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A full-time 4WD vehicle also has a center-diff in the transfer case, because the front wheels rotate more quickly than the rear ones when turning a corner and traveling forward. 

A differential always:

• distributes equal amounts of torque to both wheels 
  
• reacts to resistance/traction to allow a wheel with more resistance to rotate less and a wheel with less resistance to rotate more (The rpm difference created by the differential is always proportional. If the inside tire rotates 15 rpm less in a turn than going straight - then the outside tire will rotate 15 rpm more than going straight.)

Locking the differential is accomplished by doing one of three things: 

1) Installing an open differential

2) Installing a locking center section which ALWAYS locks the differential 

3) Installing a "lock-on-demand" unit like an ARB air locker

The trick is knowing when to lock the diffs and when not to.

Here's what happens when irregular terrain leaves a tire in the air or on a poor traction surface and you have...

Open differentials

Locked differentials

Limited slip differentials

 

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