rear end diff fix...?
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2008
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rear end diff fix...?
My 98 4x4 has got over 239,000 orignal miles on her. So, with that in mind, the rear end is on its way out. seriously thinking about rebuilding the rear end. pinion, ring gear, spiders etc...etc...(which I am qualified to do.) However....I heard a story bout a guy named bill who prolonged the life of his diff box by installing a "LOCKER". For those of you who don't know,..A locker is an aftermarket insert that takes a factory limited slip and transforms it into a posi-trac. Has any one done this? I'm not reffering to welding the spiders. I mean a real deal locker. I say a version of one on GEARZtv.com on the SPEED channel recently. Talk to me fella's any opinions on this method?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,175
Likes: 9
From: So. Cal.
Installing a locker will not extend the life of any gears or bearings. If they're worn out, then they're worn out. Worn bearings will cause wear to occur in the gears due to alignment/clearance issues and a locker won't cure this. Conversely, worn gears will cause wear in the bearings. Also, be aware that lockers are designed for off-road/severe duty use and not generally recommended for the street. Sorry to dash your hopes.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,726
Likes: 10
From: down south
actually a true locker will over time cause additional tire wear since both sides will turn at the same speed all the time. In turns one has to "skip" to keep up, this in turn can cause major handling problems in adverse driving conditions. Limited slip rear ends make up for this by allowing...well....limited slipping under certain conditions.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,979
Likes: 2
From: central ohio
and it will add stress to the axleshafts, your best bet is to get a lower milage salvage yard axle assembly with the same gear ratio and swap it out if the rear end needs a rebuild. sure you could do it yourself, but proper setup is needed to make things last and that takes some expensive specialty tools. you'll be money and time ahead to just swap out the assembly. expecially if you have no experiance in differential setup.
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bummer. Its not the tools and the know how that is the detour, but the time involved to disassemble and install one part at a time . line up the pinion shaft depth, crush washer, seals and ring gear back lash and run out. axel seals while i'm in there. I got micrometers and and a lift and so forth and so on. But when? certainly not mon - fri. Sat is for paying bills and %#@& the MRS. 
Sun....sleep/laundry and more of the MRS. That is ..as long as I brought home a paycheck otherwise its a fight....any way I'm just being sarcastic. I do wish I had the time to sit down with the truck and update/service the diff box to the precision it needs. I have done it a few times while learning at school on vehicles that didn't matter if they got messed up. And once on a customers jeep at work. Maybe a junk yard assembly swap out is the way to go. Ahhh but then you never really know what is going on with it. I dunno. thanks for the insight anyhow. I WILL HAVE to do something soon if I want to keep 'er on the road.
Sun....sleep/laundry and more of the MRS. That is ..as long as I brought home a paycheck otherwise its a fight....any way I'm just being sarcastic. I do wish I had the time to sit down with the truck and update/service the diff box to the precision it needs. I have done it a few times while learning at school on vehicles that didn't matter if they got messed up. And once on a customers jeep at work. Maybe a junk yard assembly swap out is the way to go. Ahhh but then you never really know what is going on with it. I dunno. thanks for the insight anyhow. I WILL HAVE to do something soon if I want to keep 'er on the road.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,533
Likes: 1
From: Dexter, MI
Why don't you follow up on racsan's suggestion of getting another axle at a salvage yard and then take your time on rebuilding your old axle. It sounds as though you have the know-how to do the job, just don't have the time. This way you can get your truck back on the road and, once the old axle is rebuilt, you can swap it back in or keep it as a spare.
Someone may even be interested in buying it from you.
Someone may even be interested in buying it from you.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,795
Likes: 1
From: Rogue River, OR
I installed a Detroit Locker in my 1997 Ford PSD a couple of years ago. Contrary to what was said above when I turn a corner one wheel does disengage and I don't chirp around corners. The only time that I get a "Chirp" out of it is if I was to just start out and make a turning movement then I would get a chirp until the one wheel would unlock.
It's true that both wheels are pulling all of the time and the only "Weird" thing that I have ever noticed is that on acceleration you get the feeling that the rear end is responding to Torque. I have been told by differential folks that only is noticeable in the short bed versions. I have a short bed.
I realize that my PSD is not a Ranger but a Detroit locker is a locker. If I had it to do over again I would install the Electric Locker, but........Oh well!
Rog
It's true that both wheels are pulling all of the time and the only "Weird" thing that I have ever noticed is that on acceleration you get the feeling that the rear end is responding to Torque. I have been told by differential folks that only is noticeable in the short bed versions. I have a short bed.
I realize that my PSD is not a Ranger but a Detroit locker is a locker. If I had it to do over again I would install the Electric Locker, but........Oh well!
Rog
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: So. Cal.
Kawa, how does the locker behave in rain or snow? I would expect it to make the vehicle a bit squirrelly.
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Thread Starter
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Senior User
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Why don't you follow up on racsan's suggestion of getting another axle at a salvage yard and then take your time on rebuilding your old axle. It sounds as though you have the know-how to do the job, just don't have the time. This way you can get your truck back on the road and, once the old axle is rebuilt, you can swap it back in or keep it as a spare.
Someone may even be interested in buying it from you.
Someone may even be interested in buying it from you.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,795
Likes: 1
From: Rogue River, OR
The one reason that I got a locker was with the stock (non-posi-traction) if I was to pull off onto the shoulder and the right wheel lost traction there I would sit. Also with the 2 wheel drive I had a slight grassy slope at my place that I had to drive up to get to my 5er. If the grass was wet all I did was dig a single rut with one rear tire or the other.
I installed the locker so when I tried to traverse the wet grassy slope I found that now I dug matching ruts. Didn't help an iota. 4X2 wheel drives have there limitations.
Rog
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 198
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actually a true locker will over time cause additional tire wear since both sides will turn at the same speed all the time. In turns one has to "skip" to keep up, this in turn can cause major handling problems in adverse driving conditions. Limited slip rear ends make up for this by allowing...well....limited slipping under certain conditions.
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