Full Float Rear Axle w/ Locker

*My apologies, should've been in "General Automotive" sub.*

Just trying to verify my thoughts. I understand the concept of both lockers and having manual hubs, I'm just curious as to who the confused individual is here. I've had lockers before, and manual hubs, just not both at the same time.

Short backstory:
Buddy's dad has a Wrangler I'm purchasing off of him, gave me a huge shpeel about it and how he wouldn't recommend it as a daily because of the lockers (lunchbox style) clicking etc. However, it is also has manual hubs all the way around intended (for him) for flat towing.

My mentality:
Front axle - I know doesn't matter hubs locked or unlocked because there really isn't any torque going through to cause it to bind (minimal clicking/noise) -- regardless we'll treat them as unlocked.

Rear axle - If you unlock one side of the axle, both shafts would spin but the wheel being free wouldn't cause the locker to chatter with no other resistance going into it from the street.

Basically, unlocking one side of the locked rear axle would just treat it as an "open diff" in a sense, correct? There is no mysterious damage I'm causing, correct?

 

Open diffs would favor a wheel with less traction in a situation where both wheels can't handle the torque - a locked diff with one hub locked wouldn't transfer power to the wheel that would typically have less traction in an open diff setup necessarily. It seems like you probably understand this. Still it wouldn't be the best way to do this for the rear imo. Front isn't as big of a deal imo. Getting a selectable locker would be the wiser choice.

 

This would only work if you are turn in one direction. If you unlock your passenger wheel and make a right hand turn, it will do as you describe. If you make a left hand turn, your locked wheel will skip /chirp since it has to travel a shorter distance then the unlocked outside wheel. If this is a ratcheting style locker, then it will do all sorts of weird things. If you apply power through the turn the locker will engage from the torque and then disengage due to the fact that the locked wheel needs to travel slower.

 

I agree, just working with what is dealt and already installed in the Jeep for now. Outside of "strange" handling I'm just looking for any other things I'm missing that might pose a problem. I don't anticipate the locker to be that bothersome, just posing a what if "solution" (shitty one albeit). I'll probably look at just putting an original differential back in and keep the front untouched for now. Can find Jeep axles fairly cheap.

If one wheel is unlocked why would it matter which way you're turning? It would still be free spinning separate of the axle shaft regardless of inside tire vs outside tire.

 

If one hub, front or rear is disengaged you will have one wheel drive on that axle. With a lunchbox style locker it could cause issues with the way it's designed to function. It may not like power/traction at one wheel while the other (disengaged hub) seems to be under no load (spinning). That said even if it "locks" it really doesn't matter because you are one wheel drive. I don't recommend for safety reasons that you drive with one wheel (F or R or Both) disengaged at the hub. Could cause handling/acceleration issues.

I'd get familiar with the vehicle and how the lunchbox diff performs and go from there. I agree a selectable locker is ideal in both axles. The hub's on all four corners aren't really an issue unless you start breaking them all. It is a common failure point under a lot of stress.