiming in.. I'm also curious on the cost of parts + labor on the front & rear lockers.

 

It's a regear and locker install at the same time. Definitely the best way to go. I am using a reputable shop, definitely not the cheapest. The labor cost for front and rear locker install and regear, which includes time on the lift plus several days of break-in driving, is $1500.00. Parts cost is about $3000.00

 

If you can install third members yourself is about $3000 for front and rear regear/lockers from ECGS. Plus, ARB has a free compressor with lockers purchase right now.

 

Definitely I'm in this group.
Having said that, I've had ARBs in a jeep I used to have. I loved them, and the only piece of advice I'd offer is to keep your vent line clear or your air line becomes that, and that becomes a mess.

But they were pretty badass.
Still, if I were worried about getting stuck, I'd be investing in a winch. My experience was that the lockers just got you into a place MORE stuck or further down the trail stuck, if, getting stuck was going to happen.

 

I hear you but lockers will also allow you to power up a steep, rocky trail while everyone else's tires are skidding, get unstuck in areas without trees and/or other vehicles to supplement your winching, etc...

 

Yeah, I understand what they are for....

 

Gears and Lockers vs winch? Both. It's all a requirement for real offroading haha

 

I am not sure if I want to invest in the front end quite yet... SAS and coilovers can be done for not much more than a front locker and quality lift on these trucks... How long until its a common thing like on 2nd gens?

 

And yet...

And that's not a dig at all.
Obviously, do what you like. I've had f/r air lockers on one vehicle, f/r e-lockers on another, and 2 winches.
If you can't do it all at once, my sincere vote is winch first - but do what makes you happy. If you're typically going out in a big group, it likely doesn't matter at all.

I've had enough "real offroading" that I hope to not even use the rear in my Tacoma. Dirt road to a cool mtb / camping / fishing / hiking spot is enough for me. I hope to be done wrenching. But it was fun when I was younger though!

 

Marlin crawler sells clamshell with Locker and gears of your choice already installed.