Subaru Torq Locker vs Open Diff on the Trail
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- čas přidán 24. 08. 2024
- Winter is coming to the Oregon Cascades, and a crew of seven Subarus hits a primitive backcountry route after the first snows have fallen. Among them, four have been equipped with the Torq-Masters R160 Torq Locker: A Subaru Forester, a Subaru Outback, and Subaru Baja, and a Subaru Crosstrek. See how those of us with open diffs stack up against the Lockeroos™ on the trickest part of the trail.
This isn't specifically a Torq Locker testing video. This is one of my usual adventure videos which happens to include some Torq Locker content. If you're not interested in seeing the rest of our snowy muddy trail run through some beautiful Oregon Cascades wilderness, you can skip to 12:21 compare how all the Subarus - with and without lockers - tackle the same obstacle.
Thanks to John Bloom of Mudrat Design & Fabrication for organizing the trip. Find John on Instagram at @mudratdesignandfab. Also along today:
@chris.trek (white Crosstrek)
@bp_oilspiller (green Outback)
and a few others who may not be on Instagram.
Thanks to my son Colin for shooting assistance and just being good company out on the trail.
"Grey Kings" ©Kismet Way - used with express written consent. Check out Kismet Way on Spotify or iTunes, and at music venues around Eugene. They put on a great show if you're in the area.
For more Torq Locker content check out Tyler Ferber:
/ @tylerferber1791
My in-depth look at the Torq Locker installation:
• Subaru Torq Locker Ste...
You can help support the production of more videos:
/ softroadingthewest
Great video, thanks for including our Jeeps and thanks again for a fun day. maybe we will get to go with you again sometime.
Thank YOU! It was great having you guys along and it was particularly fortuitous on this trip as we were checking out the performance of the new lockers...really interesting to see all the different rigs tackle the same obstacle. See you out there!
Jeep and Friends I wanna go too👍
Hi guys,
Sorry to interrupt. Do you think a FWD road car with good winter tyres would have been able to do the trail? The car is not low by any means.
@@barzaka12 After seeing that challenging hill climb no. But everything else yes providing u have a lift, good tyres, good recovery equipment, also a snorkel just to be safe and a winch.
You’d have a shot of doing most of it but that hill climb you’ll need to which yr way up there unless yr committed to send it.
Depending on weight, vehicle and power you’d get some but not all the way up that hill.
This is the best Torq locker demonstration I've seen yet! Get it!
I can´t believe that video with such a small amount of views and subs can be that pro. This could be on Subaru official channel and I´d believe that it´s made by Formula Production such as Launch Control series. Awesome job!
Thank you! When I watch it I see all the flaws that reveal it as the amateur production it is, LOL, but I'm certainly having fun trying! :-)
I agree!
@@softroadingthewest I enjoy all your content. Sadly, I miss the Forrester.
Thats really impressive. did not expect that but that baja from a stand still while diagonal and how it just went without a hesitation was just...wow.
Great video showing the difference a Torq Locker can make while still providing beautiful videography that we can all enjoy. The shots around the lake were incredible! Thanks to Colin for his help!
Heh, yeah, nice little crossover between info and adventure. Such a beautiful area, hard to go wrong! Thanks Dan!
Great trip! Thanks for taking us along!
A lunchbox locker will almost certainly be going in my Yota, glad to hear something similar is available for my Subaru too.
Nice to see jeeps actually go off road. And I love seeing the Baja hang out with the “normal” subarus
I see you all the time around town, & I've seen that Baja in my apartment complex!
I recently just got an '02 Outback and these videos are REALLY making my set my eyes on some well deserved modifications.
Hope we might be able to go hit the trails someday!
Oh, this was exciting to watch and quite inspiring! I'm even more excited to drive this winter. I've thought of going winter camping with my spouse. Off-road!
Winter camping is great! I went my whole life camping summer only and have only recently discovered how enjoyable camping in the snow can be. Thanks for watching!
