Solid Axle Swap BS Thread

It was probably for the best that the guy backed out.

Good to hear your ruffstuff housing is getting closer to completion.

BTW...have you considered the yukon zip lockers? Not sure if they are available for your application, but they are similar to the ARB and a bit cheaper.

 

I ran one for 3 years without any issues. Good stuff

 

I actually emailed arb about it and got a response back. They said as long as it locked under air on a bench then there would be no reason it wouldn't lock later but like said above their may be metal shavings in it and it needs to be cleaned up. Not that desperate for one but it would be nice.

Ive heard they are just as good and almost went with their grizzly locker over the Detroit but for an extra $50 dollars I will just get the arb. Im sure they are the same quality but everything else we have built along with friends have ran arb with no issues. Plus get it around april I believe and get the free compressor.

 

That's awesome that they even replied. Good company.

It seems like it could have worked if you got it. But it would have been a risk for sure up to the point that you had a chance to bench test it and open the case to inspect it (assuming the case can be opened).

I have a grizzly locker in my rear axle. Been doing a lot of driving around town lately and I have never ever noticed that it's there. It's the quietest automatic locker I've experienced so far. Really good unit, but not that much different from a Detroit. So getting whatever is on sale is always the best idea Yukon has some great rebates every year during the spring.

 

My Detroit was noisy at first but once everything was broken in and as long as im not in an extreme bind it is quite. Now my dads old Detroit he had in his rear axle.... Thing sounded like a gun shot anytime he accelerated through a corner or changing lanes lol.

The best deal I have found on Toyota 3rd member stuff is through low range. its there complete assembled 3rds. For a high pinion 8 in w/ an arb and 4.88s they want $1500. Cant come close to that cost if you buy everything individually and pay to have a shop install them since the parts cost that much and factor in shipping on the parts. Probably wait till they have a sale and pickup one of those. Heck that's how I got my front 3rd and it was still the best deal with gears and the Detroit.

I can handle the one automatic locker, preferably in the front, but having the front and rear locked constantly would make it pretty hard. So much stress on everything and turning capabilities would suck.

 

I agree. Personally, I prefer the air locker in the front for that "3 wheel drive" option with the front open in four wheel drive. But many people prefer automatic locker in the front and air locker in the rear. A local buddy has spools both front/rear and he drives his rig on the highway to/from trails Also, imagine how challenging it might be to turn around tight spots with a spool in the front. But he makes it work somehow.

And yea I've heard those older Detroit units are crazy loud!

 

honestly I have a harder time cutting tight corners with my rear locked in than i do my front.

 

The rear pushes so much when its locked. I only engage my rear when im lined up to a harder obstacle.

 

when i'm out wheeling i don't even fuck around anymore and push my rig to see what it will do in 2wd or open open. I come up to something hard everything gets locked in i do it and if i didn't need it all then good it's no drama wheeling for me. I'm not in high school and i don't have shit to prove.

 

I have no issues with pushing my truck but I also know its limits and how far im willing to push it. Have said that's enough plenty of times and just winched up an obstacle. Not worth flopping the truck on its side or taking out a fender just to say I made something. Ill give it hell but I know when to call it quits.

 

I used to think twin sticks we're useless and not needed until I locked the front end. Now I spend 90% of the day driving between obstacles in 2wd low so I can turn and not boil over my steering, man I can't wait to put hydro assist on this thing!

 

This! Plus it's annoying when you are in a group with "that guy" who wants to do everything in 2wd, ruts everything up, breaks or gets stuck so bad the recovery turns into a mess. Throw it in 4wd, lock it, and use low so we can all move down the trail.

 

I do the same if I can get it out of 4wd. On the red rock everything is so tight and bound up I normally cant get it out of 4wd without really pushing it and am afraid ill break the shift fork off lol but I do try to put it in 2wd low a lot and use it a lot. Hydro assist is great. Mines not "1 finger steering" in 4wd but it is definitely a lot easier and am able to power through certain tight spots. I use 2wd low a lot to slide the rear over as well. Been a hand full of times I wish I could do front digs as well but oh well.

 

Anyone in town for SEMA? Plan is to go walk around Thursday morning before I head out to Logandale for Hump N Bump. May have an open seat as well.

 

i have full hydro and drive around between obstacles in 2 low open rear locker untill i see something that requires more traction.

 

That makes sense. I agree. Having the option of an open front diff just opens other options like snow driving on the road (in which case having an open rear diff would be ideal as well). I think the best of both worlds is to have selectable lockers front/rear. At the time of my build I was not able to afford that, so I just went selectable in the front.

Twin sticks are awesome!

I think they are a bit more practical they way they are set up in the Dana 300 and Atlas tcases. Each stick controls each axle independently.

 

Yeah i went front selectable and welded the 14B untill i could could afford the ARB for the rear and i love the shit out of my atlas second best 4K i've ever spent.

 

I think i will eventually get an air locker for my 14bolt as well!

X2 the Atlas. I only have the 2 speed version, but man I really like it a lot. I imagine the 4 speed is twice the awesomeness. AA really makes a great product. Well, right now I am pissed that AA sent me the wrong speedo gear connection and my speedo is dead lol Other than that I really like the product a lot.

 

Just curious, for those of you with an atlas how did you end up supporting it? Using a cross-member on the transmission or does the atlas have a mounting surface built-in? Pics would be great if you have them.

 

I have a grizzly in my rear axle and arb up front and snow driving is actually pretty easy as long as I don’t start going as fast as the Subaru people around me. Selectable rear would definitely be nice though.