I am only 20 yrs old and the past 4 years I have done almost any thing to a truck you can think of, my friends and I have a small offroad club, only 5 members all ford 4 broncs, 6 trucks,and 1 van between us. one 78 bronco has a cleveland just finished it last night that thing runs. Any way we hav installed more linc loc's than most people think about. We have never had a problem, besides tire wear and a cop or two trying to give us tickets for spinning tires. I say weld away. for a budget offroader nothin beats a true locker.

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 27-Feb-01 AT 09:24 AM (EST)[/font][p]Hey alpo23,
Thanks for being willing to pass along the info! Didn't mention, but I have been running the tru-tracs front and rear with 35" tires for the last 150,000 miles or so, no problems or slop except maybe a little more backlash on the r&p, when I do need to do the r&p again(this summer), that's what I want to upgrade to in just the rear for now. They do need a little help when one tire gets off the ground, but using the brakes just a tap or two has always engaged both for me, it also helps to have a lot of control with the right foot, seems if you overpower them they don't like to bias until you get it under control again unless they have already "locked", this is mostly when on sheet/black ice with all 4 wheels(read basically zero traction!). Have run synth lube in them since day one and have never found anything in the lube, other than a little water, my fault, the creek was a little deeper than I thought! My tires went under completely and some backwash in the bed got up to the lowest breathers! I didn't run with it in there, always carry enough lube to do the t-case and at least one diff for just such situations.

 

Chuck P. and all, I talked to Tractech today. The tech people said the 'Electrolock' (the locking True-Trac) will be out in Sept/Oct. for the Dana 60. The first out will be the Dana 44 and then the Dana 30 later in the summer. Cost for the Dana 60 unit is slated to be around $600 retail. Price is not set in stone yet though. The Tech guy I talked to said they are pushing to have it rated for 35" tires but again it's still too early to say for sure.
Chuck, what axles are you using with the True-tracs you have now?
They said the true-trac was never built for a Dana 60 until now with the electric lock. I was under the impresion that's what you had. Just curious. I'm still leaning for the Detroit softlocker as the True-trac is too far out in time for me to wait.
Thanks
Eric

Proud owner of a '73 F-250 4x4 High Boy, 460 V8, NP435, NP205
And a '68 Bronco 289 v8 , NP435 , Dana 20

 

Sorry Eric, guess I should have mentioned that I have the I only have a F150! Sorry 'bout that, but you did teach me something new today, always thought that the tru-trac was avaliable for the 60 rears-Doh!! Got the standard 9" 31 spline out back and the hi-pinion 44 up front. Thanks again for passin' the info! Guess I'll have to wait a little longer if I want to upgrade myself. Was hoping for a june/july release. Good luck with whatever you decide to go with! I'm sure you won't be disappointed with the locker when the going get tough!

 

i thought the trutrac was available for 60s as well. someone was suggesting it to me when i did my truck in 1992. i didnt like it so went with the arduous task of searching the universe for a powerlok as i was told it was the most rugged lsd. i really like it in the front. i have suckered people into some good stucks by idling through real soft spots that others are to timid to try first and then park to watch the area and have 4 trucks buried deep within an hour. in wet sand if any tire breaks traction even for a split second it is all over. i was third truck through a couple feet of water, first truck was on 44s he had no troubles second truck was around a 1995 f350 with trac locks on 38" mudders as he attempted to climb up the bank the front traclock allowed the pass side tire loose. his solution was to open the 460 up until the headlight was 6" under the water on that side. rather a dramatic stuck. after he was removed i drove right through his holes no problem, and then backed through them again no problem. at a tough truck day they had a toyota 4x4 as a bash it for $5 toy. when i was trying to get my front axle up on the hood the powerlok did release a few times when the toy frame hooked my steering stabilizer but did eventually crawl up. i chickened out on trying to balance my fullsize on the little toy though and quit with front tires against where the windshield was.

 

Well, I made the decision and went ahead and puchased the Detroit Softlocker. I'm also upgrading to 30 spline axles. In couple of weeks it will be back on the road again (T-case getting rebuilt too) and I'll let you all know how I like it (or not ). Thanks for all the feed back.
Eric

Proud owner of a '73 F-250 4x4 High Boy, 460 V8, NP435, NP205
And a '68 Bronco 289 v8 , NP435 , Dana 20

 

Well I got my truck back from the shop today. I am very pleased with the Detroit locker so far. Granted it's only been on pavement so far this afternoon but it behaves very nicely in my F-250. No clunking and I only chirped the tires once going around a corner. No sudden lane changes due to the locker, I wasn't expecting any as it is a fullsize longbed and they don't change lanes easily even when I want to. I'll let you all know after I go off-road the first time how it does.
Eric


Proud owner of a '73 F-250 4x4 High Boy, 460 V8, NP435, NP205
And a '68 Bronco 289 v8 , NP435 , Dana 20

 

Hey alpo,hope you like your new locker! I have a 1972 ford f-250. I tried trac-lok,power-lok, welded gears, and detroit in dana 60. I kept breaking the 16 spline axles also. I replaced whole rear end with GM 14 bolt(1978 2WD 1 ton). Spring pads lined right up.Let me know how 30 spline axles work. I almost wish I would have gone with dana 70 because all I hear from the bowtie guys is Chevy parts to make the FORD TOUGH!