Hi guys

Please forgive the newbie question.....

Assuming you have a selectable front and rear locker, when would you actually select them?
Do you wait till you get stuck, or try read the trail and turn on early.
I understand you don't want to be stressing the drive train out with cornering when you have a non wheel spin type of grip.

Obviously, on road they would both be off.
And rock crawling, both on.

More specifically for me......in Dubai.

Big, soft, steep, sand dunes?

Most say, leave it stock and rely of friends to pull you out....

So if you had lockers, when to turn them on?
Some say, don't lock until you are stuck.
Some say lock up the back and only worry about the front when I get stuck.

With the soft sand, there is so much wheel spin action going on, a little more while cornering will definatly not be an issue for the rear.
What about the front?
Will it affect the steering to be locked up on soft sand?

The two places that I notice the biggest issues are:
Firstly, When small dunes get diagonally opposite wheels airborne.... You be come a zero wheel drive very fast. Here front and rear lockers could have prevented getting stuck or help you to drive out.
Secondly, When going sideways along the dune. The jeep is in a drifting type position with the back slightly low. The front 'high' wheel often gets airborne or light pressure on the ground, there is a spray of sand as that wheel spins and you become a rear wheel drive. This sudden loss of 4wd often results in the back starting to spin round. You need to act quick to regain control.....off on the gas peddle and turn towards the increasing drift scenario. Having the front locked or LSD'ed would probably help.

Any advice should be appreciated. Sorry for the long newbie question.....

Regards
Paul

 

I grew up in sand dunes of southern California and learned that momentum is your best friend in the sand along with choosing your line.

With the underpowered jk i found that locking my both diffs got me way more stuck than i would have gotten with just open diffs.

I think only locking the rear is a good idea though. With a rear locker, some tires that are good in sand and low tire pressure you should lots of places.

 

I also dune in Glamis,, southern CA, I am not a fan of getting stuck in some of the precarious positions dunes can put a raised 4x4 in. It sounds like you are doing the right thing by experimenting with the lockers. During a straight hill climb, I would lock front and rear. Same with running through really soft stuff. While duning I would either rely on my speed, or if you are in the slower tight stuff, Lock one or the other so you always have a drive wheel,,, but again, I would experiment with which works better.

 

What are ur opinions on using in mud?

 

I would use lockers after trying to run the obstacle open first. Less wear and tear. Only use them when you need them

 

Totally disagree! Wildly spinning tires, drive shafts, tranny, and engine is way more wear and tear than simply locking a dif and rolling smoothly through an obstacle. plus, you tear up the terra fir-ma a lot less. Remember TREAD LIGHTLY?? I'v never understood people who don't use the products they have purchased and installed, just to get stuck. Weird.

 

This is my stance. I haven't had lockers, but lots of situations where I wish I did. I'd engage them early for those situations versus trying to see if I could make it through without getting stuck.

 

kinda funny actually ive had mine for a year and don't know the right answer however I went to turn around on a narrow dirt road and went right down into a deep culvert rocks and water I hit hard enough to think I totaled the new rubicon , I put it in 4 lo back and 4th and I was freaken stuck not moving, I tried rocking it, nothing I then said wtf I have lockers on this jeep use em , see how it works () omg I hit the button and put it in first gear and touched the gas and I up out of this hole I came dragging boulders with me ! (not kiddin) I pulled a 3foot round 2 foot deep boulder up with me . not a scratch under the jeep well the gastank skid had a tiny gouge in it on the surface , (touched up )
I was up on the road again . it was like a helecoptor tied on to me and took off ! ok so im thinkin my jeep must be torn to shreads, so I get out and walk around it .: only damage was a 2inch hole on the bumper block and a tiny scrape on the lower plastic skid plate . I was in complete shock , im thinkin how the hell I figured my hood would be bent , grill damage , wheel bent, bumper in half but nope tiny hole in the bumper pad lol I was insured for the damage and now I just got the ps mid bumper
steel . but long story short (lockers kick @$$ ) I drove off and absolutely no damage . ill never forget
the feeling cuz I thought I almost rolled it was so angled . it was nose first into a 3 foot bolder and in water and 4 feet down
off the road ! my point is I believe the lockers were used right for my need that day felt like I didn't waste my money on a rubicon . I had a sport before and thers no doubt if I was in my 11 sport id be on my cell callin a wrecker or someone with a winch but I was up on the dirt road again in 5 seconds after locking them . as far as using them any other way I cant say but this was one way they worked properly coming out of the hole I was looking strait up at the sky I think both fronts were off the ground , felt like it anyway

 

Simply put, using lockers is like using 4wd. You need to have the lockers engaged before you NEED them. You need to be locked in 4WD before you NEED 4WD. I'm all for trying things open first but there are many times you don't want to back up and take another shot at a hill or obstacle. Screwing up the first time can mean damage or worse.

 

for me, little rock crawling and some dirt roads with ruts, i only use my lockers when it's staight up and down and under 3mphs