I just graduated high school and for my graduation present my parents helped me purchase an 1983 f150 4x4. I want to install a locker of some sort. I thought about installing air lockers. If i install air lockers in both the front and rear would this make my truck a true 4 wheel drive when the air lockers are engaged? if not what could i do to make all four tires dig when the 4 wheel drive in engaged. we purchased this truck mainly for four wheeling, but a fair amount of street driving will be done. any information to help me on this subject would greatly be appreciated.
LR

 

Air lockers are good but pricey. First check prices and see if you can afford them and have them installed. (Differentials are not a place to start an auto mechanics hobby) If not financially able, I would suggest limited slip diffs front and rear. If the truck is only going to see off-road duty, go for a spool or Detroit Locker in the rear and a Detroit Soft Locker in the front.

Nathan

 

nathan,

thanx for the help, i still have one question....will the air lockers in both the front and rear make all 4 tires dig at the same time? they are pricey, i checked a couple days ago but if they will make my truck a true 4 wheel drive then it'll just take me alittle extra time to get them.
lr

 

To answer your question, yes, the ARB will make all four wheels "dig". However, with the ARB there is NO slip when engaged (you most likely will break something if engaged on the street and try to turn to often). I agree with the above post, the lockers would be better for a truck that will be used even a little bit on the street. With the ARB the axles are either locked (like a spool) or they are open (like most stock-one wheel spin-the one with least traction) which if your comfortable with that set-up then I say go for it! But the ARB is not what I would call street friendly, might consider a Detriot locker for the rear and an ARB for the front. This way you will always have full power to both rear axles (when needed) and still be able to turn. In the front this can be disengaged for turning in tight situations (and on the street in snow/slop/wet slush) and locked for the tough going places. I looked at these real hard before deciding on Tru-Tracs for the front and rear-if they would only incorperate a limited slip in the ARB for when it is unlocked, that's what I'd have. Got a '79 with a Dana 44 front and 9" rear, don't get stuck except for driver brain fade! But, that's what they make Hi-Lift jacks and winches for!! Hope this helps you understand the workings of these a little bit, good luck with which ever way you decide to go. Unless you've set-up rears before I would also recommend having them installed. If you want to run larger tires, consider a gear swap at the same time-much cheaper in the long run. Good luck with your project and happy wheelin'!

 

thanx for information you have given me. i think i'll go with a locker in rear and arb in the front.
lr

 

One thing to watch for with limited slip front axles, and I found out the hard way. On icy roads the front end may act just like the back end of a car doing burn-outs. She may head South when you want to go East!
Bert

 

If you just want the cheap, easy and effective route, lincoln lock the front end(thats what it's called when you weld the spider gear up solid, it locks the 2 axles together no matter what), and get a decent locker in the back, or a good tight Auburn limited slip.

The lincoln locked front end only comes into play when you lock the hubs in, and if you have manual hubs and your on ice, just lock one hub.

 

Is money a consern? If not then put an ARB in the front and the back. that way it acts like a stock truck when they are unlocked and when they are locked all four tires will "dig". If price is a concern and you still want all 4 tires to dig then put a detroit gearless locker in the front & rear. it unlocks when steering (all detroits do that). it will still be steetable just might chrip when ever you make very sharp corners.

BigRebel (aka.Mike)
1979 F-100 w/302 & C-4
Icq#1753451
http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Canyon/2016

 

OK, here's my suggestion. Get a Detroit SoftLocker for the back. In a big FORD, the bad behavior associated with Short Wheelbase Jeeps and Lockers will not be as pronounced, and with the new softlockers it is even less pronouced. For the front, get a Detroit TrueTrac. This is a Torsen Differential (uses meshing gears to divide torque between axles,) and allows true 4-wheel drive, while not being a nuisance on slippery roads (muddy as well as icy) If you pull a tire off the ground with a Torsen equiped vehicle (like my former Audi,) it will spin, but you just gently apply the brakes (like in a Hummer) and torque is transferred to the other tire. If all four wheels are on the ground, all four will spin with the set up I have described, and you will still be able to drive on the street fairly well.

While you have those diffs apart, get the gear ratios you need for what size tires you want.

Air Lockers, while great in theory, rely on small mechanical parts, which can be broken, to engage the locking mechanism. Furthermore, the air compressor has to work for the lockers to work(electrical problems could cause loss of locker at worst possible time) and relies on the integrity of fragile air lines under your chassis to activate the lockers. This is two other systems to break and they all have to work for the locker to work. They are twice as expensive (for total installation and compressor) as my described setup. As a final disadvantage, a hole has to be drilled through the main bearing cap in the diff, weakening it.

fordmando
78 F-150 4x4 400 4 on floor
86 Nissan 300ZX
George