Driving in Snow w/ Front Locker & Locking Hubs

[spinaldex]

When I owned a rig w/ locking hubs, I didn't live somewhere with snow. Now I do and I may be putting some axles under my rig that have locking hubs. I hear that front-lockers are dangerous in snow. So, I was wondering what options there are with front manual locking hubs. Could you just lock one of the sides of the front axle and would that make it any less dangerous and still give you the control of having power to the front?

Just curious .. thanks!

 

[vt98xj]

The problem with front lockers is the tires will spin at the same speed and therefore "push" straight even if you have the wheels turned. You really want the front wheels to be able to turn at different speeds on snow.

The best solution would be to remove the front locker for winter, or install a selectable locker.

I have an "interesting" time with my rear locker, it causes the rear to fish tail very easily. I know what happens so I am careful when I hit the gas going around a corner. That being said it is fun to drive and very predictable.

 

[spinaldex]

My XJ has a rear locker now and although it loved to drift on turns, that was as you said very predictable.
I'm almost positive I just got my hands on a set of axles I'll be swapping underneath and the front has a Spartan lunchbox in it. I'm concerned about what will happen when I try to drive that thing on the street when it snows out. One possibility is to just run it in 2WD and struggle through it.

But, I guess I'm missing something ... if I lock the front left hub but do not lock the front right hub, doesn't the right tire spin freely so it will spin at a different rate as the left which is locked to the drivetrain? If so, wouldn't that drive much better on snow than if all 4 were locked?

The alternative, of course, is to pickup a selectable locker, but I guess I'm not seeing the difference between that and just unlocking the hubs?

 

[ROBZ95Xj]

never had a issue with lockers(lockrite frt/aussie rear) in the snow unless I wanted to. unless I was really on the throttle the frt wouldn't push.

 

[whitexj98]

I found a front lock right very annoying in the snow, I kept it in 2wd or locked it just on acceleration and then back to 2wd.

You could try the lock one hub thing, but I think it will not operate as smooth as you think. In an open diff the traction can vary between sides, with one hub locked it would only be able to drive that side.

 

[time2getdirty]

I had a short wheelbase tj with detroits front and rear with a very bad scrub radius and never noticed any problems in the snow.

 

[XJLI]

its 100% fine. i drove with my front OX locked and rear auto locker in the snow and there were no dead nuns or kittens. does it push a little? yes, barely. how can you fix it? well, with the rear locked just blip the throttle and you'll rotate easily.

 

[JeepXJ93]

Had a front lunchbox locker in the last XJ, never had a problem driving on the road or trails in snow. If anything I noticed an obvious difference in how far i was able to climb up a snow covered hill.

 

[87manche]

locking one hub is probably more dangerous than locking both. You'll get unpredictable lock/unlock action.

if it's an auto locker just lock it in and don't be on the throttle hard when you turn. you get used to it.
Automatic trans will soften the effects a bit.
5 spd with a full detroit in the winter did occasionally get interesting. Sometimes you just had a lane change.

 

[WB9YZU]

Nate has a valid point, and it's about smooth. I drove for years with a just a front auto locker. The only time there were issues, were when I got stupid with the right pedal.
It did push under power, a bit; then you let off a bit to gain traction and all is good again.

It would also ratchet when braking on ICE because one wheel would always lock, and the other spin.

On my 1st rig, I auto locked both ends. That's when things got strange, esp on ice.

I've learned to drive my XJ on the street without engaging 4WD, except to keep me rolling in deep snow, or going up slick hills around our neighborhood.