Front Axle Lockers

[hugejp]

The OX is a beast!!!

I have owned one, truly mechanical & selectable.

The diff cover would survive an rpg strike, but sadly not available for the Patrol...

[biggles]

Steve, I was really impressed by the performance of your front locker and also have aome questions as I really want one.

Im still not 100% sure exacrly when the engage and disengage, but sort of have the idea.
As you said they engage when there is power from the front propshaft, but you said they disengage when turning?
How does it work when you need them locked around a corner?
Could you notice that your Patrol now has a bigger turning circle with the locker engaged?

Ja... tried explaining and realised I don't know exactly. I leave it at the opposite (or differential force) that the diff experiences when you turn a corner unlocks the diff. These forces are different to when a wheel is in the air and will not unlock in those situations.

I have read about a set of specific circumstances where theoretically you could have an issue... like a decent situation and a hard turn. We had such a situation on Baboons and having guided a few vehicles through I don't think my turning circle was any worse than the others on the obstacle. A climbing turn should also cause issues but again I cannot say I had any.

When turning the inside wheel is "locked" and the outside wheel is free. If you loose traction on a corner the differential effect of the turning wheels stops and the diff will lock again until both wheels have traction and then if still turning will unlock the outside wheel.

I did not experience a bigger turning circle. Accidently engaging (ie being stupid) the rear diff lock before doing the big rock really had an effect though!!

For those that prefer on demand lockers... it became a PITA turning onand off the rear diff-loc. But the "fire and forget" autolocker was

[Kagiso II]

Few pointers from Oompie's end:
This specific post was started by Johan F .. iNyati's previous owner. I now have the ARB Air locker fitted Patrol aka iNyathi. I have used the front locker a few times .. BUT if it were not available the rear locker would still have gotten me through. At times I have used ONLY front locker the get out of a "bind"
Remembering AGAROB and his abilities, iNYathi is NO better off road .. Agarob's automatic g/box made up for a lot of my stupid lines chosen.

On the Prado with its "traction control" gimmicks I had only frustrations .. UNTIL I had the OZZIE locker fitted [bought through Mr Mike Swann and installation overseen by him at GEARMAX [Silverton] THEN that Prado was a beast. And those were the "auto lockers" .. It is permanently l;ocked, BUT if the rsistance on on side exceeds 11 Nm, then the bevel shaped gears would release on the wheel with the highest resistance [normally the OUTER wheel [like when turning a corner on normal tarred roads, you would hear the locker "klack, klack, klack" as it released -- You get used to it quickly. Does it WORK? .. Helllll YES !!! Would I fit an AUTO Locker again ?? For sure.. At a fraction of rthe cost of e.g the ARB Air locker, And yes, even on the front .. The cost saving is just so worth it.

AND REMEMBER -- on our vehicles [NISSAN 4x4's] the 4x4 is NOT permanent, thus, under normal road driving the front diff would NOT be activated anyway .. and have no effect. YES on a tricky down hill sharp corner turns might be a risk .. I would for those few meters go two wheel drive [albeit still in low range]

Mike Swann was the FIRST in SA to import and install after market lockers. He was the first to install front and rear lockers on a Nissan San i [later also on Andre de Goede's SANI -- I for one can highly recommend Mike's work. AND he will also sort any guarantee issues should there be any [I had an Issue on the Prado's locker after 50,000 km. Mike had it sorted and it cost me the diff oil they used [the release tension on the diff had to be adjusted]

THUS -- I would use Mike's services and have the peace of mind of the guarantee being honoured, as to if I had to go head to head with the American / Australian co ..

Just my 2c

[SJC]

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[Kagiso II]

Correct SJ .. he does not physically install it .. he did stand by on my installation [at Gearmax, Silverton] IF you know how to install self then he we will ise on that too, i am sure.
I suppose anywhere you take it you will have to pay for installation .. it is that tricky part with that trky tool that that sets the "clearance / tension" on the gears [kanni nou daai woord onthou nie .. julle slim manne sal weet]

[davidvdm]

I searched this weekend again, in the hope that I had maybe missed it last time, but seem to be stuffed with a locker option for the C200 front diff. I would have loved the Spartan lunchbox locker, but the only thing available is the ARB airlocker. I will never put R24k into this vehicle on one item like that. It's bad enough my tyres are going to cost that.

Next option is to search for a H233 front end in a 4.88, and I believe they are non existent. I hear there are some C200s that came with a LSD, but not sure if that can be built into the front diff. Found some reference on overseas forums that many of these Nissan diffs were used in Diahtsu trucks, with some weird ratios up to 5,3. But I don't know if that was the case in south Africa.

[TijmenvdS]

5.3 Ratios-37" Tires

[davidvdm]

Wonder what the guys run with 40" tyres??

[Kagiso II]

DAVY .. get a pair of DANA 40 or 60 diffs [ex Jeep Wagoneer / Jeep Gladiator] they are lockable by virtually with ANY locker make.
Where ?? eisjjj i dunno Brurtjie

[mvcoller]

Doesn't the Patrol run with a C200 front diff as well?

I thought that was the case. Well if it does have the C200 up front, I managed to order an Autolocker from Lokka. Have you tried them? Go onto their website and fill in all your vehicle's info and you will soon know....

The Terrano had a C200A in the front and when Mike Swann ordered a LSD for me to fit to the front diff in the Terrano, we found that they sent a unit for a C200.

It was easier to modify (so we thought) the LS unit to work on the C200A. The only difference was the number of splines on the side shafts.

Have you contacted Mike?