Thread: Additional Traction - at cross roads with options.

Originally Posted by weeds

Maybe I shouldn’t have inserted overland!!! I also said I don’t chase hard tracks but you never know whats ahead on the track.

I have stated I just was to get there easier and not punish the driver it something pops up.

Are you saying you have never lost traction, had wheel slip or needed two goes?

In my 300 I didn’t as I alway engaged the rear locker (installed by previous owner who did a couple of laps of Aus) anytime I thought there was a chance of loosing traction even for a moment.

On my recent High Country Trip I would have preferred not to hit the two rocky loose steps as hard as I did as it was a little wild for 10m and I had a little bit of wheel spin returning from blue Rag, again in my old 300 I would have engaged the rear, the 130 in front had a Detroit and he just crawled over the wombat holes.

Out of interest what defer do you currently drive??

Honestly and all jokes aside, if I was on an extended overland trip I would be avoiding climbing 10m rock steps, because in the scheme of things attaining that summit would be a low % gain and a risk to the far bigger goal of a trouble free extended journey. Being stuck in a remote place on a long journey because I broke something would not be much fun. I’d avoid the rock step climb in favour of the longer goal.

No limits belongs to weekend rock scrambling tonka trucks. Overlanding is about simplicity, long term durability and safety. But that’s just my view.

Defender Puma 2014 & Defender Tdi 1998. Both brilliant in their own way.

I am looking at getting an Ashcroft centre ATB in the Puma for durability as the newer transfer cases are less robust. It would also improve fast dirt dynamics. Perhaps a rear as well one day, but budget is limited and there are many other priorities. I just don’t really need lockers.

...by the way, I’ve never needed a winch either. If I can’t get through without one I won’t go there. Although it’s actually never stopped me going anywhere I wanted to go and that includes river crossings over the bonnet and plenty of deep mud that others needed towing or winching out of. Its all about the line, the speed, gear selection, anticipation, walking the crossing, stopping for a cuppa and recognising the various limitations - risk vs reward.pa

Stock Defenders are awesome. Nothing else comes close.

Another advantage of ATB is where you have tight turns or side slopes. They allow tighter turns than lockers and don't tend to throw sideways. It's a fantastic point and shoot. In the extremes of say climbing tall rock steps one after another with twists then sure then full locker would remain king but for everything else the ATBs would be better in my view and always 'on'. Cheers

Let’s re-focus.......

ATB’s are not available for a sals, I put a cross through that option days ago

I was leaning leaning toward a Detroit but after reading some awesome posts on here and talking to an owner of a Detroit I’ve decided it’s not for me.

TJM Pro Locker doesn’t appear to be an option....didn’t check if the e-locker was available for a sals

I’ve decided on an ARB for the rear.....had one on my previous defer, worked as it should, selectable and I already have onboard air. Will get some pricing over the next week or so.

If I progress to the front I think I’m thinking ATB as I didn’t really like the ARB in the front of the dirty old tdi ....but it’s way down on the list.

Thanks heaps to all the helpful and informative posts, I’m certainly a lot wiser now.

Cheers

Originally Posted by djam1

Weeds
Off subject but buy yourself a reco kit for the ARB compressor if you are using it for the rear suspension
I find that they fail regularly
They are simple and cheap to rebuild but if you are not carrying parts it will become an issue

Umm, we use ARB compressors at work an I’m not aware of any failures. I have a twin mounted and have considered throwing the single portable in but space is at a premium.

I have had 4 failures 2x broken crank bolts, a failed valve plate and a failed thermal switch.
Very cheap to fix all of them but one incident was coming off an aboriginal community in the Kimberly and left me in a bind fortunately I had the air locker compressor that saved the day.
I now have 3 located in different locations feeding.a tank that way I have no issues just rebuild for $40 when it stuffs up

I use the compressor for rear firestone airbags (not full air) pumping tyres and the locker

I run the air tank at 150 PSI this maybe why I have issues

Originally Posted by weeds

Let’s re-focus.......

ATB’s are not available for a sals, I put a cross through that option days ago

I was leaning leaning toward a Detroit but after reading some awesome posts on here and talking to an owner of a Detroit I’ve decided it’s not for me.

TJM Pro Locker doesn’t appear to be an option....didn’t check if the e-locker was available for a sals

I’ve decided on an ARB for the rear.....had one on my previous defer, worked as it should, selectable and I already have onboard air. Will get some pricing over the next week or so.

If I progress to the front I think I’m thinking ATB as I didn’t really like the ARB in the front of the dirty old tdi ....but it’s way down on the list.

Thanks heaps to all the helpful and informative posts, I’m certainly a lot wiser now.

Cheers

Something worth considering... a ATB requires wheel spin to work and if you have a locker at the rear it will mean that to make the ATB work you will have to spin both rear wheels which will make the rear slide sideways on the track. I tend that think thats the situation that makes you pull the winch more often than anything else when you've just wedged the vehcile against the side of the track and you haven't got enough traction. I would recommend that you either run ATB F&R or run lockers F&R. My opinion is to not mix them.

Re the air compressors, when I had the old type it threw the conrod, but the I've had the new type for about 8 years now and so far so good. Prob 150psi is a bit (lot!) too much, ARB set them up for 100psi max.

Originally Posted by Slunnie

Something worth considering... a ATB requires wheel spin to work and if you have a locker at the rear it will mean that to make the ATB work you will have to spin both rear wheels which will make the rear slide sideways on the track. I tend that think thats the situation that makes you pull the winch more often than anything else when you've just wedged the vehcile against the side of the track and you haven't got enough traction. I would recommend that you either run ATB F&R or run lockers F&R. My opinion is to not mix them.

I don’t quite follow....how does an ATB in the front rely/work with the locked rear?