Using four wheel drive and lockers

StG58

StG58

TJ Guru
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2015
Messages
6,659
Location
Orygun, the wet side...
I got to thinking this morning over my cup of coffee. Just because I have been driving 4x4's since Nixon was president of the US doesn't mean that I know how and when to correctly use the magic lever. Owner's manuals are pretty vague about the whole thing, and cover the basics only. Don't engage four wheel drive on a hard surface, engage 4 high at a certain speed, come to a stop before engaging 4 lo, etc. Then there is the whole locker issue. @Jerry Bransford has a really good thread on the how's of a locker, but what about the whens and whys? Then there is the selectable vs. full time locker thing. I've had a couple of 4x4's with full time lockers, one Detroit and one GM Corporate come to mind, but when you have one or two magic buttons to go along with your magic lever it greatly increases your options. With all of those options, how do you decide what's most appropriate and when?

For instance, with my truck with the Detroit in the rear and 33x12.50's on it, I would lock the hubs when I thought that going into 4x4 was going to be required, but not pull the magic lever until the wheels started spinning. On the Suburban with 255-85R16 mud tires, the magic button doesn't get pushed until traction is lost. Never aired down any of those. Same deal with the XJ's - loose traction and pull the handle.

Now with the TJ and a way to air the tires back up there are more options available. For example, I air down and put it in 4 hi when I know I'm jumping out onto the hard sand, 4 lo when the sand is soft. Snow? 4 hi. Rough, muddy terrain? 4 lo.

What's everybody else do? How do you use the various levers and buttons to get from point A to point B in various terrains and conditions?
 
I try to use the least I can get away with for normal driving.
I engage before getting into trouble--4high for mud, snowylicy roads. I will use the lockers if I think there may be a need. As in the mud hole that may be a real bitch.
But speaking of lockers- I have the bypass switch and can engage in 2 or 4 high or low.
If faced with some thing like obstacles in rock crawling I will: 1. Determine the line. 2. Line up on that route as straight as possible. 3. Drop into 4 low. 4. Engaged both lockers. 5. Crawl the obstacle with the minimum speed necessary ( there are times that's fairly fast) 6. Hit the locker bypass master switch which disengages both lockers the second I don't need them.

Because of the Atlas I also travel in 2low a lot. Saves wear and tear on the front end and allows for a low speed travel.

But in the end it's what ever work for the individual.
 
  • Like
Reactions: StG58
Nice! That's pretty much what i'm doing with the Tj right now as well. Hard pavement and FS roads with gravel - 2-hi. When the traction starts to look a little iffy or there is obvious mud and snot, pull the lever for 4-hi. Moss and grass are surprisingly slick. The same for snow covered roads, 4-hi. For the occasional silver thaw where things are just a thick layer of wet ice, it's 4-lo and go slow. Not many rocks to crawl around here, so don't know about that yet. Right now I just drive around that sort of thing. This is good stuff.

Contemplating getting selectable lockers or limited slip when the TJ gets re-geared, but don't know which one yet. It would seem that in deep snow, sand and really rough stuff where you are constantly lifting a tire off the ground selectables might be the way to go.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
Stinger said:
But in the end it's what ever work for the individual.
Click to expand...


Same

Except I don't have the Atlas :(

Even in snow I start in 2wd and creep until I need more. On trails I air down to 15 and usually start off in 4lo. No lockers until I see an obstacle and then it's rear only unless it's really hairy or I just want a challenge
 
  • Like
Reactions: StG58
StG58 said:
Nice! That's pretty much what i'm doing with the Tj right now as well. Hard pavement and FS roads with gravel - 2-hi. When the traction starts to look a little iffy or there is obvious mud and snot, pull the lever for 4-hi. Moss and grass are surprisingly slick. The same for snow covered roads, 4-hi. For the occasional silver thaw where things are just a thick layer of wet ice, it's 4-lo and go slow. Not many rocks to crawl around here, so don't know about that yet. Right now I just drive around that sort of thing. This is good stuff.

Contemplating getting selectable lockers or limited slip when the TJ gets re-geared, but don't know which one yet. It would seem that in deep snow, sand and really rough stuff where you are constantly lifting a tire off the ground selectables might be the way to go.
Click to expand...


