Posted by Clint Dixon [162.158.74.216] on Sunday, November 19, 2017 at 08:29:04 :
In Reply to: Lockright lockers posted by George [108.162.245.181] on Saturday, November 18, 2017 at 20:59:59 :
Yes.
Fully locked all the time until the vehicle steers away from a straight line of travel, at which time the outside wheel functions similar to the ratcheting action of an overriding clutch in order to allow it to rotate faster around the corner than the inside wheel eliminating tire scuffing. Inside wheel always remains locked.
Don't let that description fool you. There are no clutches to wear out or need for special lubricant and one wheel cannot physically be spinning while the other just sits there with no power transmitted to it like in an open differential.
Because of this, you no longer have a "dead wheel" to give you the rudder effect. So, one wheel cannot loose traction unless the other wheel is still maintaining the same equal speed of rotation. On steep slick hills where you may be trying to drive across rather than up or down, you are more likely for the entire rear of the vehicle to loose traction and swing downhill once you break a wheel loose and loose that rudder effect. This can also happen on slick crowned blacktop roads under the right conditions.
A locker just takes a little bit different driving technique that one quickly learns and as a bonus it is a technique that fortunately fits well with selectable lockers and even open differentials.
My locker is actually an All-Trac which was developed specifically for the Power-Wagon by a Power-Wagon enthusiast and is the grandfather of the Lockright. I like it for the reasons I mentioned above and also because it takes no thought or prior preparation to operate. Just install it and forget it. There are no tanks, compressors, hoses, or solenoids to install, malfunction, or snag on off road obstacles. There are no switches or levers that one has to remember to turn on or off. It also uses a lot of the original differential parts which keeps the cost lower. And, if you are going for a 100% restoration, there is no way anyone is going to know you have installed a Lockright unless they tear apart the truck and find it or happen to drive the truck to experience the enhanced traction.
Junior
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