How do Lockers work?
- Thread starter Romer
- Start date
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CruisinGA said:
ARB is a selectable spool, so they work differently.
The Aussie site explanation is correct, but it is overly simplified:
"The "Aussie Locker" mechanism allows a wheel to turn faster than the speed of the differential that is driving it (differentiation), but never allows a wheel to turn slower than the speed the differential and engine is turning it (traction). Therefore, a wheel cannot ever stop turning if the engine is driving it, but in a corner it can be forced to actually turn faster. Unlike a standard differential, the engine can never drive one wheel faster than the other."
The Aussie (like the lockrite, Detroit, etc) is bidirectional and won't allow a wheel to go slower than the ring gear in either direction, drive or coast. It will allow one wheel to go faster and what this means in practical terms is that 99% of the time, one wheel is driving and the other side is ratcheting. This is because tires aren't exactly the same size and you aren't always going exactly straight. The "quirkiness" (tail wagging, popping) comes from situations where the locker abruptly changes which side is driving. This happens when you change from coast to acceleration (like shifting gears) or going from engine braking to acceleration. You can minimize the quirks by maintaing an even acceleration or deceleration in situations when the wheels are different speeds, like around a turn.
A common misconception is that they "lock" when you give it some gas to accelerate, but in reality they only lock both wheels if one is slipping. They unlock just fine around turns while accelerating or decelerating. They get really confused and pissed off when you go back and forth rapidly between drive and coast when they need to ratchet.