That was awesome. Would love to see a torque locker and a new Forester with the two different X-modes on the same trail. Usually computer wizardry is no replacement for the real deal but it can do pretty good, tho it will have a lag in deciding what to do. That green Outback (I think) could use some new rear springs, looked to be sitting really low fully loaded.
I love the adventurer lifestyle you lead, the way you make the videos and most of all, your Subaru Forester, this channel deserves many more subs than it has, thanks for bringing us these videos
Simply beautiful, I love days like that with fresh snow. 💖
LOVED THE VIDEO ! BEAUTIFUL COLORS SCENERY VIEWS ! BEEN LOOKING AT THE SUBARU CROSSTREK IF I WAS GETTING A SMALL VEHICLE . NICE TO SEE ONE ON THE BACK ROADS BESIDES IN A COMMERCIAL ! JUST WANT SOMETHING THAT GETS GOOD GAS MILEAGE & GET AWAY FROM THE NORMAL CROWDS & INTO NATURE . BE SAFE ! HAVE FUN ! GOD BLESS YOU ALL ALWAYS ! ENJOYED !
What a great demonstration of how much difference lockers make, it's cool to see the exact same vehicle with vs. without. Also I think it shows how a locker/lockers maximize what you already have. Your car already has 4 tires and decent ground clearance, if you can make all 4 of them work (or 3) you might be more capable than lifted on bigger, more aggressive tires but only 2 of them getting power. Some of the stockish Subarus W/lockers climbed more easily than the lifted ones with bigger tires because the real issue was putting power to the right wheels not the tires being too small or not aggressive enough. It was also cool to see the Jeeps along, you could really see how the solid axles offer an advantage but open diffs still stopped the YJ where the locked Subarus made it through.
That Jeep YJ also should have disco'd the anti-swaybar and the trackbars. A stock YJ can articulate WAY better than that.
@@RKmndo Yeah but it's just a demonstration of what a difference lockers make, I'm all about flex but I'd take locked diffs over flex if I had to choose. I enjoy my ZJ locked front and rear, that thing will crawl.
Awesome seeing the Torq locker in action.
Nice Video, Thanks for Including our Jeeps :)
My pleasure, it worked out very well for this particular video!
4:06 "disappointingly easy" is my favorite kind of dirt road :D
Haha :-)
Love seeing the demonstration during the journey guys! Im working on my '17 model trek and plan to get the torq locker
Installed along with the lift ko2s.🙌🏽
My 3rd time watching and I still can’t get enough. What a masterpiece
Hatch Patrol 2020! Like it. Cool to see all-wheel and four-wheel playing together. I am going to take a look at the torque lockers for a build I want to do this summer. Huge advantage.
Just another outstanding video my friend. While it may be a while, unless, I hit the Megabucks😀before I can outfit my car so that it can run with the big dogs in the wilds of our state, I know that I can at least live vicariously through your posts. Thanks so much for a rollicking great time. 👏🏻👍
A few of these are stock. Its about finding the trailers for the car you have now not building a car for a trail you might never go on. Being that this is a 4 year old comment I hope you have found a way to go out and enjoy your back roads and your car by now.
Great shots and camera work! Awesome to see so many Subarus
Another amazing video! Love your work 👌
Thank you! And likewise! I'm super excited for where your build is going!
...Brilliant comparisons, brother... well done. Definitely getting a locker, now... awesome info and representation, thank you
I’ve been binge watching a lot of your videos and I don’t know if anyone has brought this up but you make a good narrator haha. I enjoy listening to what you have to say and enjoy the video
Personally I still cringe hearing my own voice recorded, LOL. But thank you...perhaps that is something I could pursue one day... :-)
@883Horze, I agree. I think that taking some time to come up with a narrative that makes sense, and put some feeling into how you present it, makes watching much more enjoyable.
Another amazing adventure. Great Videography! Thanks for sharing it with us all.
I can’t wait to get one of these lockers!
Dude, another great film. You have some true artistic talent. I look forward to the piece of mind your videos bring. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for this video. You make a solid case for the Torq Locker.
