Need a little help understanding 4WD response

[MarineHawk]

The time mine happened, it was a mudhole on a trail. There was a sharp turn as you exited the mudhole. I have no idea what OP's exact situation was. But, hope that sharing my experience might save him (and others reading this) the expense and misery I suffered.

Good to know and have that wisdom from your unfortunate experience. On my old JKUR, I only used my lockers occasionally, and usually just my rear. And I know, sometimes, you must turn sharply on or after an obstacle. But, sometimes, I did mazing things with both front and rear lockers engaged. I generally was pretty ginger and slow, such as going up steep, rocky trails. But, one time, given the winch on my Jeep and those of many of my friends around, I went up a very steep, very muddy hill with the front and rear lockers engaged, thinking that it was implausible that I actually would make it to the top (yes, I know, there are risks in doing that kind of thing). The Rubi just climbed right up like a tracked vehicle. I wasn't doing much turning; just climbing straight up and was very impressed.

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[MarineHawk]

Don't need to own a Jeep - it's why we don't put locking or limited slip differentials in the front of Eagles.

Those are IFS?

Someone one here debated me on the following point, but, excluding rare birds, such as the H1 and the like, it's rare that any lockers on an IFS are nearly as strong as those readily available on, or to be installed on, vehicles with solid front axles. In my experience and first-hand observations, the front lockers will fail on IFS vehicles before the steering components. But my observations, admittedly, are anecdotal.

 

[Sorbs]

I feel like there is a Marisa Tomei simple My Cousin Vinny explanation here that I need.

If you’re in 4-hi you always need to disable the ESS using the button on the dash.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Those are IFS?

Someone one here debated me on the following point, but, excluding rare birds, such as the H1 and the like, it's rare that any lockers on an IFS are nearly as strong as those readily available on, or to be installed on, vehicles with solid front axles. In my experience and first-hand observations, the front lockers will fail on IFS vehicles before the steering components. But my observations, admittedly, are anecdotal.

They were never factory equipped with limited slip or any sort of locking front differentials - however, being that we AMC people have to be creative to keep things going, a few have talked about putting "locking differentials" up front - so far as I know, no one ever has. A few have been converted to solid front axles from JEEPS, though.

This is my rare bird - literally. SX4 made only 3 years. (sporting a Jeep engine, though)

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