Dana 44 Lunchbox Locker prices?!?

[abrogate932]

I am looking to slap a lunchbox locker into my Dana 44. I have used Powertrax four times previously, in a GM Dana 60, Suzuki 6.9, Chrysler 8.25, Ford 8.8. They have been reliable and I have never had issues with them. I want to get one for my EB Dana 44 and there are several competitors to the Powertrax/Lock Right now. I was looking at the Spartan and Aussie versions and I see that the Spartan is listed on USA Standard Gear and Yukon websites for over $600?! Other sites have it for for around $260. Am I missing something? The Powertrax and Aussie lockers are both around $300. I have read many comparisons and nothing explains the price difference. Any ideas? I have been comparing the 30 spline versions as well:

Aussie Locker XD-14430 - $269.99

Powertrax LockRight 2410-LR - $332.03

Spartan SL-D44-30 - $250 (East Coast Gear Supply)

Spartan SL-D44-30 - $649.89 (USA Standard Gear)

Spartan SL-D44-30 - $646.89 (Yukon)


Obviously if I would go with the Spartan I would go through ECGS, but that's quite the price difference. Is this just a scenario of loss leader pricing?

 

[Yeller]

Case of protecting their distributors.

Other vendors need to take note. Distributors have little desire to push products that their supplier sells for the same or less price than they do. Yukon and motive are master distributors and parts manufacturers. They are the wholesale suppliers to the retailers.

 

[Timmy390]

Have a Spartan in my Samurai rear.......OMG it;s not what I would call street friendly. No way in hell I would run one up front.

Tim

 

[Broncobowsher]

Cue the exploding 260 sized axle U-joints in 3...2...1...boom

 

[abrogate932]

I have had a Dana 44 that was a break on demand in a Scout 2 wheeler I used to beat on, but I was running CTM ujoints. I would explode the drive flanges. The only front axle setup I have experience with a Powertrax is in my buggy that has 35 spline chromoly shafts and Yukon super joints. I use the Powertrax as a fuse for that setup.... I am still running Longfield drive slugs in it from when they were first made. I've never had issues, but I am not claiming I wont have issues in the EB 44. I am just looking for an inexpensive option for a mild wheeler. Maybe I should rethink this...

 

[Timmy390]

My suggestion is to spend the extra and do it right vs. exploding stuff and being hard to steer. If only mild wheeling, get a limited slip carrier or go the extra mile and get a selectable locker.

My Spartan is very aggressive on the street or any hard pack. Now in soft stuff it's totally bad to the bone and I love it. I even get torque steer out of the rear on the street. Yes that is a thing.

I run a limited slip up front in my EB. I don't do any real off roading just some fire/logging roads. I run an Eaton TruTrac in the rear.

Tim

 

[DirtDonk]

Are you gonna drive the Bronco like you drove your previous vehicles that you kept breaking things on, and had expensive upgrades on?
Or is it really gonna be a mild wheeler in this case? Big difference I would say.

 

[abrogate932]

Are you gonna drive the Bronco like you drove your previous vehicles that you kept breaking things on, and had expensive upgrades on?
Or is it really gonna be a mild wheeler in this case? Big difference I would say.

No, I have a a wheeler for beating on. The Bronco is just forrest road stuff. I don’t foresee breaking anything personally. I’ve been wheeling lockers for 25 years, I know how they work and when you are pushing the limits. I’m just doing it for the occasional 4wd scenario when I wish I had lockers.

My post wasnt whether I should or not, it’s asking about the price difference between vendors.

 

[eb-nutt1]

No, I have a a wheeler for beating on. The Bronco is just forrest road stuff. I don’t foresee breaking anything personally. I’ve been wheeling lockers for 25 years, I know how they work and when you are pushing the limits. I’m just doing it for the occasional 4wd scenario when I wish I had lockers.

My post wasnt whether I should or not, it’s asking about the price difference between vendors.

