Is rear diff lock necessary?

I fitted after market rear mech diff lock to my 2007 Pajero Gen 4. Just a switch on my dash to operate. Brilliant in swampy muck when in the mountains. Great for up hill slippery conditions too. Brought from Aussie before Covid - price has gone silly now for those things.

Have had factory rear diff lock in my patrol for the last 20yrs,only used it a few time when iv nearlly got stuck.Very handy if one of my front free wheeling hubs decides not to work.If i get another 4x4,it will have rear diff lock for sure.

Got front and rear lockers in my cruiser, rear is very handy when things get butt clenching. Just carefull if you ever use a front diff lock, best for straight lines to you dont wreck the front CVS.

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Originally Posted by Shearer

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.

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Good advice here, especially learning about tyre pressures for 4WD operation.
Surely most 2000 onwards 4WD utes are fitted with an LSD from factory? That should be must on your wish list...LSD minimum.

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Originally Posted by Shearer

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.

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Nice, thanks. Could you tell me about how you manage tyre pressure for different conditions?

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LSD rear on older or high mileage 4wd's esp some models, may be so worn that little effect is gained. I had a xj jeep (I know) and when the diff got rebuilt, the lsd was working perfectly and like night and day compared to before. An lsd refresh is not that expensive for most types. A quick checkup at the diff shop will tell you.

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Originally Posted by Jesse1122

Nice, thanks. Could you tell me about how you manage tyre pressure for different conditions?

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Check YouTube. There are dozens of clips on there explaining it. Ronnie Dahl is a good watch but there are heaps more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAXRjNHIUw8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BSQe-DGnIQ

When I was looking to buy my Triton, only the most entry level model had a physical diff lock in the rear. All of the others made use of electronic diff locks, whereby they apply brake to a wheel that is spinning, to force drive to the wheels with less traction.
It works amazingly well on all 4 wheels, not just the rear. Different modes adjusts how agressive this is, so different options for mud vs sand.
I chose the Triton because it was one of the few 4wd utes that had a center diff and could be driven AWD on the road all of the time. Since then the V6 rangers now have that option, but $$$$$.

Have you done that yet ? So far I've only used 4H in my Triton when I drive on the beach but have wondered if it's ok on the road. Does using 4 wheel drive on the road use more tires since the front are now "powered" so to speak ? ( I think that used to be a thing ?). When I need new tires I am thinking about some sort of duel purpose ones so if I do drive in a bit of mud the treads don't fill up like the current road tires do.

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Originally Posted by quentin

When I was looking to buy my Triton, only the most entry level model had a physical diff lock in the rear. All of the others made use of electronic diff locks, whereby they apply brake to a wheel that is spinning, to force drive to the wheels with less traction.
It works amazingly well on all 4 wheels, not just the rear. Different modes adjusts how agressive this is, so different options for mud vs sand.
I chose the Triton because it was one of the few 4wd utes that had a center diff and could be driven AWD on the road all of the time. Since then the V6 rangers now have that option, but $$$$$.

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Originally Posted by rugerman

Have you done that yet ? So far I've only used 4H in my Triton when I drive on the beach but have wondered if it's ok on the road. Does using 4 wheel drive on the road use more tires since the front are now "powered" so to speak ? ( I think that used to be a thing ?). When I need new tires I am thinking about some sort of duel purpose ones so if I do drive in a bit of mud the treads don't fill up like the current road tires do.

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Important point to clarify here is I think he's referring to Tritons with the super select 4wd-II, not the easy select 4wd versions.

The super select have a 4h (awd) option in addition to 4HLC and 4LLC, where the former has the centre diff open (like a Subaru awd) and the two LC options lock the centre diff. Can drive on open rode with a centre diff open, but not with it locked (locked = LC for the super select versions of Triton or 4H for everything else)

Its not really necessary.....................until it is.
My old SWB Pajero has it and compared to the one I had that didn't, it is a worth while addition

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Originally Posted by Jesse1122

Nice, thanks. Could you tell me about how you manage tyre pressure for different conditions?

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If loading up with a tray full of gravel, more air. If you need more traction, less air. To figure out an accurate measure of 'less air', I fill my wheels to factory rating, then press the valve for 10 seconds. Then measure pressure. Press for another 10 seconds, measure again. That way, I have a quick and ready way of decreasing air pressure to a new known setting. It will look something like -4psi for every 10 seconds. Handy for heading into a bit of area that you might want a bit more traction. Dropping down to 18-20 makes a difference, but just keep it under 80kph when you get back on the road, or ideally carry a small pump and pump back up as soon as you don't need so much grip.
I just use a little Makita 18v pump, but I already had the batteries for it. You can also get the pumps that either clip onto the vehicle battery terminals, but that's a bit more faff. Or the cigarette lighter plug type too.

I've never been into winch challenges or anything, dropping tyre pressure increases the 'foot print' of the tyre, on club trips, beach work or rivers I drop my tyres to 15-20psi it seriously helps, but I have on board gear to pump them back up at the end of the trip. My Safari is ARB front & rear lockers, Peter Monroe Commercials in Shitshit (now owned by ARB) always stipulated that a rear locker gives you an additional 85% traction increase....adding a front locker gives you the balance of another 15%. Having said that many times over the years on West Coast club trips I've had moments where punching up a grade 5 track is a mission but with a front locker that 15% gives you that true advantage. But that is overkill for what you require for your purposes I think.

Set up with rated recovery gear, a winch would be the 2nd addition, snorkel would be first, it takes a desert spoon of water to hydraulic a diesel.

My Safari in which I used 37's for several years on for West Coast club trips predominately.
Attachment 288315

35's only these days but I would like to add that it's a club truck and I don't subscribe to the river bashers that tear tracks up and destroy everything for the bonfire Joe public that comes along.

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For most of us its like a PLB or insurance - probably wont need it but when you do you will be very glad its there.

Thanks @everone, this has been a very useful thread

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