Lokka

Hi Robert

If the Simpson is dry, you will have no need what so ever for any locked diffs. Most of the dunes never go straight over, with the last minute turn to the left or right. Have your tyre pressure set right and the Simpson dunes are a walk in the park. Those that complain that the Simpson is a hard trip are either very new to four wheel driving or have no idea on how to drive in soft sand.

Like any product that you add to you vehicle, they all have there place but I am sorry not for the Simpson. You may ask have I ever driven the Simpson Desert, well not this year. LOL


Cheers

Stephen

Hey Robert.
To explain lokka operation. They are locked ALL the time but do allow one wheel to turn faster than the other, not slower. Therefore, when cornering the outside wheel is driven faster by the road surface which the lokka operation allows.
In slippery, muddy conditions having the front locked and being driven by the engine will cause the inside wheel to overdrive to match the speed of the outside wheel and cause the vehicle to understeer as the inside wheel arc tries to match the outside. Likewise in sand.
To be honest i find lokka style diff locks mainly beneficial in hilly, rutted and rocky terrain.
Most Dakkar cars will run an auto lokka but their far more advanced suspension and tyres and diff lock activation are no comparison.
Personally i don't think you'll be happy with it from what you have told us.

Dan

Thanks to both of you for your replies. Looks like you saved me quite a few dollars. I very rarely drive on muddy tracks. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. At one stage I actually got bogged to the side steps and it took me nearly three dirty, wet, cold hours to get out. I was on my own and boy was I pleased when I finally escaped the bog. I thought the Lokkas might give me a bit of an edge in those conditions. Anyway I was wrong. I will just have to be a bit more careful in the future.

I am not really worried about the Simpson desert because I have driven on sand a fair bit and I wont be doing it on my own plus I have plenty of recovery gear if required. Reading the forum it seemed like with Lokkas you wouldn't have to hit the dunes as hard as you sometimes have to.

Thanks fellas,
Bob

Thanks again everyone who replied. I appreciate the input. I think I will give it a miss. Maybe one day I will go for the ones that you can turn on and off as required.

... Now, what can I buy with the money I saved ???? :)

Regards,
Bob

Robert you will have to try them your self - I have them on my 07 Rodeo and have found them a great benefit.

I do Mud, I do Rocks & Hills and I do the Simpson.

I have had no problems at all, like is stated above.

The car is easy to turn and if driven at the right speed for the condition you are tackling you will have no problems.

They have got me out of tight situations in mud, sand and rock. If I did not have them I would have had to winch.

In my opinion they are great in the sand, and in the Simpson with the sharp corners at the crests there was no issues. You have to drive at the appropriate speed. When you install the Lokka's you can slow down and take it more easy on the vehicle.

I recommend them as it is money well spent on a great product.

Cheers Tony

Bob,
Just to add from my experience, I have recently sold an MQ patrol ute to which I had a front Lokka fitted. To me there were advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages: could climb just about anything, in a more controlled fashion. Also more controlled descents when wheels in air.

Disadvantages: I broke front CV's and twisted axle splines, on more than one occasion. Sometimes when climbing, the vehicle would want to climb the bank to the left or right, leading to soiled underwear. Understeer in slippery mud, to the extent of going straight ahead when steering at full lock (at low speed).

It is for the disadvantages that I listed, that I will be getting Air Lockers for my new 4x4. All the same disadvantages will be there when the locker is engaged, however I just wished with the Lokka that there was an off switch for it sometimes, as IMO you do not need locked diffs 100% of the time.

Just to clarify, these are my opinions based on my experience in a particular vehicle. I am not bagging any product or others opinion.

Bob,

Have a Lokka fitted to front of an 03 Triton dual cab.

Have run the ute through mud, sand, dunes, rocks etc.

In all cases as per others comments it comes down to knowing your vehicle and how it performs with what you have fitted.

The Lokka is by far the best upgrade I have ever made, knowing and learning how it reacts in various situations and with different surfaces, tyres and traction has been a joy.

Once you understand how it works and adjust your driving style accordingly they are very predictable and consistent, you know what it will do and when.

Have had one or 2 cases of understear due to my over heavy right foot but apart from that would not be without it.

It has performed faultless in all conditions, you learn to drive out of corners rather than into them, decelerating just before the turn allows the lokka to ratchet to avoid understear, light acceleration out and excellent traction but occassional overstear, once familiar you adjust accordingly.

Have had one CV failure but it was due to seals and not the Lokka, as others comments I find I can drive a lot smoother through more difficult terrain than my mates.

Have driven air locker equiped 4x4's and would not get one, again as pointed out the go straight ahead as they do not ratchet or relieve.

Would througherly recommend over any other product apart from a 4 pin detroit. The lokka is 2 pin and not as strong (ref 4wd Action test reports), but at 1/2 the price and only ever hearing of a handful breaking .... easy choice.

TRYITON