now, I know from time to time the question pops up about lincoln locking the front 10-bolt IFS and I'm usually one of the first to offer the general consensus of this is a bad idea, but hear me out... can there be a time and a place for taking your welder to one of these?

I've been slowly (read: a steady Randii pace) working on our '89 Trooper RS which we love to much to part with even now that its been retired from daily driving. With my Rodeo on deck, I don't need another monster project, so the direction the RS has been taking is to become a bottom dollar, very capable, 33" tire class, weekend warrior... to double as backup play toy while the Rodeo is out of comission on larger projects.

With those parameters, i've already decided to work with the IFS on 33x12.50's tires, weld the rear 12-bolt, and strengthen up the front with a possible 2" drop axle and some heavier duty tie rods or shieldz.

So, with the short wheelbase of the RS combined with the 33" tires, I think she'll pack the needed punch on moderate trails, but she'll need to be locked... the rear at a minimum. Now, we all know the benefit of adding in the second locker, but does that extra performance come at too much of a cost with the fragile CVs?

Whats your take? I won't be putting out the coin for an ARB. An Aussie would be in the realm of possible, but my experience with that style locker in the front application is they almost rarely ever unlock on the trail, so really, how much less dangerous would that be? my driving style is pretty subdued, and I'll accept failure, but I do want her to hold together for the most part on moderate trails with a moderate right foot.

Since I don't have any garage time right now... I'll take opinions?

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />
-Rob

interesting approach to weekend wheeler. Honestly, I don't think the downsides would be worth the benefits. I know with my set-up, there have only been a few occassions I truely needed a locker. There is always the want, just not the need. I have wanted the locker to do harder lines, obsticles, but rarely are those lines required. More simply they are wants.

I only have the stock LSD in the rear, and open front. Running the 33x10.5's I have been able to tackle a good majority of trails in Moab. I know Moab is different then the terrain you wheel....but you get my point. With the rear locker I think that would be sufficient to being more capable, without getting you into positions that have the potential to have things go wrong.

I say leave the front undone and enjoy the extra challenge you will have finessing over obsticles. I know the challenge is what has kept me going.

Rob:

I ride with welded IFS toyotas occasionally. Their welded front does not seem to cause them much more trouble than my front lockright. Also, at the last uwharrie I attended, the guy in front of me had a mint 1st gen 4runner with a welded front. I followed him up and down Rocky Mount. He had no more trouble than I did.

My thoughts...just remember how your rodeo felt when the lockright would not unlock. Its tougher to turn, but the traction is amwazing. Alo, the recirc ball and CVs seem to hold up OK, but the tie rods will need to be upgraded.

Yea, thats on par with my thoughts. my old front lockright sure always felt like it was welded... but steering issues aside, there was an immediate and noticable gain in traction from the single locker. I'm thinking having the front locked up would open up choice of more lines through the moderately difficult terrain and allow gentler driving than the momentum required for the same terrain minus one or both axles locked.

-Rob

Boy I dunno...whenever my front ARB is locked, turning can be very difficult. Low traction conditions can make it do-able, but at Moab it was dang near impossible to make a sharp turn with the front locked.

Some of the newer rigs can switch in and out of 4WD via the axle disconnect, which can help sometimes...but I'm guessing an 89 doesn't have an axle disconnect <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

no, but i could add manual hubs and get out and unlock on.

but the east coast isn't as bad as moab, everything here is sandy, loose, and/or wet, so as long as you can throttle to get some wheelspin while turning, its not half as bad as trying to turn on that slickrock.

-Rob

RobG
I'm on the same sheet as you

I will be welding my front 3rd soon.

I have The Ratrod:

90 Amigo

No lift

33's

welded rear

1/4 elip. suspension(stock ht.)

traction bar w/front shackle(mounted high)

winch mount that is higher than stock bumper and stick's out 3" less than stock bumper w/tube front bumper

This thing rocks offroad <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

I am going to:

weld front

Hydro assist <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

stonger tierods

raise t-case up 1 1/4"(for flat skid)

and probabley add a 2nd tcase...........

I know exactly what your after
I say go for it and if you go hydro assist turning with 33's or 35's welded won't be an issue

With the lower traction conditions of your area, a welded front probably will work okay. On anything with traction, I don't like any full time locker on the front. I have run with a limited slip, which was still hard to turn on high traction areas. I have run with a Lockright, in Moab and didn't like it at all. I am currently running the ARB. It works great but I really don't "need" it that often.

I ran most of my toughest trails with ARB in back and a limited slip in the front.

The only breakage that I have had, that I would blame on a locker would be the tie rods but I broke a few of those with the limited slip as well.

No traction aiding device = less front end breakage, for me. In low traction, I can see spinning the tires and then catching traction, which will result in a blown CV.

It really depends on the driver too.

[shrug] I don't have any problem with trying it...seems like a waste of a rare 4.77 R&P though.

No worries... the 4.77's already came out and replacement 4.56s I had on hand have gone in <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> (the extra 0.21 ain't worth quibbling about for me next to the value of the rare 4.77s)... Speaking of which, anybody looking for a set of the ultra rare 4.77's ready to pop in? PM me <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

-Rob