Front locker, when to use it?

[06 H3]

So who here has a front locker on their H3 and when do you use it? Im getting one for the first time...Im kinda scared to use it. I dont want to be popping halfshafts left and right, its better then the alternative, killing R&Ps...but what are some tips you have?

Im sure I have to handle it way differently then a rear locker, I turn it on when I need it and never worry about it. I assume thats not the case here.

Post up any info you have! Btw have any of you broken a halfshaft with the front locker on? I have seen it in person with H2s but not with H3s.

Basics...Keep the wheels straight? Leave it on as little as possible? anything else?

Supposedly being locked up front and rear makes a HUGE difference. Im excited

 

[3Hummers]

Don't use it on an obstacle where you think you might lift one of the front wheels. I believe that the Arb will disconnect instantly while the electric lockers sometimes take a few seconds and a little runway to disengage. That is why I like to BTM, it is on/off whenever you want it to be.

 

[MTUH3]

Hill climbs and ledges it makes a hug difference, otherwise no big deal.

Increased forces on the front, so you need to watch wheel spin more. Both times I have seen issues with a front locked truck it was too much skinny pedal.

 

[3Hummers]

I have used front lockers a few times just to try them out. Not sure I have ever been in a situation where I had to have a front locker( but then I BTM most of the time ) My guess is that you will rarely need a front locker

 

[06 H3]

Yea, I am don't think I'll need it too much. I haven't gotten stuck with just a rear locker in a while and when I do get stuck its usually just to tug me back for a new line. The front locker may help in those kind of situations.

 

[Mb30sdl]

Newer, I used rear once. I think it may be overrated.

 

[06 H3]

I can think of multiple occasions you used a rear locker and even some where the rear locker wasn't enough (slab at Gorman)

 

[3Hummers]

I have seen several people break front half shafts with front lockers on. It wasn't always too much skinny pedal, even though that will certainly do it. If the wheel is being powered to spin, lifts and touches back down the torque applied to that will may very well snap the half shaft. Doesn't always but frequently does. Couldn't hurt to have a front locker but doubt you will get much use out of it.

 

[4speedfunk]

Lockers seem to be more critical on a stockish 4x4. I rarely use either of mine. But when I do the difference is noticeable

 

[06 H3]

Lockers seem to be more critical on a stockish 4x4. I rarely use either of mine. But when I do the difference is noticeable

agreed...When I was stock I used it much more. Its just you need to be locked up front and rear with a badass suspension setup when you start tackling KOH type trails.

 

[LagunaH1]

I'd say use it as little as possible, especially considering the front end on your truck wasn't designed to handle the increased forces.

 

[RamRod]

the only time I used both front and rear lockers was when I was climbing a snow covered hill (2' deep but a trail had been made by the group on our way down the trail earlier in the day) with an "s" turn. I was the first to climb the hill out of a group of 10 and the only one to be fully locked... I was the only one that was able to drive the whole thing, the 9 remaining Toyota's (FJ's, Tacoma's, Landcruiser's) all had to be helped up at one point or another on that hill climb.

That day I gained the respect of the local toyota 4wd group

Thank you front and rear lockers!!

 

[06 H3]

All in all I will be easy on it, I usually try unlocked first then retry with the rear locker then retry with rear locker and using the brake and gas at the same time then last option is locked up all the way then winch. I try to avoid winch at all costs.

Glad you used a front locker with 37s and a supercharger with no issues, snow is probably much more giving then rocks though. Either way cool story and way to gain respect!

 

[Big2dabank]

I don't use my front locker often, but when I do, the difference is night and day. Kind of like that easy button you see on tv. Just point and crawl.

 

[RamRod]

All in all I will be easy on it, I usually try unlocked first then retry with the rear locker then retry with rear locker and using the brake and gas at the same time then last option is locked up all the way then winch. I try to avoid winch at all costs.

Glad you used a front locker with 37s and a supercharger with no issues, snow is probably much more giving then rocks though. Either way cool story and way to gain respect!

What does applying the brake and skinny petal at the same time do? I knew that was a thing for the H1's but never for our rigs!

