My F-150 Dilemma...

[lil_Blue_Ford]

You'll have no problems with a rear locker while towing. You probably won't notice it. The one thing you do want to keep in mind though is that in turns at low speeds you are using only one axle shaft to push the truck. You can snap it.

The front can be locked as well. That does take a little getting used to. Every time you push the accelerator or let off on snow with any amount of wheels turned, it's going to wrestle you for control of the truck. If you thoroughly understand what it is doing, you will be just fine. What it's doing is unlocking the faster tire. You have to drive very gently. Honestly, you will do fine in 2wd most of the time and don't have any reason to just be driving in 4wd. If it's 17" of snow and you need 4wd, you won't notice the locker because it's going to be working. And you will love it. I'm locking the front of my crewcab when I get the axle in, no question about it. The times I need 4wd in the winter, I don't want to mess around. It's usually up the yard or in a field or on unplowed roads. You don't need 4wd on ice or plowed roads.

Thanks for the input!

Looks like I'm going to see about getting a locker in the next couple weeks, already starting to feel like late fall around here...

 

[rusty ol ranger]

When i had my 96 I had 31x10.50R15's on it and they had no trouble clearing.

I had BFG A/T's and i NEVER got stuck in the snow, except for once when i tried driving trhough a drift that was over the hood, but i still got out under my own power

4wd does help a little on ice, mainly because your weight is over your front tires, and your back tires arnt pushing dead weight.

But there is no tire, locker, or whatever that helps on ice. If you lock your rear end for the ice, you'll spin both back tires instead of one, if you lock front and rear, you'll spin all 4. Yes lockers help on snow, but on ice you have two options, studs or chains.

later,
Dustin

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

When i had my 96 I had 31x10.50R15's on it and they had no trouble clearing.

I had BFG A/T's and i NEVER got stuck in the snow, except for once when i tried driving trhough a drift that was over the hood, but i still got out under my own power

4wd does help a little on ice, mainly because your weight is over your front tires, and your back tires arnt pushing dead weight.

But there is no tire, locker, or whatever that helps on ice. If you lock your rear end for the ice, you'll spin both back tires instead of one, if you lock front and rear, you'll spin all 4. Yes lockers help on snow, but on ice you have two options, studs or chains.

later,
Dustin

lol, my choptop with all four locked had no trouble on ice... except when I tried to be helpful an give someone a tug out of the ditch on the side, then I just sat there spinning all four, and if I turned the wheel one way or another the truck would just slide back an forth. Unhooked and drove off without spinning... but then again that thing probably only weighs like 2k lbs, lol.

I have chains that I use when it gets real bad.