Million $$ “locker technique advice” ....it really works!

[AZCooWhip]

While in Moab last week, my wife and I took a day to attend a ~10 hour skills training session put on by several veteran expedition trainers. One in particular was John Marshall of Coyote Expeditions. We were yapping on a break and was speaking on a throttle/braking technique from my road course racing days and he mentioned a similar technique that he guarantees me I may never use lockers again. Unless of course it is absolutely a must have situation.

Very simply this ...... Learn to use your left foot on the brake and right foot on gas As you come across obstacles that may require a locker or two. Road course racers use a similar technique in “trail braking”.

Learn to have your left foot on the brake ever so lightly. Maybe 10%. Work the gas STEADY while doing this and apply a little more brake from left foot to stop any wheel spin. This trick fools the system into a “locker” type situation by adding the small amount of friction applied to spinning wheel.

The rest of the week I never used my lockers....only this technique. It didn’t matter if it was slick rock, broken rock or sand... if I was going up an incline, my left foot was on the brake. Gladis just climb3d and climbed and climbed.

Here’s the huge benefit Aside from having “lockers“ at your instant disposal. As you know, when you are using your lockers and have to make a turn, you will find it very difficult to turn for obvious reasons. Especially these larger JTs. My first day I threw out drag link a few degrees (steering wheel off center). 2 minute fix BTW. Using this technique saved me from having to deal with and hard steering.

It does take a little practice and getting used to. Give it a whirl!

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[KurtP]

While in Moab last week, my wife and I took a day to attend a ~10 hour skills training session put on by several veteran expedition trainers. One in particular was John Marshall of Coyote Expeditions. We were yapping on a break and was speaking on a throttle/braking technique from my road course racing days and he mentioned a similar technique that he guarantees me I may never use lockers again. Unless of course it is absolutely a must have situation.

Very simply this ...... Learn to use your left foot on the brake and right foot on gas As you come across obstacles that may require a locker or two. Road course racers use a similar technique in “trail braking”.

Learn to have your left foot on the brake ever so lightly. Maybe 10%. Work the gas STEADY while doing this and apply a little more brake from left foot to stop any wheel spin. This trick fools the system into a “locker” type situation by adding the small amount of friction applied to spinning wheel.

The rest of the week I never used my lockers....only this technique. It didn’t matter if it was slick rock, broken rock or sand... if I was going up an incline, my left foot was on the brake. Gladis just climb3d and climbed and climbed.

Here’s the huge benefit Aside from having “lockers“ at your instant disposal. As you know, when you are using your lockers and have to make a turn, you will find it very difficult to turn for obvious reasons. Especially these larger JTs. My first day I threw out drag link a few degrees (steering wheel off center). 2 minute fix BTW. Using this technique saved me from having to deal with and hard steering.

It does take a little practice and getting used to. Give it a whirl!

Ive been saying this on this forum since i got here. 90%+ of people dont need a front locker. They need training.

This works not only for trail traction, but also for starting out on slippery surfaces in general, or modulating throttle to compensate for a taller xfer case gear, reduce wheel spin to minimize axle breaking. It goes on

Let the brake pads wear faster and youll be amazed how much less you use your locker. I do it on almost all reduced traction climbs, even if my rear locker is on to minimize wheel slip. I do it if i think ill lift a tire to keep it from spinning -> coming down -> snapping. I do it if im starting out from a stop in snow/ice conditions too.

 

[brianinca]

I left foot brake everywhere, it's an advantage of an automatic. Heel and toe with a stick is more complicated even with size 15's. It's not a replacement for lockers, but it is a requirement for safe driving off pavement. It's also called power braking, for whatever reason. Not just for burnouts anymore!

I tried to get my first wife to drive with both feet early on, no go. She had to do a 12 pt turn on a fire road when she started driving more off pavement, and figured out really quick that way too much can happen between letting off the brake and getting on the gas, and vice versa. Uncontrolled motion is no Bueno!

My wife today is still working on it, ingrained habits are hard to discard. She's getting better backing into a steep driveway, she doesn't want to hurt our fancy fence & gate.

When you *need* a locker, though, you need a locker. I've had TrueTracs for over a decade, they are great, but they are NOT a locker.

 

[Rockabillyroy]

My buddies and I, in my old JKU, did this on our first outing to get over a gate keeper. It worked well enough, but I wasn't a fan of doing it with an 90 foot cliff right behind us. My one friend that had a rear locker just crawled right over it. That's when I decided I'd install a rear locker. hahaha... I haven't used the factory ones in my gladiator yet.

 

[CerOf]

This technique with the brake lock/traction control system is very effective.

I probably wouldn’t say it would be like a locker, but rather more akin to a limited slip differential.

 

[redrider]

I learned to do this 50 years ago to assist backing to a precise stopping point to hitch a trailer and boat. Need to creep a smidge, do it. Amazing how "new" techniques are really a re-hash of the "old". Trail Braking is the art of maximum braking up to the turn in point. As the rate of turn(4 wheels)or lean angle(two wheels) increases. brake force is eased off or trailed off to allow more traction for turning. A very subtle but distinct difference as there is no throttle input until the precise moment of brake release. I spent over a decade trying to teach folks how to control the motorcycle and not be along for the ride.

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