Thread: Lockers...

Originally Posted by Phil B

IMO you are incorrect. I believe the stress on the axles is increased with a locker that is locked over obstacles
If your diff is unlocked all the power in that diff is transferred to the wheel with the least load. Say you have your diff locked and one wheel on the air ALL the power on that diff is transferred to the wheel on the ground whereas unlocked almost zero power is transferred to that drive wheel.
IMO stronger axles are a must when installing lockers

I don't really subscribe to this theory, shafts don't break due to power, they fail due to the shock loading you get when a wheel spins and bites, a locked vehicle can crawl in a slower controlled manner whereas an unlocked vehicle often relies on momentum to clear an obstacle, this means more speed, more wheelspin and ultimately more shock loading and thus more failures.

having said that, the stock shafts are not very strong and we sell lots of the HD shafts but all things being equal I would say driving locked and slower causes less drive line shock loading.

Dave

Hope the video helps with your decision.

Front Locker vs Rear Locker vs Twin locked Differential - Off Road test comparison - YouTube

Originally Posted by ashtrans

I don't really subscribe to this theory, shafts don't break due to power, they fail due to the shock loading you get when a wheel spins and bites, a locked vehicle can crawl in a slower controlled manner whereas an unlocked vehicle often relies on momentum to clear an obstacle, this means more speed, more wheelspin and ultimately more shock loading and thus more failures.

having said that, the stock shafts are not very strong and we sell lots of the HD shafts but all things being equal I would say driving locked and slower causes less drive line shock loading.

Dave

From personal experience (Non-LR but in a Suzuki with a Auto-Locker in the rear) - I had a Autolocker in the rear of my Suzuki Vitara and it was also my daily driver. the Auto-locker was a bit of a PITA in the rear when driving into carparks with tight turns, etc. After having it in the rear for a period of years I was 4wdriving down in Sundown NP and I was navigating this bit of a hillclimb out of a creek slowly as I have reduction gears in the Zook when I heard a bang. To cut a long story short - this turned out to be me snapping my rear axle and when looking at it and the other side - u could see the twisting of the splines to the point of where the axle did eventually break. Having reduction gears enabled me to tackle obstacles slowly which gave me great control but it is my opinion that being my daily driver and all the tight carpark turns, etc that this is what partly led to the axle twisting and breaking eventually. So, for me, I reckon it doesn't necessary matter whether u have a locker or not, u can "over time" still snap axles given the right circumstances...

Your auto locker was not working properly. You should never have it bind up in tight turns.

Originally Posted by Red90

Your auto locker was not working properly. You should never have it bind up in tight turns.

It doesn't bind up when there is no load on it but as soon as u apply the fast pedal, that's when it locks up... I use it hear it click when I coasting around corners...

I suspect it was one of those cheap n nasty lockers ( rhymes with cock bite ) which would've weakened the axles over time

Originally Posted by discorevy

I suspect it was one of those cheap n nasty lockers ( rhymes with cock bite ) which would've weakened the axles over time

The brand of the locker has nothing to do with it... it worked fine for the period I had it in, I was just trying to indicate that u can still break axles even though u are not "sending it" as some would say...

Originally Posted by lebanon

Hope the video helps with your decision.

Front Locker vs Rear Locker vs Twin locked Differential - Off Road test comparison - YouTube

That video is awesome. Made me reprioritise front over rear.
Probably will get both now.