Hi All,
New to this forum and investigating the purchase of an H3. How important is it to have one with the rear, or font & rear lockers? What will the vehicle be able to do with them and not do without them? My focus is on an Alpha model so trying to focus my search and decide if lockers are a must have. I do not plan to do any serious off-roading. Thanks for any and all input.

 

I have the base model, and do not do any serious off roading. I have, however, been through some trails, and I have never had an issue without lockers. The traction control has done very well for me - you just get a little slip before it engages.

My humble opinion, if you are indeed not going to do any serious off roading you won't need them. The H3 has proven to me (and other people) to be a very capable vehicle as stock.

 

No plan for regular off-roading = not needed for you. Lockers are for additional Traction via equal distribution of Torque left to right. You first improvement in traction would be by upgrading to AT or MT type truck tires instead of street rubber.

FYI: Front lockers were only available for 09/10 model years.

 

Thanks for the guidance!

 

Mines got a rear locker but the computer will turn it off if you go faster than something like 20mph

 

That's the key phrase; you do not need lockers.

 

Yeah, I've heard that a 100 times. Then you wheel it once and you are hooked, you try harder and harder obstacles and wish you had bought an Alpha with at least a rear locker.
If you can find an 08 W/ rear locker or 09-10 with F&R locker buy it. Better to have and never need than not to have and need it.
Plenty of 2wd truck guys in Texas last week could have used 4wd.

 

I can totally relate to that! I spent over a year looking for my 09 Champ after first having bought an 09 3.7 base.

My advice, get the lockers. Buy once, cry once.