00 ' XJ Adding Lockers - Whats' involved?

Do some research and find out what kind of locker you want. Automatic locker? Air operated locker? electric locker?

I run an ARB locker in the rear (came with the axle I bought) and I run a lockright in the front. The lockright locker is easy to install and you could do that yourself. The ARB is a harder install and you would probably want someone to help with that. Where in SoCal are you? Come see us at

and join the yahoo group. Also you could join us at We have people that sell parts, there are a few of us that do regearing and locker installs, tons of info for you. Kevin in San Diego

Hi Rick,

I presume from your 'socal' address that snow/ice driving is not an issue, so you can probably use automatic lockers (as opposed to more expensive selectables). The best auto-locker is the Detroit. This type of locker replaces the ring gear carrier. That means the ring and pinion must be set-up on install. This requires making four interdependent adjustments to tolerances within thousandths of an inch:

Professional R&P work is expensive. You can teach yourself to do R&P setup, but be prepared to invest many hours on preparation and installation and a few dollars on required tools like a deflection gage, torque wrenches, spreader, etc. Also be prepared for failed gears or bearings if you get something wrong.

If you plan on regearing when you install the lockers, then you might as well go with full carrier lockers like the Detroit. On the other hand, if you're happy with your gears and tire size, the easiest locker to install is the 'lunch box' type that fits inside the carrier:

The Powertax No-Slip looks like the best value in a lunch box locker. It is cheaper than a Detroit and plenty strong for your application. Note that an auto locker in front can be intolerable if you need to use 4-hi on snowy or slippery roads. It can also be a handful in 4-low when trying to make tight turns. The No-Slip reportedly has little effect on tracking in 2wd, but you may find yourself wanting to add manual lockout hubs to the front end:

Steve

Rick wrote:

Hehe, I have been lucky I guess. My ARB hasnt had any of the issues with ring gear bolts or whatever. I do like being able to turn off the rear locker so my tires dont scrub on every corner. KH