I am rebuilding my 77 Ford F-150, 4x2. I thought about modifying the rear-end to imprve traction. I hunt a lot and have not got stuck yet. However, this is due to always carrying a set of chains. As you can imagine it can get to be a headache after a while. I ran into something about a year ago for some kind of rear-end modification that was akin to a limited slip / Posi-trac but without some of the problems. As I am a neophyte to rear-ends, I am wondering what is out there to modify a rear-end so as to get better traction.
Thanks
GAB

 

In a 77 f150 it should be a Ford 9 inch rear end. There is gobs of modifications available for this VERY popular axle. The 9 inch is one of the best rear ends ever produced. You can get limited slip units, lockers, "posi", spools, different gears, and even upgraded stronger axles. Pick up any off-road or racing catalog and you'll find limitless amounts of parts for the 9 inch. GOOD LUCK......Ben


"Don't Laugh At This Truck Mister, Your Daughter Might Be In Here!!"
'78 F250 4x4/302/NP435/NP205
lifted/"35 mudders
'78 F100 2wd/360/C-6/"9 inch
4bbl int+carb

 

Suggestion for you, ever consider carring an extra set of tires with the chains mounted? Grab one of the 12v impact wrenches and a good floor jack with a small piece of plywood to support it, worked for me in the 2x when it would snow. Kept the good snow gummies on normally, got a set of used snow tires/rims and kept the chains on them. Normally take me just a little longer to get them on or off than it takes to fill the tank, once I got the routine down. There are a lot of traction adding diffs for the 9" as noted, a locker is the best for all-out traction, a spool is cheaper but not friendly on the street. In a limited slip, you can get clutched, coned or geared. These are the most street friendly but if one wheel gets off the ground or on glare ice they have trouble getting the power to the other wheel, some are better than others. Last option is an OX or ARB, these are locking on demand when you pull a cable or flip a swicth and put compressed air to it. These are also very expensive compared to the others.

 

Matter of fact, that is what I do. I have a spare set of tires with chains that I adjusted so they are nice and tight on the wheel. Just gets old after a while. Call me lazy but this gets old after a while.
You mentioned a "locker." What exactly is that and why does it offer superior traction over other methods?
GAB

 

OK, been there done that-I did think of where you are using them-in the mud, I only dealt with snow! Brush it off or get a little wet, don't know if I would want to wrestle with 'em being muck covered!

A locker, "Detroit" or Detroit Locker as they are known, do that to the axles when needed. One wheel starts to spin, the other will "lock" with the first inside the diff so they HAVE to turn at the same speed even if the first is off the ground. That's the plus, the minus is that when one wheel wants to turn faster than the other it wants to lock under power, not coasting. Can be fun in the rain powering down around a turn to merge on the 4-lane, but only if you are expecting it! On side hills, the none spinning tire anchors you sideways, you'll basically lose this with the locker. The on-demand type help with this, but when un-locked are no different than what you have now. Do take the advise above and check out some 4x rags, they usually have lots of ads and sometimes overviews of the different type of traction adding devices (might even check some of their web sites for this type of comparesion in the past). Hope this is enough for now!

 

I took your advice and have been looking around all afternoon adn evening. Lits of stuff out there. I am really attracted to the Detroit EZ Locker. Yet the stories on steering make me nervous. Any experience driving with an EZ Locker?

 

Sorry, should have mentioned the "loc-right", the original type easy locker. These are units that replace the spider gears in the diff, much cheaper but are only as strong as the carrier. I do the off-road thing, 35" tires so I don't think of these (case would become the weak link for me). However, I think your on to something for yourself with these. I drove a F-350 with the old style detroit locker in it and was fine, but this was a heavy work truck. Never did get used to the popping and banging when it would lock and unlock. As long as you understand the handling differences and compensate for them there really is nothing better for traction. It's amazing how much better you can go thru the tough stuff. On my 150, I run the Tru-Tracs front and rear and rarely notice them except when pullin' out hard, wet roads it likes to broadslide (460 with goodies under the hood). Off-road they have never let me down and even in two wheel I get a lot farther along than with the open as they can split the torque up to around 90-10 (feathering the brake helps the transfer of torque). Back to the subject, the easy locker are really that, a few hours to install, no special lube and they work as advertised. For the 9" you will have to pull the axles and the "chunk", "pig" or 3rd member as they are called, should be straight forward from there. No messing with the ring and pinion settings. I asisted with the install in a ch*vy 10 bolt and it was extremely easy to do, I think it took us less than an hour. However, all we had to do is pull the rear cover to access the spiders, pull the axles to clear the spiders, somehow we got the cross pin out without removing the ring gear (I think it depends on ratio which determines the thickness of the ring), but even if we would have had to, the ring gear bolts right back on when your finished and again (if you have to remove it, make sure to mark in two different spots not directly across from each other so it goes on in the exact same place it came off of), no messin' with the settings. The instruction were quite literally a book, well written and very easy to follow along as well as useful pics to show or verify what you just read. I don't think you will be in any way disappointed with one of these! Keep them chains handy for the first couple of outings until you find the limits, just in case. You may hear a soft clicking sound when cornering and this is normal for these. If I think of anything I forgot to mention, I'll post it for you.