Thinking of a locking diff for my 2wd, talk me into/out of it

[billiebob]

yes, ^^^ my story is crossing a windrow diagonally. The front right and left rear tires stuffed into the wheelwells, the left front and right rear tires hanging loose and spinning freely. Lock up both axles, let out the clutch and idle off. A locker is more valuable than a winch.

 

[socceronly]

Thank you.
I love selectable lockers cuz once switched on they are locked, period.
I value them as much for traction descending steep loose trails as I do coming back up that same hill.
For me lockers are all about treading lightly.


2WD or 4WD,,,, I think the difference in 2WD will be even more dramatic.

Where is that, looks like somewhere in the PNW. BC?

 

[billiebob]

Where is that, looks like somewhere in the PNW. BC?

West Kootenays, Arrow Lakes.

Same place, every day with the dog.

 

[ratled]

made him immune from the laws of physics.

That is is great for job security! Too many years of job security has me so broken I can't afford to get stuck anymore and the main reason I'm even looking at this. Your vote has been noted. Going down this week to talk to my local shop and hammer down the details

 

[Regcabguy]

I know a teacher with an old boxy Chevy van who decades ago drove it 40 miles into a fairly remote Baja surf spot. He had a Detroit locker and with the camping stuff in there it would go all over the place. There's an airstrip out there and a small plane landed and out comes James Arness and his son Rolf. They went for a surf,came in,loaded the boards back in and took off he said.

 

[Porkchopexpress]

I know a teacher with an old boxy Chevy van who decades ago drove it 40 miles into a fairly remote Baja surf spot. He had a Detroit locker and with the camping stuff in there it would go all over the place. There's an airstrip out there and a small plane landed and out comes James Arness and his son Rolf. They went for a surf,came in,loaded the boards back in and took off he said.

I used to go to a remote surf spot in Baja called Salsipuedes. The name was supposedly "leave if you can" in Spanish because when it rained, the dirt roads got slick and getting out you had to climb muddy slopes. I was rained in once and my friends in a van conversion and 4WD pickup couldn't get out because they were too heavy. I had an 87 Honda accord hatchback and it climbed out like a champ.

 

[nater]

yeppers

This is not true as a blanket statement - a 2 way lsd will apply power both on acceleration and deceleration. Your referring to a 1 way lsd, which only works on acceleration.

 

[jadmt]

This is not true as a blanket statement - a 2 way lsd will apply power both on acceleration and deceleration. Your referring to a 1 way lsd, which only works on acceleration.

yeppers for your post as well but not sure I would want a 2 way lsd in a regular truck but yes you are correct. Seems it would be doing a lot of chirping slowing down going around corners etc. Never actually driven anything with one tho so they may be fine as there are guys that run lincoln lockers as dd.

 

[nater]

yeppers for your post as well but not sure I would want a 2 way lsd in a regular truck but yes you are correct. Seems it would be doing a lot of chirping slowing down going around corners etc. Never actually driven anything with one tho so they may be fine as there are guys that run lincoln lockers as dd.

Your right - but the amount of lockup can be adjusted on many lsds - my old track day car had a 2 way, you definently learn to be smooth on the throttle. I would still prefer any lsd to a full time locker on the street.

 

[Porkchopexpress]

I would do a locker vs lsd simply because it is nice to be in control of when it locks up. there are some situation where it is not desirable to be locked.

I don't think a factory LSD ever completely locks out. As I understand, it will still send most of the power to the path of least resistance like an open diff, but divert power to the other wheel at a preset rpm difference between the two.

 

[TripLeader]

Don't add a locker. Here's what will happen.

You'll put about $1500 into it. Then you'll find the need to modify something else. More money goes in. Another mod. More money. This will go on several times. How do I know? Because you're on ExPo, and I've done something similar myself.

The result is you'll have an off-road modified 2WD vehicle. Save the money for now . Buy a 4WD and modify it.

Play the long game. You'll come out better in the end.

 

[twodollars]

I'd go for it. If it's open and your conservative with tire size, and can tolerate a little potential noise a lunchbox style would be a real inexpensive option. Those half ton rear ends are pretty common in junkyards, so new used parts are easy to come by if you change your mind. After putting a detroit in my burb I'd wished I had done it a long time ago. Best single mod that improved traction.

 

[socceronly]

West Kootenays, Arrow Lakes.

Same place, every day with the dog.

Nice. Last time I was there with my dad more than 30 years ago.

Have to go back.

 

[socceronly]

Don't add a locker. Here's what will happen.

You'll put about $1500 into it. Then you'll find the need to modify something else. More money goes in. Another mod. More money. This will go on several times. How do I know? Because you're on ExPo, and I've done something similar myself.

The result is you'll have an off-road modified 2WD vehicle. Save the money for now . Buy a 4WD and modify it.

Play the long game. You'll come out better in the end.

You sir are describing PENIS. Permanent ExPo Neverending Improvement Syndrome.

 

[billiebob]

Don't add a locker. Here's what will happen.

You'll put about $1500 into it. Then you'll find the need to modify something else. More money goes in. Another mod. More money. This will go on several times. How do I know? Because you're on ExPo, and I've done something similar myself.

The result is you'll have an off-road modified 2WD vehicle. Save the money for now . Buy a 4WD and modify it.

Play the long game. You'll come out better in the end.

no, you got it backwards. A locker will let you travel slower, Without a locker you will need speed, momentum which will definitely break things. A locker might mean you get thru tougher ******** with smaller tires, again reducing strain on everything mechanical. A locker does not add strain, it reduces strain.

Being critical of adding a locker is like being critical of buying winter tires for a snow storm.