What Lockers Do
Lockers lock the axle so that both wheels spin at the same speed. When a locker is engaged, it prevents the wheels on the same axle from spinning at different rates. This ensures equal distribution of power and torque to both wheels, regardless of traction conditions.
How to Use the Axle Lock Button 👉Watch Here
Axle Lock vs. Traction Control 👉 Watch Here
The Benefits of Equal Wheel Speed
Enhanced Traction: Lockers help improve traction by ensuring power is delivered to all wheels equally. Off-road terrains often feature uneven surfaces, loose dirt, rocks, or slippery conditions, and having lockers engaged can increase your vehicle’s ability to navigate through these challenging environments.
Increased Control and Maneuverability: Lockers contribute to increased control and maneuverability while off-roading. By delivering power equally to both wheels on an axle, lockers help maintain stability, especially during challenging maneuvers such as climbing steep inclines, navigating through deep mud, or crossing uneven terrain.
Safety: Lockers can enhance safety while off-roading. By maintaining traction and preventing wheel spin, they help reduce the risk of losing control of the vehicle, sliding off a trail, or getting stuck in hazardous situations. This can contribute to a safer and more enjoyable off-road experience.
Increased Confidence: Using lockers can boost your confidence when tackling challenging off-road trails. Knowing that you have the added traction and control provided by lockers can give you the peace of mind to take on more difficult routes, explore new terrain, and push the limits of your off-road capabilities.
Improved Off-Road Performance: Lockers provide better off-road performance by allowing both wheels on an axle to turn at the same speed, even if one wheel loses traction. This feature helps prevent your vehicle from getting stuck in situations where only one wheel spins while the other remains stationary.
Overcoming Obstacles – Versatility: Lockers offer versatility when off-roading. They can be engaged or disengaged based on the terrain and driving conditions, allowing you to switch between open differentials (normal driving) and locked differentials (off-road situations) as needed. This flexibility ensures optimal performance in various off-road scenarios.
Negatives
When lockers are engaged, it can make turning more challenging due to a phenomenon called « axle binding » or « axle wind-up. »
Differential Function: In a standard open differential, the wheels on an axle can rotate at different speeds during a turn. This differentiation allows the outside wheel to cover more distance than the inside wheel, accommodating the varying arc lengths in a turn. This design provides smoother turning and reduces stress on the drivetrain components.
Locked Axle: When lockers are engaged, the differential is effectively locked, causing both wheels on the same axle to rotate at the same speed. This configuration maximizes traction but eliminates the differentiation in wheel speed during turns.
Tire Scrubbing and Axle Binding: Since the outside wheel needs to cover a larger distance than the inside wheel during a turn, the wheels must slip slightly on the surface to accommodate this difference. With lockers engaged, the wheels cannot slip independently, leading to tire scrubbing or the tires dragging across the terrain. This can result in increased resistance and difficulty in turning.
Increased Stress on Drivetrain: Axle binding puts additional stress on the drivetrain components, including the differential, axle shafts, and other related parts. This stress can cause strain, increased wear and tear, and potential damage to these components over time.
Important Notes
Lockers can vary in types and configurations, such as selectable lockers or automatic lockers, and may require professional installation or modification of your vehicle. It’s recommended to consult with experts or experienced off-roaders to determine the best locker setup for your specific needs and vehicle.
Getting to know your rig and what it can do is important. The degree of difficulty in turning with lockers engaged can vary depending on factors such as the type of locker, terrain conditions, vehicle setup, and driver skill. Proper technique, including throttle modulation and adjusting steering inputs, can help navigate turns more effectively with lockers engaged.
