When A-Trac shows Front Locker how it is done

A-Trac is almost as good as being fully locked, it pounced on two spinning wheels(one from each axle) simultaneously. A-Trac never stops impressing me.

https://youtu.be/B9XV1-oYKnQ?feature=shared


Fully locked Vs. Rear locked.

https://youtu.be/5eKYLZfHa2I?feature=shared

 

Agreed. ATRAC has gotten me out of most situations. The winch got me out of the other 2. Having said that, a locker would not have been much use when I was turtled on a rock. For what I paid for a winch/bumper, I cannot justify the cost of a locker. I'm sure there are when moments it would be useful, but for where I go and what I do, taller tires (255's or 285's) are #1 on the mod list. A rear locker is on the list, but it is near the bottom. 'cause A-TRAC just plain works. Press the magic button and go.

 

My 2010 Tacoma had it. If I had a front locker, I wouldn’t have lost my momentum at the simple obstacle. It’s good but not close to an actual locker.

I locked in the rear at some point which is why it stopped transferring power because it deactivated over a certain wheel speed with the locker engaged.

https://youtu.be/rNXFv6u-kyU?si=HNYaPpb_0vvJ95re

 

Textbook demonstration of how well A-TRAC works with consistent and determined throttle input. You really worked to sho good comparisons hitting exactly the same lines, with the same momentum and throttle each time.

I see some of these videos where the person wants to say A-TRAC is hobbled and only for overland bros and then goes out and spins a little and immediately takes off the throttle.
For those of us relying on A-TRAC to get back home safely your video shows the full power of that magic button.

 

I was worried that my big tires might have affected A-Trac's stock calibration from Toyota, similar to how messed up my speedometer is. But so far so good, A-Trac has been doing its thing beautifully. I air down, switch to 4Lo and turn on A-Trac. That's how I have been rolling on dozens of trails.

 

"Determined throttle"

https://youtu.be/nAcZjXjYHrs?feature=shared

 

I had the opportunity to use ATRAC for the first time on a week long trip in the Utah back country and I wasn't very impressed. Particularly since many have professed that you don't need a locker when you have ATRAC. I was crossing deep ruts that crossed the trail at an angle (on a slight incline). The right front and left rear were both fully extended and barely touching. I intentionally drove into the ruts without any traction devices and of course I came to a stop (got stuck). I backed off about three feet, engaged ATRAC and eased forward only to come to a stop again. I let the ATRAC try to work it out for about ten seconds before I couldn't stand the noises any more and stopped it. Once again I backed off, turned ATRAC off and engaged the rear locker. With the rear locker engaged I rolled through the ruts effortlessly and noise free. I know people love ATRAC but no computer controlled traction technology is better than a full locker.

 

@GrimJeeper91 i agree with you. While ATRAC is great for the vehicles that don’t have lockers, and ATRAC will get you through a lot more places that no ATRAC, it is still inferior than a real diff lock system. Also not as smooth and needs to be a little more agressive.
There are different ways to go through hard obstacles depending on how smooth and gracefully you want to do it. From smoothest to least: lockers, ATRAC, momentum (aka get out of the way)