If you are new to the world of 4x4 off-roading or rock crawling, you may have heard terms such as differential locks and axle locks. What do they mean? Continue reading to learn about how to operate axle lock and other safety features for rough conditions.
Four-cylinder trucks are growing in popularity in the United States. This has some people scratching their heads since large trucks traditionally have larger V8 engines (or at least V6 engines) meant to deliver towing and hauling power.
Although V8 engines have been the mainstay of American trucks for many years, clever engineering means that V6 engines are gradually becoming the preferred option. This is because modern V6 engines, especially if turbocharged, end up matching V8 output and torque while guzzling less gas than a V8. In a period of time when gas prices have been rising steadily, the ability to get around in your truck with less fuel than you would otherwise spend is becoming increasingly appealing to many Americans.
The inter-axle differential provides for necessary differential action between the axles of a tandem drive axle vehicle, such as semi trucks. This allows the wheels of either axle to revolve faster or slower than the wheels of the other axle in order to compensate for cornering, uneven road surfaces, and slight differences in tire sizes.
Before we can get a clear understanding of how differential locks work, it is essential first to understand how open differentials work. Understanding open differentials makes it easy to explain how locked differentials work. In the open differentials set up, the wheels receive varying amounts of power depending on the traction each wheel is experiencing.
If you’ve come across the semi-trailer-truck driver control panel, you may initially be overwhelmed by the number of switches, especially the guarded ones. These switches are often called guarded because they are surrounded by a protective casing that prevents them from accidentally being activated, leading to damages and accidents.
Differential locks are an essential component to off-roading, rock crawling, and excursions over rough terrain. But how does a diff lock actually work?
If you’re shopping around for a Ford Truck, there are several choices on the table. You will have the bed lengths, trims, paint, cab configurations, and other variations to choose from. However, one of the most important decisions for auto enthusiasts would be choosing the right engine for your truck. Unfortunately, this decision may not be as easy as it sounds.
On a vehicle with 4WD, each of the wheels receive power independently from the others. This can sometimes create problems when off-roading and maneuvering on difficult or slippery terrain, which is why differential locks exist.
If the articulating running boards (tri-mode) on your late model GM truck are not working properly you are not alone.
