Diff lock vs. traction control

[Daniel Fo]

Originally Posted by Ranger J

These are big calls fellas!

I still think you can get further with diff locks, than you can with TC. My train of thought is this, on any given differential:

-Diff lock - Best
-Traction Control - Better
-LSD - Good
-Open Differential

Traction control and LSD's are both re-active traction control aids (as opposed to diff locks being proactive). Yes they are fast (in the order of milliseconds) to react, but that can often be the difference between making it through an obstacle or failing to.

As a side note, with TC:
-you get less km's out of brake pads;
-if your working it hard the braking system is likely to overheat;
-your relying on electronics (which has proven to give up the ghost at times) and;
-it just sounds nasty when working!

I agree with Ranger.

I know i"m a bit late on this thread but thought I'd put my 2c worth in anyway.

It seems whenever this topic is brought up people are comparing traction control to a rear or front locker only - not both. In that case sometimes TC will be better, in some cases the other way around. But TC controls all 4 wheels whereas the locker only 2 so it's not a fair compairson. For a fair comparison you need to look at traction devices for all 4 wheels. Therefore TC vs front AND rear locker - In that case I don't believe there is any comparison. There'd be no situation that TC would be better than both lockers.

[M@S@]

Rear difflock vs. traction control.

Best option would be to have both. Rear locker alone cannot replace traction control. Though, even the best traction control cannot replace fully locked rear and front axles.

@Ranger

The downsides about TC. Relying on electronics, relying on mechanical things or hydraulics . . . All the same, all these systems can and will have faults some day. 100% locker isn't also that sure that it works. But it's much less used than brakes, so it will not probably have faults as often as brakes do.

Less km's of the brake pads. But what does it matter if you same time save the money worth of the locker? At very high km's the locker may become cheaper.

The factory rear locker is good. They should just have allowed the TC to work same time when the locker is engaged.

[David Anderson]

Originally Posted by Daniel Fo

It seems whenever this topic is brought up people are comparing traction control to a rear or front locker only - not both.

I dunno if I'm really comparing them or just surprised how effective the TC was in a similar situation.
The Pajero is the first (real off-road) 4x4 I've had with TC.

In the Defender I had many years ago before TC was common on 4x4's I would have been stuck without the rear airlocker.

[nj swb]

A locked front diff interferes with steering.

Traction control doesn't.

There are circumstances where a decent traction control system will outperform a double locked vehicle - but those occasions would be rare.

[1993 NJ LWB]

Originally Posted by Daniel Fo

I agree with Ranger.

I know i"m a bit late on this thread but thought I'd put my 2c worth in anyway.

It seems whenever this topic is brought up people are comparing traction control to a rear or front locker only - not both. In that case sometimes TC will be better, in some cases the other way around. But TC controls all 4 wheels whereas the locker only 2 so it's not a fair compairson. For a fair comparison you need to look at traction devices for all 4 wheels. Therefore TC vs front AND rear locker - In that case I don't believe there is any comparison. There'd be no situation that TC would be better than both lockers.

QFT!! I here they use TC in TUFF TRUCK.... no wait

[HSV Rangie]

things to remember.

with a diff lock on rocky very undulating track one wheel must slip as in one wheel going up over a large boulder ect. the other wheel must slip as both wheels travel different distances.

A good traction control will take this into account and allow the wheels to travel at different speeds thus taking into consideration the different distance travels.

each system has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Michael.