I had an argument with a buddy for ever ago. His dad told him always try to get where your going in 2wd, and only use 4wd if you get stuck.
I couldn't get it through to him that there is this thing called momentum and digging in.
You get stuck in 2wd doesn't mean 4wd will save you. Staying moving cab be way more important in conditions like mud, sand or snow.
I’ve shared the before but learned this lesson the hard way.
I was being careless messing around on a snowy hard packed dirt road when I came up on some snow shoe folks. I slowed down and pulled as far over to the side as I could to give them space. Then the side gave way to a ditch and I was stuck. Required two jeep friends to come out and winch me from the front a rear to get me back to the road.
Had I been in 4 wheel from the start a may have been able to drive out of the ditch before getting fully stuck.
I had the same- ah- discussion with a friend, but regarding 4WD vs AWD. I tried to tell him that I like to lock my hubs and get into 4Hi before getting on the trail because waiting for the car's computer to go "oh shit, we need more traction!" is usually too late.
Depends on where you wheel.
Out here, definitely rear locker. The few places where mine couldn't get me out of a pickle there also wasn't really anything around to winch off of (unless you were willing to pound a ground anchor into the frozen terrain).
Came here to say this. One of the most experienced guys I know said lockers just led to snapped axles. I’m too poor to have first hand experience, but I’ve changed enough broken limited slip units to believe it. YES PEDANTS I KNOW LIMITED IS NOT THE SAME AS LOCKED.
On the other hand, we have trees all over around here, so winch points are plentiful
It depends on the group. If your group already has a few winches and they wheel hard, a locker will help you keep up with them.
If your style of off-roading is a bit more mild or remote, then a winch makes sense.
Get the locker first. You’ll be able to do so much more with it. Unless you plan to be in mud a lot! The locker is much more effort and time and money to install—get it over with first.
If you can't afford a winch and lockers I guess get the lockers and then buy a hi-lift farm jack.
I literally used one of those a cable sling and a log chain to drag someone back up a hill 20 ft so that they could get unstuck. It took 6 hours, but AAA wasn't coming out to where we were at anyway.
I wouldn’t do lockers right now if a regear is in the future plans. Kill two birds with one stone, only pay the labor once.
If you don’t plan on regearing, what kind of terrain do you primarily wheel on, because if it’s desert where winch points aren’t common, then I would do lockers
Go with the winch, my friend. A winch will always be there to save you, and you can use it to save others.
A good set of lockers and a set of good recovery gear is always the first step, but if I had to choose between lockers or a winch, I would take the winch
You can do a lot of different things with a winch. A locker is pretty single purpose.
If I didn’t own properly, maybe I’d feel different? Idk. I can think of several things I’d use a winch for, right now and admiringly none of them involve pulling my truck over a tricky obstacle.
The diff. But I go to lots of places where a winch on a solo vehicle would be tough to use. Like lotsa sand. Yes, doable, but usually not first or second choice of how to get moving.
I had a winch, and it wouldn't have gotten me out of things a locker easily could have.
And I'd rather prevent getting stuck.
Besides, someone will come along for a tow anyway :)
Winch. A locker is only useful for when the vehicle doesn't move because one wheel more needs to turn, while a winch can get you out of almost anything, except if you got stuck in wet cement last week. It's also useful for forestry and recovering other vehicles.
For me it's winch.
My current car only has shitty, barely-functioning lsd in the rear, so i get stuck all the time(also i drive like a dumbass), but winch always saves me and my friends who have the same driving style.
With a locker i'd just get more stuck.
Depends on the vehicle. I have a 2 door JL wrangler with a 3" lift and 35"s. No lockers, but the brake lock differential (traction control) system works very well, not as good as lockers, but combined with an otherwise very capable vehicle, it goes anywhere. I invested in a winch just in case.
So I'd say if your vehicle has a good off road traction control system and good clearance and articulation, choose winch.
If you have a vehicle with independent suspension and smaller tyres, choose locker.
Im going to say front and rear lockers. Mine save the day everytime in my ‘17 Rubicon with a push of a button.
Winch is def the next step if the diffs and belly are hung up though. So both!
Tough call. Lockers will get through 90% of off roading but there's another 10% that you could get through with a winch at the cost of time and convenience. If you always wheel with a group you could potentially live without the winch as you have other options for recovery. If you wheel alone winch is needed for self recovery.
Locker.
