Locking diffs....

[Paul1566]

As i interupted another thread and got no reply thought i would ask again...

I have just been reading the LOKKA website and they say fit a front locker first...

" A front fitment will actually yield the greatest improvement in off road ability. This is because, most vehicles require the increase in traction (that a locker gives) when hill climbing. Under hill climbing conditions, due to the angle of the vehicle, the rear wheels are carrying a much greater weight (weight transfer) and the front wheels are therefore carrying a lessor weight and tend to break traction very easily. Once one front wheel starts to spin, the other front wheel stops turning and the whole front diff ceases to provide traction. At this point all load is transferred onto the rear as if it were a 2WD and due to the increased load the rear wheels are encouraged to spin and the vehicle stops.
If you can solve the problem of the front wheels spinning, you have solved the traction problem. Another advantage is that on road there are no changes to normal driving characteristics at all."

Is this right as i would have thought most people go for the rear fitment first ?

Also would that mean if you welded up your front diff and fitted free wheel hubs you could get the same result as a locked front diff ?
I know you would have to get out and lock the hubs but that aside.

[Apache]

Sounds like carp to me.

If the weight is on your rear wheels, THAT is where you want the traction. What is the point in supplying steady drive to the front if only 10% of the drive is there?!

I believe the Surf front diff is a bit weak anyway, so locking it and demanding lots of effort from it would probably break it sooner or later.

Yes, welding it and having freewheeling hubs would give the same effect, but when I think about how many times I've forgotten to unlock my front hubs after laning... I'd go through front diffs like no-ones business!

[yoshie]

I am with Andy total crap.
Rear locker every time. You will also loose steerability {is that a word?} with a front locker off road.
All challenge trucks running twin lockers go for the manual control type like ARB partally for this reason.

As for on road lol a locked front diff wil be a pig to turn and wear tyres like mad

[slobodan]

Not my Surf but,
I asked myself this question with my Wrangler.
I ended up locking the front first. I'm talking about an auto locker (Lockrite)
On road (in 2 wheel drive) there is no difference in road manners.
Off road, it is usually the front wheels that come to the obstruction (mud or hill) first. and the weight is above the front wheels (big heavy straight six).
I have read about auto lockers locking unexpectedley and I wouldn't want that on road.
When it does lock, the steering is a lot stiffer, but I am off road in mud usually and it's ok.
I have blown 3 half shafts so far.
I will be welding the rear soon as this is becoming more a dedicated off road vehicle.

[Paul1566]

Nice to get opinions from you guys....
I would have thought that as the front ploughs in first it would be better to
have that locked to crawl itself out rather than be pushed deeper.
And as you say expensive not to weld up and fit free wheelers but more expensive to repair when you forget.
Oh well atleast i learn't something today......... rain is wet.

[cfrizzy]

I drive 4x4 trucks on pipeline projects and you always leave putting the front difflock in till the very last and take it out as soon as you can as you just cant steer at all and if you are on any ground where it will find traction and you do try to force it to turn something is going to give with a loud expensive bang.

[Apache]

I know a few of the guys who test all manner of vehicles offroad at Millbrook and their general approach for difficult terrain is 'centre diff lock' - 'rear diff lock' and front diff as a last ditch attempt to get through - so I *still* reckon the advice of fitting a front locker before anything else is shite.

[stoo]

I know a few of the guys who test all manner of vehicles offroad at Millbrook and their general approach for difficult terrain is 'centre diff lock' - 'rear diff lock' and front diff as a last ditch attempt to get through - so I *still* reckon the advice of fitting a front locker before anything else is shite.

is having a locked centre diff same as having no centre diff like us 2nd gen owners?

[yoshie]

is having a locked centre diff same as having no centre diff like us 2nd gen owners?

yes

[stoo]

yes

ta!

[slobodan]

I know a few of the guys who test all manner of vehicles offroad at Millbrook and their general approach for difficult terrain is 'centre diff lock' - 'rear diff lock' and front diff as a last ditch attempt to get through - so I *still* reckon the advice of fitting a front locker before anything else is shite.

In my case, (defense?) The rear diff on the Wrangler (D35) is a POS
That's why a front locker is fitted.

[Mrbill]

I thought about lockers but the times when I have been stuck and needed the tractor to pull me free lockers would not have helped, up to the windows nearly in a peat bog. The more capable off road my truck is the less fun I have. I often leave it in 2WD for fun and use 4x4 when I need it, which isn’t that often I have to say! I've got good tyres I guess.

I guess it depends on the terrain and what you are doing with your truck. I can’t be bothered replacing my rear LSD (which is working surprisingly well) with a full locker, but that's just me...

[The Lovely Boyo]

The sequence on my Cruiser is........

Push button on dash = centre diff locked (hi or lo, I modded it)

Then turn rotary knob one click = rear diff locked (as well as centre)

Turn knob one more click = front locked (as well as centre and rear)

You cannot have centre + front locked (no rear).

I dare say Toyota would have done extensive testing and that is the method they have on their trucks.

Mr. Toyota is wiser than me, I'm happy with the system. In reality, you rarely need them anyway.

[Apache]

Yeah, that's the same order that the vehicle testers I know use. They must have learned from Toyota