Thread: Is rear diff lock necessary?

I'm in the market for a 4wd, and I've noticed many of the Tritons etc don't have rear diff lock.

Is this a problem for use to get to south island hunting spots? Not planning on major river crossings or serious 4x4ing.

Also, if anyone wants to recommend something for around $30k, I'm all ears. I've been looking at 2018+ Navaras, but seeing mixed reviews.

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Didn’t have one on my old XJ and there were a few times when I wished I did. That said, the more modern setups may be better

A rear diff lock is definitely an advantage, I'm referring to an independently locking diff such as a switch in the console or on the dash.
Some vehicles are fitted at the factory with them and then you have after market options. If you can afford a vehicle with a rear diff lock option then that will come in handy one day. A 4wd with open front and rear diffs is really only a 2wd...for the reason being you have 1 wheel spinning at the front and 1 wheel at the rear when 4wd is engaged.

If you have a LSD then that traction will switch from one side to the other depending on traction and/or the terrain.
If in that particular terrain you're struggling then activate the diff lock, that gives you two back wheels locked in and pushing forward thereby creating 3 wheel drive, difference is if you have a front LSD then you have those wheels switching in and out between left & right under LSD.

Front LSD is not a great idea as steering can be a big problem at the wrong time.

I fitted front and rear Airlockers to my ute when it was new. Since then, it has achieved mighty things. Front is very much a nice to have (and almost invincible) but the rear is a must for me at least. Can't imagine not having one.

judging what is possible and giving it a go BUT with back up in 4wd driving is more important - what can your vehicle do diff lock or no diff lock - do you have recovery - I like rear diff lock myself

Not until it is.....bloody handy on a big truck.

Don’t use it a lot on my Hilux but it’s bloody handy to have when I do

Do you need a rear difflock for hunting/moderate club offroading? No. A 2" suspension lift, good muds, and snorkel if crossing rivers will take you a long way.

Having said that a rear locker is always a help and a bonus if the truck has one. Have used open diffs, tight LSDs, rear lockers, front lockers, E lockers, auto lockers etc on my various trucks, and extra traction from a tight rear LSD (plate, not so much torsen type) or rear locker is good. Yes - a benefit. Good to think about better gear too - rated hooks, tow rope and straps as basic equipment for the truck.

And another query.... A central locking diff ? does this send drive to all wheels and keep all wheels driving?
My Suzuki has "4W High Lock" and "4W Low Lock"

for 12 years have driven a tractor for a contractor all over Taranaki - we do some steep stuff - some damn wetstuff -we have diff lock in fact a button on the floor behind the brake pedals hit that diff lock - or can switch it to come on automatically -- all of us regard it as last resort when you are stuck - we dont plan on using it at all unless we really need it - that should be how to use it last resort

Originally Posted by NIMROD

And another query.... A central locking diff ? does this send drive to all wheels and keep all wheels driving?
My Suzuki has "4W High Lock" and "4W Low Lock"

No.

Any vehicle with a central diff lock is running an all wheel drive system, which really is a misnomer, as if you have your vehicle on solid ground (tar seal) and jack one wheel off the ground, your "all wheel drive system" becomes a one wheel drive system. Lock the centre diff and all you get is a conventional 4wd, with rotation going to both the front and rear axles. As others have said, once on slippery ground a 4wd without front or rear diff locks easily becomes a 2wd (without good driver input, and eventually even with good driver input).

Spend more $$ on fuel and trips out with mates to gain more experience if a diff lock is going to be expensive. Yes a rear diff lock is useful. A winch will get you further, but takes a lot more time and effort.

When I bought my 2017 GLS Triton it didn’t come with a rear diff lock. I swapped the whole rear axle from a VRX and wired it up to a separate switch. I haven’t taken it anywhere that needed it yet, but it’s definitely a nice to have. I got stuck at the beach in my last vehicle that only had a centre diff lock. Ended up bottoming out with wheels spinning

My triton is for sale in the FS section if you are interested

For your average hunting location down here then no, unless you really want to get serious then you need bottomless pockets which I don't have.

I know my vehicles limitations and from that point I'm happy to walk.

Originally Posted by Delphus

When I bought my 2017 GLS Triton it didn’t come with a rear diff lock. I swapped the whole rear axle from a VRX and wired it up to a separate switch. I haven’t taken it anywhere that needed it yet, but it’s definitely a nice to have. I got stuck at the beach in my last vehicle that only had a centre diff lock. Ended up bottoming out with wheels spinning

My triton is for sale in the FS section if you are interested

Diff locks can actually be the enemy of driving on sand. When turning too tight of a radius with the outside wheel traveling further but spinning at the same rate as the inner, one wants to chew into the sand. Once the crust is broken, and the whole has been dug, it can be very hard to climb out.

You can get to enough hunting spots in the South Island to last you a lifetime or two without needing to use a diff lock. Just lock in some common sense about where you go and what the conditions are like (or likely to be) when you want to get out. Good ground clearance and good tyres (running the right pressures) are more important for getting around down here, or anywhere else for that matter.