Why hasn't anybody come out with an on command locking front differential for the Honda limited slip front ends. Maybe an electrical locking front differential? That way with the touch of a button I could have both front wheels driving and then when I'm done, with a push of a button it would release. Then we could have the best of both worlds (easy steering and true 4 wheel drive). I know I would be the first to place an order. I love my Honda, don't get me wrong, but there are times I want both front wheels turning. It can't be that hard to make is it? ARB would be another type, but then we would need to carry an onboard air compressor like the ones used in trucks. Just a simple electrical type that would lock with a solenoid, or electrical magnet. If I had the money, engineering experience,and financial backing, I know I would be the first to do it. What do you Honda owners think? Please no bashing by the Polaris true 4X4 people either. Just wanted to hear your two cents worth.

 

I wouldn't touch this one with a 10 foot pole do wish the rubicon would have been designed like this...

 

Well, looks like you have a new product opportunity. Now all you need are the things you said you lacked, go out and get it. Find a similar product and large or small and study it. Contract a machine shop to build a proto type. Get more venture capital. Find a manufacturing resource. BECOME A MILLIONAIR...

 

Be carfull,,, Their may be Artic Cat riders lurking around.

 

I am no mechanical genius fellows how hard do you think it would be to put a 2 to 4 wheel drive switch on the Honda products...man the rubicon could be a really awesome machine with some lockers on it and where you could put it in 2 or 4 wheel drive...

 

The lockers would make all quads better, not just the Hondas. One thing to remember is with all these bell & whistles comes a hitch. One is they add to the price off our quads & second, they add another element into the equation for possible failure.

IF you perfect it, you will be a rich man.

 

I talked to High Lifter about this very thing a couple of months ago....... BAD NEWS....

They looked into the different possible ways to make a mech/arb/elec locker and found that cost on something like that would be in excess of $800 to the consumer....

They chose not to pursue it..

Which I have to admit... I would have a hard time justifying another $800 in acc. when I could get a locker and a membership at the local gym for alot less!

 

This is easiest way I can think of to make a locking 4X4 from limited slip.

Modify the front differential to full time locked, no differentiation. This mod is already available.

Here comes the part that requires engineering;

Put clutches in the front axels. These could be engaged manually, and would simplify things immensely. Though I suppose many would rather be able to “engage on the fly”. An electrically actuated system to engage axels could be employed also, and I am sure a bearing type electrical contactor is available somewhere that could be used in this application.

However, I think the reliability is the reason Honda didn’t do something like this in the first place. These things are operated in the worst conditions and cost is an issue.

Here is an acronym I was taught in school, “KISS”. Keep It Simple Stupid…

Another solution, though more exotic and certainly expensive is a Torsen type torque-biasing differential. It differentiates but cannot transfer all torque to either wheel. You could jack up one side off the ground and it would still pull from the other side. The Miata is an example of a small application for a Torsen, but big for a quad. The Hummer uses it also. See the following web site for more info on the Torsen.

Does anyone know how the AP diff works…

 

Ok fellows I can't hold it back any longer hehehe why not just buy a polaris hehehe this is a joke and only a joke the brand has been changed to protect the innocent...seriously fellows some of you guys have been coming up with some dag on good ideas if it could only be incorporated to work with the Rubicon...so the big boy is out now I am going to take a ride this week end to see if one of the major dealers has one...although I am not buying one I would like to see what Honda has coming out with...keep the ideas coming about the lock out front end the last one was a good one...

 

Well if I could get my hands on a shop manual I well be looking into the front end on my Kodiak. I can and do have the ability to make this happen. Yes a full lock, Limited slip can be done just look at what Suzuki did years ago on the 300 (?) Bad thing being full lock had to be in super low to work. Keep the faith it well happen.