PainterMan

In my short time at off-roading I have used the locker twice. Once in a ditch to just try out the locker. I could have tried a different line or I could have used brake+throttle (simulated locker). I tried all three (different line, brake+throttle, locker) in successive attempts to check out the locker.

I used the locker the second time in earnest. It was up a rather steep hill will some loose substrate. There was no easy way to get momentum and was also counseled against momentum in that scenario. Engaged rear and front lockers. Crawled up the slope with engine pulling hard.

I am glad I have lockers, hoping not to use them in so far as possible.

toymaster

Dave, You live in Alaska by definition an extreme lifestyle in an extreme place. I myself have a second residence about an hour from Alaska . Lockers give you more capability. Can you live without them yes but why??? Same reasoning can be applied to a winch, larger tires, etc.

Here is when I beat a dead horse. 73:1 crawl ratio and front & rear lockers were the stuff of hard core guys who poured money, time, and love into their rigs. And you can get that now with factory support....the thought of it brings a solitary tear of joy to my eye. Unfortunately that means anybody can go buy a rubi with all this capability that does not need it or can even see a use for it.

I have a place outside of Yellowstone Park, one in Alaska, and have some of the most hard core camping gear available. I do not rock crawl per say I use my jeep as a tool to get me as far away as possible from the "beaten path". I do everything alone or at most with my son, including diving, hunting, 4 wheeling, hiking, etc. I am into self sufficiency. I am not into group things. So having lockers gives me that much more capablilty so I can do more things with out any outside help. I make my living in Alaska or overseas in 3rd world countries. I spend what time I can getting in extreme situations to "relax" and get my mind off my troubles and to enjoy this life as much as I can.

To me the ability to just press a button and double my traction capacity is well worth the money. Is it to you? or is your money better spent paying bills, that new hunting rifle, or something special for your wife? Your call....ain't life wonderful

crazydog

My 2-cents, I have owned all types of 4wds and now I have an 04 TJ and an 09 Jk. Neither jeep has a locker. I have done alot of trails in Arizona, Cal.,Nevada and Utah including Moab and I have yet to need a locker. Now, would I like to have one or two and the answer would be yes but the cost of getting lockers installed is not cheap and I guess I won't get one until I reach a trail that I can't get through. Both Jeeps also have winches and I have not used either except to pull things on the property, but I'm glad I have them. I guess what I'm trying to say is the more experience you have in off-roading, the easier it gets on your equipment and the more you can do with what you have. Lockers would be a plus but don't think you can't go out and have a good time without them. Always go out with others and you can do about anything.

w squared

Lockers on rock are good. Lockers on loose, broken up stuff are very good.

Where lockers really come into their own is when conditions are cruddy. Mud, ice, deep snow...they allow you to maintain momentum without carrying a ridiculous amount of speed. You can keep all four wheels turning even if only one of them is getting any real traction.

When the conditions go really, really far downhill, lockers can save you a lot of winching.

Widewing

Agree.... The BLDs (and LSD rear) will overcome nearly anything that lockers will, albeit with some strange noises.

Jeep Engineers have gone to great lengths to expound upon that fact.


My regards,

Widewing

07JKX

i pushed my jeep to its mechanical limits at Coal Creek a couple weekends ago. The guys with lockers could get up on a huge rock (still got high centered) and I could not even get up it. I think if it were dry and not sloppy wet, I would have been aboe to get up on it. This is the first time that I have witnessed locked vs unlocked. Other than that, I have gone everywhere everyone else has. When its muddy, or the rocks are wet, I can see them helping tremendously.