open diff. or Trac Lock?
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New User
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open diff. or Trac Lock?
I have a 1995 Bronco with a 8.8" rearend with 4.56 gears. I am probably going to buy a Powertrax No-Slip differential but I don't know whether my rearend is an open diff. or Trac Lock. The tag on the axle is gone. When I spin one wheel, the other wheel turns the opposite way. Is there anything in the VIN that could tell me? Also, is the same carrier used for both 3.55 and 4.56 gears in a 8.8"? Thanks. PS. Any input on the Powertrax No-Slip differential or a better alternative would be great.
Senior User
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open diff. or Trac Lock?
>I have a 1995 Bronco with
>a 8.8" rearend with 4.56
>gears. I am probably
>going to buy a Powertrax
>No-Slip differential but I don't
>know whether my rearend is
>an open diff. or Trac
>Lock. The tag on
>the axle is gone.
>When I spin one wheel,
>the other wheel turns the
>opposite way. Is there
>anything in the VIN that
>could tell me? Also,
>is the same carrier used
>for both 3.55 and 4.56
>gears in a 8.8"?
>Thanks. PS. Any input
>on the Powertrax No-Slip differential
>or a better alternative would
>be great.
Dollars to doughnuts your trucks differential is an open differential. Yes the stock carrier will allow either 3.55 or 4.56s, you don't need a carrier breakage. This weekend I am going to install a Powertrax No-Slip locker. I have a 4x2 and what some extra grip. Everything I have read says this locker performes rather well. Its is almost transparent in performance drawbacks when in operation (ie it doesn't make alot of noise and its engagement/disengagement is very smooth). I will post my opinionated results this weekend after I have installed it. I will try to give as much concrete data as I can.
1994 Ford F150
300-6
Highly Modified and more to come!
>a 8.8" rearend with 4.56
>gears. I am probably
>going to buy a Powertrax
>No-Slip differential but I don't
>know whether my rearend is
>an open diff. or Trac
>Lock. The tag on
>the axle is gone.
>When I spin one wheel,
>the other wheel turns the
>opposite way. Is there
>anything in the VIN that
>could tell me? Also,
>is the same carrier used
>for both 3.55 and 4.56
>gears in a 8.8"?
>Thanks. PS. Any input
>on the Powertrax No-Slip differential
>or a better alternative would
>be great.
Dollars to doughnuts your trucks differential is an open differential. Yes the stock carrier will allow either 3.55 or 4.56s, you don't need a carrier breakage. This weekend I am going to install a Powertrax No-Slip locker. I have a 4x2 and what some extra grip. Everything I have read says this locker performes rather well. Its is almost transparent in performance drawbacks when in operation (ie it doesn't make alot of noise and its engagement/disengagement is very smooth). I will post my opinionated results this weekend after I have installed it. I will try to give as much concrete data as I can.
1994 Ford F150
300-6
Highly Modified and more to come!
Junior User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 76
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From: Bay City, MI
open diff. or Trac Lock?
you owe me some doughnuts then because he has a traction lock axle. Mine does the same. And i have traction lock with 3.55 gears. Look on the door code and see what character it says for axle if it is H and then a number its limited slip.
New User
Joined: Apr 2001
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open diff. or Trac Lock?
If the tag was there it would say something like 3L55 or whatever the ratio is, the L meaning "limited slip", or the vin code would help as the other poster said. But since it is gone, someone probably left it off in a previous service. I just recently did my 8.8 from top to bottom and front to back, new gears, bearings and plates and discs in the factory trak-lok. I had to leave out the S spring pretensioner (between the axle ends) as with the new discs and plates the stackup in the center section was too tight. Now it is quiet as a church mouse and loads up under throttle and engages smoothly. The new clutches and plates were only about $50 in the whole deal, the total for parts was about $250 and it beat the $*** out of the price quotes I was getting from the gear shops. Set up was simple as well. Don't let 'em rape you at the gear shop! Don
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 464
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open diff. or Trac Lock?
95Bigbronco! Just yesterday to confirm open differential operation I rotated one of my tires to find the other tire rotating in the opposite direction. I am sure I have an open diff as all open differentials will do this; when you turn a wheel one way, the opposite wheel will rotate in the opposite direction. A locked axle will rotate both wheels in the same direction if you spin on wheel. A limited slip will do this to a point at which the torque becomes to much and the wheels will slip. Take your VIN# to the local Ford dealer and they will decode it for ya! This weekend, one Powertrax No-Slip locker is going in. I'll let ya know how it performs and then you can make the decision of getting one.
1994 Ford F150
300-6
Highly Modified and more to come!
1994 Ford F150
300-6
Highly Modified and more to come!
Elder User - What???
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 714
Likes: 1
From: Moore, OK
paulg - I know this is an old thread, but did you ever install that Powertrax No-Slip? If so, what difference did you notice?
Thanks!
Thanks!
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FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 21,091
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From: Fresno, CA.
I agree with Paulg, if you have a LS and spin one wheel and the other wheel rotates in the opposite direction, something is wrong with your LS (or you don't have an LS after all).
Jim
Jim
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Posting Guru
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I know it's an old thread but they always do this when clutch packs wear out, which by now is probably normal for a lot of trucks on the road.
