• Help Support Hardline Crawlers :

Opinion on OX lockers

mark

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 8, 2006
Messages
2,201
Location
Woody-ville!
From and engineering point of view, I liked what I saw when the OX first came out.... but then they went away, but I thought I heard they are still around.

The design seems sound, but I have never personally ran into someone that has/is running one. Whats people take on them?



I've run into I guy that has a set of gear's I'm looking for, as well as a brand new set of OX's, and a pretty good package price on the whole lot. Just curious if it wouldn't be a bad deal.


I know ARB's are proven, and will probably go that way when the money allows. I like the Eaton's as well, but they apparently has a couple bugs to still work out.
________
EXPERT INSURANCE
 
Last edited:
Worst piece of garbage I've ever had the displeasure of working on. My brother has one in the front D30 of his MJ and it has NEVER worked right. I know, I know... the design is so simple and it should be very straightforward, but the thing just plain does not work. I've adjusted and fiddled with the cable and mechanism until I was blue in the face, it simply does not stay locked. We've replaced the cable, it has no wierd bends in it or kinks, etc... the whole thing just does not work as advertised.

The only cool thing about it is the diff cover it comes with is pretty beefy.
 
Wow, I have one friend back in the Bay Area that has a OX in a D44 under a XJ it was a DD for years and he would drive it all over to wheel one weekend he would go to the Hammers and a few weeks after that to Az, then to Co, or Ut, and he loves it. So this is the first I have heard bad things of them.
 
I installed a coupe of OX lockers on a rig. I really like the simplicity of the design. The diff covers are beefcake. And the actual locker mechanism is very simple.

Aside from the cable actuation issues, they seem to be really stout units. IE: The internals are simple. Very easy to fix or make work on the trail. However, the cable shifters are a PITA.

I really like the OX locker, I just don't like thier cable system.
 
Buy a Detroit Locker and be done with it. No cables. No air lines. No electric solinoids. Just good old fashion WORKS when you want it!
 
I also have installed a couple, I also had the same opinion of the unit. The locker looks great and the system is sound but the cable ruins it. The neighbor just put 2 in his jeep, The rer is good the front wont work all the time and we have played with the cables and no luck. I like the unit but it needs a different way to engage it.
 
Buy a Detroit Locker and be done with it. No cables. No air lines. No electric solinoids. Just good old fashion WORKS when you want it!

Agreed.

If you need a selectable, step up to the plate and get the ARB... otherwise go detroit, lockright, aussie, etc or put a spool in if it's a rear axle. :D
 
Thanks for the replies and keep them coming.


For the application I'm think in this particular case a selectable would be the ticket. Either selectable or it stays open. I have my reasons and don't need to go in on that right now.

FYI the rear is already spooled :D

I don't want this to be a Detroit vs Selectable debate. So I respectivly (for what its worth on this board ;)) ask you guys to keep that out of it. I actually have a Detroit sitting on the shelf that I'm considering putting in another projects, but too many 'BAD' stories about breaking shafts and grenading the detroit have me thinking back to selectables again for that as well.


Back to the discussion at hand. What is it with the cables that don't work?? I was under the impression they were just a push-pull cable that is used in millions of different applications. What is the issue? Do they bind, use bad/cheap cables? I thought I heard that the 'newest' shift was spring loaded to make it easier to 'shift and forget'.

I'm not committed to anything right now, and the cheapest route is me to keep my money and keep it as it is (it works just fine now, but always looking to make things better)
________
Ffm Threesome
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the replies and keep them coming.


For the application I'm think in this particular case a selectable would be the ticket. Either selectable or it stays open. I have my reasons and don't need to go in on that right now.

FYI the rear is already spooled :D

I don't want this to be a Detroit vs Selectable debate. So I respectivly (for what its worth on this board ;)) ask you guys to keep that out of it. I actually have a Detroit sitting on the shelf that I'm considering putting in another projects, but too many 'BAD' stories about breaking shafts and grenading the detroit have me thinking back to selectables again for that as well.


Back to the discussion at hand. What is it with the cables that don't work?? I was under the impression they were just a push-pull cable that is used in millions of different applications. What is the issue? Do they bind, use bad/cheap cables? I thought I heard that the 'newest' shift was spring loaded to make it easier to 'shift and forget'.

I'm not committed to anything right now, and the cheapest route is me to keep my money and keep it as it is (it works just fine now, but always looking to make things better)

The cables are very stiff--and you cannot have a tight radius bend in them...
 
The cables are very stiff--and you cannot have a tight radius bend in them...

So is it a routing issue??

I'd like to think that's not a big deal, but **** always seems to be in the way?


Wonder if a different cable (standard 'premium' push-pull) would be a better ticket... like what guys are using for t-case cable shifters.
________
HEMP MARIJUANA
 
Last edited:
So is it a routing issue??

I'd like to think that's not a big deal, but **** always seems to be in the way?


Wonder if a different cable (standard 'premium' push-pull) would be a better ticket... like what guys are using for t-case cable shifters.

Then you have to fight trying to get each end of the new cable to work.

I thought they were a joke personally(except the beef cake cover). Plus they will bind up due to torsion--you have to be perfect on setting the cable/shift assy and even then you will cuss at it..
 
One issue that OX lockers seem to have is the inability to unlock quickly. While I don't have personal knowledge of this, I have spoken to many competitors that tried them and they went back to other products after trying them. This probably isn't an issue with an average trail rig but for anyone that spends major time on the rocks it is something to consider.
 
ox

i run a detriot rear and ox front in my tacoma and have been very happy with the setup, im running a pretty long cable with no tight bends and have never had any problems engageing/disengaging. my WB is so long that i wanted a selsectable in front(so i could turn relatively sharp) but i like the simplicity of the detroit rear, the ox seemed like a logical choice for a selectable to compliment the detriot. just my 2 cents worth. DT
 
Back
Top