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Does any one make a locker for a Suby?


Guest Overkiller
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Guest Overkiller

Since the rear end is unlocked on the street a lock-rite style rear diff would be undetected on the street, yet very helpful off road. I'm not willing to weld my rear diff but I'd love a rear locker. Does anyone make one? If no one does would anyone else be interested in one? My cars a 88 GL Wagon BTW.

 

Travis

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Guest SubaruJunkie

Everybody wants one... and no one makes one. You can find a rear LSD from a RX, but get your wallet ready. Or, just weld your rear end and remove one of the CV joints from the rear when driving on the pavement.

 

-Brian

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Guest Overkiller

Well lets get a list going of everyione who wants one and how much they would be willing to pay for one. If there's enough interest to get past development cost I bet I can get a compay to step up and make them.

 

Travis

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Guest SubaruJunkie

Its been discussed before, we found a company who will make them, but i believe they wanted some huge down payment and a huge amount of pre-orders. In the long run, its not cost effective. Spend $40 on a spare rear diff, weld it, and while your at the junk yard, grab 3 or 4 spare rear CV's and you will still come out WAY under what it would cost to have a rear locker manufactured.

 

-Brian

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Guest Overkiller

Well I'm an avid rockcrawler and I run a spool in the rear of my crawler. My subaru is my daily driver and camping/ moderate wheeling car. No way am I going to drag a spool around on the street all day, or pull CVs. I would love a rear locker for the car though. I'm going to keep on it so if anyone else is interested contact me. I'm in the business of selling machined goods so if all else fails I can have my machinist crank out a run if I design it.

 

Travis

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Guest SubaruJunkie

No, you dont have to... but if you dont, you will be removing either a broken CV later, or replacing your entire diff.

 

ive been thinking of taking a rear CV, and cutting it in half. Then making some sort of manual locking mechanism that will lock and unlock the CV, to let it rotate freely, or lock to act like a standard CV. That way, you can have your welded rear end and a CV that will be able to be unlocked or locked.

 

-Brian

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Guest superoo

How about an ARB type air locker? then you could be locked on the trail and unlocked for the street. would this work for our applications?

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Guest Overkiller

For the dual range cars like mine there's no torque going to the rear diff on the street, therefore there would be no difference driving on the steet with a lockrite out back (other then a little ratcheting noise). I can't see there being a huge market for an ARB for the rear. Not enough advantage other then the ability to have an open rear diff for snow and ice. I paid $250 for my car and there's no way I'd drop the money on an ARB for it. Up front would be nice but it would be a ton of work, if not impossible, and if you really need a front locker it might be time to consider getting a truck. My $.02

 

Travis

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Guest Overkiller

Quote:

ive been thinking of taking a rear CV, and cutting it in half. Then making some sort of manual locking mechanism that will lock and unlock the CV, to let it rotate freely, or lock to act like a standard CV. That way, you can have your welded rear end and a CV that will be able to be unlocked or locked.

 

 

That's a damn good idea. If getting a locker made doesn't pan out I'll see about making some replacement shafts.

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Guest SubaruJunkie

You must be new. For one... we all need a front locking diff... but we dont all need a truck. Trucks are large, eat gas, and for most of us, completly useless.

 

For 2nd, if you paid $250 for your car, and you expect to pay less for ANY type of locking diff, you are kindly mistaken. Even a 2nd hand LSD will cost you over $300 on ebay. I believe they were quoting us some ungodly amount like $1200 for a locker if we were to have them made in bulk.

 

The easiest, cheapest, most widly available option you have is to weld the diff and run one CV. If your car is your road car and you dont want to risk breaking a CV or diff... then use your truck for off-road.

 

-Brian

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Guest Overkiller

I've been wheeling for 8 1/2 years now I'm far from new. If you want to lock up the front of your car be my guest. I love my suby but the lack of ground clearence and the pitiful crawl ratio will stop you long before an open front diff if you know how to drive. Subarus are great I love the mileage and dependablity of my car. I drive it everyday and I love getting 20+ mpg loaded with camping gear. Taking my truck camping is like going squirrel hunting with a tank, it much prefer pushing my Suby to it's limits then putting down a rutted fire road in my truck. I followed you over here from POR so I know you're aware there's a whole world of wheeling that a Subaru based vehicle can not expirence. If you disagree meet me at the Hammers and I'll gladly wheel you for pinks.

 

For 2nd if you were paying attention you would have noticed I said I'm in the business of designing and marketing machined parts. I can design and build a locker for far less then I paid for my car. It's a matter of my time and the desire to do it. Just because something doesn't exist doesn't mean it's impossible or even hard to do. A rear locker would be far to superior to a welded diff for this application and allow those who don't need a truck to push your cars to the limit, without pulling shafts. And those who still daily drive their cars will be able to expirence a level of offroad ability they never dreamed of without ill effects on the street.

 

I don't mean to come onto your website and act like I'm the all-knowing pubu but you need to keep your attitude in check. This a good source of info for people who enjoy taking their cars offroad and by being rude to me your going to drive off someone with years of offroad expirence and lots of contacts to make the parts to really improve the off road abilities of these cars. If you want a front locker tell me I'm wrong and there is a reason for one. If enough people say they want one, I'll see there's a market for it and possibly build one. An ARB is out of the question but a dog-clutch style locker may be doable. I'll pick up a d/r tranny at the next half price junk day and see about lower lo range too. But don't be a wongleflute. I like Subarus, you like Subaurs. Lets be friends:D

 

Travis

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Guest SubaruJunkie

Woah... no need for a shoving match. When i said you were new, i meant you must be new to off-roading a Subaru. I picked up on the whole experience thing when you said you were an advid rock crawler. I guess you havent seen or experienced the limits of a Subaru. A front locker would do wonders for us, and there are some that have done, and have idea's on achieving better gearing.

