Electronic Locking Differential
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,975
Likes: 910
From: Montana
It works in 2 wheel drive but does disengage when the speed gets too high. Its a safety issue as not many people want/know how to drive a locker at speed. A truck like the raptor has an "any speed locker" so you can "throttle steer" the truck at high speeds off road. I do dislike the locker "kickout" in these dutys myself as I am an off roader and would like a locker at higher speeds. I was recently on a hunt trip where we encountered snow. The 2107 F350 did great chewing through the snow until wheelspin speeds exceeded the lockers preset speed. At that point one wheel quit spinning and the big duty lost traction until the driver let off the throttle and re-engaged the locker. This proved to be hard on the truck and we had to turn around before we reached our destination. My 2010 duty with a freshly rebuilt limited slip was no match for the locker on the newer duty. I am soo glad ford added this tool for us guys who need it. A front locker option would be awesome!
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 411
Likes: 284
From: Northern Sierra Nevada
The front diff on the Tremor gets a Trac-Lok, wet clutch type limited slip.
I've had many on various 4WD's all of them having an under 60K mile lifespan. They simply don't do much and have no longevity.
There is a reason the off roaders call them Trash-Loks.
But I don't have a Tremor. I own an F-350 SRW with the e-locker in the rear M275 Advantek axle. The front is open.
In searching around for a front limited slip that would fit my F-350's M256 Advantek axle the search ended with one of my favorites,
a traction aid called True Trac, clutch free, torque biasing, gear driven limited slip. They are transparent in delivering traction to the wheels with the most traction, not the least like clutch type limited slips, and go to full lock across if detecting no difference in side to side resistance.
With our 4.30 gears, I must use the True Trac model for the 4.10 gears.
jefe
BTW, I had the True Tracs on both ends of my 2001 Dodge Cummins and they were great.
And AFAIK, the True Trac is the only other option besides the Trac-Lok for the new Advantek M256.
I've had many on various 4WD's all of them having an under 60K mile lifespan. They simply don't do much and have no longevity.
There is a reason the off roaders call them Trash-Loks.
But I don't have a Tremor. I own an F-350 SRW with the e-locker in the rear M275 Advantek axle. The front is open.
In searching around for a front limited slip that would fit my F-350's M256 Advantek axle the search ended with one of my favorites,
a traction aid called True Trac, clutch free, torque biasing, gear driven limited slip. They are transparent in delivering traction to the wheels with the most traction, not the least like clutch type limited slips, and go to full lock across if detecting no difference in side to side resistance.
With our 4.30 gears, I must use the True Trac model for the 4.10 gears.
jefe
BTW, I had the True Tracs on both ends of my 2001 Dodge Cummins and they were great.
And AFAIK, the True Trac is the only other option besides the Trac-Lok for the new Advantek M256.
Last edited by jefe4x4; Apr 21, 2021 at 09:48 AM.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,366
Likes: 186
From: Frederick, CO
I had a 1996 4WD Ranger with LSD and I rarely had to use 4WD with that truck. That LSD was excellent in slick and traction-compromised situations. Then, I had a 2005 F-150 4WD with an LSD and that thing wasn't worth crap. On the same exact forest service roads, my Ranger handles like it was on rails and my F-150 was fishtailing all over the place due to washboard, bumps, etc. Lots of weight, geometry differences between those trucks, too, but the experience was such a stark contrast that I literally pulled codes off my F-150's stickers, tags, and stamps to verify that it really had an LSD at all. It did. Supposedly.
The e locker on my F-350 works great to combat washboard on forest service roads. Infinitely better than my F-150's LSD. But, in practice, I rarely use the e locker.
The e locker on my F-350 works great to combat washboard on forest service roads. Infinitely better than my F-150's LSD. But, in practice, I rarely use the e locker.
Tuned
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 348
Likes: 22
From: Creston, NC
What's the advantage of ELD vs. LSD?
My current 2020 F250 SXT CCSB SRW with 3.73 gears has the ELD. I don't really like having to switch it on and off along with the rear tire bunny hop if turning a slight curve.
My 2009 F250 XL SCAB LB SRW with 4.3 LSD gears was a breeze to drive.
My current 2020 F250 SXT CCSB SRW with 3.73 gears has the ELD. I don't really like having to switch it on and off along with the rear tire bunny hop if turning a slight curve.
My 2009 F250 XL SCAB LB SRW with 4.3 LSD gears was a breeze to drive.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 1,555
Likes: 516
The locker positively locks both axles together. No torque biasing. This is good for hard use in rough terrain since both tires are always turning equally regardless of traction variations side to side. Rock crawlers love lockers. They're also good on the street but you have to know how to use them.
