Front Lunchbox in Snow?

[Sancho]

About to put a lunchbox locker in front diff.

Does anyone have any experience driving in snow with a locked front diff?

I am an experienced driver in snow...having lived in milwaukee for 6 years.

Now back in san diego.. the times i will see snow is less, .. though it will happen.

Big bear.. mammoth.. sequioa.. laguna mtns..


Will the jeep still be useable? I do not want to limit where I can go... but am not ready for a selectable.

 

[ATTolan]

Lockers and snow don’t mix very well for street driving. I’ve always followed the rule of lockers in snow only if your stuck

 

[JDS123]

I put air lockers in mine specifically because I drive in the snow. I'm not sure how lunchbox lockers behave if I'm honest, but if they ever lock up during a turn when you're driving in the snow, you're in big trouble. I tried to drive around with my rear locker in the snow once for fun. I turned it off after about 4 minutes. I unintentionally drifted around every turn. Even in straight lines, driving with my rear locker was sketchy. If one tire had traction and the other didn't, I was headed for the ditch and had to save the jeep with a bit of careful driving.

I don't know how lunchbox lockers behave because I've never driven a vehicle with one, but if they are locked when you're driving in the snow, you're not going to have a fun time. I'm sure you could drive in the snow with non-selectable lockers (I know people who do it all winter), but I'm not sure how much fun you'll have doing so.

 

[Sancho]

I am concerned with the curvy mtn roads. Lunchbox lockers unlock on turns, but i am curious about their effect on snowy road driving conditions.

 

[ATTolan]

Personally, safety wise I’d save up for a selectable.

 

[Sancho]

Personally, safety wise I’d save up for a selectable.

I have 3.07.. figured i should regear before i get a selectable. Regearing adds to the cost.

Getting a lunch box would add more capability for years with out breaking the bank.

Hmm.. i gotta see how much an ox locker is.

 

[BoldlyGoing]

I am concerned with the curvy mtn roads. Lunchbox lockers unlock on turns, but i am curious about their effect on snowy road driving conditions.

I don’t believe that’s accurate. Lunchbox lockers engage if there is torque applied. So if you have one in the front and have 4wd engaged, the locker will engage if your foot is on the gas.

If you let off the gas it, it will unlock.

 

[ATTolan]

I have 3.07.. figured i should regear before i get a selectable. Regearing adds to the cost.

Getting a lunch box would add more capability for years with out breaking the bank.

Hmm.. i gotta see how much an ox locker is.

If you wanna do it all just save up and get it all in one shot instead of spending more money in the long run. For example my buddy is having me build one tons for his rubi up he’s buying everything in a specific order so once it’s all built and ready to go under the knife, he’ll have minimal down time with the Jeep.

 

[Sancho]

I don’t believe that’s accurate. Lunchbox lockers engage if there is torque applied. So if you have one in the front and have 4wd engaged, the locker will engage if your foot is on the gas.

If you let off the gas it, it will unlock.

I think they unlock when turned.

 

[ATTolan]

They unlock when turned until torque (skinny pedal) is applied

 

[Sancho]

Id love to do it all at once...but realistically.. dropping 2k on it anytime soon is unlikely.

I am ok running a lunchbox at a few hundred bucks.. for a couple years.

I get a lot out of my jeep now.. but it would be nice to run a locker so I have a greater margin of error on certain runs.

I am curious about down hill mtn roads, especially on curves, and how the lunchbox affects the drive. Last thing i want to do is reduce the places i can go.. or drive to.

 

[bobthetj03]

Detroit Truetrac maybe? Not a locker by any means, but I hear they are more predictable in snow.

 

[BoldlyGoing]

Id love to do it all at once...but realistically.. dropping 2k on it anytime soon is unlikely.

I am ok running a lunchbox at a few hundred bucks.. for a couple years.

I get a lot out of my jeep now.. but it would be nice to run a locker so I have a greater margin of error on certain runs.

I am curious about down hill mtn roads, especially on curves, and how the lunchbox affects the drive. Last thing i want to do is reduce the places i can go.. or drive to.

Running downhill (not using the engine to accelerate) will be fine.

If you’re in 2wd, you’ll be fine.

You’ll only notice a difference when turning, in 4wd, while accelerating.

