Diff lockers, traction control or tyres ?

[Moto]

My 2003 90 hard top is great but it gets a bit frustrating when I'm sitting on a slight film of mud going nowhere. I don't do any serious off-roading but do pull a big Ifor Williams trailer and often across fields etc. Three options as I see it :

1) Change the std road tyres for something more appropriate - but what?
2) Diff lockers - don't really know much about these - any views or recommendations?
3) Trade in for similar but with traction control - easy, although probably most expensive option?
4) A combo of above

Anyone got experience of these and which would be best.

[Furyous]

Arb axle diff lock will cost around £650 and be very effective, a new set of Mud tyres approx the same.

You are using the centre diff lock I assume ?

Are you using low box ?

Dont know about ETC. sorry.

A D90 is one of the best offroaders out there, maybe just knowing how to use it ?
Dont mean that as patronising as it sounds either btw.

[Moto]

Thanks ... £650 is not as bad as I thought. Do you know if fitting them is an expensive job ?

I am using the centre diff lock & low ratio. Sometimes it pulls me through but often not. It's not the big heavy mud that I get into, it's usually just wet grass that's gone muddy after rain.

[Furyous]

I know what you mean, the top just skims off and leaves you spinning.

Cheaper option still would be something like a tru trac locker, which is a kind of lsd,cost around £400 and if you get the supplier to fit into your diff, its a simple diff out/in job.
Arb requires air plumbing and compressor.

Further info here :
www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/faq_category_1.html

[Trooper2]

Diff locks can't do their job effectively until the tires are up to snuff, get some BF Goodrich Mud Terrains, All terrain KOs or an equivalent first and see how it goes. Start at the root of the issue.

[thinfourth]

Yep you can have all the lockers in the world but if you ain't got the tyres to give you traction you ain't going anywhere.

Example my old low tech 90 on mud tyres romps past far most sophisticated 4x4s with traction control etc on road tyres

[camel]

I had ETC on my 110, whilst very effective it is no subsitute for diff lockers if you need more traction regularly, it wears the brake pads pretty quickly. Previous poster has hit the nail on the head though, for traction get the tyres sorted otherwise all 4 will just spin!

Muds are great but have a look at a photo of the BFG AT KOs all terrains. From experience they are perfectly good on the road and reasonably aggressive on mud, they also wear much better than muds on the road and are infinitely better on snowy roads if that's an issue.

[bluespanner]

Another vote for BFG all terrains. Or, if budget is small, a set of Colway ATs. (same pattern)

[Psimpson7]

I have pretty much everything on my td5 90 and the order in which to do the mods is as follows.

TYRES. (Bfg Mud terrains are fantastic, have reasonable road manners and last for ever. 50k+)

Then everything else!!

Diff lockers are brilliant but if all your wheels are spinning in mud they will still be spinning with lockers! Great in cross axle locations and to reduce the need for momentum - therefore less damage.

Pete