Lockers are devices that keep your wheels spinning even if you are losing traction. In most vehicles, when one tire begins to spin (lose traction), all of the power goes to making that tire spin to regain traction. A locker sends an equal distribution of power to both wheels on an axle.

A locking differential provides equal torque to the vehicle’s wheels by forcing both wheels to turn at the same speed. A selectable locker can be turned on or off with a switch and allows open differential driving while on the road, and a locked differential when off-roading.

“Why,” might you ask, “do I need a locker?” When your vehicle is climbing an obstacle, it might have a boulder on the right side but not on the left side. As your right tire begins to climb the boulder it lifts your left tire up in the air resulting in a loss of traction for that tire.

If you are not equipped with a locker then as your left tire loses traction, all of the power is sent to your left wheel to try and regain traction. Meanwhile, your right tire is left stuck, with not enough power to get you over that boulder. A locker would automatically distrubute that power equally so that during the few seconds your left tire is in the air, you will feel no difference in power, it will be constant and steady. The best way to get over an obstacle is to crawl, and a locker can help you to achieve this.

A locker can be added to the front or rear axle of your vehicle. If you want to add each locker seperately, the best is to begin with the installatin of a rear locker. The rear locker will do more to help you off road than just a front locker. Most of the time when you need a locker to help you get out of an obstacle, your vehicle is going uphill so most of the weight shifts to the rear. A rear locker makes a big difference in everyday four wheeling, while a front locker can help you through a massive boulder field or other rough/rocky terrain.

Just as the right kind of tire is needed for snow, so is the right kind of tire needed for off-road performance. You want a tire that will grip onto slick rock and pull you through the most extreme obstacles. Choosing the right kind of tire and right size for your vehicle
is key to your off road performance.

Many factors play into tire size. The bigger the tire, the more ground clearance you have, but not without risking your center of gravity.

The center of gravity is the center position of balance for a vehicle, or the average location of a vehicle weight. A low center of gravity allows a vehicle to not only side hill well, but increases the angle that a vehicle can climb and descend.

Tire size is also affected by how high off the ground your vehicle is. When a lift kit is installed, you may choose to run a bigger tire size. Suspension also plays a role in which size tires will fit and which will hit. By understanding your whole vehicle- suspension, flex, body,etc.- you can make a good choice in tire size.

The completed assembly of differential, shafts, bearings and seals necessary to transfer power from the driveshaft to the wheels.

Axles are the closest component of your vehicle to the ground, therefore they take the most abuse. As you go through rough terrain and bounce on rocks, etc., your axle takes the heat. Breaking an axle is the last thing you want to do because it can leave you stranded with no power being transferred to your wheels. If you plan on having a dependable four wheel drive vehicle, that will take you where no stock vehicle can, it is important that you understand the functions of your vehicle and it’s components. A strong axle is a good way to begin upgrading your vehicle. Remember to research what works best for you and your vehicle before making a decision.

As vehicles become more capable and trails become more challenging, the need for improved performance and increased strength becomes even more important. That is the primary reason why customers demand high performance parts and components . . We wanted to provide an extreme axle for Jeep sized vehicles that would handle the abuse regularly thrown at them.

The "Death Wobble", as it is commonly referred as, is when your vehicle begins to violently shake at certain speeds, usually after hitting a bump or a gap in the pavement. Sometimes it is all you can do to slow down and keep control of the vehicle until the shaking stops. The Death Wobble is generally caused by improper caster angle, worn out parts, and/or loose fasteners. Other causes are incorrect wheel backspacing or a damaged steering dampner shock along with incorrect alignment, a bad trackbar, bad joints or even tires.

One way to correct this wobble is to take your vehicle to an alignment shop that is familiar with four wheel drive vehicles. Tell the shop that the caster angle should be put at about 5-6 degrees on a lifted TJ. The JK Wrangler, 2007 and newer should be set at 3-4 degrees. If you cannot achieve that caster then the best solution is to install adjustable length flex arms on the front to allow the caster to be set at the factory specification.

Another thing to do is to check all parts and make sure everything is still in good shape and functioning as it should be. Check for loose or worn out parts. We also recommend that you take it back to the shop where your lift and/or suspension kits were installed and ask them to check the vehicle over.

Changing your ring and pinion ratio and/or tire size will cause an inaccurate reading of your speedometer. Replacement of the speedometer gear is a simple procedure that takes minutes to complete. The chart below lists ring and pinion ratios and tire size. Simply select the proper configuration of your vehicle from the chart.

An accurate speedometer reading is important both on and off road when detailing travel routes and for on highway safety.