4x4 With Front Wheel Lockers

[88Red4]

Me and my cousin have been having this debate for quite sometime and I figured I would pop the question up here and see what you all know. I would liked to be enlightened on what true 4x4 is on my 88 runner. I have manual locking hubs. The debate is this: with auto lock hubs do both front wheels spin or just one? Same question goes with manual locking hubs. I feel that the manual locking hubs will spin both tires full time when locked in and auto will spin one and allow the other to kick in when slipping. My cousin says that manual and auto do the same thing and only run one wheel. What's the real situation?

 

[hoe_nah]

I side with your cousin...if u have full time lockers your fully locked no matter the resistance on one side of the axle.

 

[Doozi]

It all depends on what type of differential you have... open, limited-slip, or locked. The power transfer/distribution will be the same regardless of manual or auto engagement. The open diff will send the power to the tire with the least traction (path of least resistance), the locked diff will turn both tires at the same speed regardless of the traction condition on either side, and the limited-slip is somewhere in the middle depending on the set-up.

 

[KidVermicious]

It all depends on what type of differential you have... open, limited-slip, or locked. The power transfer/distribution will be the same regardless of manual or auto engagement. The open diff will send the power to the tire with the least traction (path of least resistance), the locked diff will turn both tires at the same speed regardless of the traction condition on either side, and the limited-slip is somewhere in the middle depending on the set-up.

This, and the type of hub you have doesn't matter. A manual hub (what you call "locking") hub is not a locking differential. Two different beasties.

 

[Hyde802]

It all depends on what type of differential you have... open, limited-slip, or locked. The power transfer/distribution will be the same regardless of manual or auto engagement. The open diff will send the power to the tire with the least traction (path of least resistance), the locked diff will turn both tires at the same speed regardless of the traction condition on either side, and the limited-slip is somewhere in the middle depending on the set-up.

Agree. You are only locking the wheel to the CV, not locking the differential.

 

[88Red4]

So then if you're only locking the wheels to the CV and have to rotate regardless, would the slip or resistance be governed by how much the front diff gives out to the axle?

 

[Hyde802]

Read here:

HowStuffWorks "Open Differentials"

 

[fourwd1]

Like stated above, you are confusing locking hubs with locking diffs, that's pretty common.
Your truck came with open diffs front and rear, there was no locker option on 1st gens.
With an open diff the power is delivered to the wheel with the least amount of traction, opposite of what you'd want. So if you have one wheel in the sand and the other on pavement, the one in the sand gets the power, and your still stuck.

A locker forces equal power to both wheels, so the one on the pavement will pull you out.

... would the slip or resistance be governed by how much the front diff gives out to the axle?

What does that mean?

 

[Hyde802]

I think hes asking what determines how much slip goes to each axle?

 

[88Red4]

I think hes asking what determines how much slip goes to each axle?

Yes. But I think I have the idea of how it all works. It's not the hubs, it all depends on the differential. Thanks.

 

[cztheman64]

jack it up. put it in gear