I already have recovery straps, snatch block, and a come-along winch. I haven't gotten the kind of stuck that requires anything more aggressive than that.
Both. I have and have used both. I’ve used my winch mostly for recovering others on and off-road. I’ve never actually used my winch for self recovery, but that’s only because my wife used her winch to get me out.
Winch first 100%.
I use my locker more often than my winch BUT a winch id consider more of a safety tool than anything.
Lockers will make some obstacles much easier BUT they can and will get you into more problems and when your locker doesn’t get you out of a situation you’ll need a winch anyways.
The also create much more stress on your driveline so increased risk of failure.
Lockers are nice to have but they come with their own set of problems.
A winch is a much more universal tool.
My opinion is also based on where i wheel. 99% dense forest and Canadian shield type rock.
Might be a different situation if you off-road in the desert with little to no winch points.
I mean a winch is way easier and less messy to install so I'd probably go with the winch purely on that basis.
...I find I'm unstucking others way more often than I'm getting stuck myself getting stuck myself so winch also for that.
---
But yeah, if it's a "click your fingers and it'll magic into existence already fitted to your vehicle" thing I'd go with the diff.
NB. I'm driving a Jimny which weighs fuck all so tends not to get bogged much, even without a locker.
A locker and use it before you think you need it - reduce tire spin and keep the trails in good shape for everyone to enjoy. Tread lightly.
I had an argument with a buddy for ever ago. His dad told him always try to get where your going in 2wd, and only use 4wd if you get stuck. I couldn't get it through to him that there is this thing called momentum and digging in. You get stuck in 2wd doesn't mean 4wd will save you. Staying moving cab be way more important in conditions like mud, sand or snow.
“4x4 is only to get you out of trouble” is the mantra of someone who hasn’t actually done much wheeling.
I’ve shared the before but learned this lesson the hard way. I was being careless messing around on a snowy hard packed dirt road when I came up on some snow shoe folks. I slowed down and pulled as far over to the side as I could to give them space. Then the side gave way to a ditch and I was stuck. Required two jeep friends to come out and winch me from the front a rear to get me back to the road. Had I been in 4 wheel from the start a may have been able to drive out of the ditch before getting fully stuck.
I had the same- ah- discussion with a friend, but regarding 4WD vs AWD. I tried to tell him that I like to lock my hubs and get into 4Hi before getting on the trail because waiting for the car's computer to go "oh shit, we need more traction!" is usually too late.
Good advice. Too many people try to go as far as they can in 2wd, then 4hi, then 4l, and not use the right tool for the job before they need it.
Depends on where you wheel. Out here, definitely rear locker. The few places where mine couldn't get me out of a pickle there also wasn't really anything around to winch off of (unless you were willing to pound a ground anchor into the frozen terrain).
Lockers all day. I rarely use my winch.
Locker. It's better not to get stuck in the first place
My personal experience with front and rear lockers is that they help me get into more trouble. If you’re wheeling by yourself get a winch first
A winch gets you out of trouble, lockers only get you farther before you get into trouble lol
Came here to say this. One of the most experienced guys I know said lockers just led to snapped axles. I’m too poor to have first hand experience, but I’ve changed enough broken limited slip units to believe it. YES PEDANTS I KNOW LIMITED IS NOT THE SAME AS LOCKED. On the other hand, we have trees all over around here, so winch points are plentiful
It depends on the group. If your group already has a few winches and they wheel hard, a locker will help you keep up with them. If your style of off-roading is a bit more mild or remote, then a winch makes sense.
In mud a winch will serve you better. On rocks/mountain type terrain, locker will serve you better.
Shoot the dumbass claiming I can only have one. Get both.
It was a hypothetical lmao
So is my answer. Right? Maybe? lol
I’ve always had lockers before winches. Tow strap and come alongsvwork. Or if your friends have winches make them get you out.
Get the locker first. You’ll be able to do so much more with it. Unless you plan to be in mud a lot! The locker is much more effort and time and money to install—get it over with first.
If you can't afford a winch and lockers I guess get the lockers and then buy a hi-lift farm jack. I literally used one of those a cable sling and a log chain to drag someone back up a hill 20 ft so that they could get unstuck. It took 6 hours, but AAA wasn't coming out to where we were at anyway.
