Isuzu D-Max

Most traction controls work ok and do allow you to get deeper into trouble or out of it, all depends on the situation.
A diff lock is definite traction and not a system which applies one or the other wheel brakes to get the other to keep driving.
It all depends on the use you intend giving it/asking of it as to if a Diff lock would be required.

If anything a quality auto locker may be suitable should the need arise.

One of our club members had a brand new Dmax on a trip with us a few months ago. It was a bit muddy and he held us up for around 30 minutes because he couldn't get up a steep rough patch. He had to winch it with his brand new winch. :-) My Jeep went up 3 cars later after the mud was churned up even more with the diffs still open. The traction control on the Dmax didn't impress me but it was a nice unit. If it were mine there would be lockers installed as a priority.

There's a few vids on utube showing how dmax traction control works. You need to keep the welly into it for a while for it to work, a bit counter intuitive I think, but apparently pretty impressive once you've got your head around it? You'd do a lot worse than a dmax for the coin.

The reason the D.Max won 4WD UOTY was because of it's off road ability and having owned one for 18 months and done 60Ks including the GRR, Bungle Bungles and the Gulf, I can not see why I would put a diff lock in it. I do have another Isuzu at home with a front diff lock and rear LSD and the only reason it would go further off road cause it is 21 years old and it's does not owe me a lot of dough now hahahahaha

Hi
In June we are taking or 2013 DMax to the cape, towing our Off Road CT.
We do not have dif locks, but have upgraded the suspension, Snorkel, Steel winch bar and winch, new AT duelers.
We may or may not tackle the OTT, depends on conditions, I'l let you know how it goes.

Our previous vehicle was a Defender with traction control. I had this for about 10 years so got a good feel for TC and its limitations. Got the same BS from a salesman when I was considering getting a newer one, but didn't go down that road.

Our current rig has factory diff locks and I can say with a good deal of confidence that TC and locks are like chalk and cheese. There is absolutely no comparison in my opinion. For starters with TC you have to put the boot in, whereas with locks you can negotiate at crawl speed.

The Zu may be different; can't say as I've never driven one.

2 totally different systems.
TC will take you a lot further off road than standard open diff centres but it won't take you as far as having locked diffs.

It's also harder on your CV's and drive train because you have to keep some revs in it rather than letting it crawl

TC also some short comings in really soft sand. Just doesn't react fast enough and robs power when you want it.

Really no comparison. If you were wanting to do some proper off roading diff lockers is the way to go

Thank you for your opinions

I should have also said i will be doing a lot of trip out of Broken Hill on my own single vehicle so if I do get stuck i am the only one who will get me out

Saying that I feel it may be safer to go the way of a rear locker and max trax and a winch

that way I have a reasonable chance of getting out of trouble

now comes the hard part talking the other half into going down this way

for traction control to work (I have a Triton with it) it needs to detect wheel spin to engage. Then it applies braking to the wheel that is spinning to divert power to the wheel with traction. This equals loss of momentum, which can stop you in your tracks in certain conditions. I have a rear locker in the Triton, it is a much more relaxed ride when engaged when traversing steep rocky terrain, going through mud bog holes etc. However I find TC great in sand because the locker tends to bog things down easier due to the dif being locked and not allowing differential when turning, Get a locker!