Topic: Chariot Mtn - Mason Valley TT - Oriflamme Rodriguez trail

[zaphos]

After a long series of upgrades ending with getting the Lokka installed up front on my 2001, i wanted to take the X on a shakedown run to make sure everything actually works. This was a super easy trail with maybe a dozen obstacles on a 1+ trail.

Good news:
Truck did great with surprisingly few shakes and rattles. I do need a hold-down for the stuff in the back for the whoops. My camping chairs were leading the great migration into the back seats.

Bad news:
With the manual hubs engaged, the Lokka was like a welded diff, turning the steering wheel even when off-throttle was like turning an aircraft carrier. I’ll do some testing and maybe have MIT have another look at it.

More good news:
X can go just about anywhere without locker contraption up front. I just used 2wd.

More bad news:
The Jeeps put themselves in 4wd low and IDLED down the entire trail. I know there is a speed limit but we were in no danger of going anywhere near it. They did, however,  let me hit some offshoot trails which is where i learned how to make camping chairs float in midair. Entertaining show for the tailgunner.

There was a Pathfinder there who had comeback from the weekend before on a stage 3+ trail. The plastics didn’t survive but he was OK with that and this trip was a breeze...











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[EJsarus]

nice!!!

[JFanaselle]

Looks like a great day

[knightrider]

Sounds like the lokka may be adjusted a little too tight. 

[FrankB]

It sounds like you started at Banner and went down to S-2.  That is a fun direction to go, and it's equally fun coming back the other way too (unless you get to the gate at Banner and find it locked).  You do want 4Lo for going down that long hill into Chariot Canyon.

The infamous Cattle Guard of Doom picture was taken on the Rodriguez trail back in May of 2006. 

Chariot Mtn - Mason Valley TT - Oriflamme Rodriguez trail

(Not my photo (obviously) - the credit for this picture, and for the infamous caption, belongs to Mitch.)

[Celt]

Bad news:
With the manual hubs engaged, the Lokka was like a welded diff, turning the steering wheel even when off-throttle was like turning an aircraft carrier. I’ll do some testing and maybe have MIT have another look at it.

  I'm not assuming you have no experience with front lockers but when the front locker is engaged steering can be very difficult. It can often feel like you have no power steering and the truck does not want to turn because both wheels are now spinning at the same speed and are somewhat fighting each other on the turn. Be careful trying to do a lot of steering while the front is locked as it puts a lot of stress on your front driveline. The IFS has a lot of weird angles it can be subjected to (One axle going up the other down while wheels turned) that a SFA doesn't have. What I normally prefer to do is get onto my line then lock out the front when needed and as soon as I clear the obstacle or need to re-align I unlock. I have no experience with your type locker but it sounds like it's doing what it's supposed to do.

[Celt]

It sounds like you started at Banner and went down to S-2.  That is a fun direction to go, and it's equally fun coming back the other way too (unless you get to the gate at Banner and find it locked).  You do want 4Lo for going down that long hill into Chariot Canyon.

The infamous Cattle Guard of Doom picture was taken on the Rodriguez trail back in May of 2006. 

Chariot Mtn - Mason Valley TT - Oriflamme Rodriguez trail

(Not my photo (obviously) - the credit for this picture, and for the infamous caption, belongs to Mitch.)

  Is that Randy with no gray hair walking opposite of you ? ......    Time sure is flying by.

[FrankB]

  Is that Randy with no gray hair walking opposite of you ? ......    Time sure is flying by.

That's not Randy. At least, I don't think it is.

[knightrider]

I don't think Randy would ever wear hiking shoes or an etnies shoes tshirt.

Eric, the lokka is a lunchbox locker, not a true locker like an ARB but a 1 way locker.  It only locks under acceleration and if one wheel wants to spin faster than the other due to outside forces like when turning(outside wheel spins faster than inside) it should be allowed to due so, but it will not allow one wheel to take all the power like an open dif when you lift a tire or lose traction.

To test if the lokka is working, you can lock the front hubs and put it in 4wd and just do circles in a dirt lot, you should normally be able to hear the lokka clicking.  might help to have two people and have someone outside listening.

[Celt]

I don't think Randy would ever wear hiking shoes or an etnies shoes tshirt.


Eric, the lokka is a lunchbox locker, not a true locker like an ARB but a 1 way locker.  It only locks under acceleration and if one wheel wants to spin faster than the other due to outside forces like when turning(outside wheel spins faster than inside) it should be allowed to due so, but it will not allow one wheel to take all the power like an open dif when you lift a tire or lose traction.

To test if the lokka is working, you can lock the front hubs and put it in 4wd and just do circles in a dirt lot, you should normally be able to hear the lokka clicking.  might help to have two people and have someone outside listening.

Interesting, so it sounds similar to a Tru_Trac. Well I never stop learning something. Thanks!

[knightrider]

not really but getting too far off topic...

[zaphos]

Fred,

Sounds about right. These trails have about 15 different names but were super fun and relaxing. I really liked the creek bed at the old WPA site as well. Killer spot for overnighting if allowed.


Knight/ Celt,

No worries, I claim total ignorance on the Lokka aside from the basic concept. I’m going to lock the hubs in 2wd and 4wd and make some circles like you suggested and see what I get. I have read the same results from a guy and his turned out to have the pins installed backwards?

I really hope this is just me getting familiar with it and I don’t have to have the whole thing dropped and torn apart again. Worst case, i unlock a hub until i get to a really hairy section.

More pics ...








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