Club 80-90 Forums

ok. do i just rebuild the non locking diff or do i sort a part ex out on a locking unit.

being i`ve nicked the locking diff out of the doka for the 16 i`m now left with a non locking noisey diff and a doka syncro 2wd.

how important is the front locking diff. not having seriously off roaded the syncro i dont know how often its needed. have needed the rear locker a few times when its lifted a wheel but is having both really needed and when do you use the lockers. do you wait to get in trouble or do you try and preempt the need for them.

is it true that with the front locker in you cant steer.

cheers lee.

You cant steer on a hard surface like a road but you can on mud when it would be engaged anyway. I dont have a front locker on my doka and its never caused me any greef really.It would be handy to have a front but i have a winch should the "pooh" really hit the fan. I have a front on the westy and it gave me abit more confidance when we wild camped in the mountains this winter.

jed

I have a 16 with just a rear locker and even in the snow last week on Dartmoor and on AT tyres I have not had a problem. I think it only becomes something to have when in super slick and cross axle conditions. I do not intend to go 'extreme' and not on my own anyway so a tow is always on hand. Depends on the end use I suppose...

Normally you wouldn't really need a front locker unless you're into really serious trial type offroading.
However the Syncro is not quite "normal" in that it has very poor axle articulation. On ondulated ground it easily happens that two diagonally opposed wheels have very poor surface contact. They needn't necessarily be off the ground to start spinning. If this happens to you in a place where you can get a bit of momentum going, the rear locker alone will usually see you through. If it's very slippy, steep or slow then you'll need a front locker too.
I wouldn't call a front locker a must have ...but a nice to have, as it enables you to take things a bit more slowly and carefully instead of having to hammer the Syncro through in order not to lose the momentum. Then again ...some people like hammering

Good example of the front diff lock in action here at 2.30

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xJHUeH4a3c" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have never actually needed front diff lock, it is like Jed says, nice to know it is there to help you out of a stuck situation. But a winch looks cooler!

i use my front locker quite a bit. Not as much as the rear but when using it under the correct circumstances it increases your traction tremendously and allows you to
negotiate obstacles slowly with control. Using it also lessens strain on other drive train parts.
Russel

ok thanks guys, i guess its down to how much extra it`ll cost to convert to a locking front, can`t see me not doing it when i`m ready as i`m hoping to get some propper off road experiance with the doka.

thats a cool vid

cheers lee.