I had a bad experience w/ the stock 4x4 which is actually 2wd & the worst thing was that the 2 wheels that had power, were in the air spining. Anyway, I saw a mechanically activated locking diff called an OX & I wondered since you dont have to worry about shorting wires on the electric type or air leaks w/ the compressor type, if this was a more reliable setup & if they are dependable? I'm new to this, any help is appriciated.
Thanks
Jim 2004 F250 5.4L

 

There was a discussion on the Ox Locker a while ago in the Offroad forum. No one had anything good to say about it. From that discussion I gathered that the company has poor quality control and poor customer service as well. I was sad to hear it but made a mental note to stay away from the Ox.

I have a Powertrax LockRight and am quite happy with it. The price was very affordable too.

 

The powertrax that socal speaks of is a great locker for your truck. However you must ask yourself if a locker is what you want or need. These types of traction devices are strickly for off road use. If you look you will not find a single truck that comes from the factory with a locker in it. Limited slips are as far as the factorys are willing to go. The liability of a locker is too great for the risk. The danger is when there is a slick spot on the street both wheels will start to spin and this causes the driver to lose control at high speed... Ask yourself if you want a locker or a limited slip. I have the powertrax in my Ranger but it is NOT driven on the street.
If you live in an area that might have ice or snow on the street you may be well advised to go with a lilited slip locker.
Big JIm

 

BigJimM, do you meanyou can loose control more easily if we're ONLY talking about the rear end being locked on snow? If it's snowy, I usually just run it in 4wd anyway & probably wouldn't actually lock the rear diff but I didn't know it was actually dangerous & not recommended on a highway application to lock the rear diff. Please clarify if you get a chance.
I thought that the rear locker that you can take in & out would be better than the other cheaper limited slips that want to stay locked so your tires would end up chirping going around bends on dry ground until the diff opens back up. I was reading they want to stay engaged most of the time. I think the names were Detroit or Auburn rear diffs which you can't manually unlock. This Poertrax that you speak of, is it electric or air? I'll also try to do a search also but for some reason I can't do a search on this site, I used to be able to but something must have changed.
Thanks
Jim Maloney 04 F250 5.4L.

 

I think what BigJim is talking about is losing control with a standard, non-selectable locker such as a Detroit because they can engage unexpectedly and thrown you sideways. Your truck will handle different with the rear axle locked but it will not present the problems of an auto-locker engaging and disengagine unexpectedly. OX has a horrible customer service reputation AND they're more expensive than the other selectables like ARB or Electrac. If you go with a selectable locker you won't have to worry about the handling quirks of the regular lockers . . . they're really the way to go for a street driven vehicle.

 

Howdy Jim
If you have 4 wheel drive, then you prolly have one front and one rear pulling all the time. If either one of these spins the opposite wheel on the same axel is STABLE on the road and does not spin... This enables the vehicle to remain more or less in a straight line and is controllable by the driver.
Now if you get a LIMITED SLIP.. this feature allows one wheel to slip and and acts like there is no locker on the axel. UNTIL the driver spins the spinning wheel very fast compared to the opposite wheel. When this happens (such as in MUD) the clutches close and BOTH wheels spin at the same, or near, speed.
Now with a locker in there if one wheel starts to spin (even a little) the opposite wheel goes at the same speed immediatly. So there you are driving like you have been doing for years... suddenly both rear tires are spinning. What happens? GRAVITY happens! With both tires spinning gravity pulls the back of the vehicle down hill... To the curb.. or if none there to the ditch.
On a dry road at low speeds the rear tires going around corners "chirp" from time to time.
Now comes the air and electric lockers. These are wonderful for climbing rocky mountainous trails. BUT on the street they are the same as any other locker.
But the powertrax locker is the most dry street allowable of them all as it will allow the vehicle to do corners without chirping.. But on a wet street watchout!
My advice is do a limited slip if you think you need to drive on the street. If offroad only then by all means put an air locker in the front and a powertrax in the rear.
MyRanger is for offroad only and has a powertrax in the rear and another on my bench that I am considering putting in the front.
Big Jim

 

I think you mean on the street they are the same as an open diff, right? ARB is an open diff when not engaged. Detroit's Electrac is a limited slip when not engaged. They're perfectly safe to drive on the street and have no handling quirks (same as OX locker when it works right).

 

I drive my truck with Powertrax LockRight in the rear axle on the street quite often. Automatic lockers aren't the devils they are made out to be. They are actually quite streetable if you are easy with the gas around corners. I agree though, on ice they can send you sideways. Of course so can stepping on the brake too hard. Examples of this kind of diff are the TracTech Detroit Locker and EZ Locker and Powertrax LockRight and NoSlip.

True, none of these lockers are available factory stock in passenger cars and light trucks, but in some heavy trucks, the Dyneer/Tractech NoSpin (for all practical purposes a Detroit Locker) is available as a factory option. A locker in a long wheelbase truck like mine (crewcab longbed) is not as squirelly as in a short wheelbase truck like a Ranger or my Bronco, for example.

Selectable lockers are the perfect answer to the 'to lock or not to lock' question. You get a locker when you want it, and, depending on model, either a limited slip or an open diff when you want that. Best of both worlds. Cost alot more though. Examples of this kind of diff are the ARB AirLocker, TracTech Electrac, Eaton E-Locker, and Auburn Ected.

Most limited slips are clutch-type. There are clutch packs that hold the 2 axles together untill torque differences between the two sides are more than the clutches can hold and then they slip. They are pretty good diffs when they are fresh and working good. Examples of this kind of diff are the Ford and Dana Trac-Loks, Eaton Posi and the Auburn limited slip.

Some limited slips are worm-gear and sometimes called torque-sensing. Examples of this kind are the TracTech TrueTrac and Torsen (a different company).

Check out any of these diffs by going to their manufacturer's websites:

www.tractech.com
www.powertrax.com
www.eaton.com
www.auburngear.com
www.dana.com
www.arb.com

 

Thanks so much guys. Now I understand. I never realized the danger of riding on ice, snow w/ a locker engaged & the need of 1 wheel NOT spinning. It's just common sense. I'll investigate all the links.
Thanks again, another satisfied customer.
Jim