Front Diff Lock

[Peter Connan]

Hello everybody

Has anybody here got experience with an autolocking diff in the front axle?
1) What will it do to the handling of the vehicle?
2) Can it be used with automatic hubs or only with manual hubs? (what causes the automatic hubs to engage anyway?)
3) What are my chances of breaking my axles as long as I am carefull not to pick up much wheelspin, particularly in terrain where the level of grip changes rapidly?
4) What is available?

For reference my car is a 1996 Y60 (GQ) 4.2SGL (Petrol), so it doesn't have massive power or torque, supposed to be 126kW and 380Nm.

Thanks
Peter

[Alanvs]

My suggestion would be not to put an auto locker in the front. You only want the locker to work at certain times, other times it could get you into trouble more than get you out. If I was you I would put an ARB in the front. I have had one in the front of my vehicle since I bought it an count on my one hand the number of times I have had to use it.
Just my

[Kagiso II]

P 'ter ... huh huh - Alan raad jou reg - MUNNI locker voor opsit nie [beste wat jy daar kan gaan is LSD [limited slip .. !!! nie die PILLE nie ]
Praat met oompie - ek sal mooi beduie hoekom [lees ook die Nov uitgawe van SA 4x4 tydskrif]
Behalwe as jy soos Engel NET wil bane ry met jou 'trol .. maar vir alledaags ... en as jy saam my Baboons Pass wil gaan doen vlogende jaar . liewerster nie [en ek val nie vir di eCruiser bakkie wat locker voor op het nie .. gaan kyk maar JohnBoy se plakker op U-tube van daai debakel]

[Gerrit Loubser]

Peter, here is my opinion on some of your questions. Note that I don't have an autolocker in my car, so I don't exactly speak from experience, but I understand the physics behind it.

1) What will it do to the handling of the vehicle?

A front autolocker will have no effect in 2H. In 4H/4L it will have the effect of resisting steering, but only markedly when power is applied. This might lead to understeer on gravel roads in 4wd at higher speeds and to a larger turning circle in tight situations offroad.

2) Can it be used with automatic hubs or only with manual hubs? (what causes the automatic hubs to engage anyway?)

I believe it can be used with autohubs. It is always preferable to manually set the autohubs to "lock" before hard offroad work is contemplated, though.

The autohubs engage if the front propshaft is spun by the transfer box.

One advantage of manual hubs in conjunction with an autolocker is that one hub can be unlocked (giving you the choice of 4x3 mode). This can help in situations where tight maneuvring is required and where 2wd is not enough.

3) What are my chances of breaking my axles as long as I am carefull not to pick up much wheelspin, particularly in terrain where the level of grip changes rapidly?

The Patrol has just about the strongest drivetrain this side of an earthmoving machine. A difflock might make it possible to send more torque via one wheel on the axle, but also makes it possible to tackle obstacles much more gently and hence with much less shock loading. It probably saves your axles in conditions where grip changes rapidly. Just don't apply power in 4wd on high grip surfaces (4wd should not be used under these circumstances anyway).

[G-MAN]

Gerrit

[Peter Connan]

Thanks for the reply Gentlemen

Alan the simple fact is that at R20k I cannot afford an ARB, although I would personally have preffered it. My car is only worth 90-100K anyway, so to spend another 1/4 would not make a lot of sense.

Oom Mac I have limited internet access, and cannot access youtube. Would you be prepared to download the video and mail it to me? It is my understanding that an LSD will only work if both the wheels on that axle have some grip, whereas the time we really need the extra grip is when a wheel is airborne?

Gerrit although I have manual hubs on my car, I would like to fully understand the working of the autolocking hubs. I have noticed that when my car is in 2H with the hubs unlocked, it is easy to turn the front propshaft, but with the Autolocking hubs this is not the case. What causes this? Do they have some sort of clutch or is it more positive than that. Do they only engage when they sense a speed difference, or is it driven by oil pressure or something else?

Thanks guys
Peter

[Kagiso II]

eisjjj - P-'ter - nou s jy my een voor - ek hetti kukkin kloe hoe om yu-tjoep goed weer af te laai nie? ek kannit kyk ... maar weet'ie van aflaai nie [sal traai om te probeer]
hier is itzi oor auto vs manjeel haabse: http://www.nissan4x4.co.za/forum/forum_ ... PN=1&TPN=2
en ook [maar hier moet jy maar al 5 blaai leesd - die infop is verspreid] http://www.nissan4x4.co.za/forum/forum_ ... PN=1&TPN=5

In kort - die "aut locking hub" begin draai sodra jy die kort stokkie trek en in 4x4 gaan [MAAR die voorwiele moet eers draai. As jy klaar vassit en die voorwiele dus nie beweging het ni e... dan is jy ge Fffffnuik.
Ek verkies manual hubs - want ek weet genoeg om VOOR ek inni sop is die goed te gaan vasmaak. Dan is my 4x4 daar wanneer ek ookal dioe kort stokkie trek. [en jy kan maar met hulle gesluit ry in 2x ook - ommi waarheid te sê, jy MOET gereeld die goed vasmaak en dan ent gaan ry SODAT DIE OIKLIE KAN ROER DAAR BINNE _ ANDERS ROES DIE GOED.

djenjin - oompie lieg'ie vi jou nie [en bel maa daai ouens by ZF, sien Maloclm so nota aan my in b/g posting oppi NISSAN forum..

[Peter Connan]

Hello Oom Mac

Dankie vir jou moeite.

Ek wil dit net duidelik stel: Ek is glad nie van plan om my manual hubs te vervang met manuals nie. Die rede hoekom ek wil weet hoe die auto hubs werk is tweefoudig:
1) Ek is 'n nuskirige agie, en alles wat ek nie verstaan nie pla my.
2) Ek het 'n pel wat ook Patrol ry, maar hy het net een been, so dis vir hom moeiliker om uit te spring en gou die hubs te sluit.

Ek sluit gewoonlik my hubs die oomblik wat ek van die teerpad afklim, sodat ek net die stokkie hoef te trek.
Peter

[Kagiso II]

Oompie hoor jou so - ek kyk nou weer en sien die draad het eintlik oor DIFFlock begin - en toe na die hubs toe oorgedrentel ..

Dis daai vraag oor die verskil tussen auto en manual HUBS wat ik traai antwoord [want ik weet ook'ie so mooi nie - daar oppi Nissan site gee die ouens so effe lig oppi dinge.

Diff LOCK word egter anner prentjie - en in my boek bly 'n no no vir voorste as [maar dis ook nou weer soveel mense, soveel opinies .. is net ek het gesien hoe AMPER mense by bergpasse af is ... omdat die voorste diff ge LOCK was en die bakkie nie die draai kon maak nie..
Maar hubs? eisjjj - my Terrano s'n het gebreek [die automatics] en al wat ek kon bekom was manuals. Of mens kan verander van manual lock hub na auto lock hubs ... ek weet nie. Behoort gedoen te kan word ? (Wat se daai ouens van ZF, kan hulle vir jou vriend so iets voorsien?]

[Peter Connan]

Hello Oom Mac
My pel het klaar Aotolocking hubs op sy kar (dis 'n 3l diesel soos Agarob). Ek probeer net verstaan hoe die hubs werk om uit te figgure of die difflock en die hubs met mekaar gaan baklei?

Dankie vir al die moeite.
Peter