Do I NEED Front and Rear Lockers? (1 Viewer)
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Rear is def sufficient for 90% of normal wheeling. A well setup rig locked front and rear can get you into some messed up situations. If you got meaty 35's and locked front and rear, when you do get stuck you are really stuck.
^^^^
While there is merit to this often proposed argument.....a driver (in time) learns to be judicious. Having a fully locked vehicle in no way 'requires' you to go places that others are unlikely to be able to get to.... in order to help you. Believe me....I know. I learned that lesson about 40 years ago, so along with having fully locked vehicles, I also have a winch on most of them.
But in any case (locked or not) it is incumbent upon the driver to know the limitations of his vehicle and to 'back out' when things start looking sketchy. I have HORRIBLY stuck vehicles both locked and unlocked (when a younger man), but I will concede IF you are foolish...having a more 'capable' vehicle means you will be doing a SELF recovery. I can live with that....but it might not work so well for others.
Totaly agree with this. The more capable the vehicle, the more serious a 'stuck' scenario is likely to be
Didn't read a word except the title: the answer is NO.
Haha. Another way to answer is. People who dont have lockers say not needed, people who have them say you do. So if you dont get them you wont need them. I wouldn't trade mine for anything but I still say just get a rear and call it a day.
Hah, much truth in that.
I would add that for most folks a rear locker (only) will make a big difference. BUT some things to consider:
1. A vehicle with open front and rear diffs is basically a TWO WHEEL DRIVE (although under ideal conditions any or all of the wheels might receive power and turn that wheel).
2. With a rear locker you will have at least THREE WHEEL DRIVE under all conditions where your center diff is locked.
3. The ONLY way you are assured of having FOUR WHEEL DRIVE (all wheels driven no matter what) is to have lockers front AND rear (and center diff locked).
Any labels, claims, marketing schemes, etc.... short of #3 is simply false IMO....OR depends heavily on ideal conditions.
I would also argue that a good deal of creative license is used when touting many vehicles as "4 wheel drive" and the lines are further blurred by claiming some distinction that there is All Wheel Drive (an unnecessary and equally misleading term).
But I guess when you run out of 'New and Improved' things to offer....you have to come up with something.
Or it could be that I'm just too damn old to suffer all of this nonsense.
A bit different perspective. My LX was factory unlocked. I bought in to the idea that I had to have lockers front and rear, and in my case nothing but factory lockers would do. So I swapped axles for locked ones, did the harness mod, and added the "happy dial" and ECU. I do not wheel regularly, so let me put that out there as a type of disclaimer. But I use mine about once a month, just to keep everything free. I have never used them in a "uh-oh, i need lockers engaged" situation. And looking back I wish I had kept my unlocked axles under it. Cleaner axles, kept up better, less to "maintain" (locker motors, switches, etc.) I honestly did it for resale value. But probably won't happen anytime soon. And these 80's are so capable without lockers, lifts, etc, I really wish I wouldn't have listened to the "triple locked" hype. But I did, and now I have lockers. But I don't use them.
I live in Grand Junction as well. How do you own an FJ 80, live here and don’t rock crawl?
Dude get a front and rear locker and hit it.
No you don’t need a front locker, but when you’re going up some crazy rocky slope you turn it on anyways and crawl up it like nothing.
If you live here and don’t rock crawl you are seriously missing out.
Dude get a front and rear locker and hit it.
No you don’t need a front locker, but when you’re going up some crazy rocky slope you turn it on anyways and crawl up it like nothing.
If you live here and don’t rock crawl you are seriously missing out.
Dave 2000
Not all Land Rovers are useless!
One of the problems with not having lockers is damage, that is damage to your vehicle and the trail. To get up a muddy slope for example an unlocked vehicle will often need a 'run up' to gain momentum, and the driver may succeed however, there often will be a lot of wheelspinning and damage to the surface, a rear locker will undoubtedly have helped.
Another example will be rocky surfaces, you often see a vehicle stuck with one wheel behind a rock spinning and stopping progress, given the option of engaging the locker and climbing the rock or taking the option of 'going at it' a little faster hoping to 'bounce' over it risking tyre/rim damage give me the locker every time.
There are of course downsides to having a locker in the front, steering can be compromised and vehicle damage in particularly in the 80. Suddenly finding traction at both front wheels when the differential is locked could mean a busted birf or even the differential itself!
Two comments you may see are: 'You should have taken a different line'. Great if there is the option to take a different line, there often isn't.
And the other is: 'You should have fitted a winch'! Again great if there is something or another vehicle to winch off of.
Get two selectable lockers and learn how to use them and call it done.
Regards
Dave
Another example will be rocky surfaces, you often see a vehicle stuck with one wheel behind a rock spinning and stopping progress, given the option of engaging the locker and climbing the rock or taking the option of 'going at it' a little faster hoping to 'bounce' over it risking tyre/rim damage give me the locker every time.
There are of course downsides to having a locker in the front, steering can be compromised and vehicle damage in particularly in the 80. Suddenly finding traction at both front wheels when the differential is locked could mean a busted birf or even the differential itself!
Two comments you may see are: 'You should have taken a different line'. Great if there is the option to take a different line, there often isn't.
And the other is: 'You should have fitted a winch'! Again great if there is something or another vehicle to winch off of.
Get two selectable lockers and learn how to use them and call it done.
Regards
Dave
Yeah, but no.
You'll have a vehicle with both rears being driven, and the front wheel with limited traction spinning.
So basically two wheel drive in sticky situations.
Still, better than no wheel drive without a rear locker, and one front and one rear spinning fruitlessly
When we get off into 'traction' you're venturing into a completely different realm. But regardless the conditions, (traction or not) with a rear locker you DO have those two wheels receiving 'useable' power and front diff WILL be receiving power as well BUT only one of wheels might be capable of being driven. Such is the nature of open differentials. Essentially we are saying the same thing except you've not accepted a 'spinning' wheel to being one 'driven'. It is. Albeit.... it's not doing you any good but neither is a lifted wheel on a locked diff. But it can't be argued that is isn't being 'driven'.
Also....there is a persistent misnomer about 'torque bias' and 'power transferred' in open Diffs. In actuality only a locked diff or LSD can torque bias/or transfer. I understand the 'layman's terms and what we see and experience in the field, but some 'misunderstandings' die hard.
This guy is a bit nerdy and long winded....but right. Watch BOTH.
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What you say is true. I'm a desert rat myself so I have no idea what this "mud" substance you speak of.
OP is from Colorado, so besides snow , the environment is closer to mine then the wet south I'm thinking.
I'm in Grand Junction, there is essentially no mud. You might run into it in the Spring sometimes, but it is rare. Not much sand either, but I have found it here and there.
ChaseTruck
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This is the only correct answer!
The answer is always YES
Both wrong. The answer is 42.
