After posting the original post, I've been reading all the different opinions regarding the locker and have some thoughts of my own. There is no doubt that it will be a little more difficult to steer as was my Prairie when I would lock up the front end. Whether or not it causes excess wear on the front components is questionable and I suppose one could say that because the front end is now doing it's share with the locker, you have decreased excessive wear and strain on the rear differential. I find that 90% of riding doesn't require you to be in the four wheel mode. When the terrain does require you to be, I want to have all the help I can get. As far as excessive wear and strain on components, don't you think oversize tires are a contributing factor?

 

Got it !
I understand...
Honda needs to get with the program and and this to the Rincon.....along with Disc brakes.....

JP

 

PAT89,
said it right..With the newer ATVS on the market,most have a limitied slip front differential,however,they also have a feature that allows you to LOCK up BOTH front wheels so that they both receive equal torque power to each wheel,no matter what the terrain condition consists of..And the real advantage of having a feature like this is that you can turn it off when your done using it.

No Honda from the factory has this feature.

 

Tire aggression, more so than being oversized, are definitely contributing factors to front drive train wear. For example, 26" Outlaws have the potential to cause much more damage than 26" MudLites. The reason these types of tires have the potential to cause damage is usually not because of the size but what the aggressive tread does to componants when they "grab" onto a solid surface when spinning furously in the muck (snap, crackle, pop). When you combine a locker with true mud tires, the risks should be considered in proportion to the terrain you ride on. Much damage with aggressive tires can be minimized by rider experience (i.e. not being too aggressive on the throttle when stuck). I ride on many hard-pack trails but love to ride in mud whenever I can. An Outlaw-Equipped machine would not be in my best interests. However, if I lived in LA and rode the mud that many of the Highlifter folks ride in, my rancher would be equipped with 25" Outlaws, Detroit Gearless Locker, lift kit, etc and I would be willing to accept the risks. Most folks who need the benefits of a locker, aggressive mud tires, etc know when they need them.

 

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]Thanks for all the posts! Correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand it, the Detroit Locker for the ATV's is not the Locker sold for a Jeep. The ATV Locker when engaged, and going straight, both wheels are turning, but, when going around a corner, the outside wheel of this locker turns faster than ground speed.....hence the description..Detoit Gearless "Easy Steer" Locker. This is not a spool type locker with gears, it uses high strength steel discs which forces the inside wheel to spin when cornering. From HighLifter..."There is never a condition where one wheel spins while the other is stopped! This locker steers amazingly EASY!" My confusion....the guy from HighLifter said it steers very hard, and I should buy the Unlocker for all the rest of the time when its not needed. All the testimonials said it steers hard. So, at this point, I guess I have my mind made up pretty much. I am going to buy the Unlocker for my full time 4wd Rubicon, and stick with the "torque sensing" differential as it came stock, it makes the most sense for my particular needs. Thanks! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

You are correct about how the Detroit Locker works. For your unlocker purchase check out the Warn 424 as well as the Highlifter Unlocker version. As much as I love Highlifter's products the Warn is supposed to be the better of the two, but the Highlifter one is good quality too.

 

Limited Slip or what ever Madison Ave. name they call it only works a "limited" amount of time. If is has clutches then the clutches will loosen up over time. Stick a wheel in the air and you're back to 2wd. My KQ uses 1990 technology with a true locking diff. Unlocked it works like a regular limited slip. No turning problems. I don't know why it's so hard to put this in a 2005 ATV when it was around in 1990. My guess is the new KQ has the same thing except it's electric instead of a cable.

You wouldn't want to run around in 4x4 locked front diff very long anyway. It is VERY hard to steer when locked. Even so that Suzuki put in a super low range in the old KQ's to limit the speed. I have removed the pin and can lock my diff in any gear range but found that I never need to. The only time I use it is pulling the boat out of the river. Some sand, clay, rock. Going straight one of the front wheels will not turn on occasion. Lock the diff and it'll pull better. Soom as I'm free it's out of diff lock.

I have no idea how the new ATV diffs work. I hope better than the truck ones. I put a Lock-Rite in my old pick up and it worked fine but when I was turning it made a loud clanking noise. Plus in a truck I couldn't turn it off. At $200 it was a bargin, I think the Detriot air lockers were in the 800-1000 buck range. To pricey for me.

 

Tools, I installed the Warn 424 on my full time four wheel drive Rancher. The instructions were easy to follow and I had no problem installing it. I would not consider installing the DGL if I had full time four wheel drive but fortunately the Rincon as you know, has a 2 wheel/4 wheel select. When I recently sold the Rancher, having the Warn 424 was a great selling factor.

 

424 is a great option. Click below on the Rancher page for some pics. Get them on Ebay in the $215 range with shipping included. About 90 minutes average to install depending how you can swing a wrench.

 

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Thanks for the Rancher pic site! I won't have to take off my plastic to install the 424 on my Rubicon will I??!! Should I tip the machine back up on the rear wheels? or jack up from one side? Take off a front tire to?