Diff locks when turning
Submitted: Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
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Tom
Driving my GQ patrol on some mud, i experienced two wheel spin. That is when i decided to get air lockers or lockrite. My only concern is... Can i turn a corner in a rut with air lockers? or do i must turn them off? I have heard conflicting opinions from other people regarding this. Some people say you can leave them on???
what do you all think?
Tom
Reply By: Will - Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Tom,
It is not a matter os what you think, it is what really happens, I have had both types on my GU Patrol (at front), I initially had a lockrite, then decided to remove it and installed an ARB air locker.
The lockrite has its merits because in the situation you describe it unlocks automatically "but" only after it has put considerable strain on the shafts and components, to the extent that you feel the steering getting "really" heavy.
With the air locker, it does not unlock and YES you have to disengage it or no differential action will occur causing damage sooner or later.
Be aware that components don't fail straight away, most times it takes a while.
The beauty of the air locker is that you can disingage it and it goes back to conventional 4wd
Will
AnswerID:
6893
Follow Up By: Tom - Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Bascically if im turning left inside a rut, can i still operate the air lockers? or do they have to be 'turned off' to allow steering then probalby turned on again after gettin the car into the right position?
I noticed that you may be selling your air lockers ( am i wrong? - read somewhere in this
forum) Will they fit a GQ?
Cheers
FollowupID:
3099
Follow Up By: Guy - Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
I have an ARB airlocker in the back diff on a GU since 1999( 3 years). Excellent airlocker. "Will" remember that on gravel roads the LSD from your diff has been removed and you will skid at speed over 60km/h. This is a problem which is NOT often mentioned but which is real. In insight I may have choosen a GOOD WINCH rather than a rear/front AIRLOCKER.Guy
FollowupID:
3102
Follow Up By: Will - Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Tom, I sold the lockrite ages ago.
Guy, my airlocker is on the front... So I retained my LSD....
I have had the air locker in now for a couple of years...
Will
FollowupID:
3104
Reply By: Member - Nigel - Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Not really fair to compare the cheap lockrite with an Air Locker. A fairer comparison would be between a Detroit Locker and an Air Locker. The Detroit takes much less effort to unlock if one wheel overspeeds the drive shaft, and the unlocking/locking action doesn't cause wear to the teeth like in the cheaper imitations.
AnswerID:
6917
Reply By: Member - Nigel - Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Not really fair to compare the cheap lockrite with an Air Locker. A fairer comparison would be between a Detroit Locker and an Air Locker. The Detroit takes much less effort to unlock if one wheel overspeeds the drive shaft, and the unlocking/locking action doesn't cause wear to the teeth like in the cheaper imitations.
AnswerID:
6918
Reply By: kezza - Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Tom try putting some "good" oil in your LSD - see how it works then - maybe you just need a front locker. I use Penrites Limslip 140 in
mine and it takes quite a bit to lose traction on the rear wheels - a front locker will finish the package nicely.
Check out
www.penrite.com.au
cheers
kezza
AnswerID:
6928
Reply By: Derek - Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Tom. I put a Lockright in the front of my 80 series about 3 years ago and have had no trouble (touch wood). It improves traction immensely but does bang and clunk and make the steering a little heavier. The beauty of these things are that they disengage automatically, allowing you to turn the car. Once the car straightens up, they re-lock. Because the traction was so greatly improved, I decided to get another one for the rear diff. I ended up getting the more expensive Detroit as the rear diff works all the time (as opposed to the front one which only works when I go off road) and I don't think I could have lived with all the clunking etc. The local transmission
shop said the Detroit was much quieter and refined than the Lockright so I had it fitted. What a mistake! It is smoother and quieter than the Lockright but not by much. The traction I get is awesome but I wish I'd saved a bit longer and got the Airlocker. On the highway I can't tell it's there, but driving around the streets of suburbia is terrible. It has changed the handling characteristics of the car for the worse and I have had to change my driving style. So there you have it. It's six of one and half a dozen of the other.
AnswerID:
6931
Reply By: Bob - Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 at 00:00
I have a 98 GU Patrol with ARB airlockers front and rear. I have noticed that if the front locker is not disengaged when turning, then steering is definitely affected. In some sandy situations the rear airlocker can also affect the steering. I have no trouble switching them on / off as required when negotiating a track, and I wouldn't be without them for quids. They allow my Patrol to go
places others can't, and the only thing that stops me is deep slimy mud. On the bitumen I don't even know they are there so noise is not an issue.
AnswerID:
6936
Follow Up By: Tom - Thursday, Sep 26, 2002 at 00:00
Thursday, Sep 26, 2002 at 00:00
Deep slimy mud stops you? in what way? air lockers cant pass them? or is it too much cleanin up :)
Tom
FollowupID:
3129
Follow Up By: Bob - Tuesday, Oct 01, 2002 at 00:00
Tuesday, Oct 01, 2002 at 00:00
Sorry for the late reply but I've been away for the long weekend down to
Albany to play in the mud, the sand dunes, and the rocks. Did some deep slimy mud down there and the Patrol waltzed through it with both diff locks engaged (bent my left side step somehow). Same on
the rock climbs, double dif locks just walked the patrol up in low first - no problems. On the sand the tyre pressures had more impact than the diff locks, except when trying to start off in soft sand - wouldn't move out without the front and rear diff locks engaged, then it just lifted itself up out of the ruts like it was on tank tracks. Front dif lock had minmal impact on steering in the sand even when travelling at 50kph in high 3rd.
As far as one of your correspondents having damaged his locks, I think if you drive sensibly and don't hammer the hell out of the locks then you won't have any problems. The deep slimy mud that stops me is only a problem when all 4 wheels lose traction and I'm hung up on a berm in the middle of the track.
FollowupID:
3204
Reply By: Tom - Thursday, Sep 26, 2002 at 00:00
Thursday, Sep 26, 2002 at 00:00
Thanks everyone for your replies, I will probalby get a air locker in the front and put good diff oil in the rear and see how i go from there. As The quote from one member here regarding going over 60 kph will cause the car to skid in an open diff at the rear.
Anyone care to comment on the air locker operated open diff rear??
Tom
AnswerID:
6949
Reply By: Edwin - Saturday, Sep 28, 2002 at 00:00
Saturday, Sep 28, 2002 at 00:00
Tom, in my experience with front diff locks they will more likely get you into trouble than out of it. Our last trip into the Canning was confirmation of this. My friends Landcruiser had ARB diff locks front and rear. The front CV joint gave away in a bog, which meant a long hard drive
home. I have a GQ and putting a good quality oil in the rear diff for the LSD makes a lot of difference. Edwin
AnswerID:
7014