Front or rear diff lock?

i have a 1994 surf and have been asking the same questions.try this sight,www.toyotasurf.asn.au and it should help you[i brought winch and bar instead ] good luck dave

Mark,
There was a thread talking about this not long ago, the majority from what I read seemed to think that the rear was the way to go, I have had one put recently in my Rangie and I would always put the locker in the rear first. There was a line of though that talked about if you have an LSD in the rear and it works then the front would be the best option for the locker seeing as it's an open diff.
Once you have one locker it won't be long before you fit the second so it won't really matter.Keep the shiny side up

Mark,

I have done a lot of off roading with a couple of Surf owners. Based upon my observations I would put the locker in the rear as the Tojo LSD is virtually useless after 50000km.

JohnS

My 2000 Pathy used to beat the pants off them even though they were running bigger tyres. They had poorer axle articulation and lousy rear diffs compared with the excellent Nissan rear axle. Sometimes they got through and I didn't because I got hung up amidships in deep ruts. The Pathy was a much better hill climber and could generally idle through rough stuff quietly whereas my Surf mates used to apply the right foot liberally and run their tyres too hard.

Driver skill still plays a big role too. You would be amazed what the same driver can do in two different vehicles, especially if reasonably skilled and experienced in the particular terrain.

I think a Surf with ARB OME system, a rear locker and M/T tyres (at 25psi) would get through a lotta rough stuff without getting stuck. Use AT tyres if you do a lotta your miles on the blacktop. The OME suspension should be set up to be softer and more articulation if you are working the mountain tracks with light loads. Quite different if you are touring with heavy loads, so you have to match your primary intended use (as always).

JohnS

Thanks for your post John
I understood all of what you wrote except for the ARB OME suspension? Is this a whole system for rear and front and does it constitute a lift system, or is it just a better, stronger suspension?
Thanks again
Mark

Thanks for your reply Matt.
I had already figured the ARB, it was the OME I was not familiar with. I am completely new to 4wdriving so please excuse my sometimes novice questions ;-)
Have done some net research and OME seems to be a very good system.
What sort of vehicle do you have Matt, and what modifications would you recommend?
Thanks again
Mark