Aussie
Oct 6, 2003 | 10:38 PM
#1
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Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Salem, Oregon
Aussie
Hey I was wondering what the downside was to the lockers. People are saying they suck on ice and snow. What exactly is the problem and how do you have ot change your drviing style?
Oct 7, 2003 | 01:09 AM
#2
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,345
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From: Orange County, CA
It seems that the whole driving style issue came up when people were talking about hopping around corners.
I would assume that the change in driving style that they're talking about would be to take corners slowly and maybe at a wider angles?
My guess anyway...
I would assume that the change in driving style that they're talking about would be to take corners slowly and maybe at a wider angles?
My guess anyway...
Oct 7, 2003 | 04:38 AM
#3
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 385
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From: SW MI
I emailed Bill Cole about using it in my 2wd truck in snow, here's what he had to say:
Just hop onto his website and shoot him an email.
I did on a weekend and got a responce very quickly.
Todd
A locker in the rear diff of any vehicle, be it 2WD or 4WD provides for
dramatic increases in traction. With this traction improvement there are
slight changes to driving habits that need to be made to ensure smooth
operation.
First you are correct in your reading of our information, the outside wheel
in a turn disengages and the torque is transferred to the inside wheel.
When going into a turn it is best to coast through the turn rather than
power through. If you power through you cause more torque to be applied to
the inside wheel and can chirp the tires as well as create some push to the
vehicle. You will also find the low speed driving style beneficial on icy
highways, so it is best to start out with a no power or low power turn. No
matter how you do it, the vehicle does not get uncontrollable on its own
with a locker. You may also hear a slight clicking sound in a turn, and
this is due to the outside wheel locker grears rotating against the cam
gears. The Aussie Locker is designed for this and it causes no damage to
the locker or the differential.
Let us know if you require any additional information.
dramatic increases in traction. With this traction improvement there are
slight changes to driving habits that need to be made to ensure smooth
operation.
First you are correct in your reading of our information, the outside wheel
in a turn disengages and the torque is transferred to the inside wheel.
When going into a turn it is best to coast through the turn rather than
power through. If you power through you cause more torque to be applied to
the inside wheel and can chirp the tires as well as create some push to the
vehicle. You will also find the low speed driving style beneficial on icy
highways, so it is best to start out with a no power or low power turn. No
matter how you do it, the vehicle does not get uncontrollable on its own
with a locker. You may also hear a slight clicking sound in a turn, and
this is due to the outside wheel locker grears rotating against the cam
gears. The Aussie Locker is designed for this and it causes no damage to
the locker or the differential.
Let us know if you require any additional information.
I did on a weekend and got a responce very quickly.
Todd
Oct 7, 2003 | 08:30 AM
#4
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With a locker in the rear, it CAN be dangerious on icy/snow roads. Remember when your father/yourself/possibly your mother took you out to the empty parking lot right after it snowed? Well do it again with a locker. Just get used to driving it in the snow.
Oct 7, 2003 | 12:14 PM
#5
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Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Greenville, South Carolina
With an auto-locker in the snow, the locker sees no resistence therefore the torque does not transfer from wheel to wheel, which means that in icy and snowy conditions the locker will remained locked for most of the time. So when going through a turn on ice or snow with the locker engaged means that both tires will most likely break free causing your tires to spin. Having both rear tires spinning at the same time causes the back-end to become extremely squirly and hard to control. This is the reason people who see a lot of snow and ice use a selectable locker. I myself live in South Carolina and we see snow and ice here maybe once a year so that is why I will most likely be going with the Aussie.
Last edited by Jonathan; Oct 7, 2003 at 12:16 PM.
Oct 7, 2003 | 02:18 PM
#7
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 938
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From: Chino Valley, Az.
NO BIGGIE- I personaly would'nt give up the lockers for any reason- other than having TOO much extra cash and getting ARB's 
In even a few inches of snow, a locker is fantabulous- it just increases tration. The only time it is a problem is on glaze ice- and in reality, nothing works well on glazed surfaces except studs or chains.
You just need to be aware that your truck will act differently than it did before. I drive in snow and ice on a spool- it's locked, period.
I know that on icy roads w/ a lot of crown, the rear will want to move down hill. I know that when turning, the rear will tend to push the front end straight.
So, I try to not stop on off camber roads, if possible. I will reduce speeds to a crawl at stop lights and wait for the light to change while moving. If I have to stop, I ease into the throttle in 2nd gear.
On turns, it takes only a little throttle to get the backend pointed where you want it to go- easy.
I had a Detroit in the rear diff- it acts differently than the spool. The Detroit was not as predictable as the spool- some times it would stay locked on turns, sometimes it would unlock. It's not that bad, but it annoyed me enough to switch to the spool- If I knew then what I know now, I'd have saved up some more $$ and just got an ARB. With the price of 35" tires, and the fact that I burn up a set every 16,000 to 20,, miles w/ a spool, I could ahve payed for the ARB in tire prices alone in two years.
later
In even a few inches of snow, a locker is fantabulous- it just increases tration. The only time it is a problem is on glaze ice- and in reality, nothing works well on glazed surfaces except studs or chains.
You just need to be aware that your truck will act differently than it did before. I drive in snow and ice on a spool- it's locked, period.
I know that on icy roads w/ a lot of crown, the rear will want to move down hill. I know that when turning, the rear will tend to push the front end straight.
So, I try to not stop on off camber roads, if possible. I will reduce speeds to a crawl at stop lights and wait for the light to change while moving. If I have to stop, I ease into the throttle in 2nd gear.
On turns, it takes only a little throttle to get the backend pointed where you want it to go- easy.
I had a Detroit in the rear diff- it acts differently than the spool. The Detroit was not as predictable as the spool- some times it would stay locked on turns, sometimes it would unlock. It's not that bad, but it annoyed me enough to switch to the spool- If I knew then what I know now, I'd have saved up some more $$ and just got an ARB. With the price of 35" tires, and the fact that I burn up a set every 16,000 to 20,, miles w/ a spool, I could ahve payed for the ARB in tire prices alone in two years.
later
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