Topic: opinions on lockers please

[jfrabat]

They could be alloys...  Alloys tend to twist more than stock, which tends to break/snap.

[sharpxmen]

Spent 4 years taking trips to Nelson BC and other transmitter bases putting in transmitter monitoring for CBC.  Never had a 4wd there either.

ok, i thought we're talking about driving a Jeep (CJ/YJ/TJ) in the snow, other vehicles is a different ball game so i'm not going to get into that. Chains work great too - on some roads here they are mandatory when you have snowfall.

[oldjeep]

They could be alloys...  Alloys tend to twist more than stock, which tends to break/snap.

Alloys - LOL

Original equipment 1946 Dana 41 shafts.  Heat treating wasn't the same in those days, things would bend or twist rather than snap

[stan98tj]

Seriously though it sounds like you need to take a winter driving course if you think that 4wd on the street is a neccessity.

it's all the damn hills around where i live. makes it nearly impossible to get up in 2wd. all it takes is anything above 3 inches, when it's still powder it's good to go in 2wd, soon as you get the traffic impact on it and it turns to ice underneath, ur not going anywhere up those hills. i towed a ford ranger last winter on our last snow storm. guy was sideways on the street blocking both lanes and could barely move a few feet to get over to the side..i threw him a tow line, popped it into 4wd and towed him about a mile and a half uphill to his house. in his defense, he only had 2wd. But it boosted my ego like none other-proud of my four banger on that day. 
By the way, last year was odd with the snow..snowed once-twice a week over 3 inches per storm for over a month and a half -so it was unseasonably snowy, even for CT. Ive only had the jeep for a year, so i don't know what its like to drive it during a normal winter when it doesnt snow as much. Ive driven other 2wd vehicles in regular snow before and had no problems...they just dont make it up the hills around here.

[Torch_Ind]

we get snow storms here to in Northern Ontario Canada but it's not inches ist feet of snow in a a hour + depending on the storm. but don't always need 4x4 in it though like he said the deep stuff isn't what you worry about it's when it's hard and ice. especially if your running your mud tires in the winter. I have ran my muds every winter and haven't been stuck yet. will be my first year with my lockright in the winter but can't see it being a prob I will be more happy that if i spin a tire it won't chirp my tires off in intersections. also this year someone had given me money to clean out there back yard and there was several old tires back there. sold what was decent and found a set of 4 snows with 3/4 tread left.. stock size mind you but whatever they were cheaper then free so I'm going to run them lol

can't see the locker posing any probs for me though just have to be careful not to you the skinny peddle to much when turning. well unless you like driving sideways witch some times I do lol 

[chrisfranklin]

I got to say that I've never driven my 4banger on a slick surface -- snow, ice, rain, but especially deep snow -- in 4wd high or even 2wd with the Aussie I have in the front end.  But even if I had Aussies in the front and back and was living in an area with good range of weather, something tells me that I'd probably learn to drive the jeep just fine on slick surfaces with inches of snow etc even in 4wd high.  I'd air down the tires, drive a lot slower, try to weigh down the front and back more with winch, bumper tools  etc.     Guys with Aussies or any autolocker front/rear would probably say even all that isn't really necessary.

Where I'd get a little concerned is if somebody else was driving it who wasn't accustomed to it though.  There I could see things going youtube (girlfriend sliding in to a tree, hot-rod kid jumping a center median in to on-coming traffic, that kind of stuff)

[Torch_Ind]

Where I'd get a little concerned is if somebody else was driving it who wasn't accustomed to it though.  There I could see things going youtube (girlfriend sliding in to a tree, hot-rod kid jumping a center median in to on-coming traffic, that kind of stuff)

you just hit the nail on the head!!

[dwtaylorpdx]

I tried several, I run ARB's now, I don't like the detroits manners, just personnel preference.

I had a true track but I broke it, while it worked it was great in ice and snow.

I may not "Need" 4x4 in snow and Ice. But I am damn sure safer with it than without it... so I WANT it 

YMMV

Dave

[Torch_Ind]

I tried several, I run ARB's now, I don't like the detroits manners, just personnel preference.

I had a true track but I broke it, while it worked it was great in ice and snow.

I may not "Need" 4x4 in snow and Ice. But I am damn sure safer with it than without it... so I WANT it 

YMMV

Dave

whats the true track? ya the Detroit is worse then the lockright i think to when it kicks in it's violent and bangs and clangs.
my buddy has one in his ford supper duty.

and it is true about the 4x4 in snow and ice it's much safer with it when my g/f takes It in bad weather I tell just stick it in 4x4 unless it's dry pavement and take it easy.

[aw12345]

Detroit softlockers are supposed to have somewhat better manners, still if you have the coin ARB's are a hard act to beat, love mine and see no reason what so ever to use any other locker, these things have been very reliable ofr me and have seen quite extensive trail use

[stan98tj]

ya may as well use 4wd in the snow if ya have it..why take the risk even if you feel that you in fact are michael schumacher behind the wheel of your 4 banger. Everyone around me who has it, uses it...esp with all the hills around me. that being said, i think i may want to go for an Ox locker so i can decide when i want to lock and when i want to unlock...avoid any of the surprises an auto set up may throw at me.

[Jeffy]

whats the true track? ya the Detroit is worse then the lockright i think to when it kicks in it's violent and bangs and clangs.

This is untrue.  The Detroit Softlocker is a lot smoother then a Lockright and rarely kicks.  You may hear it once in a while but it's only once and usually after some steering input is applied.  It's very predictable as well.  You can counter understeer by giving more throttle as the rear will want to oversteer.

The only downside to any auto-locker is when trying to accelerate on a sharp turn.  You'll be 1wd and if you apply more throttle, you'll get wheel hop.

If I was going to do it again, I'd probably go with an ARB all around.  Currently, I'm TrueTrac/Detroit.  No major complaints.  I've done several 500-700mile road trips without any problems.

[dwtaylorpdx]

The True-Trak is a thorsen style Locker build by detroit,
very smooth and puts power to the traction wheel nicely.
Does not work like the classic detroit, no noise and great in ice and snow.

Mine blew because a bolt failed in it. Turns out your supposed to torque
the bolts each time you service the rear diff, or 12K miles. I did not see
that info anywhere in the manual, turned out there was supposed to be a
sticker that did not get included in the box... So I put a ARB in and haven't looked back.

Dave

[stan98tj]

any complaints from an OX locker or that kind of set up?

[aw12345]

Ox lockers are fine, some of my buddies use them works well. Just need to find a place for the shifter, takes a bit more work to engage and disengage. ARB, Rubicon or E lockers are instant on and of with the flip of a switch