Diff Locks

For general touring I say they aren't a necessity. Diff locks especially F&R will only get you more stuck. Your winch and a snatch block (or 2) will get you out of trouble 99% of the time. Just make sure you service it now and then.

You can get the LSD tricked up so it works better.

A rear locker in sand will help until you need to turn. Tyre pressures are the best for sand and if the sand is very powdery, drive in the cool of the morning or evening when the sand is denser.

Personally I have only used my winch in anger three times, 1st was to remove a bogged fairlane and boat out of a dam, 2nd was to pull my FIL and camper out of the Mitchell River near Dunbar in the Gulf and last was to pull myself out of a bog in CQ(broke the cable on that one).

Thanks Dave.
I think you have a point about the LSD getting you even more stuck.
How do you trick up the LSD?

I spent some time studying this and eventually got twin lockers.

We spent some time filming and evaluating them on hills in Vic and came to the conclusion that the front diff lock had a dramatic effect on traction in most circumstances and the rear was some use , but mostly when going backwards.

It is important to understand the balance of your car first and I can only claim the results on both GQ & GU patrols - the cruiser has a slightly shorter wheelbase.

Central to the above you should take your car to a public weighbridge and weigh the front axle and rear axle in normal configuration.
If roughly the same you will benefit more from the front than the rear.

Just have got an additional Patrol and its weight balance full of fuel is 40kg heavier on front than rear which is about perfect.

I will probably not fit a rear locker to this new car with its good LSD - if yours is in good condition I wouldn't go with rear.

Sand is tricky - in a recent post a few weeks ago we were unable to get as far up a tricky sand hill with lockers on due to wheel hop.

Always a $150 set of chains will beat lockers on dirt/muddy tracks and a set of Maxtrax will beat lockers on sand.

Toyata's are known to have woeful LSDs compared to Nissans.

Instead of an airlocker have you considered an autolocker, eg Lockright? Much cheaper and no airlines, air compressor to worry about.

My previous vehicle a GQ had 2 ARB Diff Locks.

I owned it through that stage in my life where I wanted to get to the top of every hill I laid eyes on. I succeeded. I never got stuck with both diff locks in, but if I ever had I would have been monumentally stuck.

On sand the diff locks buried me quicker than any other mistake I made. I would not use diff locks on sand, let the tyres down and be gentle.

I used that vehicle for trips to Cape Yorke, Victorian Deserts and various shorter trips. Apart from one spot in the Blue Mountains I never used the diff locks while travelling with the family and never at all while travelling with the Camper Trailer.

My current vehicle is a GU. I intended fitting diff locks when I first got the car but never got around to it. I have done many family touring miles in this vehicle including towing the camper through parts of the Vic High Country. Only once have I been in a situation where the diff locks would have been really nice. Not having them I got out of trouble by applying a bit of brain power.

Would I fit them to the GU? Absolutely but only if I had nothing else to spend my money on and even then only if I was travelling alone in really steep country.

Duncs

1: Yes they are significantly better particually in deep ruts & over rock ledges. Slip diff doesn't work offroad.
2: I'd use the rear locker more mainly because it doesn't effect the steering as much. Front locker is engaged briefly for difficult obsticals.
3: Lockers both front & rear more often than not make sand driving worst. Only time I'd engage mine would be to restart in very soft sand then turn off once going. Have heard of several people blowing up CV's when turning in sand with locker engaged from extreme axle wind up.
If you are not sure if you need lockers I'd suggest you probably don't. For towing in the desert spend your money instead on good tyres, a spring lift & a tyre gauge.
Cheers Craig.............

sand driving is all about tyre pressures IMHO, reduce your tyres to the correct pressure and you shouldn't get stuck to start with. if you do get stuck then knowing how to unbog yourself easily is better then owning diff locks i reckon.
personally i reckon reducing tyre pressure and using Maxtrax are the easiest way to unbog a vehicle in sand (others will have their opions of what they use aswell i know), by far they are the easiest method i have used to unbog many a 4wd stuck in the sand (usually they are stuck from to high a tyre pressure in the first place though).
if you do go the air locker route, then look at a solid pinion spacer in the front diff at the same time the locker is fitted, 100 series cruisers are known for their weak front diffs (i've busted a crown wheel and pinion in mine once already), and this helps to strengthen the front diff abit.