Mine spins in opposite directions now and it didn't when I bought it. LS still works too, I can't do a one wheel burnout and both will spin when stuck in snow, it's just not as tight as it use to be.
The only way to know for sure is to open it or look at tags.
Mine spins in opposite directions now and it didn't when I bought it. LS still works too, I can't do a one wheel burnout and both will spin when stuck in snow, it's just not as tight as it use to be.
The only way to know for sure is to open it or look at tags.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2007
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wish I had an open diff...my 90 bronco came with trac lok, and it's 100% useless offroading, and furthermore, the budget lockers aren't compatible with my trac lok carrier...
I've had worn to hell trac lok 8.8's before, and they always spun the same direction for both wheels
I've had worn to hell trac lok 8.8's before, and they always spun the same direction for both wheels
Senior User
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do some more digging...they're absolutely wortheless for any serious offroading
First Run my 1990 bronco wheels up.MP4 - YouTube
forgive my friend who can't seem to shoot a video properly...
trac lok is great for the street/strip...but the problem offroading is that once a wheel digs in, it digs in...leaving the other wheel to just spin....trac lok is just operated by clutches, and nothing ever locks...so when you get a wheel to plant in and grab, and the other one is on a loose surface, it'll overpower the trac lok clutches and spin like an open axle...
here is a great example above of my truck...was doing it all day long...trac lok worked great on flat dirt roads until I firmly dug the truck in, then it became useless and I had peg leg like crazy...left rear wheel just spun like crazy...
Here is an even better example...this is my friends F150 with an 8.8 trac lok rear also...you'll see the left rear wheel firmly tucked and planted on the dirt...while the right rear wheel overpowers the trac lok and just spins...
If we had real lockers, we would have just coasted right up that hill without a problem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRkwc...6&feature=plcp
First Run my 1990 bronco wheels up.MP4 - YouTube
forgive my friend who can't seem to shoot a video properly...
trac lok is great for the street/strip...but the problem offroading is that once a wheel digs in, it digs in...leaving the other wheel to just spin....trac lok is just operated by clutches, and nothing ever locks...so when you get a wheel to plant in and grab, and the other one is on a loose surface, it'll overpower the trac lok clutches and spin like an open axle...
here is a great example above of my truck...was doing it all day long...trac lok worked great on flat dirt roads until I firmly dug the truck in, then it became useless and I had peg leg like crazy...left rear wheel just spun like crazy...
Here is an even better example...this is my friends F150 with an 8.8 trac lok rear also...you'll see the left rear wheel firmly tucked and planted on the dirt...while the right rear wheel overpowers the trac lok and just spins...
If we had real lockers, we would have just coasted right up that hill without a problem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRkwc...6&feature=plcp
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it looks like his tire is binding on the body? and this is some of the most extreme traction cases you can find offroad.. our LSDs are meant for a bit more control in gravel, ice, rain, mud and snow.
LSD aren't lockers, anyone who offroads knows this, but get someone with an open rear to follow you through some mud and see how they do compared to you.
When you have one wheel planted on a boulder with street tires of course the other one is going to spin, for just about all limited slips, they were sorta designed to do that.
Not as good as a locker for most offroad? I agree, but to call them worthless? I don't think you have ever offroaded with an open rear.
edit:
oh, one little trick i learned, when you put your foot on the brake a little you'll get more torque to the other wheel with your LSD, try it sometime, it really works.
LSD aren't lockers, anyone who offroads knows this, but get someone with an open rear to follow you through some mud and see how they do compared to you.
When you have one wheel planted on a boulder with street tires of course the other one is going to spin, for just about all limited slips, they were sorta designed to do that.
Not as good as a locker for most offroad? I agree, but to call them worthless? I don't think you have ever offroaded with an open rear.
edit:
oh, one little trick i learned, when you put your foot on the brake a little you'll get more torque to the other wheel with your LSD, try it sometime, it really works.
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ok, I was being unfare...
this was the first time doing what I considered hardcore offroading, and what I got myself into was considered pro trail my first time out...lol. Careful following a trail, no turning back once you get going...lol. I spent half the day wheels up...My truck did extremely well, but boy do I have a list of upgrades now (especially pulling both swaybars next time out)
Guess my fusteration stems from my first experience, now I'm dying for front and rear lockers, but don't have the cash...I'll probably for now just rebuild the trac lok and pack the clutches tighter (friends in the mustang world have been doing this)
this was the first time doing what I considered hardcore offroading, and what I got myself into was considered pro trail my first time out...lol. Careful following a trail, no turning back once you get going...lol. I spent half the day wheels up...My truck did extremely well, but boy do I have a list of upgrades now (especially pulling both swaybars next time out)
Guess my fusteration stems from my first experience, now I'm dying for front and rear lockers, but don't have the cash...I'll probably for now just rebuild the trac lok and pack the clutches tighter (friends in the mustang world have been doing this)
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 21,091
Likes: 245
From: Fresno, CA.
Interesting. Never expected that from a LS. So instead of adding a Detroit True Trak to my rear diff, the only way to get both wheels working correctly is to install an ARB locker?
Jim
Jim