Detroit vs. lunchbox locker

[Gearhead61]

The R&P in the D44 is 3.73. I guess all I'm thinking about the 12 bolt is that I've got it, so I might as well run it, since I won't be able to sell it for anything. I may look around the yards in Dallas though and see if I can find something for a decent price.

How much should I expect to pay for 8-lug outers? Will only the ones off a D44 work?

How many lugs does an Isuzu 12 bolt have? And which vehicles could I find a fullsize axle under?

[CRaSHnBuRN]

all isuzus are 6 lug. I'll find the width info for you later

[AggieTJ2007]

it has been said on every page, got a 60, or some other axel

[CRaSHnBuRN]

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=449731
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=399904
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...=539429&page=2
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=504895

this is all related to the 12 bolt. I think this axle will increase in popularity if more people knew about the different versions of it. The reason I like this axle is that since no one knows about them, they are cheap, even free. Like I said, most versions are disk brake, and all are 6 lug. They have flanges that will make it easier to attach your sammi driveshaft. There are widths ranging from 58 to 63+ inches. And don't worry if you're front axle is a little wider than the rear axle, thats normal. The axle housing is alot like a toy, so it should be very easy to shave for more clearence.

The only drawback I know of is there isn't much aftermarket support. Your locker options are welded, ARB, or lockright for the older (smaller) version, and welded only for the late model (bigger) version. For the older version, 4.56 gears are normally stock, and there are 5.38s available, but may not be for long. For the newer version there is only 4.30 stock, with no aftermarket gears. I would grab the widest version of the older diff, and regear your D44 to match (4.56). BTW, the pics in link 2 show the older style diff in comparison with a toy diff (smaller of the two), so you can imagine how big the late model axle is.

edit: more info here http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=232723

[stx4wheeler]

yeah but how plentiful are these axles to find

[Gearhead61]

I did some searching on carpart.com for the isuzu axle... Most of the ones I found in the area (either Houston or Dallas/Ft. Worth) were in the $150-$200 range. Which years of truck should I search for a Dana 60?

[CRaSHnBuRN]

yeah but how plentiful are these axles to find

I've seen several in the yards here. I mean basically every isuzu that is not a rodeo has one. That place out on 21 with all the foreign cars probably has several. I just missed getting a free one a few months back when greg grosz hauled one to the scrap yard.


And don't do the car-parts.com thing. They way overcharge everything. Go to a yard, make sure they have what you want, and then go haggle. So far everything I've stripped off an isuzu I ended up getting free

[redcagepatrol]

weld the rear, lunchbox for the front. Keep the gears you have, and therefore skip changing carriers, and just regear the t-case really low. It would be much cheaper

I used to like this idea but from experience, the welded rear pushes the front straight and that is what screws up the turngin radius. Put the locker in the rear and weld the front.

[agjohn02]

I used to like this idea but from experience, the welded rear pushes the front straight and that is what screws up the turngin radius. Put the locker in the rear and weld the front.

ive heard this a bunch and totally believe its possible, but ive never noticed it in the scout

[DRAGOONRANCH]

you have a boat anchor ontop of your front axle though that surely helps to keep traction on it.

[CRaSHnBuRN]

I used to like this idea but from experience, the welded rear pushes the front straight and that is what screws up the turngin radius. Put the locker in the rear and weld the front.

My old truck had a detriot rear, welded front. My buggy had a spool rear, detriot front. I could barely make the truck turn on the rocks in katemcy, and it pushed like crazy. The buggy always turned fine, even before I installed the hydro assist. No real pushing that I noticed

[redcagepatrol]

I don't think that it was the welded front that made your old truck hard to turn, it was probably that you had to be on the gas while turning. Best was to turn with a Detroit in Moab or Katemcy is to bump the throttle to let it unlock the rear. The front tires will already be turned the way that you want them to go, they are not the cause of the problem.

[CRaSHnBuRN]

say what you will, but I never had the problem until I welded the front, and even on low traction surfaces when giving it gas, I couldn't get the thing to turn. I mean it was a fight with the steering wheel. I don't know how it would have been with hydro assist, but without it, it sucked

[CheapJeep]

I used to like this idea but from experience, the welded rear pushes the front straight and that is what screws up the turngin radius. Put the locker in the rear and weld the front.

I kind of noticed this in the Jeep at Katemcy back in February but really didn't give it much thought since I'd just stretched it. I had the front welded and a powertrax locker in the rear but when the locker started to disengage randomly due to missing pins Ryan and I just welded it up no problems since. It's pretty hard to say whether or not I can tell since I change things on the Jeep so much.

[AggieTJ2007]

I just use the twin sticks makes it turn real nice