My 2 cents worth..... FWIW.

This winter (Late June- Early August) we spent touring the outback. Our rig is a GQ Patrol, 3" lift, after market turbo 4.2L diesel, towing a Track Tvan. We drove the Strzelecki, Birdsville, and Oodnadatta tracks, the Mereenie Loop and crossed the Simpson Desert. I don't have lockers, but I am lucky enough to have one of the Nissan REALLY good Limited Slip Diffs.

I have never driven a truck with lockers, although I have many friends who have them, but they don't use them on sand.

Would I have them? If my LSD ever gives out, I would consider it rather than have a rebuilt LSD in the truck, but again, I wouldn't use them on sand. Sand driving is Tyre Pressures and Momentum!

The only downfall I see is the Toyota LSD is renowned for not being being as "tough" (for want of a better word,) as the Nissan. Having said that, our travel partners on the trip own an 80 series, without lockers and they had no drama's either.

If your LSD packs it in, and the lockers are not too much more than rebuilding your diff, maybe consider the lockers. If the LSD is still good, and you're just doing touring style 4wd'ing as opposed to comp style rock crawling /hill climbing etc... maybe stick with the LSD and spend your money elsewhere.

Hope I haven't confused you Keith, and all the best whichever way you go!

Cheers

Brian

My 2 cents worth..... FWIW.

This winter (Late June- Early August) we spent touring the outback. Our rig is a GQ Patrol, 3" lift, after market turbo 4.2L diesel, towing a Track Tvan. We drove the Strzelecki, Birdsville, and Oodnadatta tracks, the Mereenie Loop and crossed the Simpson Desert. I don't have lockers, but I am lucky enough to have one of the Nissan REALLY good Limited Slip Diffs.

I have never driven a truck with lockers, although I have many friends who have them, but they don't use them on sand.

Would I have them? If my LSD ever gives out, I would consider it rather than have a rebuilt LSD in the truck, but again, I wouldn't use them on sand. Sand driving is Tyre Pressures and Momentum!

The only downfall I see is the Toyota LSD is renowned for not being being as "tough" (for want of a better word,) as the Nissan. Having said that, our travel partners on the trip own an 80 series, without lockers and they had no drama's either.

If your LSD packs it in, and the lockers are not too much more than rebuilding your diff, maybe consider the lockers. If the LSD is still good, and you're just doing touring style 4wd'ing as opposed to comp style rock crawling /hill climbing etc... maybe stick with the LSD and spend your money elsewhere.

Hope I haven't confused you Keith, and all the best whichever way you go!

Cheers

Brian

Hi Keith

My 100 Series O6 Sahara has dual Air Lockers and I love them.

A mate managed to get my Cruiser bogged in sand, and I tried reversing and going forward with correct tyre pressures, no go. Engaged both lockers, and the beast with STT tyres clawed it's way out. I was told there were 2 huge sand castles left behind me.

Recently in the (Lake) Simpson I used the rear locker a lot because it's there to use, one of the guys said try it without it, and I did, and I felt a great difference. My response to him was that was like going to Kings Cross without protection...
http://www.4wdaction.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=129&t=97164&start=0

Over the dunes I was towing a trailer and didn't have the need to use the locker as the sand was firm.

I use the rear more often, even when it's not really needed, just so it eases any stress on the Cruiser

Thank you for all your replies. I have learned more about diff lockers from you blokes in the last 24 hours than I have by reading a year's worth of off road magazines. Thanks again.
Keith

Hi Keith

One thing not mentioned so far is that with lockers you can just crawl over most obstacles. When you get a tyre off the ground in normal circumstances most people rock back and give there beast a little more herbs to push them through ( a few will change there line). With lockers you will just walk over every thing. Your wife and kids will feel safer. If you have the coin ,do it. My preference is for a locker that you can turn on and off as you wish ( I have also had a Lock right on a Triton.)

ARB Lockers wiring loom makes you use the rear locker first before you can engage the front one. (interlock system),not to say you cant just fit a front one ..And your LSD will not perform nearly as good as a Locker they still require a certain amount of down force to work.

Also as someone else mentioned ,buy the best tyres you can afford..(probably at least $340 each)


Both of my max trax's have broken ,they look pretty on the roof rack but didn't fair so well under the Cruiser

Regards Gavan