95 f250 locker
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Cross-Country
Joined: Mar 2014
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95 f250 locker
95 f250 4wd 5.0 zf transmission. It has 3.55LS, but the LS doesn't seem to do much. It spins one wheel on slippery surface. Thinking of adding a locker. Maybe air locker so I can turn it off normally. Are these reliable? Hard to install?
Senior User
Joined: May 2013
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I would double check that you have a limited slip. put the back end on jack stands and spin a tire and see what direction the other turns. air and electric lockers generally go up front and they are not hard to install but you need some specialty tools and need to be very precise setting things up or it will get chewed to hell very fast
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 5,006
Likes: 72
From: Roseville, MN
Selectable lockers are often used in the front, that's true. But that's mostly because it's so nasty driving an auto locker in the front that people will pay more for a selectable there, while they will more often choose to save a couple hundred buck and run an automatic locker in the rear.
I have heard one person claim that the ARB is junk, and if it is marginal I could see it being more likely to break in a rear axle. But most people seem to think ARBs are good quality units, and if most people are right, then it really shouldn't be an issue.
Are selectable lockers easy to install? The simple answer is "no." It requires setting up the ring and pinion gears. That's not rocket science, but it's one of those "if you have to ask you probably can't do it" sort of things. If you want to do it yourself, look up instructions on-line. You can decide if you're willing to buy the tools required and if you have the patience and skills required. Otherwise you need to take it in to a shop.
I have heard one person claim that the ARB is junk, and if it is marginal I could see it being more likely to break in a rear axle. But most people seem to think ARBs are good quality units, and if most people are right, then it really shouldn't be an issue.
Are selectable lockers easy to install? The simple answer is "no." It requires setting up the ring and pinion gears. That's not rocket science, but it's one of those "if you have to ask you probably can't do it" sort of things. If you want to do it yourself, look up instructions on-line. You can decide if you're willing to buy the tools required and if you have the patience and skills required. Otherwise you need to take it in to a shop.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 5,006
Likes: 72
From: Roseville, MN
Electric and air lockers will bother require setting up the ring & pinion gears, no advantage to either one there. An electric locker requires running wires to the diff. An air locker requires running air lines. 'Bout the same either way there too.
An air locker does require mounting, wiring and plumbing an air compressor (as well as buying it). The wiring probably isn't too much worse than wiring an e-locker, but the rest is definitely more work to do an air locker. 'course the advantage is then you also have on-board air, so you do get something for the extra effort.
I know there are quite a few people that are pretty happy with friction-type limited slips, but personally I wouldn't put any effort or money into one. If it were me I'd put either some type of locker in the rear, or maybe a True Trac gear-type limited slip. Having said that, I'm sure there will be people telling you that rebuilding your current LS is cheaper (and they're probably right) and that it will give you all you need. And they may or may not be right about that. It depends on what you need..
An air locker does require mounting, wiring and plumbing an air compressor (as well as buying it). The wiring probably isn't too much worse than wiring an e-locker, but the rest is definitely more work to do an air locker. 'course the advantage is then you also have on-board air, so you do get something for the extra effort.
I know there are quite a few people that are pretty happy with friction-type limited slips, but personally I wouldn't put any effort or money into one. If it were me I'd put either some type of locker in the rear, or maybe a True Trac gear-type limited slip. Having said that, I'm sure there will be people telling you that rebuilding your current LS is cheaper (and they're probably right) and that it will give you all you need. And they may or may not be right about that. It depends on what you need..
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 328
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I don't know if you have looked into the price of an ARB or ox electric locker but they are pricey. Be ready to drop $1500 on locker and install. The Lsd works pretty good especially if you rebuild it tighter with an extra plate or 2
If you do buy a locker I would like dibs on your Lsd
If you do buy a locker I would like dibs on your Lsd
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,277
Likes: 89
From: MD
A Detroit Locker can be had a lot cheaper than a selectable locker. Think I paid about $550 for mine. Installing would only require a backlash and pattern check, not full gear set up.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2013
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From: Roseville, MN
I've never set up gears myself, but my understanding is that a backlash and pattern check essentially is a full gear set up. If you are re-using your existing gears there's a reasonable chance that you'll hit it right simply by using the same shims / settings that it had before, and the backlash and pattern check is to verify that you're still in the right place. But if those checks don't show you what you want, then you're back into the full gear set up process.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2007
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The bad thing about the Detroit besides the tire barking in the corners is that it will kill you if you have ice an snow where you live. It will lock an unlock and throw you sideways in a heart beat. Besides that its a great locker an so are some of the other lunchbox lockers like lok right
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,277
Likes: 89
From: MD
I've never set up gears myself, but my understanding is that a backlash and pattern check essentially is a full gear set up. If you are re-using your existing gears there's a reasonable chance that you'll hit it right simply by using the same shims / settings that it had before, and the backlash and pattern check is to verify that you're still in the right place. But if those checks don't show you what you want, then you're back into the full gear set up process.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 793
Likes: 2
From: Vernon, BC
Something you may want to try and it's a whole lot cheaper than anything else is to simply change your diff fluid. Use one specifically for the LSD. You may be surprised that after you change the fluid your LSD starts working quite well. I've seen many LSD's that had the wrong fluid in them.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 20
From: Denton, TX
Something you may want to try and it's a whole lot cheaper than anything else is to simply change your diff fluid. Use one specifically for the LSD. You may be surprised that after you change the fluid your LSD starts working quite well. I've seen many LSD's that had the wrong fluid in them.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 3,206
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From: Oakhust NJ Jersey Shore
I have a 99 SD and have a true trac in the front, and a detroit in the rear. Love them both, Yes you have to careful ion rain or snow as the *** end tends to kick out on ya, to avoid it I lock the front hubs and use the four wheel drive, it's a different truck with all that traction, night and day. and alot cheaper than the e-locker or ARB. and you dont have to do all the custom work for the air line or wires, just something else to get hung up on and get ripped apart, than you have no locker.
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Cross-Country
Joined: Mar 2014
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The bad thing about the Detroit besides the tire barking in the corners is that it will kill you if you have ice an snow where you live. It will lock an unlock and throw you sideways in a heart beat. Besides that its a great locker an so are some of the other lunchbox lockers like lok right