Probity

I don't have a boat but am thinking about a "Truck Month" purchase of an inexpensive (i.e. cheap) left-over 2018 or 2019. Thinking down the road to resale, my area is popular with sportsmen using boats. Most of the picked-over 2018's don't have e-lockers. Have found a few cheap 4wd's but they too have only open differentials.

For those of you out there that actually DO have 4wd with open differentials AND use boat ramps, what's your real-world experience?

gatorblue92

I had an old Bronco with open diffs and never had any issues on the boat ramps. Only needed to use 4x4 once or twice to help on a wet ramp.

brent_G

iTrader: (1)

I dont think you will ever need it.

ESJAY

tvsjr

I'm the other way... I can't imagine having a 4WD vehicle without some sort of locker (at least an LSD) in the rear.

Jeff1024

We are at the lake every weekend Memorial to Labor day. No slip so we are launching the boat off the trailer Friday/Sat/Sun. Never needed the ELocker to pull out our 25ft runabout. Our ramp is super nice grooved concrete, so when it's wet there is still plenty of traction.

We have a pretty hard left hand turn as soon as you get to the top of the ramp so I think I would use 4A or 4H before the ELocker anyway.

Many nights we sit at the marina and watch people load boats. It's like free entertainment. I have seen people spin trying to get up our ramp - and they are more often than not bro's in lifted F250's who don't know what they are doing. They hammer down get a wheel spinning and then are done. The EcoBoost has plenty of torque. Slow and steady wins the race.

wadekaminski

This picture was from Wednesday. It never got above freezing, trailer was bottomed out in the mud. Didn't lock in 4wd or the rear locker.

Probity

Thanks (I think) for a real-world example. If I understand your post, you used ONLY 4wd (e-locker, if you have it, was NOT engaged) - correct?

wadekaminski

I didn't use 4wd or the locker. I do have both but they weren't needed.

ESJAY

https://auto.howstuffworks.com/28000...-explained.htm