Lokka's

[mudgrip4]

Just a thought for those who have or plan to fit a lsd - some lsd oils are significantly better in extracting max performance from your lsd than others. Best I have used - and my local diff shop tells me the best available - is Redline. This is synthetic, from I think America, and costs about twice as much at about $22 club price per 900mls bottle - 2 bottles needed for a diff.

This is used worldwide in racing cars for max traction, and the two Redline products I've used are Redline Heavy Duty Shockproof gear oil, and the less bity 80-140 blend. Heavy Duty Shockproof can make your lsd rumble and clank quite a bit more but is very grippy, and can - by their judgement - bring your lsd very close to the performance of a locker (depending how worn lsd is). I can confirm this - a very effective product, but because my lsd had been tightened it was too noisy. Sounded like a bucket of bolts and I thought I'd done serious damage but diff shop laughed and said this was normal!! A clubmate has a standard lsd with this product in it however and it goes very well without excessive noise.

For my modified lsd I changed to the 80 (could be 90) - 140, and it was perfect. Still a measure of clank and rumble on tight turns, more than Penn etc products, but it sure made the lsd bite offroad bigtime. Very effective.

Only consideration in using this more expensive product is you don't want to have to be constantly replacing it. So it is a v good idea to extend and reroute rear diff breather tube up into the back door frame to keep diff watertight. Saves $45 each time you dunk your truck.

Redline not usually available from 4x4 shops, but check diff specialists and in particular car high performance shops.

Mike.

[pig75]

himuzulux said:

Also, had a lengthy discussion with Tom from 4WD Systems and it seems there is a rear Lokka in development. 6-12 months away from being a reality apparently. I'd like to guage some interest in a rear lokka... its possible I can get it bumped up the priority list if we can make enough noise... can I have a show of hands who would consider one, and who would definitely buy one?

Just some random thoughts

Steve

I would definitely buy one

[Bruce]

New truck has open rear diff so Iam interested.
Bruce

[Dave]

Mike, where did you get your Redline oil? Best price I can find is $40/bottle, and I would need 4 for the Safari

Dave

[mudgrip4]

I got mine from the Diffshop, Somme St Chch. Are you in Chch? If not, I'll ask them where they source it and see if there are other outlets handling it in other centres. Let me know where you are Dave. If no supply where you are in NZ, might be economic for me to post some if I can still get it at $22.

Mike

[Dave]

Would be much appreciated if you could do that Mike. I'm in Blenheim, but freighting, or heading down to pick it up would be ok.


Cheers,
Dave

[mudgrip4]

Dave - rang the Diffshop today and they said they will send you the Redline direct. They will do the club price of $20 + GST or $22.50 per 900ml bottle, and postage to Blenheim will be about $10. I told them you will call to arrange.

So give them a buzz at 44 Somme St Chch, 03 3556077 or 027 201 3498. Had to dial the cellphone today. Its a father and son shop and unsure which I was speaking to today but have teed it up for you. Mention Mike Anderson from Canty club and all should be fine - let me know if any problems. Ask them, but I think the heavy duty shockproof gear oil is probably the one for you - if lsd unmodified.

Should be a good saving -

Mike.

[Dave]

Mike,
thanks for arranging that, will give him a call tonight.


Dave

[mudgrip4]

Just a bit of feedback on front lokka - bought one from Steve in Chch and have just put it in my 88 swb bighorn. Took club mechanic 5 hours for whole job most of which was jiggling the diff out and reassembly. Putting lokka into the diffhead when on the bench was fairly quick - bit less than an hour.

Must say I'm amazed at the improvement it has given to offroad performance. Had done a couple of years and maybe 100 tracks with open diffs front and rear, and then about the same again after fitting a tightened lsd to rear - the lsd helped considerably esp in rough terrain. A very good improvement.

I'm no expert - haven't spent much time with the lokka in yet, but initial tests over same v steep and uneven ground I've driven often in the past show HUGE improvement. One steep rutted 25 meter climb had proved too hard for standard 4x4s. In the past my truck with its tight lsd was managing it, holding traction and chewing its way over the top with plenty of revs in L2. Tried this climb Monday with lokka in and was amazed when truck just drove straight up it in 1st gear without too much revs at all. Woo!!! With just the tight lsd my truck previously could only drive up 30% of the climb when in 1st. Needed 2nd and momentum. Huge difference. Same with a number of other climbs.

Have heard it said rear lokka gives 70% improvement and addition of front lokka gives only about another 30%. Have to say that front lokka has more like doubled climbing ability on uneven ground for my truck - early days yet for testing, but the change is huge. I suspect there may be a compound effect when adding front lokka to rear lsd. Guessing here but maybe rear lsd added 40% to traction, and front lokka by itself might be a bit more - but when both operating together the percentage performance of each one seems to increase markedly. A case where the whole is more than the sum of the parts?

As Pissy notes earlier, steering is harder, you have to go slower to avoid bounce, and in rugged ground the lokka does have a mind of its own. Seems to take off to the right if too fast over rough stuff, and you have to button off completely to do sharp turns.

So it's real learning curve for a while getting the feel of it in different conditions - how it will handle and how much it will add in mud, slick stuff, snow etc.. Initial impression however is mainly amazement! Would be good to hear experience of others

Mike.

[Harry]

You should find it easier to drive slower with the locker.
Harry.

[mudgrip4]

You can definitely drive up and over obstacles slower which saves the truck, but then you start looking at even bigger challenges.....Boys will be boys..

[Pissy]

Also bare in mind that with extra traction in the front due too LOKKA you should start at looking for the best line approach (as we all should with or without lokkas) as you don't have the luxury to just gun it hoon style up a hill as you will undoubtingly break CVs. If you have front lokka, slow and steady is your best friend to save the CVs. Also beware of steep downhills, as they tend to overstress CVs too, have wondered if its an idea to disengage hubs for these BUT this becomes dangerous as you will have less engine breaking and will lead to the over use of the brakes??

Just my thoughts

Pissy