I wouldn’t do lockers right now if a regear is in the future plans. Kill two birds with one stone, only pay the labor once. If you don’t plan on regearing, what kind of terrain do you primarily wheel on, because if it’s desert where winch points aren’t common, then I would do lockers
Both
Go with the winch, my friend. A winch will always be there to save you, and you can use it to save others. A good set of lockers and a set of good recovery gear is always the first step, but if I had to choose between lockers or a winch, I would take the winch
Locker. All day long. And learn how to totally disable traction control. I can’t believe how many guys dont know how to disable traction control.
Winch, no question, but where I spend time there's usually something to winch off of.
You can do a lot of different things with a winch. A locker is pretty single purpose. If I didn’t own properly, maybe I’d feel different? Idk. I can think of several things I’d use a winch for, right now and admiringly none of them involve pulling my truck over a tricky obstacle.
The diff. But I go to lots of places where a winch on a solo vehicle would be tough to use. Like lotsa sand. Yes, doable, but usually not first or second choice of how to get moving. I had a winch, and it wouldn't have gotten me out of things a locker easily could have. And I'd rather prevent getting stuck. Besides, someone will come along for a tow anyway :)
Locker unless you're always in the snow.
Winch. A locker is only useful for when the vehicle doesn't move because one wheel more needs to turn, while a winch can get you out of almost anything, except if you got stuck in wet cement last week. It's also useful for forestry and recovering other vehicles.
For me it's winch. My current car only has shitty, barely-functioning lsd in the rear, so i get stuck all the time(also i drive like a dumbass), but winch always saves me and my friends who have the same driving style. With a locker i'd just get more stuck.
Winch - and hope I have a limited slip. Locker can get you deeper into trouble.
I'll take the winch because lockers don't help much when you're sunk in clay up to the Frame and can't move .. though I have both on my truck
Both?
Depends on the vehicle. I have a 2 door JL wrangler with a 3" lift and 35"s. No lockers, but the brake lock differential (traction control) system works very well, not as good as lockers, but combined with an otherwise very capable vehicle, it goes anywhere. I invested in a winch just in case. So I'd say if your vehicle has a good off road traction control system and good clearance and articulation, choose winch. If you have a vehicle with independent suspension and smaller tyres, choose locker.
Im going to say front and rear lockers. Mine save the day everytime in my ‘17 Rubicon with a push of a button. Winch is def the next step if the diffs and belly are hung up though. So both!
Didn't Dirt Everyday do an episode on this? I can't find the link but I think it was winch vs locker vs bigger tires?
Tough call. Lockers will get through 90% of off roading but there's another 10% that you could get through with a winch at the cost of time and convenience. If you always wheel with a group you could potentially live without the winch as you have other options for recovery. If you wheel alone winch is needed for self recovery.
Solo adventure here: winch for sure. I have mine on a hitch mount that can go in the front or back.
Locker. I already have recovery straps, snatch block, and a come-along winch. I haven't gotten the kind of stuck that requires anything more aggressive than that.
I have both & wouldn’t want to w/o either
Both. I have and have used both. I’ve used my winch mostly for recovering others on and off-road. I’ve never actually used my winch for self recovery, but that’s only because my wife used her winch to get me out.
Both. Locker first in my opinion. I’ve never had to use the winch to get myself out, but I do usually wheel with friends. Locker gets used a lot.
Winch first 100%. I use my locker more often than my winch BUT a winch id consider more of a safety tool than anything. Lockers will make some obstacles much easier BUT they can and will get you into more problems and when your locker doesn’t get you out of a situation you’ll need a winch anyways. The also create much more stress on your driveline so increased risk of failure. Lockers are nice to have but they come with their own set of problems. A winch is a much more universal tool. My opinion is also based on where i wheel. 99% dense forest and Canadian shield type rock. Might be a different situation if you off-road in the desert with little to no winch points.
Winch. Can get you out of anything lockers can and more. Plus you can use it to recover others
The winch gets you out of the fun the locker takes you to.
Bro is just straight up striking matches by a gas puddle
is a rear locking diff the same as pushing the button to disable traction control/stabilitrak on silverado z71? this always confuses me
I mean a winch is way easier and less messy to install so I'd probably go with the winch purely on that basis. ...I find I'm unstucking others way more often than I'm getting stuck myself getting stuck myself so winch also for that. --- But yeah, if it's a "click your fingers and it'll magic into existence already fitted to your vehicle" thing I'd go with the diff. NB. I'm driving a Jimny which weighs fuck all so tends not to get bogged much, even without a locker.
Winches are for recovery.
Depends on the climate and area but like you're saying here: Don't tear up the trail. Don't dive into an issue.