Diff lockers - why?

[ozbogwam]

They don't only need to be used for extreme stuff they can also get you out of a ditch, help towing a trailer over a tricky little bit. They will lessen track damage, they can lessen strain and shock on the drive train, get you through those tricky little sections on an otherwise mild track.

[KingBilly]

Do i want to be in a situation like your picture KB??    nooooooooooooo
I enjoy moderate 4wding, exploring, not extreme. Way to scary for me.

    Not me Linda, I stopped doing that years ago.

KB

[duggie]

they can lessen strain and shock on the drive train,

Not quite true, more often than not the diff lock will do damage.  EG: Front wheel lifts off the ground and is spinning at full noise, wheel come back down onto solid ground and there is no slippage, front axle snapped. That is just one example, there are many more.

[alnjan]

Not quite true, more often than not the diff lock will do damage.  EG: Front wheel lifts off the ground and is spinning at full noise, wheel come back down onto solid ground and there is no slippage, front axle snapped. That is just one example, there are many more.

That is driver error not the Lockers fault

[02-SR5]

I have a factory rear diff lock.

The problem I have is, it can only be selected when in low range with centre diff lock first.

My previous 4wd had selectable ARB air lockers front and rear. It was good to be able to select the rear locker when needed, not when the car selected it.

Best money spent. Never used the winch, they help avoid getting bogged, they increased the strength of the diff centre and it just walked over everything. Great in a torsion bar IFS front end Hilux.

Oh, bragging rights too.

[ozbogwam]

Not quite true, more often than not the diff lock will do damage.  EG: Front wheel lifts off the ground and is spinning at full noise, wheel come back down onto solid ground and there is no slippage, front axle snapped. That is just one example, there are many more.

With a diff lock that scenario is much less likely to happen, much more of a problem with an open diffed vehicle.

From my experience driving double diff locked 4wds drive line strain is considerably less as you don't need wheel speed to tackle obstacles, you also are less likely to bind a wheel up against an obstacle. You can tackle things a lot slower and with much more control than with open diffs.

[austastar]

Hi

My previous 4wd had selectable ARB air lockers front and rear. It was good to be able to select the rear locker when needed, not when the car selected it.

I can't think of a reason to lock the rear diff before the center diff.

... driving double diff locked 4wds drive line strain is considerably less as you don't need wheel speed to tackle obstacles,

Yes, you can cross an obstacle with less momentum, but if you have a wheel in the air, the work and therefore load/strain is now no longer shared across the axle, and the strain on the axle driving the wheel on the ground is doubled.


cheers

[ozbogwam]

With an open diff the wheel in the air gets all the power so is basically useless in helping you over the obstacle. In many cases it is just a minimal amount of power required to get you through which is why sometimes a dab of the brakes can help.

If I had the funds I'd put a front locker in the GU

[wholehog]

Keep in mind even a simple track can turn pear shaped in an instant, you could find yourself in a situation like the Hilux above quite easily. Slippery up hill track, lose traction or miss a gear, slide backwards and drop into a rut.

To true....i kinda liken a set of lockers to that of an insurance policy.....U pay thru the nose for something u may only need a few times,but perhaps the peace of mind knowing that if u slip into a situation like the hilux above,no winch etc etc ,then perhaps lockers is the answer

[02-SR5]

Hi


I can't think of a reason to lock the rear diff before the center diff.



One time I got a bit stuck on a nature strip. Being an open diff, the right hand wheel was spinning freely. The problem with my 4wd, like a lot of other newer models, I can't select 4wd as it needs to roll a couple of meters to engage. Because it wouldn't go into 4wd, no centre diff, no low range, no rear diff lock. If I could turn the locker on when required, it would of driven straight out.

I just prefer having the option, not when the car decides. My only pet hate with new cars. They tell you when.

[austastar]

The problem with my 4wd, like a lot of other newer models, I can't select 4wd as it needs to roll a couple of meters to engage.

Hi,
   Hmm, that is one I was not aware of.


My only experience of 4wd is with older Toyota light tankers in the Tas Fire service, and the Land Rover ute I bought when I retired. Not a lot of tricky stuff to learn with them.


cheers

[02-SR5]

Yea mate, it is pretty annoying. Especially when you come out of 4wd and it won't disengage straight away. At times I have had to reverse a couple of metres before it would disengage.

[discoteddy]

With a diff lock that scenario is much less likely to happen, much more of a problem with an open diffed vehicle.

From my experience driving double diff locked 4wds drive line strain is considerably less as you don't need wheel speed to tackle obstacles, you also are less likely to bind a wheel up against an obstacle. You can tackle things a lot slower and with much more control than with open diffs.

Just beat me to it mate, that's my understanding as well!!