Videography, editing, narration, subject matter, and music are all superlative. So happy that I ran across your channel. Guess I’d better head on over to do the Patreon thing.
Lockers make everything off road easier.
I appreciate all of the work that you put into you videos! This is the best yet! Loved those snowing shots!
Thank you, much appreciated! I'm enjoying making them!
I wish I was out there with you guys looked perfect
Awesome video! Thanks for filming all of that. Definitely going to have to go out again together!
My pleasure, it was awesome hanging out and finally hitting a trail with you, we need to do it again for sure!
How did I miss this video last year. My little bell did not ring. I saw the red & silver Baja on the cover, and had to see it in action. And much to my surprise, there were a huge variety of Subis. Great vehicles.
That was really cool!! Top notch video and great shot of the lockers prowess!
Awesome video, your Cinematography keeps getting better and better! Great job Colin!
Awesome to see the torque locker improve capability. When I had my SJ Forester XT (the one with the CVT) I was jealous that the 1st and 2nd gen non-turbo foresters were more capable. It looks like CVT Subaru’s have the most to gain from these lockers, since VDC will cut power as soon as wheel slip is detected (in xmode 1.0 CVT’s). With no slipping wheels, CVT Subaru’s will keep on keeping on. I figure this is also healthier for the CVT’s.
Oh interesting, I hadn't thought of it from that angle. I'll be curious to see how that plays out over time. I think the early Subarus have a lot to gain from the locker, as well as the late models with CVT. I feel the SH with 4EAT and traction control is in kind of a sweet spot, but I still think I'd appreciate having that locker in there. Maybe one day!
the quick cuts at 3:31
That 1st gen and Baja are my idols!! Awesome video man! When you guys get some deep snow could you do a review of the torq locker in deep rutted snow, and on road snowy paved roads.
I'm hoping one day I can swing getting the locker in my Forester, then every video will become a review of torq locker in every terrain possible! Maybe one day!
Another great video! Such good video, editing, commentary, and music. Now I'm considering Torq Locker for my Subie.
Awesome video!!! Makes me love my forester even more
La différence entre les 1st gen forester avec et sans torq locker est bluffante!
En tout cas, même dans la neige, l'Oregon est superbe!
Oui, là entre ces deux Foresters on voit bien combien le torq locker aide vraiment. Je suis convaincu!
Gotta appreciate my oem rear LSD in SG FXT. Digging the Recces on your Foz.
Loved the snow scene at the lunch break. Top notch cinematography and editing... Love your channel!
So glad you finally witnessed this locker in actions and believe in its ability. I had one on mine and loved every moments of it barring the not-so-bothering noise anymore. :) For new FXT 14-18, it is greatly enhance with the ATV, and newer VDC. I found myself no longer needed to turn off traction while on trail. Can't wait to make it to Oregon to meet up with all of you soon.
Yeah, I'm pretty much convinced I'd like to have the locker. I've come to feel that the bit of clicking in tight turns is a badge of honor...I want my car to click now too! 8^D I look forward to hitting trails with you if you ever get up this way. I'll definitely be getting down to see you all in the near-ish future, really trying for sometime in 2020!
@@softroadingthewest sure, let's plan for trip up there as well as down south to meet up with JonDz as well.
I’m enjoying rewatching your old Subaru videos. I kind of miss them lol. More relatable to me with my Bronco Sport I guess. New videos are great too don’t get me wrong.
Great video, i love the trials you riding.
When you get a locker pls do an install vid and review.
Oh believe me, if I add the locker, you will know all about it! :-)
I would love to know who and where and what the cost is for a locker. I have an 2011 outback I'm currently working on. Thank you for the video I follow you all the time.
@@jayjackson4389 The locker is made by Torq-Masters and is available on their website, torqmasters.com - I believe it's a little over $400 for the locker itself. If, like me, you're not mechanically inclined, you'll have some installation labor as well. :-)
That Blue Gen 1 Forester reminded me of my 2000 Outback so much. It was great right up until it lifted a wheel.
