lockrite lockers again

David,

Yes, I believe this to be correct. Try this link for info

http://forums.overlander.com.au/messageview.cfm?catid=5&threadid=5259Cheers, Jim

"Lead, Follow.....or get out of the way!!"

I have a Lock Rite in the front of my Troopy and can not detect any difference with the front hubs loked or unlocked in two wheel drive. I can't detect and "knocking" or other noise.

BTW, the most critical part of the install is getting the spacings spot on. I ended up getting my lock rite installed by a local diff specialist. It has been amazing, and in 18 months have only had it clunk once, and that was my fault!

The truck goes off road at least once a week, and has done some pretty tough off roading in the Gorge Country, as well as Madigan's Line accross the Simpson.

My lockright locker in the front of my patrol can be heard to be engaging/disengaging with the front diffs locked and the steering is a tad heavier but it goes around corners ok and you just have to know its there and compensate a little in the steering movement.

I wouldnt say the engaging/disengaging is annoying at all

all the best________________________________>
Fraser Island Dreaming
________________________________>

Hi guys.

I own a 92 Troopie and going on advice and what I read I installed a Detroit Soft Locker to the front diff. I have now removed the Diff. locker and replaced it with a Detroit True Track LSD. This is the story.

The Detroit auto diff lock works on this principle. When travelling in a straight line with the hubs locked in, both wheels drive at the same speed, (in theory) but this does not take into consideration the differences in rolling distances, so driving on a hard dry bitumen surface with hubs locked in is not a good idea and not recommended.

Upon approaching a bend, the front wheels are still turning at the same speed hence now the steering starts to get effected, tighter the turn the more the effect, (hello bush, here I come).

To over come this problem one has to ease off on the throttle, the diff then senses the difference in rotation speeds and as there is now no load on the diff (remember you slacked off), one of the wheels cam out and we again have a normal turning vehicle setup. When the vehicle straightens up again, the speed of the wheels rotate again at the same speed, the diff again locks up and does what it is designed for.

Simple! All these thing occur within a Detroit Soft Locker smoothly and silently. With this locking system I could just about drive up a vertical brick wall ;-)))

Now why did I replace it.

Simple. In mud as in sand there is not enough drag on one or the other wheel for the diff to sense the difference when I throttled off, hence no steering and into the bush!!!.

In beach sand, when you take your foot off the gas, the truck stops!

Another big downside, because the diff would not unlock when I made a "U" turn, which happens very often on the beach, one wheel would rotate and turn normally while the other one would bulldozer the sand in front of it to the point of stalling the vehicle.

Also, when I stopped in loose beach sand and then moved off again, instead of the wheels moving/driving independently in small drive motions and walking out from the stationary location, both the front wheels bit into the sand and started to turn and drive at the same time, but instead of driving froward it simply dug into the soft sand and buried me.

For those of you who do a bit of beach driving will agree that half of the time the track that leads off the beach has a fairly tight right or left turn half way up the hill. I would always get to that point with no problems at all, but instead of turning, the locked diffs would send me straight ahead. If I eased of the gas. I would stall half way around the turn.

And finally, while we are still at the beach. to follow on in the tracks of the vehicles in front of you was absolute murder as the tracks alway tend to weave a little but the diff locker wanted to go STRAIGHT ahead all the time which made for a very exciting ride, if you like that king of thing.

And there you have it. My experiences with an auto front diff locker.

In summary. For normal rock hopping and gravel road/track driving..Excellent! but that is where it all ends as far as I am concerned.

The True-Track LSD, best thing since sliced bread.

My advice? If you want that extra traction for the front axle then either go for a good LSD or and Air Locker that you can control to make it do what you want and when you want.

Regards

Hi
Your front diff has a dog clutch on one axle only. Putting a locrite in it will probably do as they say and clack in 2wd, because drive is still being transmitted from one front wheel through the diff and up the driveshaft with the locker installed instead of just turning the sungears inside the diff.
Once this drive overcomes the locker dog clutch spring it will index and clack! It wouldnt be hard to put FWH on and would probably give you better economy not having to run the front diff all the time, but having had a locrite in the front of a car before, i wouldnt recommend it just because you cant drive in 4wd on hard dirt without getting steering problems like torque steer and pulling one way or the other.(this is what most tracks through the bush are and they are usually windy up and down hills through trees etc.
ARB air lockers are the go!

David
I have two Lockrites fitted to my old FJ 45, also powersteering,could not steer it before. Personally I would fit the free wheeling hubs as there well be less wear and tear on the front diff. It has to be very steep or boggy before I have to select 4WD.
Regards
RonnieLimmen Bight River July