Front Lockers Question

[Hound Dog]

So this new Rubicon is my first jeep with lockers. The road I live on is a small tar and chip back road that goes down the mountain. It is fairly steep, to steep for the state to accept the road and it remains Traction.

So to go down in the snow, I use 4 low to maintain traction. I locked the diffs for added traction in case things got sqirrely and I have to hit the ditch. The steering is pretty odd, it really did not like turning.

I have never had a front locker. Is this normal? I would expect this on pavement or even firm ground but I was on snow. Is this just something to get used too? I have not been off road in it yet and would like to know what to expect.

Input is appreciated.

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[SecondTJ]

The steering is pretty odd, itreally did not like turning.

I have never had a front locker. Is this normal?

Yes, 100% normal

 

[Hound Dog]

I do have to admit, the down hill assist is pretty awesome. Kinda takes the fun of using skill out of the game though.

 

[word302]

I would not lock the front in snow. I probably wouldn’t lock the rear either. The BLD works pretty damn good in those situations.

 

[Token]

That’s normal. It won’t want to turn with the front locked.

 

[Hound Dog]

I would not lock the front in snow. I probably wouldn’t lock the rear either. The BLD works pretty damn good in those situations.

Really locked because of past experiences. The road has a downhill S turn where one side takes you down through the trees at an uncontrolled slope, the other side is the uphill ditch side. If you hit ice from the runoff you want to hit the ditch side. The lockers keep you plowing on through. At least that is what I did with the TJ in the past but it only had LSD rear.

It can be a little "puckering" sometimes.

 

[Uhdinator]

You can't turn with it locked up......could be more dangerous. Even with just the rear locked if you hit a slick spot with front tires and try to turn a little, your rear locked is trying to push you straight ahead if the rear tires can't spin at different speeds. I think I would use 4H with traction control on and leave it in the same gear going down and turn traction control off when you need to climb to keep momentum and not cut engine power if you spin a little.

Plus turning with the front locked puts a lot of stress on axle u joints and ball joints because the front wheels can't turn at different speeds required to turn. So you would be dragging one wheel or the other causing you to slide on slick spots.

 

[Hound Dog]

I am looking at going down hill at 2 to 3 mph. This is far from a highway that I am on....

 

[word302]

I am looking at going down hill at 2 to 3 mph. This is far from a highway that I am on....

Yeah I would go 4 low, lockers off.

 

[Uhdinator]

Traction control compares all 4 wheels to maintain the same speed as well as the steering column, which way its turned so it knows which way you're trying to go and applies brakes to which ever wheel(s) need it to correct a slide. It also detects wheel spin by comparing to forward speed, and reduces power to keep you from doing a 180 deg spinout into a ditch.

If you're in 4L all that is off or reduced except Brake Limited Diff which will stop a spinning wheel but not try to correct a slide or reduce power.

 

[Uhdinator]

Yeah I would go 4 low, lockers off.

^^^^^

 

[Stormin’ Moorman]

More dangerous with lockers. I definitely would not go that route.

 

[calemasters]

If both wheels on the same axle slide (kinetic friction) you have no control. If only one wheel on an axle slides and the other wheel is rolling (static friction) you still have some control.

It is important to know, in low traction situations, when it is OK to lock the axles and when NOT to lock the axles.

I believe you have better vehicle control, during a decent, by leaving the differentials open.

 

[Renegade]

Lockers will make it worse in the snow. They cause the wheels to turn at the same speed instead of allowing them to track with the arc of the curve. Allow your traction control and ABS to work l, and you will be better off. This is not the same for off road, when lockers may become necessary.

 

[Kreepin1]

Agree with consensus that lockers off is best going down. Plus you should keep your foot off the brakes if at all possible.

Years ago when lockers started to get popular there was a debate, locker in front or in rear? The consensus was put a locker in the rear first, then add one up front. Jeep has followed this philosophy and forces drivers to engage the rear locker first, then the front.

This works well for most situations except when you are on a low traction surface pitched to one side or the other. In this case a locker will cause both tires to slide to the downhill side of the road/trail. You can turn the front tires to correct the slide, but the rear will drift helplessly to the downhill side and you end up crabbing sideways. If you turn off the rear locker only one tire will slip and the other will help you hold the line.

So, if the road slopes toward the ditch, then lockers will push you that way on ice. If the road slopes to the cliff then lockers will send you that way on ice.

One last point. Generally, if traction is good enough that the steering wheel is fighting you, then you shouldn't have lockers on at all. There are exceptions to this, mostly involving really tricky spots.

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