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Locker in the mud

D

Dustin_XJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Pennsylvania
I have an '01 with a 4.5" RE lift, 32s, and the d30/8.25 combo and is my DD. In the spring i will be regearing to 4:56s and would also like to lock either the front or the rear(maybe the other in the future). I have searched and found that most people prefer to lock the front first and was just wondering if this is would still be the case with me since i usually end up doing more mudding than rock climbing/hill climbing? Thanks in advance.
 
I still can't figure out why people would lock the front first. I would do the rear first before the front regardless of the terrain.
 
BlueCuda said:
I still can't figure out why people would lock the front first. I would do the rear first before the front regardless of the terrain.
Click to expand...

Front locked/rear lsd here, works great so far.

The front tires having traction to pull you over just seems like a better way to do it to me.

I plan to lock both eventually but considering I had the LSD rear I thought it could wait.
 
BlueCuda said:
I still can't figure out why people would lock the front first. I would do the rear first before the front regardless of the terrain.
Click to expand...
Why can't you figure it out. The front is pulling, while the rear is pushing. Think about it this way, you have a VERY tight bolt, would you rather pull on the ratchet or push on the ratchet?
 
ia green96 said:
Why can't you figure it out. The front is pulling, while the rear is pushing. Think about it this way, you have a VERY tight bolt, would you rather pull on the ratchet or push on the ratchet?
Click to expand...

on the other hand, think of it this way......weight transfer. most of the time you are going forward. it would be more advantagous to have extra traction in the rear considering the weight transfers to teh rear while accelerating forward.
 
wolfpackjeeper said:
but only while accelerating. If you are not accelerating then there is not a weight transfer.
Click to expand...

how often are you wheeling and sitting still? the moment you start to move an inch there is transfer. would you rather pull weight off your front wheels when you need traction, or would you rather put weight onto wheels when you need traction?
 
Dustin_XJ said:
I have an '01 with a 4.5" RE lift, 32s, and the d30/8.25 combo and is my DD. In the spring i will be regearing to 4:56s and would also like to lock either the front or the rear(maybe the other in the future). I have searched and found that most people prefer to lock the front first and was just wondering if this is would still be the case with me since i usually end up doing more mudding than rock climbing/hill climbing? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...


A rear locker would be a lil sketchy on the roads, front wouldnt be noticeable. Front locker also you can get an aussie for $230.
IslanderOffRoad said:
Front locked/rear lsd here, works great so far.

The front tires having traction to pull you over just seems like a better way to do it to me.

I plan to lock both eventually but considering I had the LSD rear I thought it could wait.
Click to expand...

Thats a good setup, thats what i want
 
I always say lock the front first. Way i look at it id rather pull a tire over an object rather then try to push a dead tire over something. Much easier on the truck itself.
 
the ratched analogy makes no sense, and doesn't compare what so ever to offroading

a lot of people do front first becasue it pulls you up and over a log/rock/rut, whatever. a rear simply pushes you into things. rear ive seen work better on hill climbs where all the weight transfers to the rear. but other then that front is preferred by me. but im locked f/r now so yea
 
I think the ratchet analogy makes sense, but moving forward:
Yes, there is a weight transfer under acceleration - but how much weight transfer under how much acceleration? Off of idle in off road situations are you really mashing the gas hard enough to push you back in your seat? If not, I'd say the weight transfer to the rear is minimal / not a big factor. If you aren't makign the back end squat when you mash the skinny pedal, I'd think having the front pull you up over something is better than having the rear end ram the front dumbly into the obstacle.

In the mud, I'd still go front. Two even, already tracked ruts for your rear to work with. Then, I really don't know anything about mud.
 
I would think that in the mud you would want one in the back first and possibly a selectable locker in the front simply due to the fact that if you plan on steering under load in the middle of a pit, with the front locked, you would just go straight wouldn't you? I agree with doing the front first for pretty much every other terrain. Just not mud I don't think.
 
ocalajeeper said:
how often are you wheeling and sitting still? the moment you start to move an inch there is transfer. would you rather pull weight off your front wheels when you need traction, or would you rather put weight onto wheels when you need traction?
Click to expand...

and the moment you hit crawl speed and are simply maintaining velocity, the weight transfers back neutral.

It is much easier to have the front wheels grip and pull you over tan to try and force them over something with no traction.

edit: yossarian tagged it better than I did.
 
you also have to keep in mind that the vehicle is still going to be in 4wd, the rear locker isn't just jamming the wheels into an object until they roll over it.
 
I had an Aussie in front, and an LSD in back.

Hated it.

Got an ARB for the rear and never looked back. Ill never lock only the front again.

I just geared my Jeep to 4.56 with 35's and the fist thing Im buying next is a rear locker, and im leaving the front open for a long long time since I dont even need the front locked.

Not to mention front unselectable lockers suck bad in the snow.
 
wolfpackjeeper said:
but only while accelerating. If you are not accelerating then there is not a weight transfer.
Click to expand...


true, but with more speed comes more weight tranfser, exactly how much weight transfer do u expect to get while crawling at say less then 5mph??? not very much......not enough to make the rear locker worth it. now if your doing 80 across the desert obviously the locked rear would be much better, but not while crawling
 
hey, buddy. I just installed a locker in the front, (powertrax). I'll be re gearing both, and locking the rear, start of next year. I haven't had a chance to play in the mud, yet. I had a Lincoln locked 35 in another xj. As for the push, I don't see much difference front or back, push is push. The full locked rear pushed just as bad as this front seems to. SO... I think I'd rather have the front first, so I don't have to deal with the push on the street. I know, once I put a locker in the rear, the push will be there. However, for now, I don't have the push, except in 4wd. In my limited experience, and from what I have seen on the muddy trails around here. I say the front would be the easiest, and cheapest to do first.
 
a locked rear will push you forward when trying to turn in the mud. with a rear locker engaged, there is no overspin in the rear end allowing you to turn. your front tires would be turned but you would still be going straight.

a locked front would cause the tires to pull the vehicle in the direction they are pointed. i used this method to regain control on slick snowy roads when i lived in utah.

i am with the lock the front crowd. i would rather have the front tires pull me over an obstical than have the back push me into it. try to push a hand truck (box dolly) up over an obstical like a step or curb. odds are one cant do it. now turn the hand truck arround and pull it up the curb. much easier.
 
stewie said:
i am with the lock the front crowd. i would rather have the front tires pull me over an obstical than have the back push me into it. try to push a hand truck (box dolly) up over an obstical like a step or curb. odds are one cant do it. now turn the hand truck arround and pull it up the curb. much easier.
Click to expand...

There we go i always try to think of a way to explain things and i think that just completely hit it on the head.
 
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