Calling All Off-Roaders W/O E-Locker

[adkinsadam1]

I am just looking for opinions and experiences from those who go wheeling but do not have a locker. Have you gotten by? It is just impossible? Or just inconvenient?

I've gone wheeling for years without a locker and did just fine, but had ATRAC. Who can shed some light? Off roading without the locker or ATRAC - how's it go down for you?

Thanks a bunch! Trying to anticipate with my new 2000 runner.

 

[Xinirgi]

I wheeled for 2+ years open diffs, A-TRAC disabled (never worked right). With good tires, airing down, and good lines combined with good spotters, I made it everywhere all the locked rigs went. However, after dual locking roughly 3 months ago, getting places and trying different lines is A LOT easier and less nerve racking.

 

[Gerdo]

Wheeling open/open builds skill.

Anyone can buy a double locked rubicon and walk thru tough lines. This is great if your goal is to get somewhere with ease. This can also get you into trouble when you need a thrill and try the really hard line double locked. This is when the lack of skill bites you.

Making that hard line, hard, is what wheeling is all about. Most of what I wheel is open/open. I lock the rear if I get in too deep or get tired of almost making it.

Its not impossable nor is it an inconvience.

You will be amazed what an open/open 3rd gen will do. A good flexing suspension will get you far.

 

[02SE]

I went fourwheeling for 11 years with open diff trucks, before I ever owned a vehicle with a differential lock. As already said it will teach you to be a better driver.

It will also teach you how to fix your truck when you use excess speed to try and get through/ over an obstacle that could be walked through/ over calmly if locked.

 

[Millerad1651]

The past two years wheeling with other 3rd gens w/ lockers, I've gotten through everything they have, with one exception. And I have AT tires, if I had MT tires I probably could have made it...another 3rd gen with MTs and no locker made it through the obstacle.

 

[habanero]

I've wheeled mild and moderate trails with the open diff 96 for almost a decade with a few occasions where a locker would have been helpful but wasn't a deal breaker. I agree, it's a good learning experience and I need all of that I can get.

However, things are a-changing. There's an e-locker axle sitting out in the garage right now, waiting for it to stop snowing and get warm and dry enough for me to be crawling around on the ground.

 

[IBallEngineer]

Since you said you wheeled for years without one, you must know that 95% of the trail doesn't even require 4wd. Of the remaining 5% maybe 1/10 of it might need a locker. That is why I have lockers.

Of course where you drive makes a difference, sometimes ground clearance, or gearing make the difference.

Only you can decide what is right for what you do. But we all have our opinions!

LOCK IT

:couch2:

 

[JWaldz]

Like Gerdo stated above, wheeling with open diffs does build skill. The sooner you can learn your trucks capabilities without all the fancy gizmo's the better. I've seen skilled drivers walk through obstacles in their open diff vehicles where others had trouble with their locked diffs. I will say that wheeling without a locker can be tedious, but it's not impossible. If you're ever in a group with other people you may find yourself at an obstacle that requires more work than the other drivers. You just have to know your limits.

I will say, that having a rear locker definitely allows me to be easier on my truck. Instead of having to haul ass past parts where I normally got stuck, I can be a little more gentle and take my time. Only real problem with a locker (in my case, front and rear) is I get talked into more harder trails cus my vehicle can usually take them on

 

[Aznwolf118]

I just installed arb lockers after leaving them sitting in the garage for 4 years.

In those 4 years I learn the limits of my 4runner with open diffs.
You learn better lines, better decision making, and build confidance with your 4runner with open diffs.

I think the Andy mod 2.0 should be your first course of action,the atrac and vsc did almost tang me up a couple times in mud and snow. You would be absolutely surprised where you can go without lockers.

Also if you decide to get lockers consider re gearing too.

My advice wheel it until you find the limits then look into lockers.

That being said, My 2002 now has multi mode 4wd and triple locked ( factory locking center and dual arbs)

 

[Skidmarcx]

I enjoy running with open diffs (partly because I have no choice) because like the others said it builds skill... And without knowing the capability of your rig you're more likely to misuse a locker and put unneeded stress on components. I'm definitely getting a rear locker in the future because sometimes just need a nudge to get over an obstacle

 

[fish0281]

Nobody has mentioned it yet, so I will - there have definitely been times in the snow where I wished I had a locker. For all else, I have yet to encounter anything I couldn't do without a locker and for anything that needed one, i wouldn't have done it anyway because I need my truck to get to work. ;-)

 

[JayRolla]

You can always get buy open diffed, so many guys are open diffed.

If you wheel alone and have open diff, you need to get a winch!!

If you have a locker, it just makes things easier.