Fun video!
Thanks! You considering the locker for the current Outback?
@@softroadingthewest Nope! I don't feel the diff is what's limiting me right now.
Real neat!
Torque locker, is on my short list- for my 1st gen forester!
Dont do any offloading in the 09 forester but with this locker I would definitely give it a go.
Been eyeballing a Torq locker for the front diff of my CanAm x3, might have to put one in our Crosstrek too! Your video production is top notch, thanks for the content. East coast trail rider here, your wildness looks a little different.
ABSOLUTELY LOOOVE the beginning of this video with all the Subies riding in the mud!!
Freakin' awesome - thanks for bringing us along!
Despite some of the “challenges” there towards the end on the forester that was impressive to watch those Subaru’s attack that terrain! I guess I made a good choice purchasing a 2016 forester. It’s not ready for that type of off-roading but it’s a great ride where ever I go Thanks for a great video. (Nice seeing a crosstrek in there also!)
The YJ (older Jeep) had open difs front and back. They also have leaf springs on both axles. While it's flex (ability to follow the terrain) is still better than an independent suspension (like in your Subaru's and many other 4wd/Awd vehicles), once you lift a wheel off the ground it's just going to sit and spin. The JK (newer Jeep) has coil springs on both axles and much better flex. IDK if the one in your video had open difs or not (Jeeps come in everything from both axles being open to both axles having full lockers and everything in between), but since it never lifted a tire, it never lost traction. Your traction control system in your Subaru's probably gives you a little advantage over the old YJ just in terms of ability to get traction. However in overall capability the YJ is going to have a pretty big advantage (very big actually).............approach/departure/breakover angles are all vastly superior, an actual low range transfer case makes it able to "crawl", rugged construction (solid axles/body on frame construction) very durable and able to take a pounding off road. That being said your Subaru's are very impressive in what they can do off road and they have a huge advantage in overall comfort (like on the drive down the highway getting to the actual trail head). Try driving that old YJ down the highway getting to the trail and You'll be damn glad you have that Subaru............hell even my old TJ is kind of a beast on the highway................but once you hit the trail with it................it's un-beatable. Great video btw. Beautiful country. I'd love to get to Oregon one day and explore.............coming from the Mohave desert where I do all my off roading, it would be a different world.
Thank you for this detailed analysis, it really helps to understand what we're seeing on those Jeeps. There's no question at all that on the trail, they can't be beat. Lack of low range is a huge disadvantage of the Subarus, and approach/departure angle is a joke...quite a few Subaru offroaders end up cutting those bumpers off. Thanks for watching and for the useful commentary, much appreciated!
@@softroadingthewest I'm actually thinking of moving into a Subaru and (very sadly and reluctantly) moving on from my Wrangler. Don't get me wrong, I love, love, love my Jeep but the Subaru's seem so versatile and really suite the kind of driving and off roading I do these days. The ability to drive in comfort to the areas I want to visit and then still have the great trail capability the Subaru's offer is a very appealing prospect. I spoke with my mechanic recently and he said he really loves Subaru in terms of their engineering and reliability. According to everything I've been reading, they have the best AWD system. And, there is just something about them, some intangible element I can't quite put my finger on that's...............appealing.
If you're driving a stock subaru and having the problem like the stock forester in the video you can apply light pressure on the brakes while your spinning the wheels slowly and get the same effect the new ones do with the traction control and the xmode, it can help in a sticky spot lol.
what a gorgeous trail, we got some nice trials down here in the south, but we don't get anything like this, im so jealous, and my bone stock 09 outback would have some major trouble. fantastic video
Very nice video guys ! love your country ! From Peru !
This is fabulous video! Beautiful sceneries, nicely edited. Would like to do this every day in my Outback BR. Still I think that torque locker is not necessary when your car has VDC with braking of slipping wheel. Torque locker will probably do better job, but VDC should do job anyway.
Still thanks for that super video!
