Tools Required for Spartan Locker Installation: For someone experienced, this project should take no longer than 3-6 hours. If this is your first time opening up the differential cover for a project you should assume around 6-12 hours for the install. Installing the Spartan Locker on a Dana 30 from a 1998 Jeep Wrangler TJ was a Saturday project with little prior experience.
#DANA 35 SPARTAN LOCKER INSTALL INSTALL#
Stock Jeep Wrangler TJ Axle Carrier with Spider Gears Stock Jeep Wrangler TJ Axle Carrier with Spartan Locker Jeep Wrangler Spartan Locker Install This type of locker replaces the spider gears inside a carrier with a mechanical mechanism that will automatically lock and unlock the axle. Spartan Locker is a brand of mechanical style lockers sometimes referred to as “Ratcheting Lockers” or “Lunchbox Locker”. USA Standard Gear supplies parts for brands like Chevrolet, Dodge, Jeep, Ford, and Plymouth. They manufacture ring and pinion sets, installation kits, lockers (Spartan Lockers), bearings, races, thread locking compounds, shim kits, pinion seals, and more. USA Standard Gear is a trademark of Ring & Pinion Service. Many have spoken about their durability, ease of installation, no thrust washers used, spring and pin design, made from 1930 steel, and come with a 1-year warranty.įor my dad – These were all big selling points considering he planned to make a weekend project out of this with little experience other than binge-watching youtube videos. We gave Spartan Locker (USA Standard Gear) a shot due to the amount of information available on the internet about them. The benefit offroad does NOT outweigh the negatives at all other times, not even close.Jeep TJ Spartan Loacker Install on stock Dana 30 with 3.07 gears and 32” tiresĬhoosing the right locker is a tough decision. It simply isn't worth the PITA that it is to deal with and be conscious of. Stay away from a rear non-selectable locker in a Dana 35, and stay away from one in a DD as well, regardless of the stoutness of the unit. Sorry for the "book" but had to give a shout out to those who tell it "like it is" without sugarcoating anything. I look forward to getting the break in period behind me so I can get the us and our TJ (The wife is beginning to call her " The Other Woman") back onto the trails. I have nothing against the Spartan locker per se, but I now 100% fully concur that it has NO PLACE in the rear on a daily road driven jeep. Some had funny quirks and whatnot so I am used to dealing with silly oddball things, but I just didn't realize just how poorly the Spartan locked rear end was treating me. I've been blessed to have had tons of truck projects and hot rods over the years. It's pretty bitchin' to be able to enjoy the tiny turn radius of of Jeep again, not to mention back out of my driveway without the neighbors looking to see what I broke when the locker clanks. The true Super35 will have to wait just a little bit longer, but in the meantime I am totally THRILLED with the difference in handling and improved road manners without having the rear locker.
#DANA 35 SPARTAN LOCKER INSTALL UPGRADE#
Long story short, the Spartan had already taken a toll on the OEM axles by way of spline damage and there were major sharp gear edges on the R&P as well so I'm now sporting some alloy 27 spline axles and breaking in a new rear gear set (the good buddy deal on parts and labor made it an easy choice to stay with the existing 3.73 for now while saving to do the more major upgrade and re-gear later as I have a house project that is the $$ priority at the moment ). I took the TJ over to a good buddy/customers shop the other day (If you're in the Boise area, Jim's Drivetrain flippin' ROCKS!) to yard out the rear locker and just go back to open while I saved for upgrading to a Super35. A special thank you to the likes of Jerry Bransford, Chris, and all the others who chimed in last month when I was asking about my then "new to me" 2000 TJ into which the PO had installed a Spartan Locker into the Dana 35.