Aftermarket locking differential for hybrid Maverick?

[ColoradoShooter]

Hybrid FWD with a locker? Why not go all the way with a 5” lift kit, 15” bead lock wheels, on board air compressor to air the tires back up, a Warne winch and a roll bar in case you roll it over while keeping up with the Wrangler Rubicons?…….

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[Shay]

In general FWD is not really for heavy duty off-roading. If you are doing the level of off-roading that a locking differential is necessary then FWD is REALLY not the right place for you to be.

Remeber, a locking differential is for situations where one wheel is not on the ground or has zero traction. In a FWD vehicle pulling something up over a rock or through slick with just one wheel doing the work, that isn't going to work. Just isn't.

If you want to off-road to a level a locker is necessary you want RWD, AWD, or 4WD.

So no, there isn't a company out there who will be spending their precious R&D to develop a locker for a FWD vehicle.

 

[D K]

on a conventional truck - yes.

Maverick is essentially fwd with an auxillary output to the rear, similar to the Focus RS, STI, EVO etc

I am so confused here- isn’t a differential on a rear axle? Considering that the hybrid is fwd…would a locking diff. Make any difference at all? That and do locking transaxles even exist for FWD vehicles? I don’t off-road often unless it’s on an ATV- and here in California we don’t get weather that is bad enough to even park a motorcycle often.

 

[Ala]

You would be better off getting the awd.

 

[Robot-Wrangler]

Does anyone know/think that there would be an aftermarket locking differential made for the hybrid maverick? I want the mpg of the hybrid, but also want to have some extra off-road capability if I wanted to go down a fairly rough dirt road. Do you think adding some more aggressive tires will allow the hybrid to make it up some looser dirt roads, or would a locking diff would be needed for that?

It's difficult to engineer any locking axle solution for the hybrid AWD, though it's affordable to install AT tires and a suspension lift kit. That is what I'm doing.

 

[The Real Maverick]

You can lower the air in the tires to about 20, even 15 psi for sand, snow, mud at slow speeds. Then air them back up with a 12 VDC or 120 VAC pump when you get back to pavement.

 

[DScruggs]

That much I understand but the OP specifically mentioned hybrid, which is only available as a FWD. wondering why locking a rear end on a FWD vehicle would be of any help if there is no power to it

Hybrid is available as an AWD. All 2025 Lariats are AWD including Hybrids.

 

[AutobahnSHO]

It's difficult to engineer any locking axle solution for the hybrid AWD, though it's affordable to install AT tires and a suspension lift kit. That is what I'm doing.

Congrats on resurrecting a 3yr old thread.

 

[Block]

Too funny today on TV I saw a product that straps around your wheel and tire to give you traction. It has a strap that goes through the spokes of the wheel perpendicular to the height of the tire. The strap holds a plastic piece that goes across the tread... Basically like tire chains except you'll only have this one piece of plastic on the whole tire which seemed a little bit odd and cheap to me but I suppose if it works it works. Of course you would never want to use this on hard pavement - it's in case you get stuck. I don't see why you couldn't use it preventively however if you're about to go through mud..

 

[Aherpa]

Does anyone know/think that there would be an aftermarket locking differential made for the hybrid maverick? I want the mpg of the hybrid, but also want to have some extra off-road capability if I wanted to go down a fairly rough dirt road. Do you think adding some more aggressive tires will allow the hybrid to make it up some looser dirt roads, or would a locking diff would be needed for that?

Are we sure that the hybrid CVT doesn't already have the function you are looking for via the electronics in the CVT?
Just as a test, try to 'chirp' the tires from a standing start and look at the tire marks. Are their two of them in stead of one?
And yes you an 'chirp' the tires. I did it without even trying . . . I did not go back to look the marks (if there were any)

Happy Maverickin'

 

[Darnon]

Are we sure that the hybrid CVT doesn't already have the function you are looking for via the electronics in the CVT?

Both the electric motor and ICE (through the planetary gearset) transmit to the ring gear of a standard open differential. Even the Tremor has an open front diff. So the most electronic intervention it could do is apply braking via ABS on the free-spinning wheel to try and force power to the other side which may have better traction.

 

[Robot-Wrangler]

It's difficult to engineer any locking axle solution for the hybrid AWD, though it's affordable to install AT tires and a suspension lift kit. That is what I'm doing.

 

[Master Blaster]

Both the EcoBoost and the Hybrid have no use for a locking diff, as the TCS system locks the brakes on the spinning wheel and functions as a locking diff better than a mechanical one. Locking diffs are extra unsprung weight that is of no use today.

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