Steering hard with Lokka (front end)

Stuffed if I know what happened to that, it's nothing like what I typed in.

This is the correct version:

The way I understand it doing that, running with the hubs locked and a Lokka fitted in 2wd, is a sure way to destroy something in the front diff/axle area, particularly on bitumen.

Take the hubs out to be safe.

Disco

Your left hand has no idea what the right hand is doing

Bloody hell .......now that is ...um....well yeh . head scratching statement that one.

(With the front hubs locked you have no drive to the front but you still have the wheels locked together. In this situation the prop shaft turns freely and so the wheels remain locked )

Don't know what your driving but if you LOCK the hubs you cannot rotate the prop shaft ,

Doug

what i ment was the propshaft is now locked to the front wheels but you are not actually engaged in 4x4, only 2x4 so the prop shaft spins freely when your front wheels turn. Rarther than the 4x4 senario where the prop shaft is driving the wheels.

OK That looks better....lol

Doug,

I agree.

Have one fitted to the front of the cruiser and only realised the other day that the hubs were still locked in after a trip four weeks ago in Collie. Now in Newman and have noticed no difference in steering characteristics at all

John
Didn't you notice the fuel gauge moving a tad faster, well at least it gave it a good lube up , I run mine for a few Ks about every 3 weeks.

Doug

Now that you mention it, the trip up from Perth did prove a tad expensive.

Came via Merredin this time thru the back of the wheatbelt ending up in Paynes Find before the drag north. Plenty of dirt, but hardly used and super smooth. Interesting country,.

As for auto lockers, they have proved to be probably one of the cheapest and certainly the best mod I've done to this truck.

John
I had to do a detour to Merredin from Wubin last year and went down the Rabbit Proof Fence , that was a really good fast track

Doug..im starting to think you like stirring up things with your approach to telling everyone how you know everything better....maybe you do, (know better) but others on here had had differing experiences with their front auto unlockers and mine was crap....isnt that what this forum is about...sharing experiences so others can sort out whats right for them and whats not????
No car company puts them up front standard...does that say anything to you??
For traction, they are better than a air locker, because the x factor is taken away, they lock automatically, not after you get bogged.. good for farm trucks that are used 51% off road, but for the ones that use their 4wd 99% on road, manual lockers are better and for thesame reason.(x factor)...oops left the hubs in...or some bleep locks one on ya
Driving with an auto unlocker running in a front diff wont damage anything, but the extra weight on he steering doesnt help longjevity of steering....ie it wont make it last longer either... The thing i missed the most after putting my auro unlocker in the front was being able to drive in high range 4wd on fast dirt roads...the steering was effected that much by the pedal, it was downright dangerous.
I wont be posting again, brcause confucious, in his infinate wisdom once said....Man who argue with silly person, silly himself....take some Q7

Not much point in having the debate with Dozer because 1 he aint posting anymore and 2 he reackons this is an arguement,
So I will point out one comment he made

[because the x factor is taken away, they lock automatically, ]

They don't lock automatically, they UNLOCK , This is a straight forward issue we are talking about but still people want to rip into you even when they don't understand how things work ,

Yeah agree with Doug hear, It’s one reason why people don’t like mechanical Lockers in the back cause they are a bit unpredictable you can be turning a corner give it some gas and she will lock on you and in the wet that can get hairy.

The Lock-rite is one of the more popular lockers in the front of the explorers in the states; the X has no hubs to unlock so they are constantly engaged however you can trick the T/case into not using its TOD system thus making it optional 2WD or Full 4WD and making driving on-road with the locker more pleasant, I have never heard reports of people saying steering is bad with the locker up front when in 2WD.

Never driven anything with a mechanical Locker up front my-self, thinking of putting a True track up front in mine, but will test the hole steering issue out when we fit a DANA 40 up Front and Duel Detroit lockers to my mates Jeep in a few weeks, but with 6-Inch lift and no sway bars it’s a Pig anyway LOL.

Exploder
Now Here's a bloke that knows what he's talking about and knows what he wants and why

Good one mate

Doug

Doug,
The Lock Right has springs that hold the dog teth apart when there is no driven force applied from the front tailshaft. The Soft locker and the like from detroit are are different to these as you stated. I think some of the people above were refering to the Lock Right mate.

Granpa Joe and others
C'mon gimme a break, if the damn thing had springs to keep unlocked it would be useless, I put a link there for you all to read , seem you didn't bother but would talk about rumors you hear about in the pub or elsewhere,

The Detroit Locker and the Lock Right are an automatic locker that are always in operation. They work by leaving the diff locked and automatically unlocking it when required. Without getting technical, they work by transmitting drive equally to both wheels but allow a wheel to turn faster than driven speed, such as required when cornering. The ARB diff lock is operated by a switch when required and locks the diff completely. It does not allow any difference in wheel speed on the same axle.

