Who has actually driven in snow with front and rear lunchbox lockers?
#1
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Who has actually driven in snow with front and rear lunchbox lockers?
I am going to swap the rear limited slip carrier out for an open carrier and put either a Spartan or Aussie locker in it and I am also considering putting a locker in the front. This isn't my primary daily driver but I would still like to be able to drive it in the snow if needed. Are front and rear lockers to much of a handful in the snow or is it manageable.
#2
Senior Member
yes I resemble that comment. Been auto locked a couple of seasons front and rear. Just remember that the XJ is allot closer to a farmall than a ferrari, you'll be alright.
#3
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Ocean County, NJ
Posts: 2,208
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
You may be OK with a lunchbox locker in the rear for snow driving, keeping your foot out of it. But if you want to use 4wd on the road with a front lunchbox, it will be undriveable. I run a front lunchie and its horrible in the snow (on-road). It's nothing but understeer. Don't do it.
#4
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Hamilton,Mt
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1996 Heep XJ Country
Engine: 4.0
You may be OK with a lunchbox locker in the rear for snow driving, keeping your foot out of it. But if you want to use 4wd on the road with a front lunchbox, it will be undriveable. I run a front lunchie and its horrible in the snow (on-road). It's nothing but understeer. Don't do it.
One of the worst winters we've had here in Montana in a long time.
Drove many a morning to work with a foot or more of snow on the highways.
Had zero issues with understeer in the snow, or on ice. Of course it's a jeep, I didn't drive it like it was a sports car.
There is a small learning curve to driving with a front locker on ice and snow.
Once you learn when to let off the gas and coast, you will have no problems.
That being said, no way in hell would I take my XJ on the interstate, dry or icy.
It prefers 55mph or less.
#5
CF Veteran
ran a Aussie Front in the XJ. You just have to realize that it drives like a tank. let off and coast through corners. if you go from a icy spot to a hard packed spot, it will pull you. Its Doable, you just have to be aware.
#6
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Ocean County, NJ
Posts: 2,208
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Traction is required to unlock a lunchie. When you're out driving through snow packed roads in 4wd and approach a turn, merely releasing the throttle will not unlock the locker. Turn the wheel, both tires are still locked = understeer. It makes for dangerous driving and a selectable locker would be better suited for this type of driving.
Last edited by Jeepin'_Aint_EZ; 03-31-2017 at 02:49 PM.
Trending Topics
#8
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
I think I'm going to go with Spartan lockers front and rear, now if I could find an open carrier for a Chrysler 8.25 I'll be good to go.
#10
Senior Member
what are you more likely to do? climb rocks on the trail like a boss or drive down the road in a snow storm to get your bread and milk? priorities man.
Last edited by aka"dude"; 04-03-2017 at 08:48 PM.
#11
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Not really in to rockcrawling, there isn't much of that around here. Mainly mud, old rutted out logging trails, and hill climbing. I will still drive it on the street but it isn't my main vehicle I mostly drive my truck.
#12
Seasoned Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
Posts: 327
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
3 Posts
Year: 1998 (buggy), 1998 DD
Model: Cherokee
Before mine became a buggy, I had a Detroit in the rear (9") and Aussie in the front (D30)...and originally a spool before the detroit.
I drove it all around in the snow, but it was a little bit of a handful.
Don't accelerate when turning, instead coast.
Watch for spots of uneven traction, etc.
I drove it like that for years, but not sure I'd do it again these days.
If I were, I'd rather have the spool since it's more predictable (Detroit could load/unload at any moment on snow/ice, making you jump halfway out of the lane).
On this next XJ I'm building, it's getting a selectable in the front. If not selectable, it would remain open. This will be becoming my new daily driver however.
I drove it all around in the snow, but it was a little bit of a handful.
Don't accelerate when turning, instead coast.
Watch for spots of uneven traction, etc.
I drove it like that for years, but not sure I'd do it again these days.
If I were, I'd rather have the spool since it's more predictable (Detroit could load/unload at any moment on snow/ice, making you jump halfway out of the lane).
On this next XJ I'm building, it's getting a selectable in the front. If not selectable, it would remain open. This will be becoming my new daily driver however.
#14
CF Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Tarpon Springs, FL / Denver, CO
Posts: 2,097
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
7 Posts
Year: '98
Engine: 4.0 I6
It changes the mannerisms of using 4wd on snowy roads considerably.
Makes it harder to run 4wd on patchy areas where there is some snow, some ice, and some pavement visible. Have to get used to coasting around tight turns.
For those reasons (and because my XJ is a DD), I am going to probably go with an LSD in the rear (TruTrack), and a selectible air or electronic locker up front if/when I can afford either of them.
Makes it harder to run 4wd on patchy areas where there is some snow, some ice, and some pavement visible. Have to get used to coasting around tight turns.
For those reasons (and because my XJ is a DD), I am going to probably go with an LSD in the rear (TruTrack), and a selectible air or electronic locker up front if/when I can afford either of them.
#15
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Newport News, VA
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 0
Received 38 Likes
on
37 Posts
Year: 96 & 88 4 dr Cherokees
Traction is required to unlock a lunchie. When you're out driving through snow packed roads in 4wd and approach a turn, merely releasing the throttle will not unlock the locker. Turn the wheel, both tires are still locked = understeer. It makes for dangerous driving and a selectable locker would be better suited for this type of driving.
Essentially equal traction is required would be a better answer
Merely releasing the throttle won't let it unlock unless there is enough traction for one tire/axle to spin faster than the ring gear is spinning....yes, I said faster.
What lets a locker unlock (lunchbox or full-case) is 1 tire/axle spinning faster than the ring gear, and this happens during a turn because the inside tire is engine driven, and the outside tire is ground driven.
Ground driven means the tire/axle is accelerated or spinning faster due to it travelling more distance in the same amount of time....and this spinning faster lets the inner cone disengage to allow differentiation in the turn.
Once you get back on the gas, that tire/axle is no longer being driven by the ground, and it re-locks.
The only way the tire/axle can spin faster is if there is enough traction at both tires for one to not spin as much as the other. The engine driven tire/axle has to have enough traction to not slip, and the ground driven tire/axle has to have enough traction to actually turn vice sliding, or it will never spin fast enough for the inner cone to disengage & unlock, as EZ said.