identifying lockers
 

Hello jeepers! I am a novice and am about to ask a very basic question so
please be gentle. I have come into posession of an old jeep. Some work was
done on modifying it, but it was done by someone 3 or 4 owners distant so I
can't ask them any questions. I am trying to figure out if it has a locking
differential. The guy I got it from said yes the axle locks, but he knows
even less about jeeps than I do, so I think he may have been confused about
the difference between "lockers" and "locking the hubs" to engage 4wd.

Is there any kind of easy way for a layman to tell if the differential is
really locked or not? This is on the front axle. When I lock the front
hubs and engage 4-wheel drive, the jeep is definitely a lot harder to turn
and needs a bigger turning radius than when in 2wd. Is this a good sign
that I have lockers, or is that something that would happen in 4wd anyway?

Re: identifying lockers
 

Kevin Greene did pass the time by typing:
> Hello jeepers! I am a novice and am about to ask a very basic question so
> please be gentle. I have come into posession of an old jeep. Some work was
> done on modifying it, but it was done by someone 3 or 4 owners distant so I
> can't ask them any questions. I am trying to figure out if it has a locking
> differential. The guy I got it from said yes the axle locks, but he knows
> even less about jeeps than I do, so I think he may have been confused about
> the difference between "lockers" and "locking the hubs" to engage 4wd.
>
> Is there any kind of easy way for a layman to tell if the differential is
> really locked or not? This is on the front axle. When I lock the front
> hubs and engage 4-wheel drive, the jeep is definitely a lot harder to turn
> and needs a bigger turning radius than when in 2wd. Is this a good sign
> that I have lockers, or is that something that would happen in 4wd anyway?

First off, never run in 4wd on dry or wet pavement it will break things.
You most likely have a "part time" system. That means it locks and is for
use on dirt/loose gravel/deep snow/mud.

Help us help you, what year/model is your Jeep.


As for how things work, Tom posted these links a while back

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/differential.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/four-wheel-drive.htm


--
-- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://members.cox.net/wilsond
HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks
Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors

Re: identifying lockers
 

Kevin Greene did pass the time by typing:
> Hello jeepers! I am a novice and am about to ask a very basic question so
> please be gentle. I have come into posession of an old jeep. Some work was
> done on modifying it, but it was done by someone 3 or 4 owners distant so I
> can't ask them any questions. I am trying to figure out if it has a locking
> differential. The guy I got it from said yes the axle locks, but he knows
> even less about jeeps than I do, so I think he may have been confused about
> the difference between "lockers" and "locking the hubs" to engage 4wd.
>
> Is there any kind of easy way for a layman to tell if the differential is
> really locked or not? This is on the front axle. When I lock the front
> hubs and engage 4-wheel drive, the jeep is definitely a lot harder to turn
> and needs a bigger turning radius than when in 2wd. Is this a good sign
> that I have lockers, or is that something that would happen in 4wd anyway?

First off, never run in 4wd on dry or wet pavement it will break things.
You most likely have a "part time" system. That means it locks and is for
use on dirt/loose gravel/deep snow/mud.

Help us help you, what year/model is your Jeep.


As for how things work, Tom posted these links a while back

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/differential.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/four-wheel-drive.htm


--
-- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://members.cox.net/wilsond
HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks
Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors

Re: identifying lockers
 

Kevin Greene did pass the time by typing:
> Hello jeepers! I am a novice and am about to ask a very basic question so
> please be gentle. I have come into posession of an old jeep. Some work was
> done on modifying it, but it was done by someone 3 or 4 owners distant so I
> can't ask them any questions. I am trying to figure out if it has a locking
> differential. The guy I got it from said yes the axle locks, but he knows
> even less about jeeps than I do, so I think he may have been confused about
> the difference between "lockers" and "locking the hubs" to engage 4wd.
>
> Is there any kind of easy way for a layman to tell if the differential is
> really locked or not? This is on the front axle. When I lock the front
> hubs and engage 4-wheel drive, the jeep is definitely a lot harder to turn
> and needs a bigger turning radius than when in 2wd. Is this a good sign
> that I have lockers, or is that something that would happen in 4wd anyway?

