Posted by Keith on Tuesday, March 07, 2006 at 3:14PM :
In Reply to: Axle breakage... posted by MoparNorm on Tuesday, March 07, 2006 at 1:29AM :
To add to what Norm and Dan have said on the subject, one of the benefits of a selectable locker in the front end is that on hard surfaces, like rock, or whenever the front end is getting bound up, you can unbind the front end by disengaging the locker.
You can run open in the front in 3 (or 2 if you want an ARB in the back too) wheel drive most of the time and then engage the front locker just for obstacles. For these reasons, a selectable locker in the front is much easier on axle shafts than an automatic locker, like the Lock Right.
There is less tire wear with a selectable locker than with an automatic locker. An auto doesn't care if you are driving on pavement and tends to cause additional tire wear, while you can run open with a selectable locker.
Lastly, an open differential offers much more predictable handling on ice covered roads than does an automatic locker simply because the auto will engage or unengage causing an instant (and often unwanted, such as when rounding a turn) change in handling.