Cheers,

Disco teddy

[alnjan]

To true....i kinda liken a set of lockers to that of an insurance policy.....U pay thru the nose for something u may only need a few times,but perhaps the peace of mind knowing that if u slip into a situation like the hilux above,no winch etc etc ,then perhaps lockers is the answer

the hilux is mine, now off the road but still a good toy.  Locked front and rear and with a winch.  I like the hard stuff and enjoying having a bit of fun and enjoy using the lockers.  While I have been in plenty of situations where the lockers are used, and at times not used in the conventional manner, there have been times where the lockers still do not do the job and you have to winch. 

Yes lockers do make situations easy, I would not rely solely on lockers and enjoy having the insurance of a winch.   As well there are a lot more incidents you can use a winch for a lot of other uses then what diff locks can do.







 

[weeds]

......with diff locks you can get REALLY stuck........

lol......i try to leave my fronter locker up my sleeve. if i am struggling with the rear locker than i start to look for alternatives

most modern car have LSDs and or traction control which are handt

my rig just has open diffs and no traction control.........the previous owner fitted lockers, i don't brag about them...its nice to have them as a back up

[jimc1]

Most modern 4wd's have traction control and this has similar effect to lockers. Only down side is it uses your brake on the spinning wheel. Of course there are limitations with traction control...it's just I have not found them yet, but I am no extreme 4wder.

[Symon]

For the average person going camping/four wheel driving diff locks are just bragging rights. Until you go to the extreme out and away camping spots with a lot of very rough tracks or extremely steep climbs your diff locks will very rarely if never be used. For the price you will spend on fitting the diff locks you could buy the better off road tyres and a bloody good winch and have a fair amount of change left over .  I class diff locks as a want not a need.

Listen to this man. Spot on.

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[alnjan]

Yep what he says.   If I need to use the Locker, I want be towing a camper

[elle.mac]

When we bought our Prado the origional owner had it well setup with rock sliders, bash plates and rear air lockers - in the 2 years we have had it we have only ever used the Air lockers once and that was due to a guy tearing up the track up a hill and making it difficult to get traction so it was alot easier to get up with the lockers on.

[cyberess]

I think a few people are missing a point with Axle Diff lockers --  and a diff locker should be considered to good factory optional extra or a good decision maker when purchasing a new 4WD, if the locker is included as standard kit. and there quite a few 4WD makers that now include Diff lockers as standard.
Such as:

• Mahindra Pikup Eaton mechanical diff locker (Standard equipment)
• VW Amarrok electric rear diff locker (Standard equipment)
• A number Toyota models have electric DIff lockers as standard or available as a factory extra
• Mitsubishi Trident has rear diff locker (available option factory extra)

Maybe a few people can help me complete this list what 4WD have rear axle diff lockers as "STANDARD" equipment or available as "FACTORY" extra.

Why Diff lockers are good  -- and not just for bragging rights, a good locker setup, actually improves safety, and gives less chance of damage, due to allowing slower 4wd driving over rough and  heavily rutted tracks.  I mean without a locker it's sometimes needed to bounce a vehicle over a obstacle, due to lifting wheel off the ground, where a locker would allow the vehicle to  drive over the obstacle  slowly.

About traction control  -- yes that is good as well, but traction control has known to steal power from a vehicle just at the wrong time, and that can be a bit of a pain.

 

[GUEY]

Diff Lockers - Why? Throw a set of ARB air/oil leakers in and you will keep asking yourself that question over and over.

[CRW]

Diff Lockers - Why? Throw a set of ARB air/oil leakers in and you will keep asking yourself that question over and over.

I don't understand your comment, I have ARB Air Lockers in the Front and Rear of my 200 series, they don't leak and provide assistance when the going gets rough, especially when in 4wd and towing the camper trailer


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[rodw]

I don't understand your comment, I have ARB Air Lockers in the Front and Rear of my 200 series, they don't leak and provide assistance when the going gets rough, especially when in 4wd and towing the camper trailer


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Of course yours don't leak but if not installed correctly, they can leak air around an O ring inside the diff and if you have not fitted diff breathers, diff oil can come back up the air line and leak out the exhaust valve on the solenoid.

[CRW]

Of course yours don't leak but if not installed correctly, they can leak air around an O ring inside the diff and if you have not fitted diff breathers, diff oil can come back up the air line and leak out the exhaust valve on the solenoid.

Anything can go wrong if things aren't installed correctly, but you just can't discount these because there maybe a chance they aren't installed correctly


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[KeithB]

Wouldn't lockers make life a bit easier if you were towing a heavy camper on bush tracks?
It seems that 99% of most tracks are fine. But then you hit a dodgy bit and have to decide whether to press on or turn around.
Lockers might be nice, but only if you have a winch. I'd imagine that, when you are stuck with lockers, your are SERIOUSLY stuck.
What's the consensus?