Titan w/ rear locker?

This is a quote from this forum:

"no vehicle comes from the factory with lockers.
The safety and liability issues that have kept the automakers from
installing lockers should be a signal of their dangers.
As long as those vehicles haven't been modified with lockers they
should
be safe.


I just bought a Nissan Titan which has a button to "lock" the rear
wheels as one. Is this a locker? Is it dangerous? I couldn't imagine
it being dangerous if I only use it on steep muddy hills and such. In
fact the manual says don't go over four MPH when it is engaged.
Anyhow I'm heading out to Death Valley tonight and hope to use this
feature a little while I'm out there. Any comments would be nice. Dan

Sounds like a locker to me... The new Discovery also has a factory
locker installed.

".boB" wrote:
>
> wrote:
>
> > This is a quote from this forum:
> >
> > "no vehicle comes from the factory with lockers.
> > The safety and liability issues that have kept the automakers from
> > installing lockers should be a signal of their dangers.
> > As long as those vehicles haven't been modified with lockers they
> > should
> > be safe.
> >
> >
> > I just bought a Nissan Titan which has a button to "lock" the rear
> > wheels as one. Is this a locker? Is it dangerous? I couldn't imagine
> > it being dangerous if I only use it on steep muddy hills and such. In
> > fact the manual says don't go over four MPH when it is engaged.
> > Anyhow I'm heading out to Death Valley tonight and hope to use this
> > feature a little while I'm out there. Any comments would be nice. Dan
> >
>
> A true locker can be dangerous on the street. Cornering on slick pavement can
> get exciting.

Define exactly what you mean by a 'true locker'. What you are describing
sounds more like some sort of limited slip to me, which can engage
automatically.

When I think of lockers, I think of something that must be manually
engaged. Most factory installations (my Landcruiser for example)
inhibits differential locking in high range or at more than 5 mph.

Cornering with the diffs locked is not just exciting, it can be damned
difficult. But lockers are only intended to get you out of a hole or off
a bump, not for continuous driving.

> Many off road vehicles have been modified to be a true locker for
> better off road tractio0n in sand, mud, etc.
> As long as you follow the instructions it will be fine. 4mph seems a little low
> to me. But play with it on the dirt until you get used to it. Try some hard corners
> on the dirt and see what happens.

Use lockers only on a slippery surface (loose gravel, sand, etc.). Just
like locking your center diff. at inappropriate times, you could do
damage if you 'wind up' your axles on hard surfaces without differential
operation.

> --
> .boB
> On Order: 2006 FXDI, Red.
> 1997 HD FXDWG - Turbocharged Stolen 11/26/05 in Denver
> 1HD1GEL10VY3200010 CO License J5822Z
> 2001 Dodge Dakota QC 5.9/4x4/3.92
> 1966 Mustang Coupe - Daily Driver
> 1965 FFR Cobra - 427W EFI, Damn Fast.

--
Paul Hovnanian
------------------------------------------------------------------
Rube Goldberg is alive and working for Microsoft.

in article , .boB at
wrote on 12/26/05 9:32 AM:

>> This is a quote from this forum:
>>
>> "no vehicle comes from the factory with lockers.
>> The safety and liability issues that have kept the automakers from
>> installing lockers should be a signal of their dangers.
>> As long as those vehicles haven't been modified with lockers they
>> should
>> be safe.

The Wrangler Rubicon comes with lockers. The Tundra is available with a
rear locker. The Land Cruiser of the 90's could be had with lockers. The
Titan has a rear locker. I'm sure there's others.

-jeff