Mago: My experience in sand is that Crawl is perhaps the most useful aid when you are stuck. Lockers can tend to be of little use once you are bogged down but I have found that center diff-lock and to a lesser extent rear diff-locks can be useful in maintaining that all important momentum. In my opinion Front lockers are a bit of a liability in deep sand and cause you to dig in - especially when trying to turn.
Atrac is no great vitue in itself however and can in fact be a huge liability in sand. In sand you want to maintain wheel speed and momentum. If you understand what Atrac does to an open diff you will understand that the net effect is reduced potential power to a wheel with traction. See my Diff 101 comment somewhere above.
Ask any FJ Crusier owner what the that means in sand. FJs cannot disengage Atrac in low range (LC200s can disengage Atrac and VSC low range in both high and low range) When moving in deep sand often one wheel can suddenly start spinning at a different speed to the other even though both still have some traction. The Atrac system detects this and brakes the faster wheel resulting in a loss of all important momentum. and power. Try it with Atrac and VSC off and just your centre diff locked. Thats the best combination for deep sand driving IMO. Then try it with Atrac and VSC on. I bet you will be surprised at the difference.
I note there is much discussion on the FJ Crusier forum about an electrical hack that some bright spark has come oup with that stops the Atrac from re-engaging at speed or in low range. We are so lucky we can disengage Atrac at will.
r3run33: Yes, diff lockers when locked will interfere with the operation of Atrac and Crawl. But that's the point. When you want your diffs locked you do not want Atrac to function. Atrac only works if it detects differences in wheel speed between wheels on the same axle. Lockers engaged means there can be no difference. Its one or the other but not both. Atrac and Crawl still function with your center diff-locker locked however.
Brian: Yes I would totally agree. Factory lockers would be the ultimate solution. I only wish they would include them as a standard feature like they do with Mercedes G-Wagons and on new 79 series Landcruisers - which also come with Atrac and VSC. (Something Gaijin might like to consider.)
Atrac is no great vitue in itself however and can in fact be a huge liability in sand. In sand you want to maintain wheel speed and momentum. If you understand what Atrac does to an open diff you will understand that the net effect is reduced potential power to a wheel with traction. See my Diff 101 comment somewhere above.
Ask any FJ Crusier owner what the that means in sand. FJs cannot disengage Atrac in low range (LC200s can disengage Atrac and VSC low range in both high and low range) When moving in deep sand often one wheel can suddenly start spinning at a different speed to the other even though both still have some traction. The Atrac system detects this and brakes the faster wheel resulting in a loss of all important momentum. and power. Try it with Atrac and VSC off and just your centre diff locked. Thats the best combination for deep sand driving IMO. Then try it with Atrac and VSC on. I bet you will be surprised at the difference.
I note there is much discussion on the FJ Crusier forum about an electrical hack that some bright spark has come oup with that stops the Atrac from re-engaging at speed or in low range. We are so lucky we can disengage Atrac at will.
r3run33: Yes, diff lockers when locked will interfere with the operation of Atrac and Crawl. But that's the point. When you want your diffs locked you do not want Atrac to function. Atrac only works if it detects differences in wheel speed between wheels on the same axle. Lockers engaged means there can be no difference. Its one or the other but not both. Atrac and Crawl still function with your center diff-locker locked however.
Brian: Yes I would totally agree. Factory lockers would be the ultimate solution. I only wish they would include them as a standard feature like they do with Mercedes G-Wagons and on new 79 series Landcruisers - which also come with Atrac and VSC. (Something Gaijin might like to consider.)
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