ok my budget only allows for one of these items. which do i need most locking diffs front and rear or a front bumper with winch?

bring on the debate.

vehicle: 2000 disco II mostly stock with 31" AT tires

most of my rovering is on trails and hills with lots of water crossings. mud is only occasionally in the mix.

 

Have you set up your CDL, if so what is you budget be it for the winch/bumper or the lockers?

 

i have not set up my CDL in fact im still confused as to where to turn the nipple/nut/thingy to activate it. im gonna use my tax check so my budget is limited to about $1000-ish. btw what pull weight(?) do i need on a winch. im guessing that i need twice the weight of my vehicle - so 12k. right or wrong?


im kinda lost in this area so any help is needed.

thanks

 

At minimun you need 1 and a hale times the weight of your truck.
So a 9,000lb winch at minimum, 12k would be better.
Get your CDL working and add a winch and you will be unstoppable.

 

Get the linkage for the CDL and spend the rest on a bumper and 9K winch. From the description of the wheeling you do the CDL will provide sufficient traction. And if it doesn't that's where the winch comes into play. Wait on the locking diffs in the axles until you can afford 4.11 gears installed at the same time.

 

I would go with getting the CDL operational and a rear ARB air locker rather than a bumper and winch. I was amazed how much difference the rear locker made over the CDL alone in my 97 D1 when I installed a rear ARB air locker. Later I installed a front locker as well. When I am stuck when just using the CDL and then turn on the rear ARB I will pop right out of my predicament. Two lockers make you pretty unstopable. I also have a bull bar and winch but have only used it twice. Once to get myself pulled out of rocks when I only had the rear locker and once to pull someone else out. I use my lockers constantly but have used the winch little. You will get more bang for your bucks by getting 1 or 2 lockers rather than anexpensive bumper and winch. Also when I first got my lockers I only had the stock 3.54 gears and it was fantastic. You don't need the 4.11 gears unless you go to bigger tires.

 

Not sure about your wheelin.

In FL, lockers will get you more stuck. A winch will always get you out!!! and looks better

 

Lockers (I think) are the last thing you get for the axles. You're diff will explode very quickly with the locker. You'd need HD axles, a new diff with 4.11 gears before getting lockers. Get the winch and bumper, though with "only" $1k, that might be hard to do because of cost. Who are you looking at for bumpers? Really it'd be better start with the smaller stuff like the CDL, and diff guards.

 

My wheeling is in the usually dry 4 Corners area in the SW. Rocks, ledges, steep loose hills, highly rutted dry trails,deep snow runs. Ihaven't experienced or pretend to know anything about the wet, boggy, lake trails of the South. I go out of my way not to wheel in wet conditions if at all possible so as not to tear up trails. I run quite a bit alone but nothing tough alone. I run tough stuff with groups for the most part where other besides myself have winches and we can take care of one another. I have nothing against have a winch and in fact recommend having one. In fact I got a bumper and winch before I got any lockers. It was stated he had a small budget and where I run I feel I would get the most bang for having the CDL operational and a rear locker but this is for where I live in the SW. I have run little in sand or extreme wet conditions.

 

Please advise on the CDL control lever. What do you suggest, so it could be controlled mechanically from inside.

I am using a crude setup on my 2000 SD that I adapted from a wiper motor & transmission assembly. It works, but I have to reach under the right side of the SD and pull the lever to lock / unlock.