theksmith
NAXJA Member #1072
- Location
- Phoenix, AZ
Somone told me that you can't tow a trailer if you have a rear locker... I can't find this anywhere on the net. So is it complete BS?
-
Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.
Having a rear locker and towing a trailer ok?
- Thread starter theksmith
- Start date
- Location
- Westminster, SoCal
THat makes no sense. IIRC from the dealership you could get a limited slip and towing setup. Anyways I towed around town a trailer full of bricks with my rear detroit and I was fine.kristoffers said:
XJJack
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hawthorne, CA
If it is in the lock position or a spool, then with the extra wieght on the rear axle from the tounge of the trailer then you are putting alot of strees on your axles. Without the wieght on can slip on the ground, but what I have seen with the trailer pushing down and the tires locked when you try to turn the front will slide and you go straight.
theksmith
NAXJA Member #1072
- Location
- Phoenix, AZ
So what I'm thinking is that with a limited slip that isn't very agressive (like the factory), you would be fine. But if you introduce an affressive limited slip, or a full-time, then you are asking for premature break down of the axle and maybe causing handling problems as well?
I ask this because I need to know whether to start saving extra money for an ARB (since I do tow alot), or if I just need to save up enough for a detroit or something cheap!
I ask this because I need to know whether to start saving extra money for an ARB (since I do tow alot), or if I just need to save up enough for a detroit or something cheap!
Jeepin Jason
NAXJA Member #1100
- Location
- Lewisville, TX
Towed just fine with a Detroit and 35's. Flat-lands only though! haha!
edit: oops, fergot the pic! :gag:
Last edited:
rstarch345
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Where ever I can wheel
I have the PowerTrax locker in my 2000 XJ and have towed a 2700 lb boat trailer well over 6000 miles with it installed (even grunted up some mountains). I tow a utility trailer frequently and go wheelin once a month.
The only thing I would suggest is to make sure you change your diff fluid on a regular basis. Unless you use a manual, air or electric locker, the rest wear over time so keeping fresh oil on them lengthens their life and peformance.
The only thing I would suggest is to make sure you change your diff fluid on a regular basis. Unless you use a manual, air or electric locker, the rest wear over time so keeping fresh oil on them lengthens their life and peformance.
- Location
- Bakersfield, CA
XJJack said:
Sorry, but this is a misunderstanding of how a locker works. An automatic locker is just that, it's automatic. The tires don't slip when you go around a corner, the locker differentiates (allows the tires to turn at different speeds) by letting the outside wheel spin ahead. With an automatic locker power is always going to the inside tire when cornering, which is where the unique driving characteristics come from......not from the locker locking up, but from it unlocking and driving only one axle around a corner. The only time the locker would "lock up" around a corner is if you're on the throttle hard enough so that the torque coming through the driveline is more than the torque working on the axle through the tires traction with the ground. The chirping tire around a slow corner that is a common characteristic of automatic lockers is actually from all the power going to only the inside axle, so if too much power is applied the inside tire (with less traction due to the body leaning away from it) spins to catch up with the free wheeling outside tire. If the locker locks up, you'll get a solid squeal, but if it chirps it's just the inside tire catching up, but the outside tire is still spinning free.
Trailering won't cause the locker to lock up more, it will actually cause it to lock up less, since the extra weight on the tires increases the traction so it would take more torque (throttle) coming down the driveline to overcome the traction and allow the locker to lock up. There's absolutely no reason why you can't tow with a locker. In fact, before lockers became popular in 4x4 rigs, there were heavy trucks that came from the factory with Detroit lockers installed in them.
red91
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- exact location unknown
Jeepin Jason said:
Towed just fine with a Detroit and 35's. Flat-lands only though! haha!
edit: oops, fergot the pic! :gag:
I LOVE your HUSKIES !!! I miss my Malamute...
XJJack
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hawthorne, CA
Goatman said:
That it why I stated "if" it is locked. And as far as the chirping of the inside tire, yes is it locked at that point and you do not get a constant squael because of "stick slip" the tires stick then biuld up a force because there is a difference of travel from the inside and outside and things flex ie. tire, suspension, chassie, axle. Then that force becomes greater then the traction of the inside tire (because there is less wieght there) then it chirps. If you have the extra wieght on the axle then it biulds more force and somthing must give. I have towed with a locker but would not advise it unless you have bigger then stock parts, and avoid sharp turns at slow speeds.
theksmith
NAXJA Member #1072
- Location
- Phoenix, AZ
Jeepin Jason said:
Towed just fine with a Detroit and 35's. Flat-lands only though! haha!
edit: oops, fergot the pic! :gag:
Nice rigs! I can't believe you tow something that big with the cherokee though! Mine sometimes has a hard time keeping 70mph going up the mountainous areas of AZ when it's fully loaded with camping gear and people!
- Location
- Desert Beach So Cal
It OK to tow with an auto locker, it will not hurt anything (unless you are excessively aggressive on the throttle). I towed a number of trailers with the D35 locked, on 31's, and never had a problem in over 100,000 miles of use (and the axle is still good, but the current D44 handles the 33's better).
As Goatman offered, the auto locker differentiates the speed between the axles/wheels whenever the torque difference between the axles/wheels is greater than the locker's dog clutch holding force applied by the pinion load. Towing a trailer increases the axle/wheel torque, overriding the threshold of normal pinion load that can make the locker act like a spool without the extra weight & load on the axles/tires.
Towing a trailer also tends to minimize the locker tail wag on and off the throttle. The extra load on the XJ rear leaf springs tends to flatten them and reduce the axle steer from the locker working the leaf packs.
The rule to respect is to only run a load (or tire size) on the axle you have to the limits of the generally accepted risk for breakage (towing or not). The locked D35 is usually reliable with 31's (but not 35's), and the 8.25 & D44 being more reliable up to 35's (to be conservative). When towing it is no different as far as tire size limits to respect.
You can exceed these guidelines, but for every exception report "proving" it's safe to run a larger tire, there is another exception report of breakage with a smaller tire.
As Goatman offered, the auto locker differentiates the speed between the axles/wheels whenever the torque difference between the axles/wheels is greater than the locker's dog clutch holding force applied by the pinion load. Towing a trailer increases the axle/wheel torque, overriding the threshold of normal pinion load that can make the locker act like a spool without the extra weight & load on the axles/tires.
Towing a trailer also tends to minimize the locker tail wag on and off the throttle. The extra load on the XJ rear leaf springs tends to flatten them and reduce the axle steer from the locker working the leaf packs.
The rule to respect is to only run a load (or tire size) on the axle you have to the limits of the generally accepted risk for breakage (towing or not). The locked D35 is usually reliable with 31's (but not 35's), and the 8.25 & D44 being more reliable up to 35's (to be conservative). When towing it is no different as far as tire size limits to respect.
You can exceed these guidelines, but for every exception report "proving" it's safe to run a larger tire, there is another exception report of breakage with a smaller tire.
- Location
- Bakersfield, CA
XJJack said:
XJJack said:
Would you like to explain how an automatic locker differentiates in a corner? The point of an automatic locker is that it will allow for different wheel speeds in the corners........otherwise there's no point in a locker, we might as well just run a spool.
We'll have to agree to disagree. I stand with my previous explanation.