As someone else said in this article that he is starting to think I like stirring up things with my approach to telling everyone how I know everything better. well I don't know everthing better , What I do is read , study a product, and learn all that I can about it , and 2 of my favorite interests are GPS's and Diff Locks, So before I make a comment I try to make sure I have it right, Now we're all perfect and niether am I but when I see someone making misinformed comments, and they are just that I feel I would like to put them on the right track, thats all, and if you lot don't want to read, listen and learn then too bad.

You haven't done a lot of research on the Lock Right then obviously or you haven't seen the mechanics of the actual product.

I have fitted these to a couple of 4by's and know how they work, don't take the wording in a peice of literature literally or you might end up with egg on your face!
Although ingnorance is bliss ........ is it not ?

Cheers, ; )

Granpa Joe
Seems you missed the point too, the original post ....was
Steering hard with Lokka (front end) PostID: 45751

And yet you say the damn thing has springs to keep it unlocked , if so then would it be easy to steer, but of course he says it's hard to steer,thats because it's locked , now I have a full Detroit No-Spin in the front and yes I can feel just a little pressure there when turning slightly in 2wd hubs locked, In 4wd in the Dunes when asked it steered either direction with little effort , it's no problem just push the stick forward into 2wd until the next dune , of course if there is only a couple hundred meters then I left it in 4wd high, and secondly with the rear Locker working 100% of the time sometimes it is not needed to engage 4wd.

Doug

No Doug,
He asks: "I just need someone to confirm its perfectly normal with the lokka when not in 4wd? " for the steering to be hard.

You say yes for "any" type of locker, I say no , not for the Lock Right.

I am certainly not plugging any particular brand either.

And "I" don't profess to know everything.

His answer depends on what type of "auto locker " he is using, don't get upset I am just trying to help Phill like other here.

Ps. sorry for filling up your post Phil.

What I do is read , study a product, and learn all that I can about it , and 2 of my favorite interests are GPS's and Diff Locks, So before I make a comment..............

AND he believes in himself that Garmin make the best GPS. More study needed.

Hi Doug,

Glad you liked my article on diff locks!!! Haven't touched that web site for years and still suprising how many hits it gets.

Cheers

Captain

Gday Frankl
No-one should be alowed to get on here and bully or verbally abuse others responses, it takes away participation in discussion. Sorry i hyjacked your thread.
A couple of things....there are more than one brand, they all work slightly different, im guessing some better than others, then we all have different cars, some ifs, some rfs, some worn out, some new. They will all behave differently with one brand, and all differently again with a few brands....
Now as stated above, the lockers are locked untill one wheel wants to turn faster than the diff.....at this point, the torque overcomes the springs holding the drive dogs, and it opens. This spring pressure that needs overcoming will be felt in your steering.
Yours however, seems a little excessive. Maybe there was some wear on your centre gears and the brand of locker installed is jamming up due to this...i can only suggest you drop the diff oil and look at what comes out...if you have steel filings, you should then discuss options with a mechanic. or. unlock those hubs....comeon i know its hard to get out...thats why you need a passenger at all times....:@)

WOW! Now that was a response!!!
OK, with all that said and done, has anyone here got a Lokka (brand name) auto locker in their front end and switch from 4wd to 2wd (hubs locked) and travel at high and low speeds? If so how does it change steering, travel, etc between 2wd unlocked to 2wd,4wd locked?

Thanks

Phill

FWIW mines a Quick Lok.

Any auto locker should not be affecting steering in 2wd with the hubs locked. If they are then they are NOT unlocking.

From what you have described it seems that the diff is not unlocking or your transfer case is not disengaging 4wd.

Is your diff making the clicking sound when cornering in 4wd? If not maybe that's the culprit.

Alternately jack up the front end with both wheels off the ground - 2wd engaged - hubs locked and gently see if the wheels can turn? (DO NOT USE FORCE or you may find that you will force the rear wheels to roll the car off the supports..... squash woops :o ) If the wheels do not turn maybe the transfer case is not disengaging from 4wd.

frankl

I do the same - when offroad in my Hilux I leave my hubs locked to save having to get in and out of the vehicle, and switch between 4WD and 2WD as needed. I have a Lock - Rite in the front diff.
When in 4WD the steering is stiffer. When in 2WD it is not noticeable.

My observation, sorry can't help as to why yours is different. Good Luck!

frankl

( From stand still and turning onto bitumen the steering is a dog, to the point where the wheels are scrubbing and the car is still going straight (in some situations only).

By what you just said there it sounds like it's not unlocking, maybe installed to tight with no backlash

Doug