Locker and Snow Question

[PekingMan]

I understand the physical mechanics of lockers, but because I have never driven with them, I am not very knowledgable about the actual driving characteristics.

With that, I am planning on putting a selectable locker in the rear, and a Powertrax No-Slip in the front. The reason for this is that I want to retain normal driving characteristics and not have to deal with the steering binding of a selectable locker (essentially a spool locked).

My question though, is what driving characteristics would I experience with this, good and bad, when I engage the 4WD on a snow covered road for better traction.

 

[JDraper]

Driving on snow will be a cast iron SOB when you engage the 4x4 with a Powertrax in the front. Whenever you apply power, it will lock up and make steering a mess. If you have manual hubs, you can get around it somewhat by only locking in one hub. The powertrax will supply all the power to the locked wheel, so you will have 3 wheel drive in effect.

 

[PekingMan]

Well, that sucks Have to rethink this I guess.

 

[SteveVB]

What Jeff said ..

A better set up would be the selectable(something you can turn on and off) in the front and the no slip in the rear - but I guess your set up is due to availability of the front locker or L/S?

In the snow the No-Slip in the rear will cause the rear to swing around under power, or if the road has any camber slide to the side under power. Open in the front will allow the wheel with the least traction to spin- in the snow it is almost a good thing becasue the one with no traction may have surface traction and keeps the vehicle in place. I had a No-Slip in the rear and it was great in the snow- Im going to put it back in my new axle- once you know its characteristics. Would I put one in the front if I saw snow - No.
In the front under power like Jeff said you are going to have little if any directional control.
Limited slips stay"locked" more in snow or ice since the difference in traction between the two wheels doesnt change much as you go around a corner - neither wheel overruns the other so the clutches(or other mechanism) stay engaged. The spinning wheels (due to power) dont get the traction that a rolling wheel may be able to get on the snow.

I had a tru trac( l/S) in the front of a Jeep I owned. It was WICKED in the snow. I once slid sideways down a pretty decent hill (a street) with all 4 wheels spinning - granted this was an extremely overpowered (390 cid)-under tired (well worn AT tread), short wheel base (CJ) with an immature driver . The thing would plow into corners with any power- coasting was the only way- and I had to go all the way through or the vehicle would just continue off on a tangent when power was applied. Could never do a doughnut . Straight ahead traction was great - I just couldnt turn. It was super Fun Fun and could scare the hell out of passengers who didnt know better.

Good Luck

 

[PekingMan]

Having the rear end come around in me is the exact reason why I want a selectable in the rear (aside from driving characteristics). One of my buddies is fully locked front and rear and his rear end occasionally comes around on him when we go rock climbing and it ends up causing all kinds of problems. I would just like to avoid this...

 

[Robb]

Does anyone make a locker for the reverse cut, 91-94 D35 diff? I thought I read there wasn't one, but I am prolly wrong. Please correct me if I am.

Robb

edit: ok, I checked. I am wrong