Pro's Con's, likes, dislikes, shouldnt every manufacturer offer it???

 

When I went new quad shopping two years ago a dif lock was on my list of must-haves. The old King Quad had the locker so I was used to having one. Taking in all the features that I was looking for, My choices came down to the Kawi 360, Rancher or Eiger - I chose the Eiger as it fit me best even though it did not have a front dif lock. Would I prefer it if it had a locker? Of course. I've gotten stuck in mud holes where a locker might have kept me going. I've also made it through mudholes that have swallowed locker equipt ATV's.

The next time I ATV shop, a dif lock will again be on my list of wants. Maybe I'll wind up with one, maybe not - depends on the other features of the bike.

Jaybee

 

Where did you go that the Locker-equipped quad was "swallowed", or better yet, HOW did your machine go through it and the other one get "swallowed"? HAD to be the rider!!!

 

I bought my first ATV about 6 weeks ago. It's a bombardier traxter. The front end has some kind of fluid pump call visco lock. When I got high centered in snow I got off and saw all 4 wheels turning in forward and in reverse. The Hondas (a 99 foreman and a 00 rancher) I travel with now ask me to blaze the trail in snow. Not that they can't make it. We all have noticed that I just tend to spin less. Also one time going up a snow coverd hill that had a sharp turn to be made at the top. A polaris had to back up where I made the turn. Many riders will complain about when they are locked in. The front end is almost impossible to steer. It seemed as if my bombardier was locked in detected the turn and locked out. Maybe others should talk of not just how fast or well theirs lockup but how fast does it unlock when needed? These are the only 2 situations I can atest to. But its another front end drive for you can think of.

 

I used to think that the dif lock wasn't that important until I bought a quad that has one. I don't use it that often but when you do you can sure feel the difference. You get up against that 18inch rock ledge grab the locker and just crawl right up it. The Prairie locks and unlocks at will with a pull or a release of the lever. On the grizzlys just flick the switch on and flick it off as soon as you don't want it. In a utility quad it just is way to handy to have that extra security.

 

Very TRUE!!!! The only 4x4 machines that I know of that will spin ALL 4 tires REGARDLESS of the situation is all the polaris machines, the Grizzly 660, Kodiac 450, Rhino, Prairies(with the diff-lock, zuki twin peak and AC650-cuz of kawi) and thats it!!! They ALL will spin or NONE will spin, that Visco lock is not guaranteed to do exactly that! I have MANY times been in situations where the diff-lock made ALL the difference as I am sure RhinoOFFroad can agree, since I ride at the Upper Tellico ORV area and he rides elsewhere in NC that requires alot of traction!! Thats what I love about my Grizzly is the fact that I have limited slip 4x4 for most places and when it gets extreme where the limited slip want handle the situation, I simply push a button and I am locked!!!!

 

To Rhino off road, it was a brand new 700 sportsman. He said it was the same with his 00 500 sportsman with front axil locked in snow. He had difficulty turnning.

 

Tell me a situation where the Visco lock won't do just exactly that.

 

Be off camber with the quad leaning to the right, with the front tire wedged on a rock and the left tire high in the air!! I have been through that exact situation MANY times while riding up at "my mountain" and have seen the Honda's and the non-locking front diff quads suffer that situation just to have to back up and sometimes there is no other way around, if you have been where I am speaking up you would see what I mean! Though I have never ridden with a Bombardier, except for the DS650, I have heard through people who own them that it does the same thing, but on flat ground the locker is better than the rest! But with the locking-diff'd quads that problem WILL NOT occur!

 

Is it true that the Polaris front wheels will not spin unless the rear tires break loose??
Just asking, A polaris guy told me this and it did not sound right, just looking for the correct answer..