Hi there,

Does anybody out there have experience with Loc-Rite lockers. I am planning on installing one when I change the ring and pinion of my '94 F-350 crew rear, but I've heard they can do wicked things with your rig on fast tight turns in snow or wet black top. Thanks

Carry on! Carry on!

Cool Ones

 

They really aren't that bad. Mine is barely noticeable, but if you get crazy with the HP, then maybe you would have a problem on ice One good thing about the lockrite is that if you decide you don't like it, then you can just reinstall the spider gears in the case.

 

They are a poor choice for towing. There is no powered differentail action. It is either one wheel drive at very light throttle with outer wheel coasting or both wheels locked together at same speed and when towing this can cause guiding and stabilty issues. Also as stated, they can cause some issue on ice and snow too.

 

The SnoMan They are a poor choice for towing. There is no powered differentail action. It is either one wheel drive at very light throttle with outer wheel coasting...
Moot point. This is, effectively, how a standard differential works. You should not notice the difference between the outer and inner wheel pushing, especially on a pickup with it's huge front weight bias.

The SnoMan ...or both wheels locked together at same speed and when towing this can cause guiding and stabilty issues.
The effect of locked wheels is a dislike for directional changes. Spools make it hard to turn, right? I would think this tends to increase directional stability. Now if you have too much tongue weight it really won't want to turn with a spool, but a locker releases.

The SnoMan ...Also as stated, they can cause some issue on ice and snow too.
First, no one can drive on ice. It is a near 0 friction surface and when your warm tires hit it the heat and pressure cause the topmost layer of ice to melt giving you water over ice, a 0 friction surface.(assuming temperatures over 0 degree F) As for snow, with a standard differential you can hit the gas too hard and only 1 tire spins leaving you in control. With a locker both tires spin and you can get sideways. This applies to rain too. If you are always squeeling your tires, and live in a wet or snowy area, a locker may not be a good idea.

 

You could not be more wrong on this. A standard differentail can only dived and send equal torque to both wheel when traveling in a straight line or a turnall the time, it can do nothing else by design. A lockrite can never do this by design. This"moot" cpmment suggests you have a lack of understanding of the principles involved here

A Lockrite will not release unless the input torque is very low and any reputable axle shop will tell you that you do not want to tow with a locker of this type.

I drive on ice all the time and have for many years with plow trucks and there is nothing you can tell be about this subject. By choice my trucks have open diffs (they still will tend to spin both tires at times) for maximum possible stability. Also the tempature of the ice play a big roll its its slickness. When the the tempature of ice in below zero it is not that bad and at 20 or 30 below it is even better yet.

 

There was much discussion on this topic. Here it is https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...ghlight=locker

It was mentioned on the PowerTrak website that this locker is not recommended for towing.

 

Untrue, one could always be more wrong. Perhaps less inflamatory statements would serve you better.

As for a standard differential, they bias towards the right wheel in good traction, and put full power to the wheel with least traction as soon as one wheel slips. Powertrax agrees "Open Differentials... delivers virtually all the engine power to the wheel that begins to slip first" You see it at the drag strip all the time. Muscle cars with open diffs leave a nice black line behind the right tire only.

Powertrax claims "The No-Slip Traction System or Lock-Right Locker will have no affect on the towing of your trailer on the road other than you will have more traction when you need it." We all know advertising claims are suspect, but I've seen no evidence to the contrary yet. I guess it comes down to just how they unlock. If they are very sensitive to power input and you have a high tongue weight you'll have problems. I would love to hear from someone who has a locker, or has had one, while towing a trailer with good weight distribution.

 

The installation manual provided with my Lock Right lockers did not match my front differential. Before attempting this installation, make sure you have the right installation manual, or do some research on the installation process for a Dana 44 (D44).

 

My bad !!! By no means did I want to cause all this commosion between us fellow Riggers about the Loc-Rite.
Now just to help out, my main interest in locking the rear is offroading, although I may tow sooner or later, and do spend a lot of time on the road (this is my daily driver). From what I read here they are worth zip for towing. If Loc-Rite is not the way to go, what do you guys recomend? Thanks.

Cool Ones

 

For off-roading the loc-rite is just fine. For a normal engine that doesn't have monster HP and TQ, it is the easiest for you to drop in yourself and will perform just fine.

For towing, look elsewhere. You want to stay with a good LS or a selectable for this. Having a full locker and a heavy trailer, especially if the tonque weight is high and the axle is relatively small, leads to one thing.......broken parts. This happens when the axles are locked, weight is on the rear end, and the tires have traction, somehting has to give and more than likely it's gonna be something in the rear end.

If you want a traction aid for towing, get a Detroit TrueTrac or go big and get the selectables.

 

BFR250SD has the right idea. An air or electric locker gives you the best of both worlds. Smooth differential action or maximum traction at your will. The problem is the price, $700 plus.

I have a similar debacle. I will occasionally hit the strip in my truck, on a bet that I can beat my friends 240Z, and I occasionally tow a fishing boat or on rare occasions tow a project car. It looks like if you really want the best of both worlds the selectable locker is the way to go.

 

Any pros and cons that I should take into consideration if deciding between electric or pneumatic?

 

The pneumatic requires an electric compressor about the size of a starter and running pressure and power lines. I don't know the current draw. One advantage is that it could be used to air up tires on an emergency basis, with a few mods. ARB air locker is an/the example fits ford 9" and dana axles

The electrical requires two wires. An inline fuse would be smart. Still don't know the current draw. i.e. detroit electrac, fits dana only(?) axles

Either way I'd go for the gear type instead of the clutch type. I try not to add anything I know will require mainteance.

A good differential comparison: http://www.billhughes.com/differential.htm

 

Okay, that link is a little..................odd and slightly skewed to the pure off-roader.

Now, the ARB requires a compressor. This is not a bad thing. Having on-board air is always good. The current draw, pretty much a non-existent issue. You could run it off your cigarette lighter, and actually the portable model does. The compressor only runs for about 5-10 seconds when you turn it on and then when you activate the front locker, it will run for about 3-4 secs, the rear will run it for about 5-6 secs. Then it just sits there. The worst part about it is the install. It is the most complex to install.

The electrics (Auburn, Electrac, etc.) use a solenoid that is mounted on the diff cover. This is kinda suseptible to damage, due to it's location. The good thing about the Electrac is that it is an LS unit while disengaged. This means you get that advantage, or disadvantage, depending on how you look at it. They do require wiring, not as much as the ARB's, but you don't get the advantage of an on board air supply.

They all come with the items to do the full install. They all have applications to fit most axles, the exception is only ARB has one for the Ford 10.5.

As for maintenace, the clutch pack LS's require the most. They have parts that wear and eventually they need to be rebuilt. Least maintenance is a spool. It's simple, strong and has nothing to where out, but it has it's disadvantages.

It's all a matter of what you are willing to spend to get what you want. And YES, you get what you pay for.

Street driving or towing: Open diff, LS or ARB
Racing / Strip: Locker or spool
Light - moderate off-roading: LS, selectable, loc-rite
Heavy off-roading (dirt / mud): Locker or selectable
Rock Crawling or dedicated trail rig: Spool, Locker, or just plain weld it