My 1987 F-250 4X4 with 6.9 liter diesel and four speed manual has limited slip rear differential from the factory. (Or positive traction, anti-spin, whichever you want to call it. I know there are some slight differences in them, but for me they all do the same job in the end.) I am thinking about putting a locker in the front diff, I have never had any experience doing this to the front. A local tranny/diff man said if he was going to put one in his truck, he would use a Trutrack from Detroit.
Anyone out there had any experience with these? I don't want it to knock me out of the road when it engages. I don't need it for rock crawling or mud boggin, just for snow and ice and muddy farm roads.
What about air lockers, anyone used one of them? The TruTrack is much cheaper and easier to install, but which is stronger? Which is most maintaince free? How long will the parts in an air locker last before something has to be replaced?
I may put a snow plow on the truck, will the extra weight of the plow keep the locker engaged most all the time? Are both types of lockers strong enough to handle the extra weight of the plow and the diesel? The man I bought the truck from had a plow on it, so he already had an extra leaf spring added to each side on the front.
As always, all ideas, thoughts, suggestions, opinions and experiences are very much appreciated.

 

In addition to having a Ford diesel I also belong to a jeep club.You DO NOT want an automatic locker in the front end. On ice it will cause you to slide sideways.If you put anything in the front end on a primarily street driven vehicle get an ARB air locker. I'm going to have one put in my jeep soon,and everybody I know that has one says that is the way to go. There's been rumors some locker manufactureres are going to start making electrically controlled ones,but who knows when. If ice is your main concern,you're better off with an open diff. Just my $0.02 worth.

 

I have heard not to put a locker in the front diff because of what you said. But I have also heard the truetrack locker is OK for the front. I would like to hear someones experiences with this. Anyone in your Jeep club that may have tried a truetrack locker in the front?? Where did you get your air locker from and how much did it cost? Are you going to put it in or have it done? Let me know if you have any major problems. If the air locker is that much better for the front, I guess I will have to save my nickels and dimes and invest in one. I want a truck that will go on ice and snow and in the mud when most others will not.If that takes as air locker, then I need one. Thanks for all opinions, experiences, advice and $0.02 worth.

 

Hi, I have a 86 f-250 s/c 6.9 diesel w/four wheel drive. It has detroit lockers front and rear they are auto lockup and the only problem I have ever had is when you come out of a dirt road onto pavement you CANNOT TURN THE STEERING you have to be in dirt, mud or something that will allow one wheel to spin because of the radius of the turn one wheel has to go farther and it cant do it unless the inside wheel spins. With the weight of these trucks (6970)lbs. they don't like to spin wheels.
John Sugden (fatforty)
i967mustang(No Email Addresses In Posts!)

 

An air locker and the little compressor will run about $800.00. I'm not going to put it in,you need someone with experience setting up gears to do it,otherwise they'll whine and won't last.I'll ask around about the tru-tracs. If I remember correctly it's more of a limited-slip instead of a full locker which would drive better.

 

This is how little I know about lockers. You say when you come on to an asphalt road after mud or snow, you can't steer. Is this a condition that remains as you go down the road? I can only assume the locker disengages within a short time, otherwise how do you drive? Or is yours a mud bogger or rock crawler only and you trailer it to and from? I don't do either, I just want to go on snow and ice and on muddy farm and logging roads. A limited slip should be strong enough for me, based on my limited knowledge of drivetrains and lockers. As usual, thanks for any and all advice and opinions.

 

Hi, when I come out of a dirt or muddy road onto a hard or asphalt road I have to unlock the front hubs it will work on snow covered roads but not on a dry asphalt road it will not turn a corner it drives straight only!!! but in the mud or on a dirt road itis a true four wheel drive truck. I drive it mainly on the street I didn't put the lockers in, but am glad they are there it makes a world of difference in the pulling power the truck has. If you put the locker in you must unlock the hubs or shift to two wheel drive on hard roads because the lockers make all four wheels turn the same rpm and when you go around a curve or corner one side of the truck the wheels are turning faster than the other and it can't do it with lockers so it won't turn.
John (fatforty)
i967mustang(No Email Addresses In Posts!)
1986 f-250 s/c 4x4 6.9 lariat

 

I've done a little reading on the tru-trac. It's a limited-slip and not a locker. It's supposed to have decent street manners. It might be the way to go. It's also a lot cheaper than an air locker.

 

Jda- the true track is the one you want in the front. It has more positive action than an ordinary limited slip but is less brutal than a locker. On snowy roads this will do well for you. The truetrack is what the DetroitLocker people came up with to go in the front because they knew that lockers in front don't steer well. It uses worm gears and cone shaped pinions instead of clutch packs and springs, strong than some others. I think a gleason torsen works on the same priciple. DF

 

For everyone that has posted an answer, thanks to all. Anyone else out there have an opinion, or want to put their two cents worth in? Anyone have a true trac in any vehicle? Any four wheel drive clubs that might be able to add their experiences? Any and all info greatly appreciated.

 

One thing I didn't see anyone mention was availability. I could be wrong, but I believe your truck has the DANA 50 TTB front axle. I remember reading a while back about there being virtually no available traction adders or gear sets for this axle. The article entailed replacing the center section "pig" with a DANA 44 from an F-150, which in stock form is only marginally weaker than the 50, and with an aftermarket limited slip differential, was relatively equal in strength. I know the article said you had to drill one hole to get it to fit, but there may have been more to it. I believe it was in 4 wheel and off road, but I've no idea when. Good luck.

 

 

As always thanks for the info. I'm not sure what the front diff is in my truck, I assume it is stock from the factory. I have talked to the only two other owners the truck has ever had, I did not ask, but neither said anything about having changed the front diff. Who could tell me exactly what the front diff is??
Also, recently, I saw in some four wheel drive magazine, someone has come out with a locker similar to an air locker, except this one uses a cable, not an air compressor to engage the locker. Anyone heard or know anything about this new type of locker? That may be the way to go for me. Again, thanks to everyone for any info, experiences, tips, opinions, and suggeations.

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 02-Jan-01 AT 02:18 PM (EST)[/font][p]If memory serves me right, the DANA 50 center section has a raised "50" visible from underneath, on the drivers side of the carrier. I don't remember about the DANA 44, but it may be similar. The only cable actuated locker in memory is the Toyota land cruiser unit, but the aftermarket comes out with new stuff all the time. Everyone I talked to when I envisioned doing a similar mod on my truck echoed the other posts here, that I would probably regret it due to the horrible driving characteristics of a locker on the road(in the front). They cause extreme understeer whenever the hubs are locked in, even it you have the transfer disengaged. The air locker is the only option for a street driven rig, unless you can settle for a clutch type limited slip. I've heard they are liveable, though I'm still not sure if there is even one avalible for your truck. I'm thinking the true-trac may work along these lines.

 

TrueTrac is the best choice for an automatic unit since it is torque-sensing as opposed to the speed-sensing nature of most other limited slip units. It is not a locker per se. Tractech (the manufacturer of this and the Detroit Locker) makes them for D44s but Reider Racing modifies them to fit the D50 in the front of PSDs. This is the best choice if you spend most of your time in 4x4 but can occasionally cause some stress if you (like many of us) spend a lot of time with our front hubs locked in but with your T-case in 2H.

ARB is the only current choice in the US for manually actuated front locking. If you can wait a few months, there may be a cable-actuated locker from OxTrax.

http://www.oxtrax.com./lockers.htm