Yes, I think that for many people, the VDC is adequate. On older Subarus without VDC, the locker is a godsend. Personally, I run into just enough scenarios which push the limits of my Forester that I feel I would definitely see a benefit from having the locker in addition to the VDC. That said, I've gone this long without it and survived, which confirms exactly what you're saying, it's not strictly necessary. Thanks for watching!
Nice video, really nice narration, thank you
I love this. Love my Outback! One thing though as a hearing impaired person the music was a bit loud. To hear you had to turn it up but still music made it hard. Love your adventures. Thank you.
Sorry about that, I do try very hard to keep all the levels balanced but I think that sometimes what sounds right to me on my headphones must sound differently on various other sound systems. In more recent videos I have been working to push music levels even lower and spoken volume not only higher, but also processed for better clarity. Hopefully getting things dialed in a bit better each time. Good audio is tricky, but definitely important! Thanks for watching! :-)
Nothing new, just new to the Subaru community. I don't off road too often, but when an event comes up, I swap my rear diff to my welded unit.
The torque locker is a great option now. Give a thumbs up to those who have them fitted.
Exactly, a well-established approach that has never previously been accessible to Subaru owners. I've been generally satisfied with where my Subaru will take me, but that locker is impressive. It's just too bad we don't have low gearing in these cars (except maybe those first-gen Foresters).
softroadingthewest that is incorrect. I put an elocker in my Subaru long before this product came to market.
Great video, you’re a great narrator!!! I got a 03 Baja Sport, and love these trails
I owned a BAJA in the same color for 3 years.... great car! Mine was manual. Little tank.
I'm a huge Subaru fan!! I for sure "liked" this vid and man this vid is super good quality it should be on Subaru wed site
Upvote just for the awesome Forest Service cabin scene!
Definitely gonna get a locker for my 04 2.5X 5mt!! Great vid man 🤙🏾
Love seeing these lockers in action, definitely need to get one!
⚡️FANTASTIC VIDEO!!!
I would so love in that ol cabin!!!
Green Gen3 outback was a beast
Thanks for uploading this
Nice video , like watching videos like this
traction control didint had any problems there as well. not sure does everyone had sway bars connected and other details. for sure locker does what it must do , lock wheels, so for sure its easier to just go trough stuff. what is more fun is question, depends what you want .
I'm not sure if anyone was running disconnected sway bars. Not much flex on any of those Subarus. That's something I've been meaning to experiment with myself but haven't been hugely motivated as the car usually does well enough with the sway bars connected. Traction control got me up the hill but with several pauses (which are maybe not obvious in the video). It's the kind of spot that even with traction control, I usually need to throw a little momentum at as well. To me, bouncing my car over ruts isn't fun and can't be good for the car...I'd much rather have it just climb slowly and calmly up an obstacle like that. But I'm not an "offroader" per se, I'm really just out there to explore the backcountry and have an interest in offroad capability because, well, sometimes I encounter spots like this. :-) Thanks for watching!
@@softroadingthewest well front one gives more about +6cm more down travel and sometimes that is what you need , so how it cant be good ? i drive with both removed with 6cm lift and its ok on road too
Oh no, I agree completely...disconnecting the sway bar, gaining extra travel and keeping wheels on the ground is absolutely desirable. I want to give it a try. It sounded like you were suggesting the locker makes it too easy and thus not as much fun...I was just saying that with no locker, I have to use momentum and bounce harder up obstacles which isn't fun to me or good for my car. :-)
Why the heck are there 17 dislikes????
Awesomeness and more Awesomeness. You all rocked the trails!! Beep Beep Jeeps and Subies❣️ Great Videography too👍😎
Haha, seems that ~3 to 6% of the population consistently dislikes my work. Ah well, can't please everybody. :-) Thanks for watching!
softroadingthewest 😊
Amazing quality content. Thumbs up!
From the video - which is great, BTW! - it looks like the Torq Locker diff is especially helpful for Subs which do not have the brake-based 4-wheel traction control. The advantage over the traction control vehicles is that there's no delay between losing traction and the electronics figuring it out and applying the appropriate brake.
