A friend of mine the other day commented about the possibility of installing some kind of rear axle locker on my 2wd 95 f150 XL. Is anyone familiar with this undertaking? If so, how much am I looking at, and how well does it perform? I know it's not a 4x4, but how well did it do in your experience? Also, how well does it work with a lift? Thanks!

 

Lockers are good for offroading, in an open differential (without limited slip or locker) the power goes the the wheel with the least traction causing it just to spin. A locker basically makes both wheels turn. It helps a LOT if you do any kind of off roading. For everyday street use, i wouldn't bother.

 

If you live someplace where it snows, it's worth it. I had one in the rear of my Jeep Wrangler, and it kept me going in the snow. Just be aware, if you are on ice, it will tend to go sideways until it unlocks. Get a part time locker. Powertrax Lock-right is a good unit. With a locker, if you're sitting with one tire on ice, or bogged in snow, both rear tires will turn. Likely the tire that's not in snow or on ice will have traction enough to get you out. This is from a Minnesota viewpoint.

 

If you wanted to go full locker you could go with an electric or air locker that when engaged is completely locked or when not engaged reverts to an open differential but personally unless your drag racing or rock climbing then you might want to look into an Eaton posi or Ford traction lok differential, I put a Trac lok in my truck when I had my 4.30's put in and can tell you the traction is way better, I've gone through some pretty crazy stuff and haven't got stuck yet. The problem with a full locker idea on the street is that both tires spin the same speed when you turn and it gets very squirlly and pretty crazy to drive.

 

I have limited slips in both ends of the Bronco and a locker in the rear axle of the F350. Both the limited slips and the locker do help ALOT off-road. Though I prefer lockers, any kind of traction differential is better than an open diff .

The benefit of the limited slip is it isn't even noticed on the street but does help in most types of general offroading, so if you only rarely go offroad, the limited slip may be best for you.. The locker in the truck does let me know it's there on the street but it isn't a big deal, just a little extra noise and tire chirping around corners if I get in the gas. Lockers are not the horrible monsters people make them out to be. You just have to learn to drive with a lighter foot around corners or on wet roads.

As for fourwheeling, the locker is far superior to the limited slips, but with limited slips in both axles, the Bronco does great offroad. The F350 is 4wd too, but since I put the locker in there, I haven't needed the front axle nearly as much. With the locker, I can go most places in 2wd if I pick my path carefully. It has good tires on it which helps alot and airing them down in sand and mud helps alot too.

The locker I put in the F350 is a Powertrax LockRight. It cost about 300 bucks for the part. Installation was free since I had it put in at the same time as my gearchange was done. The Powertrax lockers go in the stock open case, so they cost a little less than a full-case locker (Detroit Locker) and installation is a little less since the carrier is not being changed and the gears don't need to be re-set.

Other lockers are the Powertrax NoSlip, which works like the LockRight but is a little softer engaging, the TracTech EZ Locker, which also goes in the stock case and is very similar to a LockRight and the TracTech Detroit Locker, which is the strongest and also most expensive locker.

For limited slips, the most effective ones are the Dana/Precision Gear Powr-Lok, and TracTech TrueTrac. The Eaton Posi and Auburn are good ones too. The Ford/Dana Trac-Lok is probably the least effective of the limited slips but also the most common and least expensive. Trac-Loks are what come in the rear axle of new Ford trucks when the optional limited slip diff is ordered.

For more info on all the different kinds of traction differentials, check out the manufacturer's websites:

www.powertrax.com
www.tractech.com
www.eaton.com
www.auburngear.com
www.arb.com
www.precisiongear.com

For more axle, gearing and differential info, check out www.reiderracing.com and www.ring-pinion.com.

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I would go with an insertable locker, and deal with the handling problems. They are different, but once you are used to them, they aren't bad. In my opinion, limited slips are a waste of $$. I bought one, and it worked great for about a year, then it acted like an open differential. Open or locked is the way to go. If the truck is a longer wheelbase, the locker will be a little better handling, since the tendency to kick the back end around will be a little less. A friend of mine has a detroit in a bronco on 37s, and it will go lots of places before shifting to 4wd. I drove it thru a ditch where the front tire was off the ground, and it was in 2wd. Pretty amazing, but I would also give credit to the swampers. Still, I think he will be impressed with a 2wd and a locker.

Hey, Socal, how do you like the lockrite? How long has it been in the F350? Have you had any problems? I thought insertables weren't recommended for bigger trucks.

 

I like it Definately one of the best things I've done to the truck so far.

It's been in there about a year now. I've been hauling the slide-in camper and towing the trailer out to the desert as well as 4wheeling with it and so far no problems. The shop who put it in recommended no bigger than 33" tires if I remember the disclaimer on the reciept I got from them when they put in the locker and the new gears. I'm not sure if that was specifically because of the Lock Right or if they just automatically put that on all their reciepts, since alot of their business is from guys with trucks with big tires. I talked to the people at Richmond Gear, the parent company of Powertrax, about the LockRight before I decided on it and told them what kind of truck I intended to put it in and what I would be doing with it (towing and 4wheeling with 33" tires) and they said it would work fine. Only time will tell...

 

I think that since it's a 2wd, street driven truck, the stock Ford Limited Slip (called Traction Lok) would be a great choice. You can get them off ebay for cheap, and it'll get the job done. I do not like open diffed vehicles, they still are low on traction in the rain or typical driving conditions.

 

Speaking of Traction Loks off Ebay, how many splines are on the axles on a 1994 F150 5.0L 4x4 with an 8.8 rear?

 

31 I learned the hard way when I got a good deal on a 28 spline.

 

Ya, 31 spline. I got one for $50, and put a new clutch pack on it and for $100 I had a practically brand new LS. It's not the best limited slip out there, but it's got a simple design, it's cheap, and it works just like the others.

 

You said you're running a PowerTrax in your F350? How long have you been running it? I assume you're happy with its performace since you give it a lot of praise. I'm thinking of getting one for my '69 F100 2wd. If you've ridden/driven a vehicle with a Detriot does it handle very similarly?
Thanks,
John

 

zombie i have a posi unit with 4.10 gears and both axle shafts for 200 lemme know if your intrested my email is num1fordfanathotmail.com

 

Roadrocket, look up my post (#7) earlier in this topic. Yes, it handles like a Detroit and yes, I'm happy with it's performance . It should do just fine in your F100.

 

Roadrocket,

I had a 68 F100 with a 390, 3 speed over drive and a 4:10 gear. I needed better traction so I installed a Detroit locker (the real one). The truck would go almost anywhere a four wheel drive would go.

Be aware that a Detroit Locker is different and it is wise to remember that it is there. You'll notice a difference going around corners on wet pavement.

Someone further up said that a longer wheelbase truck might be more forgiving and I would have to agree.

I was sold on the benefits and would do it again. I might, however go with the Powertrax LockRight simply because it is cheaper, easier to install and probably almost as durable.