Front Diff Lock for Pajero

[MrTwister]

One day my colleague let me try her brand new G Mercedes in s (slow ) mode. Brutal metal! The 700k AED price tag is brutal, too. I saw three strange switches in the middle of the dashboard and tried to figure out what they were for. My colleague had no idea, and it is no joke. Of course two can be explained by having a rear diff lock and a central diff lock, like Pajero. But why the third diff lock? Anyway, I went home and told to my wife I need a girls' car...

After my fair demand for G Wagon was rejected, I was just thinking how a front diff lock would help offroading and could it be fitted on a Pajero. I had the feeling that this could be the secret behind the legendary capabilities of the Gelendewagen.

I was watching my off roading videos that my friend took some time ago and commented that while playing on the dune, the Pajero was lifting one of the front wheels. Of course, that means that both front wheels lost the traction. But traction is very important in the sand. BHP is nothing if you cannot take it to the ground. If front traction is lost, the rear wheels need to transfer all the power to the sand. But sand is loose, rear wheels will tend to spin and the car slows down or get stuck, especially, if they are not locked together by the (OEM) rear diff lock. This would not happen, if there was a front diff lock, that keeps at least one front wheel powered and use its traction to pull the car.

The switchable front diff locks however prevent the car from turning, that is not a good feeling. I need front diff lock, but I do not need a significantly harder steering and lost maneuverability.

I Googled it and found Kaiser Locker, a Brazilian brand. They provide a front diff lock, that is even better than the one in the G Merc.

The Kaiser Locker is a mechanical automatically unlocking differential locker.

It is fully mechanical, because all parts of it are mechanical, it has got no pneumatics, hydraulics or electric parts at all.

It is automatical, because you need no switch to activate or deactivate it. Although you will feel its effect only when you shift to 4 wheel drive.

It is a diff lock that is normally locked when driven in a straight line, but in the turns one front wheel that needs to turn faster is allowed to do so. This automatically unlocking feature makes the steering easy and preserves the car turning ability, or even improves it in the loose sand.

The Kaiser Diff Lock is a straightforward replacement for the front differential gear assy. I (over) paid 800 AED for the job in Musaffah in a dirty workshop. It requires the usual OEM differential oil (GL5 90 for Pajero).

The diff lock was 600 USD and another 100 USD was the home delivery.

I tested it all over UAE and in Liwa, too. I am very happy with it.

[anoop]

Mrtister, from how long you driving in sand to be so educated and technically capable of knowing what is best and what is not for your car?

Not to challenge here, but if kaser lock is good, why not mitsu development team suggest them and add it on all vehicle by default. Is it expensive for them or is it not required for all on road car???

[MrTwister]

Hi Anoop,

off roading is a technical sport. The sport part of it is the digging of a stuck vehicle. I am an engineer, so I prefer the technical part. I worked for a car manufacturer, so I can tell a true story to shed some light on their thinking. One day a car mirror supplier was asked to make an offer for a manually adjustable mirror. They attached another offer for an electrical mirror for the same price and expected the car company to choose that one, so complexity of having two production lines could be eliminated. But no, the car producer prefered manual mirror, because that was designed in the package of that car model. They did not want people run for the cheaper package and get electric mirror, they wanted them to buy the more expensive package that exclusively provided the electric mirror. Customer satisfaction is not the ultimate objective it is just a way to sustainable profit. If companies have to choose they choose money.

[anoop]

Very nice explained, logic. I agree completely.

[MrTwister]

Hi Anoop,

I have been offroading since 4 years. First with off road groups, and later just alone. So I like to be prepared, because I cannot count on a buddy to pull me out.

Kaiser is a Brazilian brand, but based on the name I guess they have German owner, so I trusted their technology. They extensively tested their difflock and they produce parts for heavy vehicles as well.

Pajero is not used by most of the people for hard core off roading. If they do, they will modify it just as they would do it with any other standard 4x4. Just for a few customers, Mitsubishi does not provide hard core off roading options. The max you can get is a center and a rear difflock. Hard core equipment is the business of specialty suppliers and tuning shops. They pool customers from all car brands to reach an acceptable minimum production quantity to be able to provide an acceptable price.