I've always looked at those "auto-locking" diffs as more auto-*unlocking*, since their default mode is be locked and they only unlock an axle when the ground is turning that wheel faster than the diff would.
Yes, that's a far more accurate description - you're locked all the time, except those brief moments when it has to ratchet. I didn't feel a particular urgency to install one in my Forester as the traction control generally got the job done, however there were definitely occasions where that pause as the car figured out what to do ultimately slowed me down too much. I did plan to eventually put one of these in, before my Forester was totaled. I think it's a worthy mod for any Subaru that spends a significant amount of time on primitive roads.
I have a 2005 wagon with a 4.5 inch lift and now I’m waiting for one of these lol
Wow, thanks 😊
Looks like fun
That was awesome, thank you!
Awesome video. Looks like a spectacular track!
Thanks! It's a pretty fun little drive for sure. Thanks for watching!
Wow that’s some beautiful country 👍🏻
Showed up on my homepage. A Baja??? Didn't know you had a video with one.
LOL...CZcams knows you a little too well, it would appear.
The best is the Baja!!!
Hello from union County bty love the Baja
I need to see more of the Legacy Outback with that EZ30
I was a bit worried at the end for the crosstrek since it looked like it was sliding around just on the snow and how it did on the rock on the mud puddle, but it impressed me just beeboppin up that hill.
He was squirreling the backend on purpose. That is a drawback - or benefit, depending on how you look at it - of the locker...it's much easier to break the rear end loose. I think it will take a bit of relearning for Subaru drivers accustomed to their car clinging nicely to wet roads...looks like it might require a bit more care in some scenarios. Seems worth it to me though for the increased performance on the trail. Thanks for watching!
That performance is undeniable. Looks like a good modification. I just wonder what it's like to drive with on pavement. Would it be ok on a daily driver?
Hey Oregon gang! i have a Baja too that i will soon be throwing offroad money at
Thanks, guys, this video is really good! It is the first time when I see Subaru Baza. Crimea, Sevastopol
Dam haha Roy made that rutted area look like nothing haha
It looks like a video with remote control cars playing in the mud lol
Ha! For all the times I've been taken in by some RC offroader filmed to look real, I'm glad it went the other way this time, LOL.
The white Jeep is a YJ (1986 - 1995) and has open diffs with no traction control of any kind. The black Jeep is a JK (2006 - 2017). I believe the Sahara model came with traction control and one of two read diffs - open or LSD. The front diff is open.
THANK YOU! This is super helpful. I can tell a Wrangler from a Cherokee but that's about the extent of my Jeep knowledge. 8^D
ALL 4WD JKs, JLs, and JTs come with Brake-Lock, which is basically a 4-wheel TCS. It works, if not as well as actual lockers. Earlier Jeeps were offered with wear-prone LSDs, or pkg-only Rubicon lockers. Lunchbox lockers are cheap and easy for older open-diff Jeeps, but they aren't the best for icy crowned or slanted surfaces.
that is awesome a locker came out for Subarus. youre going to need it with very little suspension droop.. But the r160 isnt known to be a very tough unit. cool stuff regardless
Darren wells it didn’t come out with this locker. An elocker was around for Subarus well before this one. And it didn’t rely on flimsy R160 axles and Diff either
Damn dude...I miss my Baja 😭
The newer jeeps can disconnect their swaybars, allowing for articulation, most likely why the black jeep pushed thru with ease.
All Wranglers can disconnect their anti-swaybars. I even disconnected my '78 CJ7 when off-road. My YJ and CJ didn't use trackbars off-road either, and there are other tricks to get those leafsprung Jeeps articulating well too.
All 4WD Wranglers since 2007 have BrakeLok, which is 4-wheel TCS. A lot of the newer Wranglers also have at least rear LSDs, if not lockers.
The place is unlocked to keep people from breaking into it
What lake did you go to/what forest service road is this?