First off, never run in 4wd on dry or wet pavement it will break things.
You most likely have a "part time" system. That means it locks and is for
use on dirt/loose gravel/deep snow/mud.

Help us help you, what year/model is your Jeep.


As for how things work, Tom posted these links a while back

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/differential.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/four-wheel-drive.htm


--
-- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://members.cox.net/wilsond
HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks
Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors

Re: identifying lockers
 

Hi Kevin,
Welcome.
http://www.offroaders.com/jeepfan/difftech.htm
http://----------.com/differential.htm
http://www.tractech.com/TechTips.htm
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Kevin Greene wrote:
>
> Hello jeepers! I am a novice and am about to ask a very basic question so
> please be gentle. I have come into posession of an old jeep. Some work was
> done on modifying it, but it was done by someone 3 or 4 owners distant so I
> can't ask them any questions. I am trying to figure out if it has a locking
> differential. The guy I got it from said yes the axle locks, but he knows
> even less about jeeps than I do, so I think he may have been confused about
> the difference between "lockers" and "locking the hubs" to engage 4wd.
>
> Is there any kind of easy way for a layman to tell if the differential is
> really locked or not? This is on the front axle. When I lock the front
> hubs and engage 4-wheel drive, the jeep is definitely a lot harder to turn
> and needs a bigger turning radius than when in 2wd. Is this a good sign
> that I have lockers, or is that something that would happen in 4wd anyway?

Re: identifying lockers
 

Hi Kevin,
Welcome.
http://www.offroaders.com/jeepfan/difftech.htm
http://----------.com/differential.htm
http://www.tractech.com/TechTips.htm
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Kevin Greene wrote:
>
> Hello jeepers! I am a novice and am about to ask a very basic question so
> please be gentle. I have come into posession of an old jeep. Some work was
> done on modifying it, but it was done by someone 3 or 4 owners distant so I
> can't ask them any questions. I am trying to figure out if it has a locking
> differential. The guy I got it from said yes the axle locks, but he knows
> even less about jeeps than I do, so I think he may have been confused about
> the difference between "lockers" and "locking the hubs" to engage 4wd.
>
> Is there any kind of easy way for a layman to tell if the differential is
> really locked or not? This is on the front axle. When I lock the front
> hubs and engage 4-wheel drive, the jeep is definitely a lot harder to turn
> and needs a bigger turning radius than when in 2wd. Is this a good sign
> that I have lockers, or is that something that would happen in 4wd anyway?

Re: identifying lockers
 

Hi Kevin,
Welcome.
http://www.offroaders.com/jeepfan/difftech.htm
http://----------.com/differential.htm
http://www.tractech.com/TechTips.htm
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Kevin Greene wrote:
>
> Hello jeepers! I am a novice and am about to ask a very basic question so
> please be gentle. I have come into posession of an old jeep. Some work was
> done on modifying it, but it was done by someone 3 or 4 owners distant so I
> can't ask them any questions. I am trying to figure out if it has a locking
> differential. The guy I got it from said yes the axle locks, but he knows
> even less about jeeps than I do, so I think he may have been confused about
> the difference between "lockers" and "locking the hubs" to engage 4wd.
>
> Is there any kind of easy way for a layman to tell if the differential is
> really locked or not? This is on the front axle. When I lock the front
> hubs and engage 4-wheel drive, the jeep is definitely a lot harder to turn
> and needs a bigger turning radius than when in 2wd. Is this a good sign
> that I have lockers, or is that something that would happen in 4wd anyway?

Re: identifying lockers
 

Guys, I understand what lockers are. What I am trying to figure out is how
to determine if I have them.

Re: identifying lockers
 

Guys, I understand what lockers are. What I am trying to figure out is how
to determine if I have them.

Re: identifying lockers
 

Guys, I understand what lockers are. What I am trying to figure out is how
to determine if I have them.