 

[nevada]

if the option is there to get a locking diff, DO IT.

those that are saying they can wheel just as good open, haven't actually been on a hard trail.

there is absolutely NO comparison between an open/open rig, and one that's locked front and rear.

of course you need skills to make use of the lockers, but the locked rig will go further, EASIER than an open rig will.

 

[Limbwalker]

3rd Gens are pretty amazing open/open as others have said. I dont do the kind of wheeling I used to with 4.88s and detroits front and rear that my old bronco had, simply bc its too nice of a vehicle... I have found it very capable without a rear locker, HOWEVER, I am going to put at least a tru-trac in the rear when I can afford it bc its absolutely useless in the snow unless I put it in 4wd (and what fun is that? haha) also the added traction when the suspension is articulated is a pretty big difference, but there are ways around it... If you find youre all flexed up spinning the wheels, you can put a foot on the brake pedal lightly and many times this will help put power to the wheel that is just sitting there like a dumbass

 

[white_n_slow]

I'll tell you the story of my first real 4x4:

'85 solid-axle mini truck. Wheeled it open/open for many years. It was a major challenge to drive, partially because traction wasn't great (I was young and stupid and didn't air down) and partially because it would flood the carb and stall any time you pointed up a steep grade. I ended up learning to drive with three pedals most of the time. I learned a lot and honed my skills in that truck. Eventually I got wise and got a rear aussie locker and the difference was night and day. It would just walk up the steps and rocks and wash-outs that the truck once took 15 minutes to get over. I could also attack a steep obstacle with a little more confidence knowing I could get up before the carb drowned. Thinking back on what a challenge that truck was to drive, I'm glad I did it the way I did, but I'm even more glad I eventually got the locker. There were certain trails that you just have to say "no thanks" to.

 

[white_n_slow]

The kind of trails I do are in Colorado and are Redcone, Mosquito Pass, Argentine Pass, Lake Como Road, Engineer Pass, Handcart Gulch, and several others like them. Anybody know these trails? Can I get by without a locker for those trails and maybe slightly more difficult?

I haven't run all of those, but I don't think you'll need a locker for most of those.

 

[adkinsadam1]

The kind of trails I do are in Colorado and are Redcone, Mosquito Pass, Argentine Pass, Lake Como Road, Engineer Pass, Handcart Gulch, and several others like them. Anybody know these trails? Can I get by without a locker for those trails and maybe slightly more difficult?

I am not a die-hard off-roader. I love 4wheeling and go every summer, but I also have other interests. I storm chase and that puts thousands of miles on my car, and I got a manual transmission. I chose the manual over the locker. I just want to be able to recreationally run all the kinds of trail I like without it.

The big thing with me is when running trails like Black Bear Pass, etc, I just want to be able to enjoy them and escape them without damage to my vehicle. Off roading is never worth damage, IMO.

 

[02SE]

I am not a die-hard off-roader. I love 4wheeling and go every summer, but I also have other interests. I storm chase and that puts thousands of miles on my car, and I got a manual transmission. I chose the manual over the locker. I just want to be able to recreationally run all the kinds of trail I like without it.

The big thing with me is when running trails like Black Bear Pass, etc, I just want to be able to enjoy them and escape them without damage to my vehicle. Off roading is never worth damage, IMO.

I have a V6, 5-speed, E-locker equipped '97. You can have a manual trans AND the E-locker. You don't have to choose the locker OR the manual trans.

As for Black Bear Pass, the last time I ran it in '01, I don't recall ever needing to lock the rear axle.

Where Black Bear Pass is potentially dangerous, is making sure the brakes are in perfect working order, and having the knowledge and skill to pick the correct line on the switchbacks, so you don't roll your 4Runner off the trail into oblivion.

 

[adkinsadam1]

I've done Red Cone, Handcart, Mosquito, Engineer (as well as most everything else in the San Juan area except Poughkeepsie) in a stock 4th gen with 32 inch AT tires.

The above represents a small fraction of total trails run and my truck is the still the same except I now have sliders. A locker would be nice but I do fine without one.

But there's a big difference between what you and I are talking about (going places, seeing things) and the type of recreational offroading where obstacles are sought out for their own sake. Different activities, different setups required.

The places I feel held back a little are areas like Moab, but there it's mostly lack of clearance rather than lack of a rear locker.

But the difference is you had ATRAC, which does the job a locker would do in many circumstances. The fact is that I never thought about a locker before I didn't have atrac. The name of the game was always ground clearance it seemed, and the 2000 stock runner should have 3" over the 2006 stock runner.

 

[JB.]

But the difference is you had ATRAC, which does the job a locker would do in many circumstances. The fact is that I never thought about a locker before I didn't have atrac. The name of the game was always ground clearance it seemed, and the 2000 stock runner should have 3" over the 2006 stock runner.

Oops. I deleted my post after noticing it didn't really fit the thread but you had already quoted me I guess. Sorry about that.