Locking a td5

[Ean Austral]

Gday,I see alot of people in this forum have diff locks on their disco's just wondering if/what the most common locker is ie manual/auto style.Also not had much joy outta my cooper st will be lucky if i get 50k and staked 1 sidewall beyond repair..any other decent tyre (A/T) that comes to mind.
Cheers Ean

[Slunnie]

The most common on the Disco2 is the ARB air locker.

The Cooper ST doesn't work well with the Disco2 either.

[Ean Austral]

With the traction control do most lock front/rear or just front?

[Slunnie]

No, most lock either rear only or front and rear. I don't know of any that are front locked only. If you do look to lock it, it's important that you also have the CDL activated and that this is done before any cross axle diff locks. The CDL will give you some significant gains and make the lockers effective in delivering power to the ground.

The ETC isn't an issue. The system only activates when there is wheel spin. The more you lock up the driveline the less wheel spin you\ll get and the ETC will not activate. This said, even fully locked (ie front, centre and rear) you can still trigger the ETC from flex in the axles, but it doesn't worry the system.

[Ean Austral]

I see graeme cooper do a CDL for my model is this what you mean or are there other ways?
Cheers

[Slunnie]

Thats the one. I'd be inclined to use a mechanical system rather than electric though - they are far more reliable and also the way the factory has done things. I'm not sure how Graeme Coopers unit activates. Coopers are also staunch Maxidrive advocates, though I'm not sure what they promote these days since Maxidrive closed. The Maxidrives are also good units and no weaker or stronger than ARB lockers and no more or less reliable.

[Ean Austral]

I talked to some guys on the gibb river road a few years back and the camp fire debate was front or rear lock if not locking both I could see positives/negitives for both so was just interested what people did on other discos.(they owned patrols/cruisers) You mentioned about the coopers not working well any reccomendations?

[Slunnie]

The Patrols are a bit of an exception where they seem to benefit more from a front locker. Weight bias and axle strength make a lot of people favour the rear locker first. ARB's are setup to not be able to run the front locker only as the CV's are typically not strong.

No recommendations for AT's, it really is horses for courses to be honest and is a whole debate in itself worth doing a search on. There are no right/wrong or best AT's out there. The problem with the Cooper ST is that its not tolerent to wheelspin without tearing tyre lugs, and the D2 4WD system as standard requires a certain degree of wheelspin to work.

[Ean Austral]

I will just put it on the wish list better get the CDL sorted first.Getting it re-chipped on tuesday so step by step.Am planning to do the canning next year so have some time to get it ready..I knew the tyre debate can go on forever but always worth asking.
Cheers

[Wortho]

ARB's are setup to not be able to run the front locker only


Close, it's a saftey thing when you have twin lockers so that you don't accidently activate the front instead of the rear and loose steering when you don't expect it. if you only have one locker the front works fine all by itself, however you are much better off with the rear only if you only go for one locker.

[Slunnie]

Close, it's a saftey thing when you have twin lockers so that you don't accidently activate the front instead of the rear and loose steering when you don't expect it. if you only have one locker the front works fine all by itself, however you are much better off with the rear only if you only go for one locker.
Why would you lose steering? I'm reading this as you're saying ARB thinks you lose steering and you're saying it works fine???:confused:

[Tombie]

The Patrols are a bit of an exception where they seem to benefit more from a front locker. Weight bias and axle strength make a lot of people favour the rear locker first. ARB's are setup to not be able to run the front locker only as the CV's are typically not strong.

No recommendations for AT's, it really is horses for courses to be honest and is a whole debate in itself worth doing a search on. There are no right/wrong or best AT's out there. The problem with the Cooper ST is that its not tolerent to wheelspin without tearing tyre lugs, and the D2 4WD system as standard requires a certain degree of wheelspin to work.


The front locker in Patrol argument comes from a LSD rear locker front...

Replacing the LSD is seen as only a "50%" upgrade... by Patrol drivers :cool:

Lock the rear in a Disco, then the front later....

Or locked rear, Trutrac front.

[Wortho]

Why would you lose steering? I'm reading this as you're saying ARB thinks you lose steering and you're saying it works fine???:confused:


Didn't explain myself very good there, what i meant was this, when the front axle is locked quality of steering is reduced so to save a situation where by someone who has front and rear lockers means to engage their rear locker but hits the front then they arn't caught by surprise. If the vehicle is only fitted with one locker and it's the front one then thats the only one you can possibly have meant to lock. Front locker works fine all by itself.
The whole thing of "i've got an LSD in the back i only need a front came from Patrols but i even get people with old MK Tritons and Hilux's saying the same thing. Front locker only in Patrols started mainly as some comps only allow one locker.

[johnclv]

I am not a fan of Coopers either. I;d be lucky if I got 50K out of them. I think they may be OK for colder climates, but I did a lot of my time up in Northern OZ running them in hot temps over shale/gravel roads and they withered away.


I've used BFgoodrich all terrains and have been very happy with them. In my opinion what kills alot of typres in the gravel/shale is the manufacturers tread cuts. The fine hairline cuts that put into lugs are where the tears start.

If you are going to do lots of shale/gravel get muddies. They last forever