Five Ways to Add Traction to Your 4x4

If you enjoy hitting the trails in your stock or near-stock off-road vehicle, chances are good that you desire more traction out of your rig. There is a ton of ways to do this, but this article is going to highlight the five most popular ways.

Aggressive Tires

One of the first modifications you should make to an off-road rig is to get decent shoes for it. All the power and weight-savings in the world will not help it get traction on the trail if the tires are bald, and that is a fact. A name brand snow tire is a great compromise for street/trail driving, and will offer superior performance and traction. Airing the tires down to about 15 PSI will also help grip the terrain.

Posi-Traction / Limited-Slip Differential

These babies have been around for years, and gained massive popularity with the muscle car crowd because it literally doubled the amount of rubber that was pushing the pavement. The same applies to the off-road enthusiasts, and they are a good addition to any daily driven trail rig. A limited-slip will send power to both wheels when the gas is pressed hard, allowing for much more traction than a stock 4x4.

Full Locker

A locker positively connects the axles on both sides of the vehicle, causing them to turn at the same rate, all the time. A locker will provide very slight slippage for street driving around corners when off the gas, but will still act jerky and take a while to get used to, especially in rear applications. The traction these units provide off-road, however, is well worth some bad street manners. Depending on your application, a locker can usually be had for around 300 dollars. The prices go up drastically if interested in selectable/disengaging lockers or custom units.

Lincoln-Locker, Miller Megatrac

This is the easiest and most permanent way to lock up the differential, and if you or a buddy has access to a welder, it is free! This is done by simply removing the differential housing cover and welding the spider gears together so there is no slippage allowed between the axles. If done right and welded strong, they will provide years of endless traction and tire chirping u-turns. When going this route, make sure you clean ALL the slag out of the differential housing, because loose metal in there will destroy the gears. Change the gear oil a few times after using this method too, just to be safe.

Spool

A spool is like a locker, but they allow ZERO slippage for turning, and are 100% engaged all the time, just like the Lincoln Locker. They provide maximum traction, and are by far the strongest of the available methods mentioned above. There are no moving parts to wear out, and a spool for most applications will only put you back about sixty dollars. Not recommended for a vehicle that sees a lot of street duty!