Locker Newbie - Looking for some "Words of Wisdom" on wheeling with lockers ...

[bonedaddy]

Locker Newbie - Looking for some "Words of Wisdom" on wheeling with lockers ...

Newbie to wheeling with lockers, from you guys on here that have experience - what are some tips you would have for myself and anyone else with locker Newbie questions?

I did notice taking it out the other day that it felt like the Jeep walked to the side a lot more while climbing with the lockers on than without. Now I wasn't wheeling up rocks or anything, just large washed out sandy hill climbs ... but my thought was if it feels like this in the dirt, would they walk you off a rock? Lockers in mud?

Thanks in advance - Donnie :thumb:

 

[wayoflife]

Not sure what you were trying to climb but it sounds like you really didn't need your lockers. I personally try to use my lockers only when needed and before they're needed like before starting a big rock obstacle. I also try to use both at the same time unless a lot of steering is required and then I use the fronts selectively. I'm sure others will have their own opinion on the matter.

 

[GraniteCrystal]

I follow a similar strategy. Use only when necessary, usually when I'm staring up at some large stretch of big rocks. Heard if lockers getting stuck engaged so I try not to turn them on unless needed.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
http://wayalife.com/showthread.php?p=621404

 

[bonedaddy]

Yeah a buddy of mine was talking about his Traildash and how he uses that to select the Front independently of the rear ... I used them a couple of times, mostly because I got hung up and the tires started spinning ...

I was wondering about using just the rear versus both front and rear, or benefits to being able to use just the fronts...

So you primarily use just the fronts when there's a lot of steering involved, that makes sense now that I have used them ...

 

[wayoflife]

I follow a similar strategy. Use only when necessary, usually when I'm staring up at some large stretch of big rocks. Heard if lockers getting stuck engaged so I try not to turn them on unless needed.

Yup, the factory lockers are nice but they do wear out especially when running bigger than stock tires. Trust me, I've gone through 3 of them in the past. Like you, I try to use them sparingly because of it.

 

[hinrichs]

This brings up an interesting concept, I recently had issues with my rear locker and never used it....well maybe one time....but when talking to Tim @ trail jeeps, he said when he was on factory lockers, he basically had the rear on all the time on the trail since it has a tendency to cross load and bend internally and have issues when not used. Not saying this is right, but I have been curious about this after he told me that.

 

[notnalc68]

I used them, when I first got this Rubicon, just to see how different it was than my Sport. I wound up not using the front, and just locking the rear. Honestly, a Jeep will go crazy places, without lockers. Wayolife's advice sounds solid, to me, after my experiment.


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[notnalc68]

Yeah a buddy of mine was talking about his Traildash and how he uses that to select the Front independently of the rear ... I used them a couple of times, mostly because I got hung up and the tires started spinning ...

I was wondering about using just the rear versus both front and rear, or benefits to being able to use just the fronts...

So you primarily use just the fronts when there's a lot of steering involved, that makes sense now that I have used them ...

He means disengagement of front lockers when he needs to steer easier.


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[bonedaddy]

He means disengagement of front lockers when he needs to steer easier.


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Ah - so maybe it was the fronts being on that was making the rig "walk" because I was trying to steer at the same time ...

See this is exactly why I posted this on here!!! :thumb:

Makes sense, "use the rear if you have to steer" ...

 

[wayoflife]

Yeah a buddy of mine was talking about his Traildash and how he uses that to select the Front independently of the rear ... I used them a couple of times, mostly because I got hung up and the tires started spinning ...

I was wondering about using just the rear versus both front and rear, or benefits to being able to use just the fronts...

So you primarily use just the fronts when there's a lot of steering involved, that makes sense now that I have used them ...

He means disengagement of front lockers when he needs to steer easier.

This ^^^

It can be quite difficult to steer with the front locker engaged. Turning them off as needed will help make it easier to steer.

