My experience is different.
There are some great choices for lockers now. The discussions, opinions, and experiences on this topic are DEEP and W-I-D-E!
After actively 4-wheeling for about 18 years, 2 Toy pickups. If I built another truck for active wheeling and as my daily driver it would be locked front and rear.
I’d install a Detroit locker in the rear and one of Marlin’s favorite lockers in the front.
I would not spend the money on an ARB unless I won the Powerball. While 4-wheeling - flipping a locker on and off never made sense to me, and I never felt like disconnecting a locker, front or rear, would make any difference on the obstacle I was on. If an ARB is a choice for a daily driver and wheeler, it makes more sense to me to install one in the rear diff.
If wheeling is not frequent intense rock crawling, then a locker in the front with an open diff in the rear, although not ideal, would probably be adequate for much of the terrain.
Regarding reliability or longevity… I don’t see where any of the popular lockers is a concern.
We went 4-wheeling during winter months here in AZ typically a couple times. Deep snow and occasionally we’d encounter ice on the highway. Having a locker front and rear for off-highway is better than an open diff. Period.
Snow wheeling was usually deeper than 6” and I chained up all 4-tires when I knew we’d be out for most of the day and we had more than a couple vehicles. There was always someone who got stuck. I always air’d down to about 5 PSI for the snow runs.
If negotiating terrain that’s icey... 1 – it is dangerous, whether you are open or locked. 2 – if you can’t control your vehicle on ice, you shouldn’t be driving on it, or you need more practice. 3 - Yes, the locked up rear end does want to push and come around, but I never found that I couldn’t adequately control it. The benefit to having all wheels powered and driving is more important. And 4- it was very rare that I found myself on pure ice for any length of terrain, so my concern for driving on it was minimal. BUT… I live in sunny AZ, not Minnesota. Now with that said, if I lived in a very cold climate where icey road conditions were the norm for months at a time, an ARB in the rear diff to turn off the locker may be a benefit... although I don't have any experience with an ARB.
Regarding a winch…. I had Ramsey 8,000 with the Ramsey bumper. It was a gift from Ramsey as part of their sponsored trip to the Dusy Irshim Trail with Off-Road magazine. I used it about 6 or 7 times, and each time it was for pulling someone else’s vehicle. Unless I was going out 4-wheeling by myself (which may not be the smartest thing to do) frequently, I would not spend the money on a winch. It was very rare to be on typical trail run and not have at least one vehicle equipped with a winch. It is nice have, and obviously it can be very handy when a vehicle has flopped, slide off the trail, got stuck, need pulling up a waterfall. It’s more status bling than truly useful to me.
That’s just my opinion – it may be worthless.
Gnarls.
