[Vikram Arya]

Originally Posted by MithunSathianat

For earlier Thar's, there was MLD + BLD on the rear axle. It was just for cost cutting and increasing profit margins M&M decided to take away with MLD.
If one really needs MLD, this can be fitted at an extra cost.

Can you please explain why MLD cannot be offered on front axle?
Is it not possible to add MLD in front axle of Thar like rear?

The Front axle of a 4X4 can be equipped with a manual locking differential however there are some added complexities in the case of Thar that make it a challenging scenario.

First, the suspension of Thar is an independent setup with CV joints and not a solid axle. Stories of drive shafts popping out of CV joints abound on global 4X4 forums especially when they have MLDs on the front axle.

Second, the moment you equip the front axle with MLD's it will be very difficult for the driver to steer the vehicle as both the front drive shafts are locked and we know that the basic requirement of a vehicle when going around a curve is its ability to rotate both the front wheels at different velocities for the vehicle to turn (basic principle of a differential).

Locking a differential whether front or rear puts tremendous strain on the drive train (axles, drive shafts, transmission, transfer case) and if the front setup is independent with CV joints, it will be the weak link in the entire chain thereby a possibility of a failure, especially in the hands of a novice.

Typically the rear end of most such types of vehicles is stronger and is the safe bet for an MLD.

In my limited view, MLD on the rear axle should suffice for 99.9% of scenarios unless you're doing technical rock crawling.

Last but not least Mahindra must have realized that 0.01% of its user base is actually encountering a situation where both front and rear MLDs need to be engaged.

I have seen Wranglers equipped with a simple low-range transfer case driven by knowledgeable drivers fly past Rubicons with MLDs on both axles in the hands of amateurs.

[MithunSathianat]

Originally Posted by Vikram Arya

The Front axle of a 4X4 can be equipped with a manual locking differential however there are some added complexities in the case of Thar that make it a challenging scenario...

Thank you for explaining in detail

With solid axle in Jimny, I believe there is more room for suspension modifications than the Thar.
There is air-locker already available from ARB and other manufacturers in the global market for Jimny if one is interested.
With a good lift kit, tyres and air-lockers Jimny would be unstoppable

[Sankar]

IFS and CV joints does not seem to be a limiting factor for the use of front locking differentials going by the number of IFS toyotas equipped with front lockers and selection of front diffs available for these IFS toyotas.

[Earthroamer]

Originally Posted by Sankar

IFS and CV joints does not seem to be a limiting factor for the use of front locking differentials going by the number of IFS toyotas equipped with front lockers and selection of front diffs available for these IFS toyotas.

Yes IFS and cv joints are not much of a limiting factor to employ front locking differential, but cv joints are potential points of failure when it comes to articulation as opposed to a solid axle.

Most of the times, steering the vehicle in the right direction is very much required to get out of the obstacle, which would be completely taken away by locking the front differential. Even when one of the front tyre is slipping, you can get out of it just by using 4Low gearing and steering in the right direction. One of the scenarios where locking on the front differential would be required is, when both the front and rear tyres are slipping, and locking the rear makes the weight of the entire vehicle pivot to the rear tyre with traction, especially while going uphill. This creates a potential for the vehicle to flip over and locking the front would certainly prevent it. Again, this scenario would be very technical and many of the off-roaders would stay away from it, including myself.

[Samurai]

So, I was writing the Wrangler review last weekend and came to the section describing LSD and BLD. I thought maybe I can plonk the LSD video from My Cousin Vinny, and looked it up. Then I noticed something... Mona Lisa Vito was wrong!!!

She describes the Limited Slip Differential incorrectly at 1:15 video position. How did I not notice it all this time? Too caught up in the court room drama I guess. She also says power instead of torque, which is fine for non-technical audience.

https://youtu.be/LFdpIM5k_Sk

Originally Posted by IMDB

Mona Lisa Vito: The car that made these two, equal-length tire marks had positraction. You can't make those marks without positraction, which was not available on the '64 Buick Skylark!
Vinny Gambini: And why not? What is positraction?
Mona Lisa Vito: It's a limited slip differential which distributes power equally to both the right and left tires. The '64 Skylark had a regular differential, which, anyone who's been stuck in the mud in Alabama knows, you step on the gas, one tire spins, the other tire does nothing.

She is describing open differential, instead of limited slip differential. The whole purpose of LSD is to send more torque to the wheel with traction, or unequal torque to the left and right wheels.