So I hear a lot about lockers on here but when is the ideal time to use them and what do they actually do? is it purely for rock crawling or mud and sand too? Im clueless on this subject, help me out please!?

 

Lockers allow the axle to distribute power equally to both tires. Without lockers, the tire with the least amount of resistance receives the most power. If you have one tire on the ground, and the other off the ground, the tire off the ground will spin a lot more because it has the least resistance, and the tire on the ground will do nothing. In this situation, using the locker will lock the axle and make both tires turn equally so that the tire on the ground will be able to traverse over whatever is giving it resistance.

You generally do not want to use lockers on the street or highway, because it can be unsafe. Think about when you make a turn, the tire on the outside has to turn more than the tire on the inside to complete the turn. If the power is not distributed correctly, you might lose control on the pavement.

 

thanks man, just what i was lookin for

 

Good info... This is exactly what I was looking for. THANKS!

 

What about on the trail? Locked all the time or only to get out of a jam?

 

I only use lockers if I'm not moving in normal 4wd. Also, I only use front if I know what I'm up against and what is ahead of that. Too many videos of using front locker on a turn, no traction then traction up a wall and they roll. Lots of good cheap books on amazon and also videos on YouTube. But best to go wheelin with someone who has experience and learn from them. Look at the lines they pick etc. You'd be surprised what your Jeep can do in 2wd! Understand how they work. What it means to have 4 wheels moving at same speed and what it means if wheels can't slip. Also take your time. I find that as long as the Jeep is moving even if very slow, I don't loose traction. It's when I stop hard or accelerate hard that the tires loose traction. Be smooth and deliberate in your movements and you tend to keep traction. Tis may not apply to mud as I don't mud much. When ido I am careful about knowing what I'm getting into but thats just my style.

 

Making sharp turns with front lockers engaged is nearly impossible. Jeep wants to continue going straight. Only use mine in difficult rock sections that do not require excessive changes in direction.

 

Typically I'll use my lockers if I think they're essential to making it up/down/through something or if I'm in a sketchy situation where losing traction would/could prove critical. Essentially I usually think like this: Try in 4lo. If I don't make it, lock rear. If I'm still struggling, lock front. That being said.. if I know there's almost no chance of making it up something (like if a bunch of similarly equipped vehicles can't make it up without winching) then I'll go ahead and get the full-meal-deal before I even attempt it. 4Lo, AND front and rear lockers.

 

I find that 4low gets me most places. I soon as I start losing traction I hit the rear locker. I rarely use the front unless it is a rock garden. If it is a rock garden I lock them both up at the beginning and just idle through.

 

The trick is to see the terrain ahead and anticipate when you may need to be locked. Stay locked for the least amount of time neccessary. A friend of mine would wait to get stuck and then lock(rear and/or front). On the flip side, you don't want to needlessly over use it either. You will learn through careful practice.