1. Home
  2. Jeep and Willys (new and old)
  3. identifying lockers

identifying lockers

Hello jeepers! I am a novice and am about to ask a very basic question so please be gentle. I have come into posession of an old jeep. Some work was done on modifying it, but it was done by someone 3 or 4 owners distant so I can't ask them any questions. I am trying to figure out if it has a locking differential. The guy I got it from said yes the axle locks, but he knows even less about jeeps than I do, so I think he may have been confused about the difference between "lockers" and "locking the hubs" to engage 4wd.

Is there any kind of easy way for a layman to tell if the differential is really locked or not? This is on the front axle. When I lock the front hubs and engage 4-wheel drive, the jeep is definitely a lot harder to turn and needs a bigger turning radius than when in 2wd. Is this a good sign that I have lockers, or is that something that would happen in 4wd anyway?

Reply to
Kevin Greene
Loading thread data ...

Kevin Greene did pass the time by typing:

First off, never run in 4wd on dry or wet pavement it will break things. You most likely have a "part time" system. That means it locks and is for use on dirt/loose gravel/deep snow/mud.

Help us help you, what year/model is your Jeep.

As for how things work, Tom posted these links a while back

formatting link

Reply to
DougW

Reply to
L.W.(ßill)

Guys, I understand what lockers are. What I am trying to figure out is how to determine if I have them.

Reply to
Kevin Greene

Reply to
L.W.(ßill)

Well, Kevin, the old fashioned way (and Bill, you back me up on this) is to jack up one rear wheel, then jump in the truck, start it up, put it in gear and try to drive away. If the one lifted wheel just spins, then you don't have any type of locking diff. If if jumps off the jack and takes off..... I think you get it.

Jerry

Reply to
belowme

LOL! Yeah, that'll probably work! :-D It might do less damage if you jack up one wheel, put the truck in neutral, and try to turn it by hand. If it turns, you're not locked. While you're at it, you can turn the wheel exactly twice and count the driveshaft revolutions and you will know what your gearing is, too.

Reply to
TJim

Thanks. I will try this. Jerry's solution also would have caused me additional problems, because remember, it is the FRONT axle I am wondering about. (Although I suppose I could have jacked up the rear while I was at it....)

Anyway thanks again Jeepers!!

PS TJ - I assume you mean to put the transmission in neutral, but the transfer case in 4wd?

Reply to
Kevin Greene

Jack up both wheels in the back and then in the front.

With both wheels in the air, turn one tire.

If the tire on the other side turns in the same direction, you have a locker or limited slip, if the other tire turns in reverse, you have an open diff.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Kev>

Reply to
Mike Romain

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.