A limited slip is always engaged and allows torque biasing side to side. There are clutches splined to each axle and fixed into the differential case. The clutch pack is sandwiched between the case and the side gear (pinion gear). If there is sufficient torque and sufficient resistance to the tire turning, the clutch pack compresses and essentially locks that axle. They are completely passive, but not perfect. They can run the same as a fully open differential where there is full biasing side to side and you can end up with one wheel on ice, the other on dry pavement and not being able to move. This is because there is insufficient resistance on the "dry" pavement side to compress the clutch pack. You overcome that by slightly applying the parking brake so that you create that resistance and can lock up the axles. And, again, since it can bias torque, you still have full differential action where one tire will "slip" the clutch pack to turn at a different speed. As you note, it is easier to live with in day to day driving.
There is one thing you are doing wrong with your locker and that is you should use it only on slippery surfaces, or maybe when you're drag racing where you absolutely need both tires turning. When you engage it on dry pavement, there is no differential action and when going around corners, it causes a tire to skip or chatter on the pavement since both tires must turn the same rotations. This is hard on the axles and is bothersome as you note.
A limited slip is always engaged and allows torque biasing side to side. There are clutches splined to each axle and fixed into the differential case. The clutch pack is sandwiched between the case and the side gear (pinion gear). If there is sufficient torque and sufficient resistance to the tire turning, the clutch pack compresses and essentially locks that axle. They are completely passive, but not perfect. They can run the same as a fully open differential where there is full biasing side to side and you can end up with one wheel on ice, the other on dry pavement and not being able to move. This is because there is insufficient resistance on the "dry" pavement side to compress the clutch pack. You overcome that by slightly applying the parking brake so that you create that resistance and can lock up the axles. And, again, since it can bias torque, you still have full differential action where one tire will "slip" the clutch pack to turn at a different speed. As you note, it is easier to live with in day to day driving.
There is one thing you are doing wrong with your locker and that is you should use it only on slippery surfaces, or maybe when you're drag racing where you absolutely need both tires turning. When you engage it on dry pavement, there is no differential action and when going around corners, it causes a tire to skip or chatter on the pavement since both tires must turn the same rotations. This is hard on the axles and is bothersome as you note.
Tuned
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 348
Likes: 22
From: Creston, NC
The locker positively locks both axles together. No torque biasing. This is good for hard use in rough terrain since both tires are always turning equally regardless of traction variations side to side. Rock crawlers love lockers. They're also good on the street but you have to know how to use them.
A limited slip is always engaged and allows torque biasing side to side. There are clutches splined to each axle and fixed into the differential case. The clutch pack is sandwiched between the case and the side gear (pinion gear). If there is sufficient torque and sufficient resistance to the tire turning, the clutch pack compresses and essentially locks that axle. They are completely passive, but not perfect. They can run the same as a fully open differential where there is full biasing side to side and you can end up with one wheel on ice, the other on dry pavement and not being able to move. This is because there is insufficient resistance on the "dry" pavement side to compress the clutch pack. You overcome that by slightly applying the parking brake so that you create that resistance and can lock up the axles. And, again, since it can bias torque, you still have full differential action where one tire will "slip" the clutch pack to turn at a different speed. As you note, it is easier to live with in day to day driving.
There is one thing you are doing wrong with your locker and that is you should use it only on slippery surfaces, or maybe when you're drag racing where you absolutely need both tires turning. When you engage it on dry pavement, there is no differential action and when going around corners, it causes a tire to skip or chatter on the pavement since both tires must turn the same rotations. This is hard on the axles and is bothersome as you note.
A limited slip is always engaged and allows torque biasing side to side. There are clutches splined to each axle and fixed into the differential case. The clutch pack is sandwiched between the case and the side gear (pinion gear). If there is sufficient torque and sufficient resistance to the tire turning, the clutch pack compresses and essentially locks that axle. They are completely passive, but not perfect. They can run the same as a fully open differential where there is full biasing side to side and you can end up with one wheel on ice, the other on dry pavement and not being able to move. This is because there is insufficient resistance on the "dry" pavement side to compress the clutch pack. You overcome that by slightly applying the parking brake so that you create that resistance and can lock up the axles. And, again, since it can bias torque, you still have full differential action where one tire will "slip" the clutch pack to turn at a different speed. As you note, it is easier to live with in day to day driving.
There is one thing you are doing wrong with your locker and that is you should use it only on slippery surfaces, or maybe when you're drag racing where you absolutely need both tires turning. When you engage it on dry pavement, there is no differential action and when going around corners, it causes a tire to skip or chatter on the pavement since both tires must turn the same rotations. This is hard on the axles and is bothersome as you note.
Thanks for the explanation above.
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booker250
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