How would you rate the performance of your vehicle (with front and rear locker) compared to the other vehicles (incl. the Jeep Wrangler with 2 lockers) which did the Baboon Pass ?
I have lots of video of most of the vehicles and there is a clear difference between front diffloc equiped vehicles and the open diff vehicle. As a off the cuff remark I would say that the vehicles capability was increased 20% by the addidtion of the front diffloc.
The front sway bar was discconnected too so that also had an effect.
The seller is by international postal convention laws obliged to state the true retail value of the contents of the parcel, and they normally put the invoice in a plastic pocket on the parcel for customs and courier company to inspect.
When it arrives, the Customs people (SARS) add about 20% to the purchase price as import duty, then add a handling fee (can't remember what they charged me for that on my Lokka) and then they at 14% VAT on the items I've just listed. YES! THAT IS TAX UPON TAX!!, which is actually not legal!!!
When I brought my diff just more than a year ago, it cost me about R3200ish on my credit card as the purchase price including the about US $40 for packaging and courier fee. When it landed here, a further R1900 was added for the fees I mentioned above.
There is a certain "Free of taxes" amount up to which you can receive goods or gifts from abroad, when I brought my stuff in it was only about R200 (I've heard it is now about R1K). Everything that has a value above that is taxed as above. After I got the diff, my wife's friend in the USA sent me a shirt for Xmas and I had to pay the taxes on that; it was valued at US $ 20!!! The friend wrote the value in on the accompanying paperwork, not knowing that I will get nailed on this side.....
Steve, I was really impressed by the performance of your front locker and also have aome questions as I really want one.
Im still not 100% sure exacrly when the engage and disengage, but sort of have the idea.
As you said they engage when there is power from the front propshaft, but you said they disengage when turning?
How does it work when you need them locked around a corner?
Could you notice that your Patrol now has a bigger turning circle with the locker engaged?
Michael, the best way I can explain the function of these auto lockers is if you were to imagine that each wheel had a built-in bi-directional ratchet.
In other words, if a wheel turns faster than the diff centre, that side-shaft (and only that sideshaft) disconnects.
If the diff centre turns faster than the wheel wants to turn, that sideshaft locks.
The two sides are entirely independent. One side can be locked with the other side un-locked. I imagine this is why the steering feels heavier, as the natural inclination will be that the inner wheel is locked (because it is turning slower than the combined speed of the two rear wheels), while the outer wheel is un-locked. Thus there is traction on the inner wheel, trying to straighten the steering up.
This is probably the best video explanations I've seen on the different diff lock options. It's a 30 minute video, so not a quick watch, but very good.
Intelligence is measured in smarts, stature is measured in hearts
"The unlocking action occurs due to the ramping effect between the low profile, almost zero backlash, ramped teeth which force the cam away from the axle gear (against the minor pressure of the bias springs), for example when an outside wheel turns faster than an inside wheel - when cornering. Power continues to be applied to the inside axle. As the turn is completed and the wheels again rotate at the same speed, the outside lock re-engages.
Note: The bias springs can easily be compressed with 2 fingers, resulting in LOKKA being able to unlock correctly even on low traction surfaces."