 

[Draconianwinter]

Personally i won't engage either front or rear locker unless i have to make climb then i usually just use the rear unless it is steep. Other than that i will use them to climb ledges and such. No point in having them engaged unless needed, that's just me and some may agree and some may disagree.

sent from your basement

 

[Ddays]

One thing I've noticed that you have to watch with the front locker is off camber climbs. You described it in your post where it felt like it was walking to the side. With the fronts locked the tendency is for them to pull you like that. Another instance you have to watch is if you use them while driving in snow on the road - with the fronts engaged the Jeep will understeer like a bitch. Granted, you really shouldn't need them on the road like that but it ties in with what you described with the 'walking' comment. With the fronts locked the Jeep resists turning. Course I'm not even a mallcrawler yet. I'm still stuck at the mimimart!

 

[Randy Tadevich]

So in reading some of these comments, it makes think. I only use them for for crawling, but I have ARB's front and rear. When the shop installed them, they set it up for the front to engage"first" he said, and can change it later to rear first if I choose too. With this said, can I select either or first, or does it have to always follow front then rear and reverse order to unlock?

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[Ddays]

So in reading some of these comments, it makes think. I only use them for for crawling, but I have ARB's front and rear. When the shop installed them, they set it up for the front to engage"first" he said, and can change it later to rear first if I choose too. With this said, can I select either or first, or does it have to always follow front then rear and reverse order to unlock?

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With the ARB's you can't lock the fronts without locking the rears first. At least with their stock wiring. Not sure why they said they hooked up yours the other way. I don't see the advantage of the fronts only being locked unless I'm missing something?

 

[Randy Tadevich]

With the ARB's you can't lock the fronts without locking the rears first. At least with their stock wiring. Not sure why they said they hooked up yours the other way. I don't see the advantage of the fronts only being locked unless I'm missing something?

You are correct as far as the wiring. But the fronts are hard lined to engage first. Front what I understand some people prefer to use their front instead of/ or prior to the use of the rear. I don't mind the fronts engaging first, but I don't have experience with engaging the rear first. When I do use them Im not really needing to make sharp turns, if I do I just disengage. So I guess, for my set up with ARB's, one would need to follow the sequential engagement order?!?

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[cozdude]

So in reading some of these comments, it makes think. I only use them for for crawling, but I have ARB's front and rear. When the shop installed them, they set it up for the front to engage"first" he said, and can change it later to rear first if I choose too. With this said, can I select either or first, or does it have to always follow front then rear and reverse order to unlock?

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They prob hooked it up wrong. ARB is wired one way and so that the rear locks first. I bet they even put the switch covers on wrong which made them think that

 

[wayoflife]

They prob hooked it up wrong. ARB is wired one way and so that the rear locks first. I bet they even put the switch covers on wrong which made them think that

This ^^^^ Probably wired wrong. It is supposed to be the other way around. You WANT to have you rear lock first.

 

[WJCO]

Being that I just got a front axle with an ARB, I have no rear locker at all. I wired the front locker to switch 2 and it wouldn't work at all. I had to run it to switch 1 to get it to work. So I will have a front locker that works first. If and when I install a rear, I will change it so the rear is actuated first.

 

[Randy Tadevich]

This ^^^^ Probably wired wrong. It is supposed to be the other way around. You WANT to have you rear lock first.

Well he told me he set it up for the front first. He said he prefers and others prefer the front to engage first. He did say I can change it if I dont like it that way. I didn't know any better. These guys are a shop and have their own offroad rigs and do competitions. I guess a personal preference. I may change it.

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[wayoflife]

Well he told me he set it up for the front first. He said he prefers and others prefer the front to engage first. He did say I can change it if I dont like it that way. I didn't know any better. These guys are a shop and have their own offroad rigs and do competitions. I guess a personal preference. I may change it.

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I dunno, makes no sense to me. In fact, ARB specifically makes their kit to have the rears turn on first and it's in their directions. Maybe the guy who set you up likes to do a lot of front side burns :idontknow: Again, steering with your front locked up can be quite difficult on big rocks. More times than not, I go into a big obstacle with front and rear locked up and then just turn off the front as needed. But then, that's just me.