Aftermarket Diff Locks

[rayanbm]

Hello.
For the gernadier owners who have been interested in the 4x4 for some time now. Any idea if there are aftermarket diff locks in the works?
Point is that i have a steal deal on a basic grenadier and i would like to add lockers later. Local dealer here doesnt seem to know if i can add a rough pack post purchase.
Also coming from a jeep owner, i would like to bypass electronics safety and maybe use a rear diff lock while in hi speed.
Would appreciate if anyone knows of anything that is coming in the pipeline.

 

[Tom109]

There is a strong recommendation to get lockers from the factory. It is sort of a crippled build without them.

 

[Dokatd]

I suspect you will have to wait awhile before anyone develops a locker for the factory axles. Unless Carraro used something off the shelf. Otherwise, you can wait for a salvaged set of axles.

 

[DaveB]

Hello.
For the gernadier owners who have been interested in the 4x4 for some time now. Any idea if there are aftermarket diff locks in the works?
Point is that i have a steal deal on a basic grenadier and i would like to add lockers later. Local dealer here doesnt seem to know if i can add a rough pack post purchase.
Also coming from a jeep owner, i would like to bypass electronics safety and maybe use a rear diff lock while in hi speed.
Would appreciate if anyone knows of anything that is coming in the pipeline.

Been covered numerous times on here.
The diffs are different with and without lockers, so you can't fit the factory lockers afterwards.
The vehicle won't let you engage the diff locks unless in order of centre diff locked first.

 

[NQ94]

Fitting the OEM E-locker into standard axle housing will be the easiest part of the job with only small modifications to the housing. The electrical will be more difficult. Wiring the OEM E-locker like an aftermarket E-locker or air locker will mean the locker is not integrated into the electronics, this will allow the locker to be available at any speed and t/case mode and possibly void the powertrain warranty if the diff lock causes a failure. The other extra electrical, modules and reprogramming if available separately for the rough pack would be very costly to fit at a workshop.

 

[Tinerfeño]

For general and expedition use (not rock crawling) I would recommend Torsen-type differential locks. Benefits:

• Available all the time, also on-road year round
• No external connections (cables or hoses) to break
• No switches, autmatic opertion when needed
• Works fine with traction control
• No negative effects on steering
• Positive effect on centering of the steering

My Discovery 1 has 100% lock in rear axle and Torsen in front. Very happy with this configuration even in difficult terrain. My daughter (here 23 years old) driving it:

 

[rayanbm]

Been covered numerous times on here.
The diffs are different with and without lockers, so you can't fit the factory lockers afterwards.
The vehicle won't let you engage the diff locks unless in order of centre diff locked first.
View attachment 7890648

Hey Dave! Appreciate your reply though this is not what i intended with the my request.

I would want to have an option to intall aftermarket lockers from common vendors in a similar manner to Jeep, Nissan, Toyota and LR owners where operation of lockers doesnt hinder any electrical phasing. Bypassing the sequence where it has to be in low gear and rear operated in order to switch on the front. I dont see any issue if the grenadier is in offroad mode and ESC completely disengaged and then at your command and any transfer case speed switch on your locker preference.

I hope this clarifies more what i intend to do.

 

[landmannnn]

Hey Dave! Appreciate your reply though this is not what i intended with the my request.

I would want to have an option to intall aftermarket lockers from common vendors in a similar manner to Jeep, Nissan, Toyota and LR owners where operation of lockers doesnt hinder any electrical phasing. Bypassing the sequence where it has to be in low gear and rear operated in order to switch on the front. I dont see any issue if the grenadier is in offroad mode and ESC completely disengaged and then at your command and any transfer case speed switch on your locker preference.

I hope this clarifies more what i intend to do.

The huge hurdle is that there are no aftermarket locking differentials available for this axle. It is the case in every geography that used vehicles without diff locks are much cheaper than a fully specced vehicle, for this exact reason.

 

[Commodore]

Fitting the OEM E-locker into standard axle housing will be the easiest part of the job with only small modifications to the housing. The electrical will be more difficult. Wiring the OEM E-locker like an aftermarket E-locker or air locker will mean the locker is not integrated into the electronics, this will allow the locker to be available at any speed and t/case mode and possibly void the powertrain warranty if the diff lock causes a failure. The other extra electrical, modules and reprogramming if available separately for the rough pack would be very costly to fit at a workshop.

Trust me... I have been thinking about wiring my factory lockers to a switch so I don't have to screw with the stupid electronics and double push buttons. It would be so much easier to just flip a switch. I don't need a damn computer to lock the diff. If it's like all the other e-lockers then its just two wires coming out of the diff. Supply 12v and it locks. Cut the voltage and it unlocks.

 

[Tom D]

As others have said It will be a tricky job to install, however we don’t know if thats just because of the electronics situation. I’d be surprised if Carraro made a separate axle housing just for the ones without lockers, I’d guess they are the same.
So in theory if you can get the right parts swapping out the diff centre should be enough…. Should…
Wiring lockers up in an aftermarket type way would as has been mentioned be an advantage in many ways.

One thing I will say is that the Grenadier is surprisingly capable unlocked. There’s a slope at my yard which is tricky when it’s wet. I have pulled the same trailer up that slope with 4 different vehicles on numerous occasions. The trailer is heavy and the ford ranger simply couldn’t do it, my old defender could do it but would need a bit of a run up. The Grenadier does it no problem unlocked (centre only) I don’t t know if its just a weight thing, all vehicles were on BFG AT’s….

