Another question on winter traction
On the way to Mammoth during the 1980's I stopped to chain up on the way up Sherman Pass.. A jeep Cherokee speed past us. A 1/4 of a mile past us the Jeep took a near 90 degree left hand turn. crossed...
Forum Discussion
buddyIam wrote:
Some have said it may have been the result of to much speed and a 4x4 without a locking front differential combined with patchy ice on the road. Their explanation is that one wheel began spinning at double speed while on ice. Then hit bare pavement. This makes sense also.
It is pretty much impossible to drive with a locked front differential. A differential allows the outside tire to spin faster in a turn than the inside tire because the outside tire covers more distance. Locked differentials, front or rear, almost always produce wheel slippage around corners in slippery road conditions because of the lack of differential action. Once a tire has broken loose traction and control goes down hill rapidly from there.
I have a 76 International Scout with ARB selectable locking front and rear differentials. With the rear differential locked steering is a bit more difficult depending on the terrain. With the front differential locked, depending on the terrain, I can have the tires at full steer and be plowing straight ahead. You almost never want to have your front differential locked. You have to have gotten yourself in really deep doodoo to need your front differential locked. Of course there isn't much that is more fun than finding that really deep doodoo with a couple of buddies... where you are grateful that you have the option of locking your front differential.