I don't have a lot of experiences with different lockers because I found one I like and have stuck with it: ARB. Now having said that I also had a SpiderTracs on a YJ and really like it. Made dry pavement driving a bit interesting sometimes but hell, my wife got a kick out of driving it.:)

When I have to upgraded my diffs I will have ARB in them if that is any indication.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
Lots of folks really like the ARB lockers. That tells you something right there. I've been doing pretty well without any sort of traction enhancer so far, but I can see where that won't last. The TJ keeps poking it's nose into places I've never been before and the traction situation keeps getting iffier and iffier all the time. One of these days this exploring is going to bite me for sure. Right now loose sand, deep snow and packed snow / ice have given me the most problems. Some of that can be addressed with tire size and tread pattern, but eventually limited slip or a selectable locker setup has to be in the cards as well. It's looking like Eaton Trutrack or the Eaton e-lockers when I do the gear ratio change and axle shaft upgrades.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris and CasterTroy
OK, so back on topic now that we've established people like ARB's and Eatons...

Here's an example - I'm in the parking lot and I've aired down to 10 - 12 psi. I fire up the rig and head to the water to go surf fishing. The laddies have been churning the sand up on the trail to the beach so it's nice and fluffy, with decent sized ruts from the big trucks. It's pretty level. So you get to the edge of the pavement and put it in 4-hi, give it a little gas to build momentum and off to the races we go. Down the trail a ways you feel the rig start to bog down a bit, so you hit the switch and engage the front and rear lockers. The Jeep pops up on top of the fluffy sand again and you continue merrily on your way. When you get out on the beach, the sand is packed and damp, a lot like driving on very smooth concrete. Hit the switch to disengage the lockers and push the lever into 2-hi. Is that pretty much how that scenario should go? Or does everyone just air down, pop it into 4-hi, hit the locker switches and go. The dunes would be a little different, because you would be shifting into 4-lo and back to 4-hi as required for the dunes themselves.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris and Stinger
It's snowing and blowing. The crew decides that a road trip to the hills is in order. Two hours later after all the discussion and farting around that goes with a clan road trip, everyone loads into the Suburban and the TJ. I fire the TJ up and immediately pull the lever for 4-Hi, knowing that the roads are going to be packed snow and slick as all get out. Everything progresses nicely until we get farther back into the hills and the roads are untraveled. The snow is a foot deep and building. It's classic wet, heavy stuff. We stop and I air down the rigs to 10 - 12 psi. The TJ is unlocked, but the Suburban has the corporate locker in the rear end. Both do fine, until we hit the mainline on the ridge where the snow is packed and slicker than snot on a door knob. The TJ is still just fine, unlocked, but the Great White Whale (the Suburban) keeps wanting to kick the rear end to the low side on every corner and off camber section. We need to slow down a little to keep the rigs together. After awhile we spot the branch line that takes us to our favorite sledding spot and go for the hole in the brush. The snow is deep and unmolested up here. Everyone goes for 4-Lo and I hit the switch for the front and rear lockers. Things go great and a fun time is had by all in the wintry great outdoors. Does that seem like a pretty reasonable scenario?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris and Stinger
It's been raining for awhile, it's raining now and NOAA says that it's going to rain for the foreseeable future. Elk season is coming up and you just have to get out to scout the herds one last time. So, you load up the TJ and head for your secret spot. When you get up in the hills everything is just soaking wet - water in all it's forms as far as the eye can see. That's not very far because of the drizzle and fog though. Everything is going swimmingly until you take the last fork off the branch line to descend into the creek valley and the area where the herd was last located. Most of the trail is running about two inches deep in runoff from the hill above and the ditches are full. You remember that there were some significant ruts in this part of the trail when you were through here in the late summer. You shut down the rig and get out to scout ahead. Sure enough, somebody has been down here recently in a big truck and has churned a sizable section into muddy, rutted soup. Discretion being the better part of valor, you grab a downed tree branch and start poking at the ruts to see just how deep they are and how soft the trail really is. Down the hill and around the bend you come upon a mud pit. It looks a lot like some of the locals have been having a gay old time in the area. Being discrete and valorous, you bag the idea of driving the TJ down there and scout on foot. After scouting the herd (they're left for parts unknown) you head back up the hill and start loosing traction on the steeper and bumpier sections. Pull the magic lever to put the rig in 4-Hi and lock the rear. You progress nicely up the hill until you get to the really bumpy section, where you start lifting a random tire at odd times. Oh well, hit the switch to lock the front and off you go again.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
I've never used 4lo on the beach. Always 4hi and liberal application of skinny peddle. NC beach sand may be different, but even at the outer banks on the dunes, 4hi

