Front Locker vs Rear Locker vs Twin locked Differential - Off Road test comparison

Front Locker vs Rear Locker vs Twin Locked? I do an Off Road test - 1st OPEN DIFFS, 2nd FRONT LOCKER ONLY, 3rd REAR LOCKER ONLY and 4th TWIN LOCKED on each obstacle! Here are my results!

Here at MadMatt 4wd there is everything from 4wd tips and tricks to fixing your four wheel drive. As a professional Four Wheel Driver I am all about educating and building the 4x4 community. If you are passionate about going bush with a 4x4 then this channel is for you. Enjoy and please subscribe & Hit the bell icon to be notified as soon as they're up!!!

By making a purchase on the below website you help support me to continue to make 4x4 Content that I hope you appreciate. With any purchase on the A247 website use the code MadMatt for a discount. At the time this video was published the discount was $20 off any purchases over AU$100

MadMatt 4wd on Social Media:

[FroggysGoldProspecting]

this has been the best locker tutorial video I’ve seen, thank you for taking the time to share your years of experience, brilliant!

[brett]

For someone in college with limited funds this video was awesome. Showed me that my old fashioned manual front lockers might not be ideal but should get me through most situations until I can afford to get a decent rear locker and have twin locker.

[DaddyBeanDaddyBean]

That was a very plausible method of making videos alone. I appreciated the consistent, clean audio throughout, regardless of which camera angle we were seeing.

[toyotadiesel]

In this particular case of uphill crawling the front locker might seem to be the way to go if you have to choose. But for general offroad purpose, like the mud holes and ruts, sand and bog, also downhill descent, rear locker pulls ahead. Because you can't steer with front locker for good, you have to use it just for one obstacle then turn it off, it puts so much stress on the driveline and CVs, the front is usually the weak point in most of the cars, IFS especially, you may break your CVs so easily with the front locker on, you need to be careful, experienced and understand what's going on, it's a professional tool basically, that's why most cars would have only rear factory locker and not the front. With the rear locker you may just lock it and move all the way through your offroad track until you get back to the road and it will be a safer a lot more controlled ride overall.

[GGNoble]

Matt, after careful observation . I think your vehicle would perform much better if the steering wheel was installed on the correct side (Left side) . 8-)

[abqcrutch]

Been fourwheeling for over 35 years. I learned something new today. Found a new channel too! Thanks Matt!

[greebo]

Clearly, the results are terrain dependent. And this test was conducted while going in a relatively straight line. Front lockers play havoc with steering. So do rears of course, but nowhere near as much. I also think that longer wheelbase cars will react differently to your shorty.
If I could only have one I'd probably choose rear, because it is better for where I usually go, but this vid did open my eyes quite a bit. Thanks Matt.

[jwat]

I agree with your findings but a commenter made a good point about the stress put on the joints when trying to steer the vehicle with the front lockers engaged. So as was said, with having both lockers on a vehicle it pays to understand your vehicle and whats actually taking place when 4 wheeling. Your videos and tests you show are very helpful and informative. I've got my first 4×4 with lockers and I feel you've given me some very important info to 4 wheel safely and not damage my ridiculously expensive 4×4. Expensive at least for me. Thank you.

[benstayskal]

I appreciate this demonstration. I’ve always heard back locket first if you can’t afford to do both. But I’ve always thought that front actually makes more sense and seems safer. This makes allot of sense to me. Thanks!

[DEVLB]

It took me 6yrs to go from front locker only to running twin locked, the other huge advantage of rear locker is on loose surface descent... I didn’t think it would make a huge difference but blew me away the first time I tried it! I’m very happy to run twin air lockers in my GQ and now also reduction gears, such an animal.

[ashleychristensen]

That was probably the best video i've seen demonstrating lockers. Really good

[NerdOfftheRoad]

Best F&R locker test evur! Every time I questioned myself about F&R lockers, search YouTube and came across to this video for multiple times. Always found this useful, more or less.

[rbrdly]

Interesting. I was absolutely in the REAR camp, but your test (albeit with a shorty) really did demonstrate that pivoting tendency. Well done with that. You could, with an over-enthusiastic right foot do a wheel stand quite easily as well I guess? I've got twin-locked ARB lockers and can't turn the front on by themselves. My options are rear, or both. But in the real world, the lockers aren't the limitation, it's where your friends who don't have them can go. :)

[photosynthesis_by_pete]

I am a noob 4WD. This is is one of the best videos explaining diff locker functions to me. You are not mad after all MAD MATT

[justins]

Another great video. I love how you are so straight to the point, and don't waste time jabbering on. You did great solo. There are worse videos out there that had camera men. Mrs. Mad Matt edits great too! Cheers From Texas.

[craiglangley]

great content, a good training aid for the beginner

[OldGriz]

This goes to show that having both front and rear selectable lockers is important.

[oliverb.]

A few years ago i spoke about this Theme with a good friend of mine - he is driving Off_road Trials for a long time up to now - and his Opinion is : the Front Locker is more important than the rear ! So your result is also right .
Thank you for your Video !

[shaqshuka]

I went with a front locker first, for all the reasons you have then demonstrated in the video. NO regrets. Except for the fact I wish you had of released this vid a year ago when I was researching it. Would have saved me hours in time and doubts lol

[CoorsLightyear]

Great demonstration! I also have always done front locker first. In most my rigs I run a locker up front and an LSD in the rear.