Any thoughts on the wisdom of installing a lock-right in the Dana 25 of my M-38? Being an older guy (and thus having reduced testosterone levels) I won't be crawling over boulders with this jeep, but I'd like to make sure I have plenty of traction when I am miles away from civilization. I have a powr-lock limited slip diff in the rear (Dana 44). I have a Dana 25/27 powr-lock which I am trying to install in the front, but having problems. Just wondering if maybe the best and easiest way to go for the front axle would be to install the lock-right. Or would I have plenty of traction with limited slips front and rear?
Opinions from anyone with personal experience having a lock-right in the front end, powr-lok limited slips front and rear, would be appreciated.
As you can see by your lack of responses any limited slip in the front is non-essential to operation of a restored M38 or M38A1. Even though the Marines started ordering their M38A1's with them in the 60's. It's a severe off road item and unless severe off roading is you plan then their nasty behavior in the front is not an accepted tradeoff for mild off roading.
I do not have any sort of locker or limited slip differential in my M38A-1 but have been around quite a few who do....and just from my observations here's what I've seen. IF you are going to get into a lot of off-road situations where there is significant difference in the amount of tire ground pressure from left to right or where there are large amounts of twist applied to the frame then a locker or limited slip might be right for you. I've seen many off-road situations where a jeep will have only two wheels in contact with the ground and usually its one in the front and one in the rear and they're on opposite corners....but I would call this severe off-roading.....and without lockers (or a winch) you would be stuck....unless you can convince all your buddies to pile on one corner or the other and give you some even traction until you get leveled back out. Also......it seems to me like the travel of the standard suspension on a jeep...tends to get it into these un-even traction situations. I live in the hills country of central Texas.....not rock crowling country by any stretch.....but it is limestone territory and we have lots and lots of rolling hills with exposed ledges of limestone anywhere from a few inches to several yards thich. These tend to make the sides of our hills look more like stairs then hillsides.....and if you don't attack them straight on you can quickly get into one of these uneven traction situations.....but so far I've been able to pick my spot.....put the jeep in 4LO....and crawl straight ahead. I'm sure there are other significant reasons to consider lockers and limited slip diffys.....like snow and mud.....but for me I kinda like the challenge of gettin along without them.
I had a lock right in the front end of a more modern jeep. With out locking hubs, your on road steering will stink - mine would hop, skip, and drag tires and all the while the locker would be making some serious noise while locking/unlocking. Locking hubs are a must to be usable on road.
It provided and immense improvement in off road capability, but not worth it unless your jeep is dedicated to serious off roading.
I won't be crawling over boulders with this jeep, but I'd like to make sure I have plenty of traction when I am miles away from civilization. I have a powr-lock limited slip diff in the rear (Dana 44). I have a Dana 25/27 powr-lock which I am trying to install in the front, but having problems. Just wondering if maybe the best and easiest way to go for the front axle would be to install the lock-right. Or would I have plenty of traction with limited slips front and rear?