10453474_10152318469212638_2511106876971604767_n.jpg


Snow sounds normal (to me). We don't have fluffy snow here. It's humid, typically ice, and ALWAYS packs hard. Yankees get all arrogant and believe they know how to navigate our southern roads...but with low winter budgets (no sand and limited salt) the locals know better. We know never to run a Detroit or lock the rear on selectable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris and StG58
The beach sand out here varies from place to place. The few beaches we can drive on are kind of funny in a way because if there hasn't been anyone on them they are pretty much hard pack and easy to drive. Once the sand gets churned up though, it turns to fluff and gets a lot harder to navigate. I use 4-Lo a bunch just for the control. To much skinny pedal and you dig in and sink, not enough and you don't have enough momentum to keep going so you dig in and sink. Lots of digging in and sinking which leads to digging out. I learned a lot watching the dory-men launch and retrieve their boats off the beach. The regulars all have old beater trucks with big, wide tires that they run really soft. Once in awhile even they get stuck and need a hand getting going again. The funniest thing I have seen down there was a Unimog towing a 20' dory getting stuck. Had a horrible time until someone in an old Ford hooked him up and got him up to the packed sand.

Most of our snow on the wet side is really heavy and wet. It packs to ice on the roads in nothing flat and is just a bear to plow through in the hills.
 
Shifting anything is about understanding the process, time involved and PREDICTING what you will need BEFORE you need it. Everything mechanical takes a full one or two seconds to occur. Unlike the electronic gadgets which sometimes give instantaneous gratification.... if the change involves a mechanical process you need to PREDICT the need for change BEFORE you need that change. JEEP has great systems. But they will not compensate for ignorance.

So, lockers.... EVERYTHING turns at the same speed/rpm. Great only if you are going in a straight line where EVERYTHING turns at the same speed. When you turn, differentials allow a speed difference. SO line up for a straight run. Do the obstacle. Unlock the lockers.

Same with part time 4WD. It will force the front and rear differentials to turn the same speed. SO when trying to turn into that parking stall at Walmart... or... experience here.... when turning into the driveway beside the wifes Subaru..... Shift into 2WD FIRST.

And StG58... I know you understand all this but I am amazed how many wheelers have no idea.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CasterTroy
billiebob said:
Shifting anything is about understanding the process, time involved and PREDICTING what you will need BEFORE you need it. Everything mechanical takes a full one or two seconds to occur. Unlike the electronic gadgets which sometimes give instantaneous gratification.... if the change involves a mechanical process you need to PREDICT the need for change BEFORE you need that change. JEEP has great systems. But they will not compensate for ignorance.

So, lockers.... EVERYTHING turns at the same speed/rpm. Great only if you are going in a straight line where EVERYTHING turns at the same speed. When you turn, differentials allow a speed difference. SO line up for a straight run. Do the obstacle. Unlock the lockers.

Same with part time 4WD. It will force the front and rear differentials to turn the same speed. SO when trying to turn into that parking stall at Walmart... or... experience here.... when turning into the driveway beside the wifes Subaru..... Shift into 2WD FIRST.

And StG58... I know you understand all this but I am amazed how many wheelers have no idea.
Click to expand...
Echo here?
 
  • Like
Reactions: CasterTroy
  • Like
Reactions: CasterTroy and StG58
Watching the tourists get stuck in the sand is an actual recreational activity at Pacific City. There's only two rigs, besides the old trucks the locals drive, that don't get bogged down on a regular basis. Jeeps in the CJ, YJ, TJ, JK models and Toyota 4Runners.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CasterTroy and Stinger
StG58 said:
It's been raining for awhile, it's raining now and NOAA says that it's going to rain for the foreseeable future. Elk season is coming up and you just have to get out to scout the herds one last time. So, you load up the TJ and head for your secret spot.
Click to expand...
Will an elk fit into a TJ or do you pull a trailer?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
(Chuckling out loud ) Some of those big Roosevelt Bulls are almost as BIG as a TJ. I field dress'm, quarter them up, and throw them in the back of a 3/4 ton Suburban in big plastic tubs filled with Elk and ice or snow. Even a small fork bull won't fit in a TJ easily.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
I figured, I've seen them and was assuming they'd be loaded into the back of a pickup truck. TJs aren't big enough for even a decent size deer.

What do you use on them? A 7mm?
 
Top Bottom
Back