Diff Lockers

[REV Find all posts View Profile Close REV]

I got broad shoulders, I can take the blame


A couple of pics from the discussed hill at LCMP, first no traction aid, second 150 with traction control. The still pictures don't show the improvement that the lockers gave over TC, probably because the advantage was realtivly a lot less than TC over open diffs.

Quicky followed by Dobbo doing it easy.



Cheers Andrew

Saying lockers doesn't interfere with traction control is not true.

Because whenever lockers are engaged traction control has never come on. Because one wheel doesn't stop they are all turning all the time. Even though it looks like I'm stationary in the photo below, I can assure you that I am not stopped, am moving at just above an idle. (Thats the less stress part)

Also, I would not dismiss front lockers too quickly. Granted you may not use them as much, but they are an extremly handy bit of kit to have. they will allow you to walk your vehicle through the interesting bits with MUCH LESS stress on your vehicle than with out.
I believe this picture proves my point. Almost identical photo to Andrews first photo, just a different vehicle.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Just regards the front locker, I have found somewhat to my surprise that a combination of the rear diff and the centre diff locked means you can lift a front wheel but still not get any wheel spin from the airborne wheel. I can't say as I have totally got my head around how this happens and what it means but I have done it myself, and seen others do it as well.

Thats why I am less inclined to think a front locker will be a huge benifit, especially with a 150 that already has traction control. However the old story, if cash is no problems then there is no reason to not have a front locker, it might just be the difference between making it and breaking it one day.

Cheers Andrew

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Just regards the front locker, I have found somewhat to my surprise that a combination of the rear diff and the centre diff locked means you can lift a front wheel but still not get any wheel spin from the airborne wheel.

That is because the rears are travelling at the same speed as each other which governs how fast the rear axle/centre diff/front axle is rotating. Typically if one front is going beserk one rear is too because the front and rear axles are rotating at the same speed because of the locked centre diff. Doesn't always mean that the front wheel on the ground is providing traction though. When the rears do finally slip you have three wheels spinning and the one front wheel sitting on the ground doing nothing. That is when the front locker comes into its own.

Does this make sense?

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

That is because the rears are travelling at the same speed as each other which governs how fast the rear axle/centre diff/front axle is rotating. Typically if one front is going beserk one rear is too because the front and rear axles are rotating at the same speed because of the locked centre diff. Doesn't always mean that the front wheel on the ground is providing traction though. When the rears do finally slip you have three wheels spinning and the one front wheel sitting on the ground doing nothing. That is when the front locker comes into its own.

Does this make sense?

Yeah that is pretty much as far as I had worked things out, I haven't really sat down and thought through all the scenarios where a front locker will be an advantage, but its not as often as I might have thought before I had lockers!

The pictures in post 15 where I said I needed the front locker; the rear wheels were in mud for the take off, so that is certainly one circumstance where only the rear would probably have seen me not make it up!

Cheers Andrew