One question kept coming up...

jediwebdude

New member
Spent the day out an OHV park with a local Toyota off-roading club. Was out there from 8:00am to 4:50pm (took an hour for lunch). Thanks to BigRogers here on T4R for inviting me to check out the local club meeting and attend an event. I had a great time and experienced trails I didn't know existed.

Originally, BigRogers and I had the only 4Rs present. Lots of FJs, some Tacos, and a Land Cruiser. Two more 4Rs arrived later in the day, so I spent the latter half the day off-roading with them.

Anyway, no matter which group I was with, when we approached challenging trails and it was my turn, one question kept being asked. It came from the other Toyota guys. It came from Jeep guys who were walking up to watch. It came from spectators hanging out at popular difficult trails in the afternoon. I was asked this question over a dozen times today...in different forms, but it was basically the same question.

"Do you have lockers?"
"Did that thing come with a rear locker?"
"Do you have a rear locker?"
"Hope you have lockers."
"You're not gonna make it without a locker."

I'm going to get a t-shirt and a set of window decals made that say, "No, I don't have a rear locker. But watch me do this anyway."

Every trail I started, I finished. No winching. No towing. Only occasional spotting assistance was needed. I never backed down. The only route that gave me serious trouble was easily remedied by letting out more air in one rear tire for traction gain.

The deflation remedy occurred on the final trail I did for the day. What made it all better was a Rubicon Jeep guy walked over to me after I topped the route and with a big smile, he said, "Your truck really impressed me. I had no idea those could do that."

:driving:
 
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awesome, good job.. Ive always said, "Its not the rig, its the driver" that matters. :driving:
 
My truck is consistently underestimated by a certain class of Jeep driver. I can always tell how experienced a driver is by how concerned they are about my truck finishing a trail. :)
 
No question about it, not having a locker (or lockers) makes the driver have to pay much greater attention to line and technique, both of which point out the true object of making it over an obstacle or trail--tire contact. If you have good articulation, good throttle control, and pick a solid line that keeps you in continuous contact with the surface, you can make it through. A locker will help hide bad technique on inexperienced drivers, but where they really come into their own is on trails where continuous contact is simply not possible, opening up that last percentage of possibilities where the best technique can't overcome open diffs. People who can't read the terrain often think only a locker will do it, and may never learn how to manage traction, momentum, braking, etc., that those without lockers have figured out how to use to their advantage. The other great advantage of a locker, and not to be underestimated, especially by those who can't afford to buy parts often, is that you can move slower and maintain traction in areas where an open diff requires more momentum and harder hits to make it over an obstacle. There are definitely areas where lockers are the only way you can get through, but there are definitely many more times where better driving can get you through without the extra equipment (and lesser drivers think it can't be done).
 
I know that my rig is overbuilt... That being said, I keep it in two wheel drive with the lockers turned off 99% of the time. Like was said above, it is nice to have them when they are needed.
 
Ummm...

:worthless

Heh...while I do have some photos I'll be posting over in the gallery section, I spent more time shooting video and will be editing/compiling video clips tonight in hopes of getting on YouTube soon. Until then, maybe this photo will appease:

 

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