Lockers.. dont hate me.

Unless you want to get into rock crawling or extreme mudding, 99% of the time a locker serves no point. Shelled out a lot of money for an Eaton electric locker in a Jeep I had years ago expecting to use the heck out of it, wound up MAYBE using it twice the whole time I had the vehicle.

That said, I have a Detroit in my '72 Bronco, it came with the rig from the PO. It's not necessarily a daily, but it's seen a fair mix of street and off road. Every now and then it will roughly disengage accelerating, but it's the sound of the pop that is more startling than anything. Also tends to cause the tires to bark taking a turn from a intersection. Other than that, I've had no problems with it on the road or off.

 

I use my rear locker quite a bit when I'm on the trails, and I don't normally do anything I'd consider "extreme" but it does help when it's on. I think for some, they have the mindset that the locker is there to use if they get stuck on something or have no choice but to use it, but for me it's there to turn on when I think it might help prevent me from getting hung up on something, or struggling unnecessarily. Just different ways of looking at it I guess.

I'm talking about the rear locker, if I had a front locker on IFS I would be much more selective with it

 

I've always been that way. I know guys who go as far as they can in 2wd until they need 4wd. I'm more of a use my tools to prevent the mishap in the first place.

 

Would a lunchbox locker in the front diff only be a good idea? Would eliminate any issues when on pavement but still have a locker when in 4WD?

 

I wouldn’t lock the front with anything I couldn’t turn off, unless it’s a dedicated trail rig with beefed up hydraulic assist steering. Even then, I don’t think it’s the best decision. Def going to be breaking steering parts.

 

Big fan of the front lunchbox myself.

however, would not recommend for OP’s intended use of snowy road conditions. Understeer like crazy.

 

drivetrain bind while turning in 4x4 will keep a luchbox locker engaged causing more understeer in snow/ice

 

I didn't mind my 4Runner when it was a DD on lunchboxes. The Tacoma is a little more ass light in the snow and nervous but that is more of a truck vs SUV thing than locker.

I'm not an ARB fan. They leak and are fussy about clean air. I've had one and I definitely prefer the lunchbox over the ARB. No peanut gallery letting you know you forgot to hit your locker either.

I really wish people didn't do that. Super hard on the land when then are digging ruts and hard on the truck to boot too.