[Ragnar Danneskjöld]

I tried the search function – I swear I did, but couldn’t find a satisfactory answer.

So, this morning we got dumped on in Utah. I have the 6MT, so it is full-time 4wd. The city roads and freeways were snow packed early this morning (in fact, my neighborhood had ~1 foot of fresh powder, all unplowed).

My question is – is there any reason whatsoever that I should need to lock the center diff? I kept it in HH, and the FJ was fantastic with the Yoko Geolandar A/T’s. My thoughts are that there is no reason to lock the center diff UNLESS I am about to do some HEAVY wheeling. Is that a correct assumption?

Thanks!

 

[Ivan70]

Based on my experiences in the last blizzard... the only time i needed 4Lo or locker when i was really stuck in the 3ft of snow... other then that it just goes :lol:

 

[Ragnar Danneskjöld]

Yeah, I figure that if I’m not putting heavy torque on the wheels the unlocked center diff would be (and has been) fantastic.

All hail the 6MT!!! :cheers:

 

[FJC-4x4]

Yeah, I figure that if I’m not putting heavy torque on the wheels the unlocked center diff would be (and has been) fantastic.

All hail the 6MT!!! :cheers:

Exactly my findings...

When I want to have fun on deserted street, I lock the center diff, otherwise the rear end bias of the torsen creates some overstee.r

I love the MT6! :bigthumb:

:cheers:

 

[Big-Ern]

The only reason I sometimes shift from HH to HL in the snow is to keep the VSC from kicking in. I mostly leave it in HH though.

Edit: Actually, after reading your OP for a second time, I would have locked the center diff if I was driving in a foot of fresh snow. We didn't get that much up here. Maybe a few inches at most.

 

[jtinidaho]

I keep mine in HH most of the time on the street. I have found that the VSC does a remarkable job keeping me out of trouble. I only use the HL or LL for climbing my driveway or off road where some wheel spin may be required to maintain forward momentum.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjöld]

Actually, after reading your OP for a second time, I would have locked the center diff if I was driving in a foot of fresh snow.

It was unusually fluffy for Utah. If it were a foot of our typical stuff, I think I would have locked it as well. I just wasn’t sure if I gained anything by driving in HL over HH on the snowpacked freeway.

I love the full-time 4wd. For me, the 1-2 mpg sacrifice is well worth it! :bigthumb:

 

[mikey]

I lock the center diff in fresh snow only because I hate the VSC and TRAC.

 

[epicxcrider]

Sometimes I'll lock it when pulling out of an intersection if you really need to go. Sometimes the TRAC cuts power too much when you really need to go. Like mud, wheelspin CAN be your friend occasionally.

 

[starzzz]

HH for regular driving on snow and ice. It works really, really well 99.9% of time.
HL when I put chains on rear wheels, or when I hate TRAC.
LL with ATARC when I think I might get stuck.
LL with ATARC and rear locker, when I'm stuck.
Get out with a shovel, when I'm still stuck...