There are cases where you need wheel spin to gain traction.

 

Can anyone comment on why Ford would offer the 3.73 four-wheel drive in a non limited slip (open) differential configuration? That's the part that makes no sense to me... what are the advantages of having open differential at all four wheels?

 

Easy to drive in snow. Zero chance of operator error. All fleet vehicles will be open diffs front and rear.

 

I can think of a few reasons. Less costly is one. Also, for the inexperienced, open differentials are safer on slick roads such as snow covered. (If only 1 wheel per axle can spin, then lateral traction is way better than if 2 wheels on an axle can spin. This is especially true for the rear axle, where 2 spinning tires causes the vehicle to fishtail...aka over-steer.)

Personally, I would not buy a 4x4 without at least a rear axle limited slip or locking.

 

Buliwyf...Looks like great minds think alike, at the same time!

 

do as you wish but i dont want any form of limited slip or ratcheting locker in the front end of my vehicle. i do a fair bit of city and highway driving in 4x4 and like open front for that type of stuff. elock front and rear is what i have and its my prefered combo

 

That makes sense, but keep in mind a Truetrac doesn't act like a typical clutch type limited slip. It drives like an open diff until you start to lose traction then it transfers torque to the other wheel, they work very well in the front and I would have one in the front of mine if they made one for a Dana 50.

 

It really depends on exactly WHEN you need 4wd. I live deep in the snow belt, and even during a blizzard, 4wd is only needed to get going if the trucks struggling with that. Once I'm rolling, I'm back to 2wd. I don't need 4wd to drive in a line of Prius's, semi-trucks, and blue haired ladys driving Honda Accords. 99% of my 4wd use on road, is just to get going, or just for the fun of it. Driving in snow is cake compared to a washed out forest road, beach, or a flooded campsite. I don't see any point in optimizing a truck, for highway use that 2wd already does OK.

I'll trade nearly never used snowy street 4wd use, for off road prowess every time. I don't need the National Guards helicopter to get me unstuck if I'm only 5 feet from the street. Backwoods forest though...... Or worse still, the beach, when the tide's rising..... If I absolutely could not do without a front open diff, then I'd spend another $1000 more to go to a selectable Yukon Zip locker.

If all of the Accords are in a ditch, and I have the road to myself, sure I can use 4wd, but I'm only going 40mph tops, at that point. Not fast enough for operator error with the locker to be much worse than operator error with a Truetrac. Most people that bash the better autolockers, haven't driven them in a proper setup.

The quirks of a front locker, really don't apply to me.

 

4x4 is made to be used. Never using it can cause all sorts of issues, from frozen up axle joints to rusted front axle half shafts to frozen up transfer case motors or levers. *Any* time the road is actually fully snow-covered, even if it has been plowed, I engage 4x4 high. It's the smart thing to do...you'll be able to pull away from a stop much easier, you'll be able to climb hills easier, and should your truck start to skid a stab of the throttle will actually pull the truck into line instead of spinning it out.

If there are mixed surfaces (some snow cover and some wet but uncovered pavement), then I'm much more apt to be in 2WD, or switch in and out of 4x4. I don't like binding.

Mixed surfaces or rapidly changing road conditions are why AWD has become so popular. It just works all the time. Part-time 4x4 is very primitive, in my opinion...especially on trucks marketed as luxury models.

 

I have front and rear autolockers in my Jeep and it does fine in the snow. I only use 4x4 on snow convered back roads then shift into 2nd when I get to the main roads. It does handle different in 4x4 so if you like to use 4x4 all the time in the snow even when you are on the highway then you would probably be better off with an open or Truetrac front.

 

Yeah. it's a tough choice to make.

I do use 4wd as often as possible, in a straight line, just to lube it up and operate the mechanism. I keep my hubs locked all winter. But I avoid it above 40mph. I want the stability of un-driven wheels up front giving maximum side bite. If the truck gets wiggly, I'm usually going waay too fast.

It might be time for an AWD setting. If it was true AWD with a center diff that's lockable to get back to regular 4wd. Or a lockable viscous coupler on the front output shaft. Not that nonsense where the xfer case automatically moves between 2wd and 4wd. That stinks.

 

An F-150 can have 4-auto which uses a clutch on the front output shaft to quickly engage and disengage, as well as slip in corners to prevent binding. It works very well. The only downside (and likely reason its not in the HD trucks) is that the clutch is a wear item and probably cannot handle the torque of the diesel. You never are truly "locked" in 4x4...just have a clutch either fully engaged, disengaged, or somewhere in between. Even in an F-150 with 4-auto, selecting 4-high or 4-low just fully locks up the clutch.

Now my 2018 Raptor has 4-auto which works similarly, but when you select 4H or 4L it physically locks into 4x4 using a collar. I'd be very happy with the Raptor 4x4 system in the Super Duty, although it is strange you cannot engage the rear locker in 2WD.

 

Yeah, not a fan of that setup.

Sounds a bit fragile for a Superduty.

 

If it only relied on a lockup clutch, I wouldn't be a fan either. But since the Raptor mechanically locks, it kind of is the best of both worlds. 4-auto works flawlessly.

 

Ok, I feel a little stupid asking this but I was always told the only stupid question is the one not asked... I think. So I understand how the E-Locker works, what I am confused about is what is the reason to ever use it if you have 4x4? We had a small snow storm not too long ago here and I was stuck in the apron of my flat driveway haha. The front of the truck was up on the driveway and the rear tires were down at the bottom of the apron. I engage the E-Locker and I didn't move an inch. I had to engage 4x4 to get up my flat driveway.

The only time I have ever used the E-Locker with success is at the boat ramp at low tide. The grimy boat ramp can make things interesting in 2 wheel drive, but with the E-Locker the wheels don't really spin at all. However, I could achieve the exact same outcome by engaging 4x4... So I am still confused haha.