Cool cruiser buggy!! Obviously go where you can find it the cheapest...I run one in the frt of my trail bronco for 3 years, kept breaking the spring windows in them...Obviously you know it's quirks and limitations, from using them..I actually have a spartan nib sitting on a shelf for my next dana 44 build.

 

[Yeller]

Nice buggy! I’ve built and owned a bunch of them.

 

[ntsqd]

I know this isn't what you asked for either, but......
For a forest roads type use I'd leave the lockers at home and go with a TruTrac. After decades of running a rear Detroit & front Lock-rite I was extremely tentative about making the change, but finally decided to jump and see how it worked. I could not be happier and I wish that I'd made the change a very long time ago.

As far as the price differences, I'd go with the vendor that I know will support me if I have a problem. We sometimes shoot ourselves in the foot by buying at the lowest cost with no other considerations.

 

[399strokerEB]

I'm running the spartan in the front of mine, for something you can install in an afternoon I love it. When I bought mine they were only a couple hundred dollars but I have noticed the price creep up over the years. Most likely the cheaper options are older stock that they don't need to increase the price on.

 

[okie4570]

Detroit in the rear, Spartan in the front here since 2014. I put chrome moly axles in the 44 at the same time. It's been great, no issues.

 

[abrogate932]

I know this isn't what you asked for either, but......
For a forest roads type use I'd leave the lockers at home and go with a TruTrac. After decades of running a rear Detroit & front Lock-rite I was extremely tentative about making the change, but finally decided to jump and see how it worked. I could not be happier and I wish that I'd made the change a very long time ago.

As far as the price differences, I'd go with the vendor that I know will support me if I have a problem. We sometimes shoot ourselves in the foot by buying at the lowest cost with no other considerations.

I currently have 3.55 gears and intend to swap to 4.11 or 4.56 down the road. I know I can use the carrier I have with the 4.11 thick gears, but I don't have that option with the 4.56's. I am putting a TruTrac in the 9", but don't want to do it twice in the front. I will likely do two TruTracs when I re-gear. The lunchbox option gets me cheap traction for now, without a gear and carrier swap.

 

[dmoses42]

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=1148471&cc=1105591&pt=10438&jsn=5875

These are thick cut 4.56, drilled for 3/8 and 7/16 ring gear bolts... Unless I'm misunderstanding what you are saying.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Good chance the original carrier has enough wear that the lunchbox locker could misbehave. Mine worked great, with a fresh zero wear carrier.

 

[ntsqd]

For a forest roads type of use I'm not sure that I'd bother with the front until I did the re-gearing. Leave it open and save the money.

 

[EPB72]

I currently have 3.55 gears and intend to swap to 4.11 or 4.56 down the road. I know I can use the carrier I have with the 4.11 thick gears, but I don't have that option with the 4.56's. I am putting a TruTrac in the 9", but don't want to do it twice in the front. I will likely do two TruTracs when I re-gear. The lunchbox option gets me cheap traction for now, without a gear and carrier swap.

Can’t speak for the spartan but the Aussie on one install and on mine Iused the torQ locker same manufacturer as the Aussie ,, I had to remove the carrier and remove the ring gear to allow clearance to install locker .. his was on the 3.54 gear in a 72. So it’s possibl
Not a quick afternoon .

 

[Timmy390]

I'm running the spartan in the front of mine, for something you can install in an afternoon I love it. When I bought mine they were only a couple hundred dollars but I have noticed the price creep up over the years. Most likely the cheaper options are older stock that they don't need to increase the price on.

I'm shocked you have one in the front and it steers. Maybe it's the weight difference between the Bronco and my Samurai ?

Tim

 

[Timmy390]

Can’t speak for the spartan but the Aussie on one install and on mine Iused the torQ locker same manufacturer as the Aussie ,, I had to remove the carrier and remove the ring gear to allow clearance to install locker .. his was on the 3.54 gear in a 72. So it’s possibl
Not a quick afternoon .

Yeah, you want to do the front once and be done with it. Took me all day to setup my new gears. Not to mention you need setup bearings

Tim