Dana 44 locker options

[walkercreekbronco]

Well, they lasted longer than I expected, but I finally destroyed my front u-joints (along with my driver side outer axle shaft). While I've got all this apart, I think I'll go ahead and install a locker.

I definately want a selectable locker. That leaves me with three choices: ARB, Eaton's E-Locker, or the OX-Locker. (If I missed one let me know).

I'm leaning towards an E-Locker because of cost. I know the lockers are similar in price, but I wouldn't have to buy a compressor. Can anybody tell me their experiences with this locker? Is it reliable?

What about the OX? It seems expensive and I've had a lot of problems with cable activated PTO's on equipment. I'm assuming an OX would be prone to all the same problems.

 

[S_bolt19]

Well, here is my take on it. I did extensive research on ARB & OX before I put mine in, Eaton had yet to come out with theirs at the time, and it boiled down to one major thing that I found out. OX has gone in and out of business for the past 5 years or so. That scared me away from them. ARB, although you have to either #1 get a compressor or #2 get an onboard tank, is a company that has been around for years. I have a few friends who ran the UROC & ARCA competitions and they all used and thought that the use of the ARB was the best way to go...at the time. The OX, depending on whom you talk to, is just as good. Both utilize minimal moving parts and are bullet proof. The Eaton, from what I have read & seen is not as strong of a unit as either of the others. If you talk to Mike Kirkus, owner of Complete Offroad, I think he uses an OX in his EB and he really pushes it. (I would also recommend getting anything you buy from him, he will give you the best price on things out of anywhere in the country) I have a friend who has an electric locker in his Toyota Tacoma & he liked it, but it did fail him on a trail. I don't know if it is an Eaton or not, I cannot say. The plus of the OX over both ARB & Eaton is that if the power goes off, you are still locked in. You also don't have to worry about having to get the compressor or air supply and you aren't worried about electrical issues. But this is all in how you want to set up your rig, do you want the big lever or just a couple of buttons on the dash?

In a nutshell, I would say that for the price, you need to talk to people who have used one or more of each one. Get their opinions and take each one with a grain of salt, because some will be biased towards what they have or have had. Personally, I have ARB front & rear. It was an easy decision for me because I wanted selectable in both ends. OX doesn't make a 9" locker and I would have had air for the rear anyway, so I went with ARB in both. I absolutely love my ARBs, my only problem is that I haven't put my compressor back on my rig so when I go out, I have to fill my air tank up and run off of that. It gives me about 15-20 locks for both axles, but I need to quit being lazy and just put the compressor back on it.

 

[walkercreekbronco]

I talked Randy's Ring & Pinion, and they told me about a locker I forgot--the Auburn ECTED. (The guy did say he thought the ARB would be the strongest). The Auburn is a limited slip until you engage the electric switch, then it's fully locked. It's cheaper than OX, ARB, and Eaton E-Locker. (By the way, they said that the E-Locker is not warrantied if you run larger than factory tire size.) I'll try it I guess, and let ya'll know how well it works.