Old and wise opinions needed on locker use

[flick2614]

I'm curious as to everyone's locker use technique; on a trail that has obstacles requiring at least a rear locker but a decent amount of distance between the obstacles is it better to just leave the locker engaged and risk the stress on the drive train or do you turn the locker on just before the obstacle (obviously with enough room to allow it to engage) and off again when cruising through the easy stuff and risk wear damage to the engagement components?

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[shane h.]

I only engage the locker(s) as long as needed.

 

[Roky]

I only engage lockers as a last resort…. The only time I’ll leave them engaged is when going through sugar sand, and I disengage as soon as I can….ymmv……and I prefer the word experienced instead of old….

 

[Ratbert]

Only when needed, especially fronts.

Note that leaving lockers engaged eats up the trail with every turn.

 

[oceanblue2019]

I only engage lockers as a last resort…. The only time I’ll leave them engaged is when going through sugar sand, and I disengage as soon as I can….ymmv……

As per Roky I use them when I get into a situation they are needed. But I also like to hit most trails in 2WD and just go to 4WD when needed. More challenge that way.

One exception to the above is if the use of lockers or 4WD adds to the likelihood of a safe outcome. For example: If I'm doing a climb in loose dirt that would be dangerous to stop mid-climb or a risk of sliding off a ledge. Then the 4WD and lockers get engaged pre-climb.

 

[grimmjeeper]

Leave them off. Try the obstacle without them first. Turn them on when needed. Back off when done with the obstacle. The one exception can be when you're not the first one in line and everyone else needed lockers. It's acceptable to turn them on first. Or, if you know the good line everyone else missed and can do it without, it's acceptable to show them up...

 

[NWJeepr]

Use the tool when needed, and then put it away when you're done. That's how I was taught, lockers included.

 

[Terrymo]

My wife and I took a two day training course and for the first day we were told no lockers, find out what the Jeep can do and if the lines you choose suck,

I’ve followed a very experienced off roader in a Jeep with no lockers and it was eye opening what he could do when I was sure lockers were needed.

I used lockers and/or 4 low way too much in the beginning. I’m still new and learning.

 

[Mifsuud]

Only when needed. I primarily use them on steep downhills to help control speed and slip. Front lockers are rarely ever used.

 

[cansberry]

Never had a Jeep with lockers, never plan to. Takes all the fun out of it.

 

[flick2614]

Only when needed. I primarily use them on steep downhills to help control speed and slip. Front lockers are rarely ever used.

Interesting. I've been taught to unlock on step downhills so each wheel can rotate independently and maintain grip, making sure the tire without grip doesn't take down the tire with grip.

 

[MntGoat]

When needed as said above, climbing steep hills/ledges etc. I always keep right hand palm on shift (auto) so I can bump into neutral if front gets light, hitting brakes is bad if you feel like going over backwards.

 

[6.2Blazer]

I don't feel that old.....but when I started fourwheeling and trailriding there simply weren't any selectable lockers on the market. I remember when the ARB air lockers first came out. Obviously this was well before the Rubicons or any other factory available selectable locker was available. With that said, if you had a locker installed in your vehicle it was always on. A lot of us ran welded or spooled rear diffs on dedicated trail rigs. While not a Jeep, I do currently own a Ram Power Wagon with selectable lockers front and rear and a SxS with a selectable front locker.
Overall I think you are putting way too much thought into this.
- You are not putting a bunch of stress on the vehicle with the locker engaged when running down an easy section of the trail. I mean really.....so climbing up a big rutted up hill with the tires spinning and bouncing over rocks is okay but you are somehow over-stressing the vehicle cruising down a dirt road? Sure, if you are just cruising down a flat trail you don't need to have the locker on.......just saying it's not causing any excessive wear.
- As far as "wear damage" on the engagement mechanisms. I doubt the low number of times somebody actually turns them on and off during a trail ride is enough to make any difference in the life expectancy of them. That is assuming you are at least being reasonable how many times you turn them on and off. Such as turning the locker on for an obstacle then turning it off when the next time you need it isn't for quite awhile. I'm not talking about turning it off and on every 5' you move down a trail.

When first learning the vehicle and off-roading in general it's probably not a bad idea to get a feel for the vehicle without them. There are obstacles you can conquer simply by taking the correct line and driving style. Once you know the right lines to take you can get to the point where lockers are needed to make it over an obstacle. Also at some point in time you can know if lockers are needed for an obstacle or not. Sometimes it's easier on a vehicle to have the lockers engaged so you can just crawl over an obstacle easier versus trying to bounce and spin over stuff. There are also some situation where you can try an obstacle without lockers, but if you don't make it you can get in a bad spot or stuck. For example an off camber rocky hillclimb......get stopped halfway up and it can get you in a bad situation.

 

[BDinTX]

I'm old, not wise, or even very experienced, and maybe even wrong... but I'm quick to go into 4L so I can keep my rpms up and hopefully my fluids cooler. I tend to try most obstacles without lockers first but when I use them, I turn them back off asap. The obstacles around Texas tend to be dry and rough jagged rock.

I think the terrain and type of obstacles in various regions might dictate slightly different behavior. For example: Hot Springs ORV park in Arkansas gets really muddy with rain, probably much like places further East. The mud is like grease and damp rocks and tires covered with mud or sand are really slick so my threshold for locker use is lower. Traction in Moab is so good the threshold for using them is higher.

 

[2nd 392]

If you were old and experienced with the mechanical full time lockers you would know. There when needed, but a disadvantage for the vast majority. Especially winch assisted steering in deep snow or mud where they often plow straight ahead regardless of how the front wheels are turned. …. I did learn (after my stupid being made fun of) to leave one hub unlocked in those situations where the front locker was a disadvantage.

when I first got them my older cousin said You’re not gonna like them in front. He was not wrong. But they saved me once when I blew the rear end getting me to a dirt road for the tow truck with winch assist. Also got me out of the bottom of an irrigation canal I slid into that required WOT 4Hi grabbing gears to claw out of, it did spin and cost me the front wheel bearings.

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