 

[Jorge Bolivar]

While i have not driven on the snow with the Lunchbox locker I can tell you that once the 4 Low or High is engage and applying torque to the locker it would not unlock during any turning.

The Aussie statement hi-lite above make more sense for when torque is not applied to the locker.

 

[Sunder]

I had a lunchbox in the front in the past. (previous owner install).
I'll never run a lunchbox in the front again if I drive in snow. (And I currently live in Manitoba, Canada...so we get snow).

The main problem is the "unpredictableness" of the lunchbox locking or unlocking at very inconvenient times, and spinning you suddenly. Very suddenly. And the short wheelbase of Jeeps makes that even more pronounced.

Such a time that happened to me was when I was going 15-20km/hr (10mph-ish) on the highway...on black ice...and it just decided to slowly spin me around in a circle, across the other lane, and into the ditch. I had as much control as a curling rock gliding down the ice.
Now granted, that was an extreme situation (black ice). There was literally cars in the ditch all over the place.

When in the snow, it's a lot more controllable...but still risky - especially in turns. My fear was that it can suddenly spin me just a couple of feet at any time - and while 98% of the time I regain control, there's that 2% time (I'm making up stat numbers fyi) that the sudden 2 ft it spun me takes me to a very undesirable situation.

My advice, if you're on a paved road/city in snow and have a lunchbox locker up front - stay in 2 wheel drive.
I think it's "fine" to enage 4x4 if you're offroad, as you don't have to worry about oncoming vehicles, etc.

I also think it somewhat depends on your definition of "snow". I've never been to San Diego, but I don't imagine they consistently get a lot of snow. (Maybe just have to worry about higher up in the mountains?). In which case, you can probably "get away with it" if you don't press the accelerator in turns.
(Unless you have an auto-locker in the rear, like a Detroit - then I definitely would say no to a Detroit rear/lunchbox front in snow).

However, I did drive my Jeep for several years in the snow (5-6 months/yr) with a lunchbox up front, so it can be done.
I just don't do it anymore, now that I know better.

For Devils's Advocate:
I will also add that I do have a friend that loves his Aussie lockers front/rear, and drives them in winter.
He has also spun out twice (once last year that totalled his Jeep on the highway).
But he put the same diffs in his next Jeep.
I believe he spun out because of his autolocker up front.
He still firmly denies the autolocker had anything to do with it...

 

[Tahneta Pass AK]

About to put a lunchbox locker in front diff.

Does anyone have any experience driving in snow with a locked front diff?

I am an experienced driver in snow...having lived in milwaukee for 6 years.

Now back in san diego.. the times i will see snow is less, .. though it will happen.

Big bear.. mammoth.. sequioa.. laguna mtns..


Will the jeep still be useable? I do not want to limit where I can go... but am not ready for a selectable.

I recommend forget about using any kind of locker on rolling down snowy roads during regular commutes, ect. I don't believe that is what they are meant for. Limited slip works the best under normal snowy driving conditions. The biggest thing that will help or detract from your slick/snowy driving experience will be what type of tire your rolling on. The new undisputed winter tire here in Alaska is the studless Blizzak! They work awesomely under all conditions with the exception of water on ice near freezing point. Then a studded tire works the best. This is my opinion but it's a educated one due to 40 years driving on bad roads here in AK. Good luck! Oh yeah, I have an OX locker on my TJ and can't imagine I'd ever use it unless I was stuck in a ditch or out in the mud bog/hill climb.

 

[Sancho]

I recommend forget about using any kind of locker on rolling down snowy roads during regular commutes, ect. I don't believe that is what they are meant for. Limited slip works the best under normal snowy driving conditions. The biggest thing that will help or detract from your slick/snowy driving experience will be what type of tire your rolling on. The new undisputed winter tire here in Alaska is the studless Blizzak! They work awesomely under all conditions with the exception of water on ice near freezing point. Then a studded tire works the best. This is my opinion but it's a educated one due to 40 years driving on bad roads here in AK. Good luck! Oh yeah, I have an OX locker on my TJ and can't imagine I'd ever use it unless I was stuck in a ditch or out in the mud bog/hill climb.

Qhen I was in Wisconsin.. i only ised 4wd with open diffs, or and lsd in rear.

If I could choose.. I would prefer open diff in snowy icy roads. Installing an autolocker takes away that option.