Powertrax questions

[Fjellfinn]

I have just boght me a Powertrax no-slip for my Liberty (2.8 crd, 2003),
but there are many unsolved questions, first of all;

-- how will this powerlock affect my Jeep on regular highspeed Higways?
and
-- how will this affect driving behavior on normal higspeed Highway with lots of curves and turns

I am also looking for a very good instructions with good pictures so I can see how the install is done

 

[Eddo]

Read this

http://www.lostkjs.com/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=12428&highlight=powertrax+noslip

Also do a search around on that board. You will find many people love it, but many people also hate it. It's highly subjective.

My opinion, if a lift and large off-road tires don't bother you then the power-trax will not bother you either.

 

[Fjellfinn]

Read this

http://www.lostkjs.com/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=12428&highlight=powertrax+noslip

Also do a search around on that board. You will find many people love it, but many people also hate it. It's highly subjective.

My opinion, if a lift and large off-road tires don't bother you then the power-trax will not bother you either.

I have never tried a lift or large off-road tires (Aeh)

 

[broncsrule]

Is your Jeep a manual or Auto transmission? Some of us with manual trannys have had bad results,

 

[NomadKJ]

I hope this helps; http://www.rockcrawler.com/techreports/powertrax_tj/index.htm

 

[Eddo]

Read this

http://www.lostkjs.com/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=12428&highlight=powertrax+noslip

Also do a search around on that board. You will find many people love it, but many people also hate it. It's highly subjective.

My opinion, if a lift and large off-road tires don't bother you then the power-trax will not bother you either.

I have never tried a lift or large off-road tires (Aeh)

If you are very sensitive to small changes in handling, noise, etc then the powertrax might not be the best option. If stuff like that doesn't bother you much than you'll probably be happy. Remember, anytime you modify a vehicle something will be affected. Different people often have vastly different thresholds on what is acceptable or not.

The lift and mud tires are just an example, since most people looking at a power-trax already have been lifted and running some sort of off-road tire. Basically, if you can tolerate a lift and off-road tires then you won't mind a powertrax.

If you are not planning on 4-wheeling much and only looking for better road traction then you will be better off with a limited slip (detriot true-trac is a good one).

 

[Fjellfinn]

If you are not planning on 4-wheeling much and only looking for better road traction then you will be better off with a limited slip (detriot true-trac is a good one).

I have automatic gear and a Limited slip diff on my 2.8 CRD KJ (2003 mod)

I am not planning "4-wheeling" much as this is prohibited in NOrway and very few off-road tracks are available (none in my area)

I am planning a OME lift (2" ) and this Powertrax no-slip because I want a car to give me better functionability in icy wintertime and especially spring/autumn on bad and slippery mountainroads.

Please correct me, I was perhapse wrong when I bought this jeep in first place, I may be even wronger now when Im buying lift and locker --
maybe I should have gone for the much cheaper and very much stock (plain) Toyota Landcruiser instead(Aeh) (Aeh)
(But I do like the Jeep - even if it is a very expensive car to hold)

 

[JeepJeepster]

Expensive? Aeh, the libby isnt a very expensive car over here, I guess its different in different places of the world.

Now that you say you want the jeep to be better in the snow, the OME lift and good tires would be better than anything. The locker can cause the jeep to get side-ways really quick on ice. The good thing about this site and Lostkjs.com, you can always sell stuff like that if you decide you dont want it. The only thing that is bad for you is shipping. O

 

[Eddo]

If you are not planning on 4-wheeling much and only looking for better road traction then you will be better off with a limited slip (detriot true-trac is a good one).

I have automatic gear and a Limited slip diff on my 2.8 CRD KJ (2003 mod)

I am not planning "4-wheeling" much as this is prohibited in NOrway and very few off-road tracks are available (none in my area)

I am planning a OME lift (2" ) and this Powertrax no-slip because I want a car to give me better functionability in icy wintertime and especially spring/autumn on bad and slippery mountainroads.

Please correct me, I was perhapse wrong when I bought this jeep in first place, I may be even wronger now when Im buying lift and locker --
maybe I should have gone for the much cheaper and very much stock (plain) Toyota Landcruiser instead(Aeh) (Aeh)
(But I do like the Jeep - even if it is a very expensive car to hold)

If you are only concerned about slippery winter time roads, I'd leave it stock and upgrade to a good set of snow tires. Depending on what you see, maybe even a set of studded tires on a separate set of rims to swap in during the winter months. The stock tires on a Jeep Liberty are notorious for being horrible in any kind of wet or snowy road. Just take a look around on this board or any other Jeep liberty forum (www.lostkjs.com) and you will see. So new tires can make a drastic difference.

A locker will help you not get stuck, but it can definitely lead to some handling issues. Also, the clutch packs in the factory limited slip only last about 50k miles and it isn't superb when it is functioning either. Many people rave about the Detroit True-trac, its a gear based LSD so no clutch packs to wear out and it seem to provide much better positive traction.

I have the powertrax no-slip in mine. Works awesome off-road, but if you are not use to it, it can fish tail you pretty easy in the snow. Your best bet to avoid slipping around in the snow is probably an open diff or possibly a LSD. The best upgrade I did for wet/slippery snowy wintertime conditions was new tires.

 

[Fjellfinn]

If you are only concerned about slippery winter time roads, I'd leave it stock and upgrade to a good set of snow tires. Depending on what you see, maybe even a set of studded tires on a separate set of rims to swap in during the winter months. The stock tires on a Jeep Liberty are notorious for being horrible in any kind of wet or snowy road.

You may perhapse want to know I live in Norway with snow and ice covered terrain and roads for about 6 - six months ....

So I consider me as an Expert when it comes to snow tires O
That is for european cars like Volvo, Audi and some VW s.

At moment -- with limited experience(only one winter) with an american Jeep -- I have TWO sets (8 complete wheels!) (in addition to 4 "summertires") of wheels in standard 235/70-16:
--- one set of Bridgestone Blizzaks with no studs - for the critical months oct +nov and april to june when conditions vary from snow covered roads with ice (which happens in june!) to dry roads (which can be the case in april)
-- and one set of studded (lots of studs!) Nokian Hakkapellitta SUV for use when roads are covered with hard ice /snow from Nov/Dec until late April.

I know my stock summer tires -- Goodyear Wrangler S4 -- is bad and I am afraid when driving on them.
I will for sure replace them next june with something better, Bridg. REVO perhapse?

This changing of tires 2 times each fall and spring is something I have to live with, it is the price I pay for living close to the North Pole =P~

But I have strong belief in that the REVOs maybe used already in May -- reducing the the "Blizzak time" to only a month each spring /fall - with the Blizzaks my Jeep is very Diesel thirsty !!

 

[Fjellfinn]

Diesel thirsty !!

I should perhapse get me an ARB air locker instead?

 

[Eddo]

Diesel thirsty !!

I should perhapse get me an ARB air locker instead?

A locker is not going to help with slippery roads. It will actually make it worst.

However, a locker is useful you are worried about getting stuck in deep snow. If you just don't want to slide around then avoid a locker.