 

If you have the access to fabricate a locking rear diff, then by all means, please do. I have no idea what something like that would cost per unit. I know a LSD will get you $300 easy if you market it to the right people.

 

Let me know if you are on a broadband connection, and i would be more than happy to share some video ive taken.

 

-Brian

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Guest E Zap

Travis, send me an email. I'd like to run some stuff past you without stirring up the hornet's nest.

I've got an idea or two, and an experienced opinion to offer you.

chairotsu@earthlink.net

 

thanks

Eric

 

Sweet photos on the Pirate Board btw.

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Guest toybuilder

"I love my suby but the lack of ground clearence and the pitiful crawl ratio will stop you long before an open front diff if you know how to drive. Subarus are great I love the mileage and dependablity of my car. I drive it everyday and I love getting 20+ mpg loaded with camping gear."

 

I completely agree. I have a truck for 4-wheeling and I am building up my Subaru so I can get my family and camping gear into the back country of Colorado. I want my Subaru to be able to go up roads like this:

 

<img src="http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0UQC5BMgWzIYKTStCFVB!sh4YuXJmsQANxA2P!GvXCaxkK0iWExTVZrdhcaOA2r5W1xDm41bDD7rbCt9EpoMDUV8GLfdhZExfFaNU8Xik9BsNaJ3pvezkOYfajxkO0qRo/123%20Down%20Rough%20Road.jpg" style="border:0;"/>

 

This is the road into my favorite area of Colorado. That is my stock Toyota and this road is fairly challenging for it. Not sure if the Suby has a chance, even with 27" Swampers and a rear LSD. Maybe enough ground clearance but definately not enough gearing to get it over the rocks.

 

If you end up making some sort of locker for the rear I would be interested in buying one. Let me know.

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Guest Subiekid

Toybuilder,

You can make it up that with a stock subaru........ you just can't be afraid to smash it on the rocks. I have done lots of stuff like that (and worse) and the worst that has happened is that my right front fender got smashed and the door hit it when you opened it. By the way, how are those pugs? Later all,

 

Scott

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Guest alpha0001

I second that :D

 

For the longest time I have been running my subaru stock, because I have yet the time to build a lift for it. But everyonce in a while I have done some stuff far nutzier than that.. and boy to I beat the bajesus out of that car. I dented my skid plate so bad it smashed up the oil pan as well (no holes luckily), I've put some big cracks in the exhaust, bowed up the front end an inch, that had to be hammered back into shape, I smashed the center bearing of the drive shaft up into the body tunnel (drove it for like 4 months like that no comlaints either), blown out both front tires at the same time, smashed up the passenger control arm, and taken out half the front bumper. Thank gosh for pick and pull. Despite running stock and beating the poor thing up, I still have yet to spend more than $30 on a repair. These cars are indestructable, and I love it! :lol:

 

-Mike

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Guest Overkiller

I recieved a prompt reply from my email to powertrax (which is now owned by richmond gear) and I think they may be interested. If you want a locker for your suby now's your chance. Email the gentlemen and let him know you'd love to have a locker for your car. If we let them know there are crazy people who like flogging their cars offroad we could have a professionally built and manafactured locker to fill this untapped market. So lets all email MBolding@richmondgear.com and let him know we have money waiting for a locker. Here's a copy of our emails so far.

 

 

From: Overkilloffroad@aol.com

To: info@powertrax.com

Sent: Monday, July 28, 2003 5:01 PM

Subject: Why don't you make a locker for ....

 

 

Older subarus? Many people are picking up these cars for cheap and modifying them for off road use. The subaru set up has the car in front wheel drive on the street and locks the rear end in for 4x4. A rear lock rite would be totally unnoticed on the street but would totally transform the car off road. Owners are currently welding their rear diffs and pulling CVs for street use. Many owners would be overjoyed to install a rear lock-rite and save this hassle. As an added bonus the subaru rear diff is the same unit used in Datsun 510s. With one product you could be the sole supplier to 2 untapped enthusiast markets. Please feel free to contact me if you would like more information on the growing off road Subaru market, or if there's anything I can do to help you make a Subaru rear locker a reality.

 

Thanks

 

Travis Heidenreich

 

 

 

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT MARKET. I WILL COPY OUR DESIGN ENGINEER AND NATIONAL SALES MGR.THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN POWERTRAX.

MICHAEL BOLDING

RICHMOND TEC

864-843-9231X160

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Guest SUBARULOVERBRAD

When i get my roo completed, i plan on crawling it with a few buddies up here in VA. I have been almost as far as the others, but lower gearing and bigger tires were need, so my customizing is now coming along good. nice pics!

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Guest SubaruJunkie

Great job. I have the factory service manual that has all the specs for our 3.9 diff's, if it would help you in fabricating something, let me know and i can have them scanned. I will also email the guy and show interest in a rear locker.

 

-Brian

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