D40 Front Locker

[Vanguard]

Hi Guys.

Spoke to Tom from 4wd Systems in SA. They actually make Lockers branded "LOKKA". It's an automatic locker (can't turn on or off, engages and disengages by itself) that they are now in process of doing for Navara D40 front diff. They have a line of people after these already (apparently) and still growing. I put my name down. If you are interested Tom said just fill in the contact form and at the end specify to be contacted when the front D40 locker is available. He says later this year.
Has anyone had any experience with the brand LOKKA or automatic lockers as such?

Here is where you register:
Contact | 4WD Systems | Gear to Goannawhere

 

[MAD D40]

You talking like a detroit type mechanical locker??

 

[Leprechaun]

No, front hubs how can it work?

 

[ONLOCK]

doesnt it work in the way that if there is too much load on one wheel it kinda ratchets, i know heaps of guys running them on patrols with no issues, dont see why it wouldnt work on d40 only thing being the diff housing being soo weak i wonder how long it will last, id probs still be keen for one though

 

[Leprechaun]

doesnt it work in the way that if there is too much load on one wheel it kinda ratchets, i know heaps of guys running them on patrols with no issues, dont see why it wouldnt work on d40 only thing being the diff housing being soo weak i wonder how long it will last, id probs still be keen for one though

I'm running a Lockrite in the Pootrol and there is no way I would use on it bitumen, bad enough on gravel. Feels like the worst torque steer ever but not predictable as each side locks and unlocks.

 

[ONLOCK]

very good point jase, didnt think of that

 

[ONLOCK]

just checked out the locker website. with the design of the lokka and how it works i see it being pretty dangerous on slippery muddy corners as i dont think it will unlock and just try to push forward through corners, but if someone wants to try it out and prove me wrong ill submit and probs buy one. something to think about anyways

 

[Leprechaun]

They only unlock with zero throttle, apply load through the pinion and it's understeer city. But at 1/3 the price of an airlocker it's certainly better than nothing.

 

[ONLOCK]

so clutch in around corners and should be right you reckon or still an issue in those really slippery situations

 

[docp1980]

I'm running a Lockrite in the Pootrol and there is no way I would use on it bitumen, bad enough on gravel. Feels like the worst torque steer ever but not predictable as each side locks and unlocks.

So do you ever use 4H now? What about sand driving?

 

[Vanguard]

I've had a chat with a couple of guys (mechanics) I trust and they are of the opinion that they are unpredictable. They are also saying that unlike the description, every one of this type of diff they have seen, has never engaged smoothly. Apparently they really kick in with a "clunk" and your there kind of thing. D40 diff housing should be fine to handle it, they are advising to be more concerned with the strain it will put on the rest of the drivetrain when the diff suddenly engages. So far it still seems to be the only brand doing something for d40 front though.
As for Detroit lockers, apparently they are very different to these LOKKA diffs. Something to think about anyway.

 

[turbogu]

Front diffs are made of cheese, there is no way i would put a auto locker in the front of one of these things, they bust easy enough with out it, the housings are weak and the way the mount in the car is weak which lets them flex and crack

Dont do it!!!

 

[Leprechaun]

so clutch in around corners and should be right you reckon or still an issue in those really slippery situations

To get around this you just lock in one hub, no good for you D40 owners though.

So do you ever use 4H now? What about sand driving?

4H is not too bad on gravel, but you certainly know when it engages.

They're actually worse in sand as the understeer causes a plowing effect that washes off too much speed.

 

[Leprechaun]

Detroit lockers are smoother at engaging because they use cone clutches rather than dog gears, they are much stronger as they replace the whole carrier not just the spider gears. But as others have mentioned the real problem is the weakness of the aluminium housing.

Someone needs to basically duplicate the diff in steel and use a bigger centre.

 

[Dave]

Front diffs are made of cheese, there is no way i would put a auto locker in the front of one of these things, they bust easy enough with out it, the housings are weak and the way the mount in the car is weak which lets them flex and crack

Dont do it!!!

Wonder is Bubs will do a custom housing up, since the standarad one is piss weak.

 

[Leprechaun]

Front diffs are made of cheese, there is no way i would put a auto locker in the front of one of these things, they bust easy enough with out it, the housings are weak and the way the mount in the car is weak which lets them flex and crack

Dont do it!!!

Those photo's remind me of why I sold my D40.

Out of interest, what size tyres were you using?

 

[turbogu]

Those photo's remind me of why I sold my D40.

Out of interest, what size tyres were you using?

Thankfully there not mine, just some pics i got of different forums, but to answer your question im running 33x12.5s so im waiting to hear the bang

Wonder is Bubs will do a custom housing up, since the standarad one is piss weak.

The housing is the easy part, the hard part with sas'ing a d40 is the abs, no one has done it yet on a frontier or exterra and managed to make every thing function properly

Every thing else would be straight forward, nav is 1570 wheel track, patrol is 1610 so you could run a gu diff with the pumpkin flipped, and the right off set rims and it would fit like a glove

LIke i said its the electrics, im looking into it now, if i do no good with that im going to look into fitting a 05 onwards hilux front diff, at least then upgraded gears, air lockers, cv's are available but i would prefer solid

 

[Leprechaun]

Thankfully there not mine, just some pics i got of different forums, but to answer your question im running 33x12.5s so im waiting to hear the bang



The housing is the easy part, the hard part with sas'ing a d40 is the abs, no one has done it yet on a frontier or exterra and managed to make every thing function properly

Every thing else would be straight forward, nav is 1570 wheel track, patrol is 1610 so you could run a gu diff with the pumpkin flipped, and the right off set rims and it would fit like a glove

LIke i said its the electrics, im looking into it now, if i do no good with that im going to look into fitting a 05 onwards hilux front diff, at least then upgraded gears, air lockers, cv's are available but i would prefer solid

JK Wrangler looks to be the perfect SAS option, almost contemplated doing mine before I came to my senses.

 

[ONLOCK]

is it possible to just unpplug the abs fuse and get rid of the shit, im not much of a fan of it anyway or is it more complicated

 

[CAM500]

SAS on a fronteir been done some time ago. Follwing was done in 2009 on a Frontier - Check out the forum lin below

D40 SAS - Anyone done one yet?