What is the best way to determine what differentials I have on my truck so that I know what lockers I need to buy? I looked at the differentials themselves but they don't seem to be marked (maybe they are just dirty lol)

I'm looking at putting Eaton Electronic lockers on both front and rear, but if anyone has a better suggestion, let me know.

 

What is the axle code on your white door jamb sticker?

AXLE CODES:
37- 3.73
3L- 3.73 LS
41- 4.10
4N- 4.10 LS
43- 4.30
4L- 4.30 LS
48- 4.88
8L- 4.88 LS
53- 5.38
5L- 5.38 LS

 

The factory limited slip isn't great. Later generation SD trucks had a factory locking diff option for the 10.5 inch Sterling. From what I have been told it will fit the earlier Sterling 10.5, but some clearance grinding will be required.

IIRC Some members here have run Eaton lockers without issues, but you should hear from them directly instead of relying on my memory.

 

I do not see a code on this sticker. This sticker is on the body of the truck, inside of the door, between and front and rear door, on the driver's side.

 

You don't have one of these?

 

Isn't that the same sticker I posted? Mine is just dirtier, lol

 

Any Ford service department should be able to tell you what differentials your truck has by running the VIN number. The C! axle code on my '01 simply identifies it as a Trac-Lok. The rest of the information is coded on the axle tag under one of the cover bolts on the differential itself.

I'm in the process of building a replacement rear axle for my '01. I chose the Ford E-locker over the Eaton. You have to look a bit to find a dealer that doesn't require a core return, but if you do, a remanufactured unit (with a two-year warranty) will be about half the cost of the Eaton locker. Eaton is good stuff, don't get me wrong, but two independent mechanics that I trust told me the Ford unit is reliable. My carrier has four spider gears mounted on a cross shaft and appears to be much stouter than the two-spider open carrier.

The "grinding" Redford refers to is to remove a tab on the inside of the VSS/ABS tone ring used in pre-2011 trucks which did not have individual sensors at each rear wheel. The electric locker carrier is not cast with the locating slot for the tone ring because the trucks it was designed for have wheel sensors. I did grind my tone ring, then realized it would have been better to have ground a slot in the carrier, so a new tone ring is on the way. I will use my Dremel tool to make the slot. Without the slot and tab there is NO mechanical lock to keep the tone ring in place, only tension from the press fit. A close examination revealed that even gently driving mine off with a brass drift resulted in some distortion of the ring, making the press fit potentially unreliable. I just was not comfortable with that! My Ford service manual requires a new tone ring if the old one is removed, obviously because of the distoriton.

BTW, I'm with Redford on limited slip differentials. Not good if they lock up unexpedtedly on icy or snow packed highways and sometimes mine failed to lock up at all in deep snow, when I really needed it, which is why I went with the electric locker.

 

Your picture isn't working. What year truck do you have, is it single rear axle? 4x4?

My 2001 has a Dana 50 front and Sterling/Ford 10.5 rear (single). They changed to Dana 60 fronts sometime in 2001.

I had a shop regear my axles to 4.88s and they installed a Ford E-Locker in the rear. I believe you only need to trim off a small tang/keyway for the tone ring for the speed sensor. (Or see above post for more info!).

Ford E-Lockers are good and affordable, for example:
https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-parts...RoCJpoQAvD_BwE

 

Thanks, I will look up those lockers. I definitely want electronic ones.

 

The picture I pasted above? It shows just fine in my browser window. I am attaching it again to this reply.
My truck is a 2004 with a single rear axle.

Thanks for the link, those are less expensive and I am always happy to go with Ford products.

 

They all look alike.

 

This might help:
Sterling electric locker | Pirate 4x4
BTW, I am not a member of the Pirate 4x4 forum, but found this while researching the Ford unts.
And, as I said before, I personally don't like the idea of grinding off the reluctor tab. There are some useful links in the Pirate thread as well:

It includes a lot of discussion about reduced holding voltage on these coils. Ford does NOT reduce the voltage, it remains at 12 VDC, but they use Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) to reduce the average voltage by electronically cycling it off and on each few miliseconds.. I have determined this is not necessary for coil life, although it should help it. I am also assuming they use PWM to ramp down the holding current when the coil is deenergized to avoid the typical voltage spike opening a circuit to a coil induces, which can damage other electronic circuits. The E-lock differentials on the newer pickups are controlled by the Transfer Case Control Module.

I picked up a wiring harness for a Dana e-locker off eBay for about $100 that has all the necessary components, including a diode which mitigates the voltage spike problem. (Dana sells them for about $275.00.) Be sure you address that issue!

 

Hey guys, I'm sorry if this is the wrong tread, I am new to the forum. I have a 2002 f250 7.3, auto, 4wd and it seems that my transfer case is stuck in 4wd high. Any thoughts or solutions for getting it unstuck? You can hear the vacuum actuator pulling the truck in and out of 4wd when I flip the switch into 4wd, but the drive shaft is still spinning and my front driver side stub axel ( not the passenger side which is also odd) are spinning. I have tried the driving it in reverse slowly and trying to get it out that way truck but no cigar. The Hubs are also unlocked just to clarify.

Could it be a bad Hub assembly that is causing this, or could it be the transfer case is stuck in 4wd high? Any help or tricks would be helpful.

 

Can you see the one I posted twice? The section where the axel is listed appears to be rubbed off, though

 

I would go with a Detroit locker in the rear and a Detroit Truetrac in the front, cheaper, more reliable and better performance. Your rear axle is a Ford 10.5, front is a Dana 60.