locker, snow, and $$$$

D

dennisgrimm

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Kapuskasing
Background:
'99 2dr XJ
~4" lift on 31's
stock D30 & 29spline 8.25

I live in the great white north (Kapuskasing Ontario Canada, find it on a map and you will see what I mean) and we get lots of snow here. I do some mild wheeling on the weekends, am starting to run out of traction, and was thinking about getting a locker. I was thinking about getting a budget locker like a lockrite for my front axle.

My thinking was that since my ride is a DD, locking the front would be invisible until I put her in 4x4. Also, driving in the snow in 4hi with a front locker may result in some understeer, right? Easier to correct for understeer than oversteer.

My questions are:
1. Will having a front locker and open rear provide much additional traction when offroading?
2. What impact will having a front locker have when driving in the snow in 4hi?
3. Should I just save my pennies for a selectable rear locker?
 
dennisgrimm said:
My thinking was that since my ride is a DD, locking the front would be invisible until I put her in 4x4. Also, driving in the snow in 4hi with a front locker may result in some understeer, right? Easier to correct for understeer than oversteer.
Click to expand...

I think it's easier to correct oversteer, and I would much rather have too much control than not enough...

It would not be invisible unless you had selectable hubs. The axleshafts are still 'locked' together...

1. Yes, a locker will provide more traction
2. A front locker that is not selectable will increase turning radius, and will be more noticeable on pavement than snow. It will inrease understeer as well.
3. Yes, A rear is a better choice IMO - or a front ARB/selectable.

-Will
 
Front and rear lockers will affect the offroadability differently..
Rear-- Trys to push you up stuff.
Front- Pulls u up stuff. Front will pull you up onto objects where the rear will push you into it.

Personally the rear locker will have a greater effect. Im glad i did the rear first. I got an aussie by the way.
 
Granted it's not the great white north, but I live in Iowa and we get plenty of snow, ice and everything in between. I have a Powertrax in the rear, open front and I was thinking I might take out the locker in rear for the winters at first... NOPE! After driving it for a few weeks in deep snow and even patches of ice I decided to leave it in. It's like any other mod, you relearn how to drive your Jeep. I've heard horror stories of fishtailing out of control but as long as you realize under power it's locked then no problems. Sure I can make it fishtail hard but the difference in traction is night and day.
 
I run a Lockright in the rear on mine and I live in Idaho, plenty of snow driving. It does wanna push at times, but in 4wd on snowy/icey roads it is perfectly acceptable and just takes getting used to. 2wd with a rear locker on snow or ice can be fun, but if traction is that lacking- put in 4wd and go. As for wheeling, the rear locker makes a huge difference. Don't be scared by the horror stories people tell, just practice driving it in an icey parking lot and learn how it works.

JP
 
rangerjoe2001 said:
Front and rear lockers will affect the offroadability differently..
Rear-- Trys to push you up stuff.
Front- Pulls u up stuff. Front will pull you up onto objects where the rear will push you into it.

Personally the rear locker will have a greater effect. Im glad i did the rear first. I got an aussie by the way.
Click to expand...


it also relates to weight-transfer as well. rear axle will get better traction going up an obstacle because when the front is "up" the weight goes to the rear and the front will grab less.
 
Difference of opinion ...

Here in Buffalo we get our share of snow, too. On my TJ I installed a Front EZ-locker (like Lockrite). Open (trac-lok) in the rear. Also did LOTS of off-roading in ravines/creek beds and wet woods. (No big sticky rocks here in WNY!)

1. Front was absolutely transparent on the road, unless you are going to do 80 miles an hour around an extremely slippery and sharp curve in 4wd you will absolutely have NO issue with it, whatsoever. How many times do you need to be in 4wd if you can go over 20 mph? (Sorry, don't have the KM canuck conversions handy!) ;)
2. Although I don't know it all, I can give you my experience about off-roading with front or rear lockers. With a front locker, my Jeep went where it was pointed. The front being locked always allowed me to steer where I wanted to go, and the traction helped me achieve that goal. With a rear-locker (not locked in the front!) your a$$ end WILL make you slide side-to-side when your FRONT loses traction (almost immediately.)

Picture going up a very steep/slippery hill or creek bed. With Front locker you continue to steer where you need to go. And, yes, perhaps the rear-end loses traction, but you are still on your line with lots of traction, pulling you up. With a Rear locker, the Front almost instantly loses traction, and with both rear tires spinning, your rear-end simply slides to the right or left, whichever is slippery-er (sp?). If it's easier for your rear-end to slide to one side or other than push your Jeep UP the slippery slope, that's what it will do.

What I've found is that there aren't many Jeepers that have actually locked their front and NOT their back ... but on my XJ, like my TJ, I will be locking the front my first opportunity.

Couple questions.
1. Who has locked the front and not the back? What is your experience?
2. Who has locked the back and not the front and will admit to the rear-end slipping off-line?
3. Has anyone experienced both front only and back only in an off-road rig that would care to give input?

Humbly, "Front-locked-is-better-than-rear-locked" guy ...
 
jeepinandy said:
aren't 99's "full time" meaning non vac?? so the locker would be noticed in 2wd
Click to expand...

I have a 98 with a lockright in the front, don't notice it in 2wd at all, Because there is no torque being applied from the drive shaft.
 
jeepinandy said:
aren't 99's "full time" meaning non vac?? so the locker would be noticed in 2wd
Click to expand...
No it wouldn't. Lockers only engage when torque (power) is applied to them.
No 4wd, no torque.
 
HAPYMUDY said:
Couple questions.
1. Who has locked the front and not the back? What is your experience?

Humbly, "Front-locked-is-better-than-rear-locked" guy ...
Click to expand...

I'm with you all the way. '99 with a front ARB and no locker in the rear. Here's how to picture it:

Lay a piece of string on the table in a straight line. Push the string from the bottom - nothing but a squiggly line. Now try pulling the string from the top and it remains straight.

Front locked > "re-learning how to drive with the rear locked"

DR
 
norcal420 said:
Lay a piece of string on the table in a straight line. Push the string from the bottom - nothing but a squiggly line. Now try pulling the string from the top and it remains straight.

Front locked > "re-learning how to drive with the rear locked"

DR
Click to expand...
Cool, next time I drive a piece of string I'll take your advice.

Both front tires spinning together=zero steering.
 
kid4lyf said:
Cool, next time I drive a piece of string I'll take your advice.
Click to expand...


:laugh: :laugh:
 
For the record: Actually, he didn't misquote you. You said exactly what he quoted.


BTW, Does it matter what type of string is used?:gag:
 
norcal420 said:
Riiiiiight . . .as HapyMudy stated: it goes where it's pointed. I concur.
DR
Click to expand...
Yes, where it's pointed. Hopefully it's pointed where you want to go cause changing direction will be tough.
 
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