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diff lock, years available?


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I think you are confused Torxxx - the diff lock is not for the rear end, it's for the center diff - it locks the front to the rear on cars with "Full Time 4WD". You don't need a diff lock in the center because you don't have a center diff, and thus you are already "locked" 50/50 front rear when you're in 4WD.

 

Also - the diff lock trannies are 3.7 gear ratio, which makes them almost useless for off-road - and even if they were 3.9, the only one that would be any good would be the RX tranny, cause it had the D/R. although I think the RX's low gear is higher than a regular low gear in a normal D/R 4WD tranny. Not totally sure on that tho.

 

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so the full time 4wd is all but useless off road? can you explain that one a little better? It just doesnt have any low end torque (hard to imagine any sube with that problem) or what?

I was thinking about getting a Gl10 wagon and trying to decide if the D/R or diff lock was better. Also contemplating an rx swap so I could have D/R and diff lock. I would be using the car on road 9-% of the time. My off roading would probably be the beach (which 9 times out of 10 I dont need 4wd in my Jeep) and maybe some easy trails. I would not be building this one up with a lift etc...

I'm not wild about running full time 4wd. Seems like a waster around here since it snows like once a year and you have to go out of your way to find somewhere you need 4wd. But I would like the turbo and all the features that come with the gl10 (trip computer etc..)

 

So given that application, what do you think?

-Jack

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full-time 4wd will give you handling and safety advantages even on dry pavement, and it doesn't waste gas noticeably overr a dr 4wd would. a ft4wd tranny with diff lock on will act just the same as a pushbutton 4wd, or high range in your DR. However a DR can go into a much lower low range, and it also has the advantage of 3.9 diffs instead of 3.7. For the beach you wouldn't really need a low range, though a low range increases your acceleration, at the sacrifice of top speed, so it will dart around int the sand quite nicely. The only advantage to ft4wd is on the pavement.

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The RX tranny's weakness is it's lack of a really low lo gear, and the 3.7 diff. Those in conjunction give you no crawling power at all. Basically worthless off road. Good for rally driving, and gravel roads etc. Not good for hardcore off roading. Even 3.9 is too high. I would really like some 4.11's or some 4.44's, but it's not going to happen cause of the front diff. Unless of course you go with massive lift (6"+), and do the nissan transfer case type of thing. Then you can run any ratio you want. Such as legacy 4.11 LSD's or something. Or heck - even solid axles if you so desired.

 

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