acem

I have alot of experience with this in my farm trucks. Here is my experience.


I have a 2wd 3/4 ton dodge diesel with an open diff. It can't navigate wet grass.

I have a 2wd 1 ton dodge diesel with a factory LSD. It goes good. I can pull loaded cattle trailers as well as my friends 4wd with open diff in muddy conditions. Off roading w/o a loaded trailer it does not pull as well as a 4wd with open diff. My 1 ton now has over 250,000 miles and the lsd is getting weak. I need to rebuild it.

My 4wd 95 xj has an open diff and getts around good. It does better off roading better than my 2wd 1 ton diesel.

My 4wd ramcharger has 3/4 ton axles, a detroit locker in the rear, and 33x12.50. Even though it is heavy it will pratically walk on water. I have never gotten it stuck in the worst mud. I know mud, I grow rice.

Bottom Line, I would install a lsd before converting to 4wd. However the ultimate rig is 4wd and locked. I want to install a lsd in my xj. I consider it an dual purpose rig and don't want a locker in it (yet).

Thx-Ace

djb383

Kinda apples/oranges. A locker will always turn both axles but that doesn't mean much if the tires slip. If ur not turnin' both axles, the biggest baddest tires around ain't doin' much good.

xj_maniac_newb

It's my opinion a 2wd xj with mud tires is better in all but up hill circumstances than a 4wd open diff with street tires. I say this from experience as some of my dumber friends think their street tires will "do just fine" in a mudhole. And you can take a good guess who they called to pull them out.

djb383

.......and when u encounter some of those pesky rollers out there on the street/trail.......who u gonna call?.........ghost lockers.

xj_maniac_newb

I just lol'ed in the middle of class, thanks for that

VTJeep

Haha... Yeah, tires are critical. It's tires before lockers for me..

djb383

Negative.....if those axles don't turn, how's the tire going to turn??????

djb383

U just made my day. Thanks.

jwreck

My Daddy always said 4wd just gets you stuck further away from help.

I've had a TJ before and a Z71 before. With both those vehicles I can count on my fingers and toes how many times I had to put it in 4wd. It just isn't worth the extra expense for me, but I always wanted an XJ. So I just bought a '01 XJ 2wd. I'll lift it a bit and put a locker in it and I'll be just fine. I'm glad to hear the good reviews on Powertrax no-slip, as that was what I was considering.

jwreck

Wow, sorry for the necro bump.