Thread: LOCKERS.

Originally Posted by austastar

Hi,
I got 'caught' on an uphill rocky track recently, it took about 8 tries to get up the rocky shelf getting the axles crossed.
Every other vehicle got through easily, but my D130 ute was unloaded, so the only suspension was in the tyres.
Made it eventually with a different (and much more tippy) line up the obsticle, but I wished for lockers at the time.


The line I should have taken.

I was rooting around in the loose stuff nearer the edge.

cheers

May I ask, were you on the track for the tracks challenge, or the destination, maybe this determines the need for lockers.

Yeah most of the time its all maketing hype.

You don't need them
You only want them

I spent many years driving without lockers.

However:
When I did the canning stock route we got 57 mm of rain (Most of the wet season rainfall in the dry season!).

The lakes turned into a quagmire and the "bypass" tracks which were supposed to exist on the map were long since overgrown and impossible to find / nonexistent.

I had to tow the rest of our party one by one through a number of sections. Lockers and mud tyres were essential in this case. We could of course instead have camped in the middle of a lake (in the rain) for a week or 2 until it dried up again...

I have also needed lockers several times to recover others on the beach or also launch and retrieve my boat.

I don't look down on people without lockers, and indeed when driving recreationally will attempt most tracks without lockers first.

Lockers do however allow you to drive a lot of tracks more safely and/or do less damage (due to less wheelsping and speed needed). They also remove some of the weaknesses in rover drivelines...

Anyone who has driven down a steep rocky/rutted hill with a rear locker engaged will know it is much safer than doing the same with an open diff.

Originally Posted by AndyG

May I ask, were you on the track for the tracks challenge, or the destination, maybe this determines the need for lockers.

I think you have hit the nail, AndyG. We all have different uses for our Defenders and we equip them as such. I use mine for everything from commuting to work, moving around at work, towing my race bike to serious tracks with some forum members and would love to fit lockers, but it isn't number one priority.

Before I fit lockers, I would need a winch, because with lockers, if you are stuck, you are really stuck. To fit a winch I would need a winch bar, and then rock sliders, heavy duty axles, trick suspension etc etc. It can be never ending, and some people love that sort of thing, but my money is generally being spent on racing, so I make do with what I have. I did a trip recently to Ourimbah with some forum members all with lockers, and surprised them all and myself with where I could go. I think I had the most fun that day for the $ outlay, and it happened on my previous forum trip too. I think if I got lockers, I would not be learning like I do every trip now and not improving my technique. I may also try things much more difficult and likely to damage my vehicle.

I'm not knocking those who chose lockers, far from it, but if you think you don't need them don't get them.

Jeff

Originally Posted by Dervish

You need these things to travel the tracks people travelled in their stock Series 2As 40 years ago, or haven't you heard?

No they MADE these tracks in a Series 2A 40 years ago.

Umm just thinking......2a v coils and lockers, I know which I would prefer

Buggered of I know why everybody is so concerned about what others fit to their cars....who gives a toss. If you want a stock standard defer than goodo, if you wants ad ons than go for it.

When you get stuck and I drive right past it all can be discussed at the pub.

Originally Posted by AndyG

May I ask, were you on the track for the tracks challenge, or the destination, maybe this determines the need for lockers.

Hi,
Just for the destination.
I'm more of a touring type and will walk a track rather than drive it if I'm not 100% happy with it.

cheers

Originally Posted by Dervish

...

You need these things to travel the tracks people travelled in their stock Series 2As 40 years ago, or haven't you heard?

Nobody said anyone "needs" lockers or a winch from what I have read???

Of course you can drive all these tracks in a IIA with a shovel and a couple of spare halfshafts...
Most would choose not to spend days digging their vehicle out of a bog though - like many used to back in the series days...