 

[IslandFalconer]

Trust me... I have been thinking about wiring my factory lockers to a switch so I don't have to screw with the stupid electronics and double push buttons. It would be so much easier to just flip a switch. I don't need a damn computer to lock the diff. If it's like all the other e-lockers then its just two wires coming out of the diff. Supply 12v and it locks. Cut the voltage and it unlocks.

You could likely make a clean install with a few relays some diodes and some wire. I’ve thought of running a pilot wire up to the fog light switch to a relay under the hood that I could then tie in to the fog light harness through a diode. So it would work properly without cutting any harness. Same could be done for the diff lock switches. Run a pilot wire from each to a relay, splice in to the diff lock harness install the diode and power the locker.

 

[rayanbm]

Exactly what i mean guys @Commodore and @Tom D! I hope something comes up soon. Or if anyone has a credible contact on the inside, maybe carraro or eaton where i have seen several comments mentoining that the e-lockers in IA's are from them, then maybe we can ask if they provide those parts!

Other threads have people saying that its not only the carrier that is different and its the axle shafts as well. That would be a hassle for sure but not an impossible job.

 

[255/85]

For general and expedition use (not rock crawling) I would recommend Torsen-type differential locks. Benefits:

I had hoped Ineos would have considered a Torsen locker as an option early on. They opted for selectable diff locks probably to control when and how they're used for warranty purposes. I contacted Eaton (afaik the maker or licenser of the electric lockers used) several times to see if they might offer aftermarket options for Ineos Grenadiers with open diffs. I'm just an average shlub phoning in so I didn't have any inside contacts. Their answer was "In ya Grenawhat?".

At least for a while the best option is to order the vehicle to be built with the Rough Pack. Some well known reviewers have commented on how capable the vehicle is without lockers though (Ronny D. was one I think). You can probably get a little better traction through the rears by turning off ESC and using the handbrake to trick the rear diff into supplying torque to both wheels. Or wait for a TrialMaster to get scrapped after a front end collision, buy the rear assembly, and wire in a switch like someone above said.

 

[IslandFalconer]

It looks like carrero offers limited slip diffs in their product line. This might be a good option. I bet the use a common carrier across a weight range.

https://www.carraro.com/storage/app/uploads/public/5c7/d12/ae3/OH_SingleReduc__5c7d12ae37329898833017.pdf

 

[Tinerfeño]

It sure would be an option, but I really don't like limited slip differentials. They do wear (and loose available torque). And they tend to lock on slippery surface and especially in front axle this causes heavy understeer (like mechanical lock engaged). There may be interesting moments on-road in winter conditions

 

[Zimm]

Trust me... I have been thinking about wiring my factory lockers to a switch so I don't have to screw with the stupid electronics and double push buttons. It would be so much easier to just flip a switch. I don't need a damn computer to lock the diff. If it's like all the other e-lockers then its just two wires coming out of the diff. Supply 12v and it locks. Cut the voltage and it unlocks.

Yea, I've always wondered if you could just splice in 12v to a switch and also keep the computer activation. Would it detect the voltage and know, and toss a fit? I'd want to do this so I can keep them locked if I need to turn off the truck in a precarious position.

 

[IslandFalconer]

Yea, I've always wondered if you could just splice in 12v to a switch and also keep the computer activation. Would it detect the voltage and know, and toss a fit? I'd want to do this so I can keep them locked if I need to turn off the truck in a precarious position.

That’s what diodes are for

 

[Commodore]

That’s what diodes are for

Right... you splice in below the diode and it keeps current from running back up to the ecu sensor. There must be a plug somewhere in line. Wonder if we can make a simple plug in harness and see what happens.

 

[DaveB]

As others have said It will be a tricky job to install, however we don’t know if thats just because of the electronics situation. I’d be surprised if Carraro made a separate axle housing just for the ones without lockers, I’d guess they are the same.
So in theory if you can get the right parts swapping out the diff centre should be enough…. Should…
Wiring lockers up in an aftermarket type way would as has been mentioned be an advantage in many ways.

One thing I will say is that the Grenadier is surprisingly capable unlocked. There’s a slope at my yard which is tricky when it’s wet. I have pulled the same trailer up that slope with 4 different vehicles on numerous occasions. The trailer is heavy and the ford ranger simply couldn’t do it, my old defender could do it but would need a bit of a run up. The Grenadier does it no problem unlocked (centre only) I don’t t know if its just a weight thing, all vehicles were on BFG AT’s….

Ineos said back in 2022 that they are definitely different diffs and axles for lockers compared to non lockers.
Pretty sure it was the Austrian guy with the long white hair.
I checked again before placing my order in mid 2022 and that was the case.
Of course it always could have changed since then.
Still trying to work out why you would want the rear diff locked but not the centre diff.
Also you can do 80 kmh in low range so how fast do you really want to go on a loose surface with the rear diff locked.

 

[MattA]

It sure would be an option, but I really don't like limited slip differentials. They do wear (and loose available torque). And they tend to lock on slippery surface and especially in front axle this causes heavy understeer (like mechanical lock engaged). There may be interesting moments on-road in winter conditions

I have Eaton Trutrac which is a helicoil LSD in the front and rear of a Discovery 1.
It works a treat off road, fully locks with light left foot brakes with wheels off the ground in extreme articulation and makes zero difference to under steer in the blacktop
Also much gentler on the drive train and never have to think about turning them on or off.
Because they are not a clutch set up there is no wear as they age
I would highly recommend them as an option to traditional lockers