Pros and Cons?

I've always had limited slip rear axles in my trucks for that true "3 wheel drive" (driver's front wheel and both rear wheels). Love it on snow covered roads. Limited slip holds the truck to the road at ALL speeds, not just up to 30 mph like with the ELocker. I like the idea of the ELocker, but it concerns me as I don't really need a true locker and although limited slip has limitations/drawbacks in what it can do, I haven't expirienced those limitations/drawbacks.

 

Pretty sure the e-locker is a limited slip when unlocked. Or at least on my 2011 powerstroke, it would always leave two black marks on the pavement regardless if the e-locker was engaged or not.

 

An open diff can lay down two stripes if traction is equal.

Don't think there's an LSD and locker under the same cover.

 

There's not both. All the trucks have "electronic traction control" which can act like a limited slip or locker to an extent.

First of all, I don't believe you can choose between limited slip or locker. You must buy a dually to get the limited slip, and only the single rear wheel trucks can have the locker. Either can be ordered with standard, open axles.

The limited slip is not going to be holding "both wheels to the road" beyond 30 mph. In fact, it only works at extremely slow speeds...like less than 5mph, just to try and get you going. Watch the GM "Ice Ramp" videos where they show how 'superior' their G80 locker is to the Ford and Dodge products. The Ford dually, with limited slip, makes a half-hearted attempt to climb the ramp at first, and as the driver increases wheel speed, the other wheel simply stops even trying to turn. The limited slip can only transmit a small portion of the available torque to the non-slipping side, and because the bias is so small, higher speeds quickly overcome it.

You wouldn't want your wheels locked together beyond 30 (actually, it kicks out at 26 or 27mph) since it could lead to a spin out.

The last disadvantage of the limited slip is that it wears out fairly quickly. The clutch material goes away at each engagement. Some people who baby their trucks can make them last longer, but the fact is they will probably be useless by 50k miles. They *can* be rebuilt, but its usually not worth the effort. The locker lasts forever, and it apportions full torque to each rear wheel.

 

A limited slip does very little, slightly better than an open diff.
Had a limited slip in my 05 F350, had it replaced with a Detroit Locker, also had a Dana Power Lock installed in the front. What a difference it made in plowing snow. I'll be ordering a '17 with the elock rear, will probably change the front diff also.

 

Personally, I've only found the locker to be of any real value plowing if there is weight in the bed, like a sander or other significant weight. With an empty bed, big deal...both rear wheels spin providing no traction, instead of just one!

 

For me it made a difference, went through the first winter with my 05 with the limited slip and hated it. Put the Detroit in and loved it, especially on the hills.

 

If you're going to use the truck as your user name implies, you will like the locker for plowing. I don't plow commercially but do do my own very long driveway/lot as well as those of family in the area and the locker can be a big help when it gets deep. I don't agree about needing weight in the bed to make it useful. I never have anything in my bed in the winter and it's still a big help...

As far as the speed limiter, it can be disabled with an inexpensive aftermarket kit. Just don't forget to shut it off when you hit dry roads or it'll be toast...

 

Been years since I plowed commercially but I remember the first diesel I used and the weight gain on the front wheels made the rear wheels almost a mute point, but only to a point. A couple of driveways had serious drifting issues and adding 500 pounds to the rear made a huge difference in the trucks ability to handle the added depth and compaction of the drifts. It also helped when stacking snow in parking lots and I know the weight is the only reason I could back out of a couple of situations where the snow poured over the top of the blade and became a sea anchor. The elocker would have been a welcome addition back in those days.

 

The biggest help it ever did for me was disabling the rear traction control, lol.

Probably the 9' Fisher I had on my 2012 F-250 was a bit nose heavy...but I tried locker on / locker off. It might have made some difference, but let me put it this way: Once, for fun, I left a 1-ton pallet of wood pellets in the bed while plowing. You could plow in 2WD if you wanted, with that weight.

I don't plow with a truck anymore - Kubota is more useful.

 

I know counter weight would help. Fisher actually tells you how much to use based on your truck and plow combo and my 8'6" xtreme V stainless is pretty heavy... I just can't be bothered...LOL. All I'm saying is without any, the locker helped.

 

I was doing a remodel job and was filling the bed with plaster and lath when an ice storm came in and I couldn't unload the solid mess for 6 weeks. Best plowing I ever did with that load on board. Truck was useless for anything else.
I don't use a truck either. Large New Holland skid steer with 8' blade is "loads" better. Plus have the bucket back on in 1 minute to actually move snow when needed. Turns around in place for bi-directional plowing.

 

Tractors are great if you only have to do your own place.

 

Yeah, I find a tractor or skid steer to be more maneuverable with the biggest advantage being able to lift snow.

The 9' plow was a really dumb idea and hard to maneuver around. Seemed smart at the time, got rid of it.

 

I have no trouble with my plow. Had the same one on my 09, 12, and will be on my 17. The V is a HUGE advantage for scooping and stacking. I have a paved 400'x14' driveway with a 100x100 lot at the end in front of my garage, shed, and RV pad. A tractor would actually take much longer to do my place but for smaller places that require maneuvering it would be more appropriate.