Great videos! Your buddy “JB” must hate those one after the other like that.
When I first put in my rear locker I had that crap on all the time. I did not realize how much trouble I could get into. Now I’m like “Brunk” and try to use them as little as possible.
The locker(s) can cause my truck to “crab” sideways, down slope, in any type of slick off-camber situation because both wheels are rotating at the same speed causing them to fight each other, breaking traction in any situation but a straight line. When my diff is open (locker disengaged) the static wheel won’t fight, anchoring the truck and help it not to slide. The front locker will cause the front of my truck to “crab” even more because it is also fighting any steering input other than straight ahead. I now let my junk just idle through those situations, open, in 4LO, giving it the best chance to maintain traction.
If I use the rear locker to help get up an incline it has to be straight up otherwise I’m off-camber and the rules above are in effect. If it’s a rocky incline or one with a ledge or two I wait until I’m stuck to turn the rear or both lockers on to help.
In deep mud like at Robby’s the lockers make my truck go straight even if I’m trying to turn so I stay open unless I get stuck or its wide open and I want to throw a lot of mud at the bystanders. If I do need to turn the truck in this situation and don’t want to unlock I can slow down or coast, turn and then hit the gas; it will pull in that direction for a little bit before pushing the truck straight.
Sometimes you can use your locker to “crab” around an obstacle, tapping the throttle to purposely get the tires to break-away…fun when you plan and then do…
One of the only times I’ll lock before I’m stuck would be going straight down a steep decline. It is a blast all locked up in 4Lo (crawler gears); engine breaking, all four wheels with traction, no foot or hand brake…wheee.
I have never run my front more than a few seconds and have never forgot to turn it off because I can feel it fighting the steering. I have forgotten to shut off the rear many times and have had near disasters twice because of it.
Once at ECXC and another at the 2012 Northern Exposure Run;
Yikes!
As long as I’m not spinning my tires I can turn on and off my ARB rear locker whether I’m moving or not. I have my front ARB wired so that I can only turn it on when the rear is on (as ARB suggests) but can also do this whether I’m moving or not.
Lockers cause wear on any truck and I do not feel the front axles, IFS and steering in my Xterra are strong enough to handle being locked up by itself or for any length of time (one of my concerns with the Lokka). The front axles in my truck cannot push or pull the full weight of my truck.