Front locker notes

[gothamist]

Perhaps I was a tad hasty in flaming Lance, but come on. We're talking about front lockers and he thinks it neccessary to mention what exactly a locker does, yet five posts above the discussion was about the merits of and techniques for driving with the front diff welded shut. Come on...

[Lance]

Goth - I'm not sure how you decided what I think of every one here based upon the above statement... but if I offended you, (Or the people you are representing) I appologize.

The fact is, I don't really know ANYONE here. The posts I had read thus far did not indicate any particular base line of knowledge...seemed to range all over actually.

My original thread was merely mentioning that I had read two separate tests that indicated front lockers out performed rears.

They did NOT say that that was the best choice for every one...steering issues for example would be on obvious on-street compromise....so, for the vast majority of people..a rear locker is actually a better choice if they can have only one...

Unless offroad is their priority...in which case the front is better....but, an ARB locker, that worked so as to allow JUST THE FRONT to operate, would theoretically give you the best of both worlds.

I believe I was asking if anyone wanted to try an X specific experiment that would confirm or disprove the results of the admittedly Jeep based front - vs - rear locker comparisons....should the ability to operate the front locker, by itself, become an option. (That was the relevent part)

On the spinning tire vs traction thing...(Forgive my ignorance of the workings if I am wrong...and feel free to explain it to me...I won't be offended)

I thought the open diff'd tire with the least torque received the power...and if it had some traction...the X would move anyway.

It would only spin if it couldn't grab some thing. (If an open diff only spun tires...I don't think they'd be worth anything on road either.)

So - Assuming an open diff can move you at all...I figured it would move you with the tire with the least torque...and the other tire would essentially just be along for the ride...

and, if I'm going to get stuck with only two tires on a traction surface...and they are at opposite corners of the open diff'd X...the tires with the least torque will be the one's getting all the go go juice...and they spin w/o traction...and the other two, essentially along for the ride...just sit there waiting, and essentially contribute squat....so I'm stuck.

So - If I am moving due to an open diff...I think I am pretty much being pushed by one tire when both tires have fairly equal traction...and I am pretty much stuck if one has too little traction..as that's the one getting the power now.

If any of the above was too obvious, I again apologize in advance. I am just saying what I believe to be true, so that you can see what I meant by all of the prior stuff, and correct me from that point if you need to.

I'm serious about asking you explaining this to me if I'm wrong...I have the rear LSD, but froad several other rigs too (More time actually than the X...)..and some are (Gasp) all open. So - (Really) - Enlighten me! I fear ignorance more than pride.

If I am the only one here with (a) misconception(s)...and my error(s) too obvious to every one else on the board to waste post bandwidth on explaining the obvious...feel free to e mail your correction to me if you wouldn't mind. I want to know that badly.


- Lance

[Lance]

OK - Its been a few days now...

Can I feel secure in my understanding of how these things work then?

[Goliath the X]

Lance

I read you post very quickly. I'm at work, so I must admit, I didn't pay very close attention.

Take a look at the following link from the Powertrax website. I think it explains what you are wondering.

http://www.powertrax.com/traction.htm

[Lance]

I jumped over to the Powertrax site....to look for the part about one tire getting all of the power -vs- some of it...and it sdoes say one tire with the least traction gets all of the power, meaning the other gets none.

I was under the impression that that was the case. They don't make open diffs...but I should think they have a vested interest in the topic....so I guess that means I was correct before. Assuming Powertrax is correct...


So - Does this mean someone might want to duplicate the front vs rear locker test with an IFS set up, now that we have established the principles involved?

We just need a volunteer with the ability to run the front diff locked alone, and then the back alone, and then both...over and over on what ever varied terrain they could find....at this point, any info is better than none.

So - Who actually HAS this ability?

[Goliath the X]

there are only a handful of people who have lockers. I'm not sure if anyone is locked front and rear. Maybe one or two people.

I know several people who are waiting for the powertrax no slip to become available, but that is only for the rear, and its automatic.

You would need to find someone who had both front and rear ARB air lockers. Not sure if there is anyone.

Good luck in your search.

Personally, I'm going with the powertrax noslip in the rear and I'll leave the front alone for awhile. Got tons and tons of other mods before I'll worry about the front.

[Lance]

Yeah, its slim pickens...

I'm stuck with open front/lsd assed...so I'm useless for this...I talked to a precious few who are working towards this set up though...the few brave (Adequately funded) souls...the vanguards of X-Dom...


That front locker thing just piques my curiosity though....so I pursue it...maybe I'll end up with an intermediate front ARB (Or OX Locker/E Locker, what the hell...) and a rear LSD...


- You can't go wrong with the No-Slip! I don't know anyone who has them and didn't like it.

[an1malch1n]

If you really want to bug somebody Nissan Mike(4x4parts.com) has his X all locked up with the ARB's.
My front won't be locked until I decide what the hell I'm going to do with it???? At the latest next March/April and that will be with the ARB.

[Lance]

There we go then!

Ok - We run the tests in the spring...analyze the data, and publish in the summer....works for me!

That's two IFS species, and at least one additional X I think....should be plenty.

And anyone who runs local trails with any two lockers, and has the rear break...can drag themselves back to compare a front only run or three to how they usually do there...

We may finally find out if the IFS works as well front locked as the live axle bretheren.:flash: