Traction control & locking diffs

Having four wheel drive is not a guarantee that you will get out of any sticky, low-grip situation. If traction is relatively constant, all four wheels will provide drive, because the transfer box is sending power to both the front and rear axle-housings via two propshafts. But, if a front and a rear wheel on alternate sides lose grip (say when one is going through a deep rut), the rule of open differentials means that you will stop moving. Open differentials are designed to allow different wheel speeds on the same axle, enabling the vehicle to go around bends and turn corners.

This is where differential locks and modern traction control systems enter the picture. They are there to supply power to the wheels that do have traction, but they achieve this result in different ways.

It is very important to note that we are