[interior_mike]

why don't more people run lockers upfront only

senerio:

1)only own one truck
2)high highway mileage use as well as weekend warrior in the woods
3)don't want to spend the money on a arb or electric locker
4)want increased traction

what would happen if one was to put a locker in the front and run one hub locked went doing high speed and lots of turning and both locked when more traction needed

 

[Jarett]

Putting a locker up front make it harder to turn. Running with only one hub locked would work, but it will put excess strain on that axle shaft, and could cause it to break. unlocking one hub for making tight turns works well though.

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Coquitlam Crawlers
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1974 Dodge W100 Power Wagon BROKEN
Looks beaten up but it's fun.
360 V8, 3 wheels
http://members.shaw.ca/jaretthumphrey

 

[MudKick]

Rule of thumb: When climbing (that's mainly when the locker really comes in handy)you will experience 80% of traction at your rear axle.
Now, let me ask you a question: if you had anough mony for only one locker - where would you put it?

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If you didn't roll it, you havn't tried hard enough! I have...

 

[interior_mike]

80% traction from the rear???????? ,,,if your have one set of chains, where do you put them,, on the front always, i have never spun out the front tires on a hill with the rears still pushing especially with pickups...the rear always spins out first...anyways thats been my expererince

 

[MudKick]

I am talking about climbing technical terrain in a relatively short wheelbase 4x4, ie: Jeep, Zuk, Toy etc...
Of course it is different with a full size pick up truck blasting through a relatively flat terrain in snow, which is what you seem to be describing.
Your question was why most people put lockers in the back. I answered it. Most people that put lockers (not always all of them)in their rigs are somewhat serious about wheeling and want to aid their truck's traction in the most demanding situations. That often means steep rock climbs, when even with a full size pick up you will get a lot of your weight transferred to your rear and the rear locker will do the trick.
Hey, its a free country. You can put yours in the front...

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If you didn't roll it, you havn't tried hard enough! I have...

[This message has been edited by MudKick (edited March 20, 2002).]

 

[suburbanator]

What do you recomend for lockers on a 89 Suburban?

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1989 SUBURBAN 4x4 5.7L 4" Lift - BFG's
1988 Toyota 4Runner

 

[desteurm]

Well in most cases the locker in the rear will do fine because there is always three points of contact required...a locker up front is hard on the u-joints...it also depends on if your system is full or part time 4wd, with a full time I think it would make driving characteristics very gay, so once again we are installing the locker in the rear.

The reason why you run chains on the front axle is because that is where the most weight is situated in the vehicle because of the engine position and you need the traction to steer so you don't drive str8 off the cliff.

I would only run a locker up front if I was wheeling in mud or rock crawling all the time and if I already had one in the rear, I think the best mod is to put the locker in the rear!

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[Goof]

Is it just me, or does this topic come up OVER and OVER again? Lars should really do a write up so we can just post link to it.

Gravity will put the weight at the lowest point of the truck. On a hill, it's usually the rear.

Mementum will the the weight of the truck to the trailing end. In any situation, it's usually the rear.

Yes you have the motor right over the front wheels, but a fair ammount of the weight is transfered back to the rear. Not to mention, most 4x4s will have the rear loaded with parts and tools (yet again, adding weight to the rear).

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Goof
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Hot Wheels Safari Hummer

 

[DanB]

for your suburban get detroit !!!!!

im damn happy with mine 76 chevy army truck 4x4 it helped lots eventho i have small 30 inch tires (not mud or snow its a street tires) and it did some impressive stuff on the weekend

too bad rhys missed that part since i had diffculity getting the 4x4 working it worked 2x4 for first couple days and didnt do great but after i figured it out.. and it worked.. and did awesome and i think back locker = good idea.. but im considering welding up front.. since on the road i turn the hubs off then its good.. but that truck = basically for hard core 4x4ing

but it depends on money permiting

 

[Billy Goat]

I put lockers in the front with the long term goal of rear lockers which I can switch off for street driving. These cost more than current budget so I chose to lock the front first. I am running L/S in the back until I can afford the rear lockers. I find that most stuff I have absolutely no difficulty with even steeper terrain. On steep terrain with large obstackles (usually rocks)I need to pick my line carefully so that the rear tires have a easy go of it. The front lockers cannot pull the whole rig up when all the weight is on the back and thus need the back end assisting to some degree. Not spinning. These situations are not that frequent. This type of hard core wheeling you need a buddy and probably a winch too. People with this type of setup are few and far between. Having said that, some drivers replace this "missing hardware" with throttle and this is when something usually breaks.

 

[kenny]

I have a posi in the front as well as in the back. Its great at slow speeds put hang for a wicked ride if you are trying to do a logging road at any speed it wants to pull you from one side to the other side uncontrollable.

 

[Dan O]

blah blah blah

if I could only have 1 locker it would go in the front.my truck has had all combos,open,only locked front,only locked rear,and now locked front and rear.
maybe its cause I have a truck and not a jeep or 4-runner or something with a little more weight in the back,but I found that have the front locked was better then rear locked.
the reason....I think having the locked end also be the end that turns is the advantage.
say...when you are climbing a steep slope and there is a rock face,log....whatever at a 45% angle to the direction you are going,when your one front tire comes in contact with that edge it will just become dead(with a open front) and the other 3 tires fight to push it over.with a locked front you can turn in to the face and the front tire will drive up the face.oh sure when the back tire hits that ledge then its the dead tire,but even with a locked rear the backtires almost alway slide diagonal along the angled face since they can't turn in to it........Am I makeing any sence to anyone???

short answer....if only locking 1 end,I think locking the front is better,unless you have rear steer.

 

[peterbuilt4x4I]

If you can only aford to build one then spend all you can on the front, don't forget your axels and crosses.
My two cents
Peter oewen