EEK! Driving with the locker on

I used to wheel with a guy that would lock up the rear end in parking lots just to make his tires chirp. He wasn't the smartest guy, obviously, but his D44's with 35's took the abuse. Eventually he did end up blowing his diff on a trail but who's to say it was one, the other, or a combination of things?

You may have taken some life out of it but not as much as you may think. Slow, hard turns on a high traction surface are not good for a locked differential, but tight rocky trails will basically have the same effect. As long as you didn't hear any popping, snapping, binding, or grinding you're probably fine. Typically, the tire will simply skip when you make a turn.

Checking the diff fluid is a good place to start.

 

Does no one remember Detroit lockers?

Had one in my 85 4Runner. Tires barked all the time when turning. When it did occasionally disengage in a turn, as designed, BANG!

I’d turn the arb on sometimes in my 91 just to make the 36s bark too.

 

No issues just decreased tire life !!


I've had many vehicles with spooled rear axles on the street and with slicks no issues whatsoever !!!!