[updated:LAST EDITED ON 12-Oct-02 AT 10:20 PM (EST)]I'm going to be moving to Pennsylvania( a little south of Pittsburgh) in about 6 months for college, so i'm sure i'll be getting some snow up there.

 

How would a detroit locker help up front? I think in the back were there is not as much waight it will still spin. What about right under the engine? Would it affect steering when in two wheel drive?
Thank you,
1988 F-150 4X4 300 I-6

 

Would a ARB in the rear and a beefed up LS in the front hurt my steering drivability when the truck is on normal pavement(when the ARB is open)? I don't think so because the front hubs won't be locked except when offroading so it wouldnt matter would it?

 

No matter what you have in the front it won't affect your daily driving, BUT you don't want an LS or locker in the front for driving on the snow because it's dangerous to drive. An ARB in the rear will not affect your daily driving. An ARB in the front is what you want, because you can drive with it normally open in the front and if you need extra traction by taking off or off roading, you can flip the switch and lock it. You don't want to drive on a snowy street with a locked front end. You seem pretty set on an ARB even though you know how expensive it is. Therefore, my recommendation is a ford limited slip in the rear and an ARB in the front. That's exactly what i'd do. However, I don't know how much extra it is for a locker in the rear too. Most of the cost of the ARB is installation and the compressor w/ hoses. The extra carrier for the rear might not be that much, so check out what the price difference is and go from there. An ARB in the rear won't affect your daily driving at all, and will give you just about as good of traction as you can get off road. The difference between an new LS and locker in the rear is not that that much, limited slips do actually do something because my old truck had a WORN out barely working LS and my new truck has an open, and my new truck can't go ANYWHERE off road in 2wd, and my old truck could (same trail). A limited slip isn't the best off road, but it's a lot better than an open. You do way to much street driving for a locker in the back unless it's an ARB. Check out what the difference is between having just a front ARB or having both. Also my question to the other guys is, does an ARB ratchet itself when you go around a corner like a normal locker or does it completely lock the axle like a spool? I would assume it ratchets. However, just so you know, an ARB is going to be always like an open diff when driving on the street, so even in rain you won't have as much traction. I have a lot more trouble taking off in the rain in my new truck with a weak low end torque 302. My I-6 w/ an LS did much better, even with the huge amount of low end torque which makes it harder to keep the tires from just spinning on the rain. An LS is on ALL the time, no matter what. My suggestion to you, is to really sit down and think about this. Remember the post I made about my mustang in the general conversation forum? I went through the phase of wanting a 6" lift and 35s...to a supercharger...to scratching that and wanting a mustang....and now I don't know what I want to do. Five to six thousand dollars is a LOT of money, you have to sit down and take some time to think about this. Don't always go for the quick decision/first instinct. I know you're not getting you're truck for awhile, so use that time to think about this, a lot. You're 18 and are going to ahve a lot more expenses in the next few years, that 5-6k would help out a lot. Make the wise choice, thats all i can suggest. Talk to ya later.

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Justin - One Happy FTE Member

 

I like the idea of the beefed up LS in the front and the ARB in the front. It's a lot better than just an LS in the rear. I think i'll be getting a lot of snow/ice so the LS in the front would be a bad idea.

So it's between a LS in the rear & arb in front, LS in rear only or ARB in front/rear. The thing is if I go with a arb in front and LS in rear it's really only about a 700 dollar difference, in the whole scheme of things that's really not that much. The big difference comes in when there is no ARB period and just that LS in the rear. I have time to research and think about it.

 

Ok...here it goes. Eaton Elockers are available right now for the rear axle. That would be my first choice. Don't bother wasting your money on a limited slip for the rear if you want to use your truck off road. It will be a waste of money. Anyone who does off roading knows that the second one tire leaves the ground a limited slip is useless. The only place they will be usefull is in situations in which you have solid weight on both sides, and then 4wd will probably be enough. I've got a LS right now as i'm waiting for christmas break to come to put in elockers and off roading, they suck. The elocker is expensive, but well worth it. As for the front, theres nothing wrong with having a limited slip in your front axle for snow, just know that its there and adapt your driving habits such, unlock 4wd before driving at highway speeds, if your going fast enough to not be able to use a limited slip, you shouldn't need 4wd, and if you do,,,your driving unsafe anyhow. Just because you have 4wd doesn't mean you can drive 65 in a snow storm. Now heres where it gets tough, the elocker won't be out for the dana 44 front axles till next year, fall 03 and elockers would be my first recomendation for both axles. I would keep with the same kind of locker either e locker or arb for both axles if i were you, ease of use and installation for both being the same. What i'm doing is installing an elocker in the rear now, and putting a LS in the front till the elocker is released, at which time i'll put that in the front as well. And anyone who tells you that a lift, gears, lockers, and tires may not be worth it must not have truly experienced the joy of four wheeling, because the 7500 dollars i've spent modifying my truck has been some of the most rewarding money i've ever spent. Try to learn how to do the installation of the gears and lockers yourself. I'd be more than willing to go over instalation techniques with you if you think this might be an option. That can easily save you a grand. Good luck and let me know if i can help you with anything else.

Ryan
Ryan50hrl(No Email Addresses In Posts!)

 

The limited slip in the front won't matter unless my hubs are locked and I am in 4x4 right?

How much are elockers for the rear?

 

My best advice would be a selectable locker in the rear and a LS up front. I'm leary about putting a front locker in anything short of a Dana 60. Front lockers put a tremendous amount of strain on the front axles (w/ hubs engaged) and often times will snap shafts. A locker in the rear isn't as much of a problem cause the steering yoke in the front axle is the weak point and the rear obviosly doesn't have this.
The ARB would be my last choice as far as the lockers. It's way too easy to break air hoses and seals don't last forever. I like the simplicity of the OX locker and I've heard their virtually indestructable. Haven't heard much on the E-Locker but it seems like a good unit and nothing is easier than running a wire to the rear and hooking up a switch.
Unless you're doing some SERIOUS hardcore wheeling F&R lockers aren't really nescesary.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 14-Oct-02 AT 09:17 AM (EST)]The Ox locker doesn't come for the ford 8.8 rear(only the 9"), atleast it isn't on the website. I emailed them about it so we'll see.

What are some good LS units? With the LS in the front, if I am driving in the snow I will be going very slow and if the only thing on the ground is ice I WON'T be driving.

 

The elockers are between 6-8 hundred dollars. They are about the same price as a arb, buy you don't need a compressor. They are very strong as they are what the military has been using in the hummers for the better part of two decades now. If its good enough for the military its good enough for my truck. The new hummer H2 also gets them now.

Ryan

 

As for LS units, eaton, dana spicer, and auburn gear all make good units.

Ryan

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 14-Oct-02 AT 05:45 PM (EST)]What are some good places to buy from? I just called a place for the E locker for the rear and they say it won't be out for atleast a couple more months.

 

What is a trak-loc? Is it a LS? How hard is it to install? And does anybody know haw many splines my front axle has?
Thanks in advance,
Lars
1988 F-150 4X4 300 I-6, Dana 44 TTB, 8.8 LS. 3.55's

 

Trak Lok is a Limited Slip device, you're ford 8.8 rear has 31 splines and the dana 44 front has 30 I believe.

 

trac loks are great i love mine works good mud bogs dirt hills sand what ever i like it.