I was very easy on the skinny petal, but the snow was spring time snow and very granular, basically just like frozen large grain sand lol, so I am sure that was a factor in being easy on the drivetrain

 

[LagunaH1]

What does applying the brake and skinny petal at the same time do? I knew that was a thing for the H1's but never for our rigs!

This is a question you will get a lot of different opinions on, here's mine:

Brake + gas at the same time is called BTM or Brake Throttle Modulation. On the older (pre 1999) H1's, this works particularly well because the differentials are torque biased and will send up to 4 times the torque to the wheel that has traction than it does to the wheel that has no traction. On 1999 and newer H1's the diffs went to a 2:1 torque bias to be compatible with ABS. BTM is instant on and instant off because you activate it using the brake pedal. In other words, it helps stop wheel spin and send some amount of torque to the other side of the diff where there may be more traction.

I was never able to get BTM to work for the purpose of torque control in my '08 H3 Alpha, I relied on it's rather excellent traction control system and the rear locker. I *did* use BTM a few times to add extra control of how quick or slowly I let the truck roll forward but that that was more of a slow speed control than anything.

 

[06 H3]

Well, there is much debate on "BTMing" in an H3, some swear by it others said you cant "BTM" in a 3. I dont want to start an argument here as we have had hundreds of arguments in the past on BTMing. An H1 can BTM, watch an H1 try something with BTMing and without you will see a difference, we know that it makes a huge difference for the H1s. I have just the method of putting my foot on the brake and gas and so have many others have done this in an H2/H3 and for me it didnt necessarily work like an H1 did but it allowed me more throttle control and less spinning and chirping of tires. So lets just call it, Throttle control lol

I have seen neo BTM up potato salad hill and it looks like both tires are locked, when I do it off road I dont think they lock, just tames all the drama of spinning a tire.

 

[atvspeed4]

Lol why is it so hard to believe that you cannot manually btm in an H3! There is no torsen diff that can take advantage of the brake pressure. We have a pretty decent traction control system that selectively applies brake pressure to the wheel with less traction. Pressing the brakes with our system will not make this work better. It is designed for steady low throttle conditions to work best.

 

[RamRod]

Alright I'll stop you there lol no need for extra drama, makes sense to me and we can leave it at that haha

 

[06 H3]

Lol why is it so hard to believe that you cannot manually btm in an H3! There is no torsen diff that can take advantage of the brake pressure. We have a pretty decent traction control system that selectively applies brake pressure to the wheel with less traction. Pressing the brakes with our system will not make this work better. It is designed for steady low throttle conditions to work best.

I was never able to get BTM to work for the purpose of torque control in my '08 H3 Alpha, I relied on it's rather excellent traction control system and the rear locker. I *did* use BTM a few times to add extra control of how quick or slowly I let the truck roll forward but that that was more of a slow speed control than anything.

atv...I specifically did not state that I was BTMing in the H3. I said I used it for a different application like Mikkel stated above. I just used the brake in conjunction with the gas for better control

 

[atvspeed4]

I appologize then, controlling the speed of the vehicle makes perfect sense.

 

[3Hummers]

BTMing an H1 basically tricks the system into believing that all four wheels have traction. Instead of sending all the power to the wheel(s) without traction it allows the systenm to continue sending power to all wheels allowing the truck to pull itself out of a low traction situation. That is as about as simply as I can put it. Works like a charm in an H1.

The benefit of BTMing an H1 over lockers is that you can start/stop BTMing at any point in an obstacle. With lockers you need to engage them before you are in the situation where you really need them. With BTM you can drive your truck to the point where you are stuck or stopped and then start the BTM. As soon as you are over that obstacle you can quit BTMing. No need for flat terrain or runway to allow the lockers to disengage.

 

[06 H3]

I appologize then, controlling the speed of the vehicle makes perfect sense.

No worries man! Explaining things on the Internet can cause confusion.

 

[MTUH3]

What are you guys talking about. I BTM in my H3 all the time and it can climb a vertical wall. No ****.

Yeah, OK, I lied

 

[Expendable]

the 2002+ H1s got higher torque biasing TT4 differentials (T3s; T1 being 1992-1998, T2 being 1999-2001). I don't know the ratio but IIRC from what I've read on the HML it is 3:1 opposed to 2:1.