| Author | Message | ||
     Chris Crompton (Chris) New Member Username: Chris Post Number: 1 Registered: 03-2004 |
My first post here, so be gentle. I'm running a '99 4.0SE in the dunes of the United Arab Emirates and have thought about difflocks for a while now, possibly ARB's using the onboard air to activate them. The point is, with my Rangie, there are 3 diffs, so if I install a difflock just on the rear, then power will still transfer through the centre diff to the front wheels which could, (and probably will be), be spinning happily in the air. There isn't an option to manually lock the centre diff because it is a viscous coupling, so I was hoping for some advice here, is it worth installing a difflock on the rear only, or do I have to do front and back at the same time for it to make any sense ? Advice and experience appreciated. BTW, FYI the white P38 on http://www.rangerovers.net/outfitting/brushbars.html#custom with the big steel bumper is me !!! | ||
| millheaven (Chrisseries1) New Member Username: Chrisseries1 Post Number: 28 Registered: 03-2004 |
well welcome to the d-web chris i am buy no means an expert on front and rear lockers, but i would assume that to get the absolute most from the rover, install two. one on the front and one in the rear. since the range rover is permentet 4wd then you dont have to worry about the center dif. as it is automatic in its locking descesions. try the locker in the rear first then if you like how it performs go with one in the front.! | ||
| Andrew Parker (P38memate) New Member Username: P38memate Post Number: 40 Registered: 12-2003 |
Hi Chris, Glad you asked about this one. The first thing I did was put a pair of ARB P/N: RD57's in my 96 4.6 HSE. As you know only the rear wheels have TC on the early P38A's. I would warn against drawing air from the EAS if you live anywhere but in the desert. The dryer will become saturated if you don't let it regenerate. The ARB solenoid valves vent to the atmosphere. The other neat thing is by having the ARB compressor you can air up the tires and the air springs if the EAS has a problem. It's a great trail redundancy measure. I find running dunes with the rear ARB on and the front open is the most fun. You can pull the most awsome powerslides and the steering is still vey good once you get here roosting for all she's worth, in low range at 3rd gear, with 4000 RPM on the tach. I mention this because the locked up ARB is the same as a spool like they use in a dragster. If there was anything you wanted to go straight and only straight it is one of those. So, the TC which is a very great thing in it own right will get pretty darm warm if you are really throwing your 4600 pound ATV around hard in the dunes. If you need shear hill climbing traction and all the power to the ground, lock up both, but she likes to go straight with the front turned on. The only time I've ever been able to see the front wheel turn and the back not do anything was in Moab going up this steep rock face. I gently throttled here up and the fronts were just chirping away at the crest. The rears were motionless with all the weight on them. I was on the third day of our run so I didn't push it. But safe to say I think that with more throttle the coupling would have warmed up considerably and probably heaved here up the incline because the traction was 100% awsome, given enough normal force for the tire to work with. When I traversed the "Crack" the lockers made this so easy it was like I was cheating. There is a point in there were you roll for about a foot or so on just the opposite two tires and wheels. The other two are grasping for the ground but the crack is so deep all they get is air. It is a great picture. http://www.offroadtuff.com/images/Moab/DSCN0586.JPG | ||
| Chris Crompton (Chris) New Member Username: Chris Post Number: 2 Registered: 03-2004 |
Thanks Andrew - good info, I like the idea of the rooster tails !!! I'll probably get just a rear one fitted to start with, (got to hide the cash from the better half !!), and see how I get on with that. BTW - I can't get the link to the pic to work, not sure but the site maybe down. |
