Hey, been a long time since I have really hung around the forum. I have a question that I have been meaning to ask for a good while now.

What are the general thoughts and experiences with aftermarket differentials?? I mean as in Limited-Slip, or Locking Diffs. I have been considering shelling out some money on the old Bad Boy.

Any insight would be appreciated.

BBBB

 

Big Bama

Check out the issue Four Wheeler magazine currently on the newstand. Has a big red Chevy P/U on the cover. Has a pretty good article on your options. The selectable lockers seem to be the current street choice so you aren't stuck with the potential problems inherent in a front LS. They are spendy though.

A normal LS in the front might be OK too. I don't have one but there are guys here that may be able to comment.

 

Actually, I have that issue of Four Wheeler. I have read it through. I just wanted some actual Bronco Owners to tell me about their preferences and experiences.

BBBB

 

What kind of off roading do you do
(mud, rocks, hills, sand,)
and how often

 

Honestly not real often during the summer, but maybe once a week during the winter. Mostly Mud/Sand and a few rocky places. Fairly hilly terrain here. I just have trouble getting all my power to the ground if you get my drift.

BBBB

 

A limited slip in the front is no big deal. A factory trac-lok will give problems after some time. I have broken 2 of them in different trucks. Both trucks had over 150,000 on them.

I had a tru-trac put in my plow truck(northern Michigan) and a detroit c-clip soft locker in the back. Off road and snow covered roads the truck is great but dry roads the locker throws the back of the truck around.

If I was to drive primarly on the street I would put in limited slips on both ends. They will work good with average use not heavy abuse. The slectable would be great to put in but expensive.

 

Bailey

What do you think the total cost of a selectable front locker would be, without labor? Also, how does a LS feel on the front in a turn, on a snow covered road. I know my wife will drive it now and then. She got used to the rear LS sliding around occasionally on a wet corner, when taking off from a complete stop a little too aggressively. Just wondering what you meant by a front LS is really no big deal. They are sure a lot cheaper.

 

The cost depends on the shops in your area. I live in the metro detroit area now(I will move back up north when I can) and I would use DTS. The cost is around 1500-2000 for a ARB. I do not know what the other slectable lockers cost. The steering just feels a little heavy. You will get some torque streer if you jump on it. Plowing snow it is great.
I Don't think about it anymore I have had a L/S front since 88 in 3 different trucks.

If your wife slid a rear L/S don't put a locker in it unless it is slectable. It will come around a lot easier. Although the spin is fun as long as you can bounce off the snowbanks.Done that.

Some poeple up north use a locker(lock right, ect) in the front. It is much cheaper. When they drive it on the road they only lock 1 side. I thought that was too hard on the front end. I've aready busted 2 Dana44's.Clutch packs in one, ring gear bolts in the other.

 

I currently have LS in both front & rear along with 4.10 gears. So far I have not had any problems at all. Gone wheeling in snow and dirt roads and on highway. My only wish is that I had at least one selectable locker (ie in the rear). The limited slip is just that limited in certan situations. Last January when I was up in the seirras for the Winter Fun Fest, One of the trails that I had selected to go on, I couldn't go because I didn't have at least one locker. Apperently there was some people that went on this trail didn't have a locker were having problems with traction.

When I have the funds I will be putting in ARBs in both front & rear and maybe 4.56 or 4.88 gears. I already have an air compressor installed in the engine compartment. The average price that I've seen for the ARB is around $640 not including installation. But you also have to purchase an air compressor in order to engage the ARB. There are electric versions that does the same thing.

As far as prefferences on which diffs to put in, is dependent on your intensions with your rig. If you are using the rig as a daily driver and off road too, stay away from putting in a non-selectable locker in the front. The rig will be kind of hard to stear when driving on streets in 4x4. A non-selectable locker would be okay in the rear, though. I have seen and heard people putting a locker or selectable type in the rear and then putting a LS in the front, or a locker in the rear and an ARB in the front.

Hope this helps
BTW: This is accually TITE4X4 typing this message. I am accually trying to fix my friends computer,

 

I think the ideal set up would be selectables on both ends if you see any heavy snow, and especially if you get ice very often. Lockers and LSD's will cause you to slide all over the place. If you can kick the locker out, you can maintain some sort of directional control on ice.

My personal setup is an ARB in the front and a Detroit in the rear, but I don't drive on the street very often. With a TTB suspension, the Detroit tends to throw the truck all over the place as you get on and off the gas. I hated mine until I did the SAS.

 

I have experiance with both the Dana-Spicer Trak-Lok (Factory option) and the alburn Hi-PO LS.

This is what I have to say about the Trak Loc



Yes I did break it in half...

Now (Well in my other rear axle) I have an Alburn Hi-Po LS and love it. It's about as tight as you can get without having to go the locker route and it provides great traction. With it and my 33s I have a hard time getting stuck with it.

 

eaton e-locker is best so far give you push button access with durability...it'll cost you around 700 but i think that it is worth every penny...mines in a Ford 8.8" rear end

 

Frogger

Now you have to tell us the war story behind the Trac Lock explosion. Running Gramma down to the Piggly Wiggly for some milk was ya?

 

I would love to go the selectable locker route, so I have an idea.

STARTING TODAY:
I have decided to form the
"Help Pay For a Selectable Locker for BBBB Fund"
I think we are only...$700 or so shy of our current projection.
Please contact me here at FTE for more information, or to make a donation.

BBBB

 

Every little bit helps, your co-operation is appreciated.

BBBB