First of all, pardon my ignorance if this is a stupid question. Can you run a spool or mini spool in the front or just weld the front. Does it matter if you have autolocking hubs or manual. Any info would be appreciated. I like my trooper but am getting frustrated with the limited amount of things I can do with the axles and I dont want to change axles and all that jazz. I just read that there will be a locker for the 12bolt by the summer. That is awsome news, now just need to find out about the 10bolt.

I'd wait, the 10 bolt locker is coming before the 12 bolt locker.

With a spool you can't steer very well at all.

Yep, 10 and 12 bolt lunchbox lockers are coming out this year; definitely worth the wait versus welded (no spool/mini-spool available). Welded or spooled with auto hubs is going to give you the turning radius of a semi when in 4WD. Manual hubs would give you the option of semi-sized turning radius; or getting out and locking/unlocking one of the hubs everytime you need/don't need to make a tight turn. The process itself isn't that hard... but when you factor in having to get in and out multiple times each trail run for the rest of the time you own the truck, IMHO it would get really old really fast. And a welded front with one hub unlocked still won't steer the same as an open diff. So yes, you can weld it; but I'd suggest waiting a bit longer and hopping on the drop-in lockers once they come out later this year. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Matt said he should have some 10-bolt Aussie lockers in a few weeks...

from my experience, sometimes locked front off-road creates more problems than benefits. A selectable locker is the only kind of front locking device I'd use on a vehicle.