With the great weather that we have been getting so far here in MO, I was afraid that the winter would pass me up without being able to see how my Spartan auto-locker would do in the front of my XJ. I installed the locker back in March of last year and have taken it off road quite a few times, but never worked it in the snow.

Well finally last night we got a decent amount of snow (only 3 - 4 inches, but enough to let me give it a good workout).

I had read all of the horror stories of folks saying that auto-lockers are crap in the snow and that you will crash and die a fiery death if you even attempt it (ok, I might be exaggerating a bit, but you get the point).

I travel about 30 miles one way to work on both a highway and a bit of city driving, so it is a fair distance. To me, the auto-locker performed exactly like I thought that it would. It did give me substantially more traction getting up the hill by my house. It did let me know when it wanted to pull me straight instead of turning, but it also responded well to a firm hand on the steering wheel. At no time did I feel out of control or that I could not turn in the direction that I needed to go.

At the few stoplights that I had to navigate on my way in, I did beat everyone off the line for sure, so definitely added traction there.

Overall, I am happy with the performance of the auto-locker.

 

I have not had any issues either with my Detroit Lockers all that is required is a little common sense.

 

Was hoping for little more discriptive "quirks"If you mash the gas does it tend to go straight if wheels turned from stop, or mash while in a turn?Is it any worse than a FWD car that tends go go oppisite of how wheel is turned?I wonder if the "Crash and burners" are inexperienced in snow driving or just lead foots?I've made rwd open and posi do some cool things in the snow (and dirt back roads)

 

I also installed an auto front locker around a month ago, then around 2 weeks ago we had our first big snow, and I too was waiting to die a firey death like everyone insisted upon when I drove the jeep. I absolutely loved how it was with the auto front locker. It kept me straight with tons of traction going down the road. When it was time to turn all I had to do was let off the gas and slow down a bit and it turned fine still. All the people that kept saying it will pull you into every ditch in town must of not adjusted their driving style at all. If you get pulled into a ditch turning with the auto front locker, you are going too fast to even need 4wd in my opinion.

 

Well, it does have a tendency to want to pull you straight, but a firm hand on the wheel worked well for me. I would not compare it with a front wheel drive car since it has substantially more traction and feels much more in control than my front wheel drive daily commuter car.

A lead foot would probably get you in trouble pretty quickly, but I guess that is true of just about any type of vehicle on the ice and snow.

 

I am glad you posted this, it will probably get me moving on getting a locker for the front of my XJ.

Here in Ky we had 12 inches of snow Monday and I was really looking forward to see how well the Jeep would handle it. Sadly on Saturday though, it started throwing the serpentine belt off and I had to drive the F150 instead. Just not easy to fix the belt in the driveway with so much snow lol.

 

Personally, I hate lockers on the street in the snow. Open/Open unless actually needed.

 

I hate driving any of my cars/vans without lockers my 2012 Lincoln Town Car and the 2009 Ford Custom High Top Conversion Van are pigs in the snow.


Our 2 Jeeps, Blazer, F-250 Crew Cab Power Stroke SB, F-350 CC P/S LB and 3 company trucks are all used with 4wd. My wife used to prefer her Blazer the most but since I bought the 2004 GC 'Overland" she hated at first now I have a hard time getting to it first. Never had anything drive better in all conditions in my life than it does along with the comfort

 

my spartan works great on snow but when slowing down hard and hitting ice when one wheel slips it makes noise like abs does but much louder

 

X2 I hate that noise. I'm locked front and rear and I hardly use 4wd in the snow. I does have a tend to want to push and I feel that is amplified by agressive mud tires that have little or no siping. but as long as you anticipate your corners and not fall into the false security of 4wd its really not bad in the snow and you definately get where you need to go. Of course a stock XJ on snow tires will kick your trail rigs a$$ in snow under 4" but thats something you learn to live with.

 

I couldn't agree more.