Driving in the snow with a LSD in Front

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asdf - 29 Apr 2005 01:23 GMT

Want to put a Powr-Lok in front, but will be driving in the snow
sometimes. It has a detroit in back. What do you think?

Thanks,
Vic

1971 Chevrolet K20
Fleet-side long bed
3/4 ton pickup
4WD
350
4 on the floor
Warn manual hubs

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Bret Chase - 29 Apr 2005 01:45 GMT

>:|Want to put a Powr-Lok in front, but will be driving in the snow
>:|sometimes. It has a detroit in back. What do you think?
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>:| 4 on the floor
>:| Warn manual hubs

with the hubs disengaged it'll be fine. with the engaged in the snow,
I think you'll find it just about impossible to drive. the detroit is
going to make your a.s end want to swing out all the time and the
front locker will make the front end push away from the direction you
want to turn. not my bag of tea. if I was going to put a locker in
the front of my vehicle, it would have to be a selectable locker.

-Bret

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Will Honea - 29 Apr 2005 08:48 GMT

> Want to put a Powr-Lok in front, but will be driving in the snow
> sometimes. It has a detroit in back. What do you think?

I once bought an old Scout with positraction on both ends - one snow
storm was enough for me, even with the soft lock. Damned near
impossible to drive when it was slick out - any kind of cornering made
it a 4-pt hockey puck. Front posi came out immediately.

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Will Honea

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Peter D. Hipson - 29 Apr 2005 13:57 GMT

>> Want to put a Powr-Lok in front, but will be driving in the snow
>> sometimes. It has a detroit in back. What do you think?
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>impossible to drive when it was slick out - any kind of cornering made
>it a 4-pt hockey puck. Front posi came out immediately.

Each vehicle will be different. For example, a Hummer H1 (sorry,
that's the one that I have the most experience with) has torsen on
both ends. The center diff (transfer case) is open (or locked).

When the center diff (tcase) is open, there are no problems at all in
snow. Lock the center diff (tcase) and the handling is substantially
altered. Not impossible to drive, but noticable.

If you have lots of money, get a locker that can be locked and unlcked
manually. Probably the best alternative.

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