Just wanted to get some input and opinions on lockers and lim slips. What are people running that works? I know some Xs came factory with a rear lim slip, do they work? Ive heard locker in the rear and lim slip in the front works good. ???

For the first generation X's the limited slip is somewhat weak. Stronger on the older models and then detuned on the newer ones and breaks away way too soon. If you have LSD you should have an orange sticker on your rear diff pumpkin, or you can check your VIN number.

As far as lockers, you only have the choice of ARB. They work great both offroad and on the highway, but they are expensive. Calmini sells a front LSD, but it is $570. For that price, I would, and did, spend the extra money and install a front locker for about $160 more.

I have rear LSD, and I honestly sometimes wonder if the thing even works. Most of the time I have to work the brake and gas pedal to work my way out of things. But lockers are aways off on the mod list.

The rear LSD will work much better if when you need it you click the E brake 3-4 clicks. That will put enough pressure on the diff to engage better.

Just don't forget and leave it on or you'll start smelling burned brakes

Interesting.... Anyone else tried this?

Yup. Works decently well with an open diff, too. Helped me back out of this stuck.

i have, but not with the e-brake, i just 2 foot it. works pretty good.

Hello, To have or make your Xterra a true 4x4..you need to add lockers and/or limited slip units, prefer front and rear.

The utimate set-up is locking lockers front and rear. 2nd best is locking lockers in the rear and a limited slip unit in front. 3rd best is just a locking locker in the rear.

Not all brands perform the same. Some are built better and stronger than others. Xterra's have a very tiny amount of choices ( I think two only).

Remember w/out the limited slips only the opposite side wheels (f&R) that are touching the ground. Once one tire is off the ground...alll the power will go to the spinning wheel, unless you have a locker or LSD units.

Yes! many times you will not need to have these? Once you get struck.....make sure you have a tow strap and a friend around.

Good to have for muddy roads,lots of sand places, and hill climbing. Where you see ruts dug-out...are mostly from vehicles that do not have any kind of Lockers/LSD's.

Once you have experience using them...can't live with-out them. Off course we go places where it makes a big difference on coming home early and in your own truck. .........Aloha

Yeah - braking helps...As all the torque goes to the fastest tire....making them turn the same speed helps immensly...so braking them, so they are both stopped/slowed to the same speed, always has potential.

The '03's and '04's have the worst break away torque, the '00-02's have a better break away figure.

The '05+'s, for the OR models, can come with a factory Locker....well worth it.

So, you're telling me that my 4x4 Xterra when it had open diffs wasn't a real 4x4???
Lockers and Limited Slips (real ones with good breakaway numbers) are great and help you move up to the next level of trail but totally not necessary...kinda like 4:1 t-case gears.

I'm adding - the front LSD's, while a help on the trail, eat your tires on the road....the people I know who ran them found that the LSD fronts were very hard on tire wear, as the steering requires that the tire on the inside and out side of a turn rotate at different speeds...so a lot of tire scrubbing was going on.

The nice thing about a selectable locker is that you can leave it off unless you need it...saving wear and tear on the driveline, and, on the tires.

Same person who posted they "settled" for an X..you know, if you don't like it, you could trade it in on one of those FJ's Or Heeps you seem to love so much.

I'm a 2 footer as well... TJ is right though, my 03 just wants to spin, i'm sure the S/C doesn't help in these situations. I will try the e-brake thing next time though.

I would like to point out to those using the brake pedal to aid the LSD that about 70% of your pedal brake goes to the front wheels. Not a good thing if you are trying to assist your rear LSD axle in pushing you forward. The parking brake will serve you much better in locking up the diff since it is a mechanical pull on the rear brakes only.
When money permits I will put a in a locker for sure but with a little parking brake the limited slip works better than most think.
Personally I would not put LSD in the front of a daily driver. The extra wear on the tires would pay for the difference between a LSD and an ARB in no time.

In off camber or wheel spinning situations

2wd = 1wd
4wd = 2wd
4wd (single locked) = 3wd
4wd (dual locked) = 4wd
4wd (DL) + winch = 5wd

Well layed out.

Is this why my left rear is wearing so much faster than the right? Even with tire rotations? Also, just so I understand, the locker is selectable only when you want traction to both wheels, and when not selected, in effect you have a open rear end?

[/QUOTE]Is this why my left rear is wearing so much faster than the right? Even with tire rotations? Also, just so I understand, the locker is selectable only when you want traction to both wheels, and when not selected, in effect you have a open rear end?[/QB][/QUOTE]

That is correct, assuming that you have an open diff to begin with, and since ARB lockers are for an open diff not a LSD, that is what you would have

Just the left?

I assume you've got an LSD?

It works (Conceptually) like this....the two sides of the axle are held together by friction...and, they roll along at the same rate as each other.

When you go around a turn....the outside tire has to go faster than the inside tire (Like those oval runner's tracks, where the guy on the inside lane has to start way behind the others...)

So - we have two tires turning at the same rate...but, one of them is too slow (The outside one...) to keep up....and tension starts to build, and the drive train starts to get torqued by the difference...

At some point, the torque that builds up, is more than the friction holding the two sides together can hold....and it lets go.

The torque it lets go at is called the break away torque.

If you pretty much only turn in one direction, I can see that leading to uneven wear, rather than just faster overall wear...

But, assuming you have a route that is more balanced, turn-wise...left rear only wear sounds like something else.

You might want to have your thrust angle, or damage to the axle/hub checked for example.

Don't get me wrong, I love my locker (soon to be lockers) and winch but I have driven trails (pre-locker/winch) here in Colorado that people said I would never make with two open diffs. I just have an issue with Kona telling me my X wasn't really a 4x4 in the days before lockers.

Also, for GraniteX, the ARB replaces the entire carrier so it doesn't matter if you have an LSD or open diff prior to getting an ARB. If you were trying to make a lockrite or some other lunchbox locker work, then yeah, you'd need to make sure that you had an open carrier.

so if i have an LSD, what are my product choices in getting a locker for the rear?

ARB air locker....

Driver behind the wheel plays a big factor.

My DD - is a 4wd Tacoma-
I learned to wheel it open diffs.
I surprised alot of my budies (including myself) on a few trails that gave single locked 4wd rigs trouble. A few years ago , I installed a rear locker and last month added a front locker.

So to the OP, for Dual ARB's.
Decide what traction aiding device suits your budget & driving needs.

Hello, Good point about using brakes (by MMNIC). For the rear wheels LSD to work better use your parking brakes.

As to the person who is unaware of how a 4x4 system works? All you gotta do is research this and talk those who trail alot.

Most SUV's and trucks that are mark as 4x4 work that way...only two wheels turning in 4-wheel drive...one in front and opposite side rear. (yet they call them 4x4 operatons.

It took some years before I started understanding how it works...especially when you get struck several times......and have to be pull out.

HOW THINGS REALLY WORKS? ....Will you tell the truth..the whole truth..so help me GOD...ask the saleman? ...just make sure his hands are on your bible? ..........Aloha

For the ones saying an LSD is bad up front for a daily driver for tire wear, how's that work? Unless you're running around in 4wd all the time that is...