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Cna you put the rear LSD into the front?


RedRanger83

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Been researching, and I cant seem to find much on this concept but,

I should be getting an 06 fx4 level 2 here, and those came with a lsd rear diff. I want to add a locker, and was wondering if I could slap the lsd from the rear diff into the front diff, then just put a locker in the rear (seems a waste to ditch the lsd, but want a locker, and trying to save money buy not getting 2x lockers)

Is this even possible? Or is it going to cost more to swap parts than to just go lockers on front and rear at the same time
 


pjtoledo

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nope.
the front axle is totally different than the rear.
front is a DANA 35 SLA rear is a Ford 8.8
 

RedRanger83

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perfect. i appreciate a straightforward, technical answer like that lol.
 

00t444e

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I wouldn't put a locker in the front unless you want to break CVs.
 

gw33gp

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Many people run lockers in the front without problems. It is a matter of knowing how to do it without abusing the drivetrain.
 

JoshT

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If I were going to put one in front it would be selectable, like and air locker or e-locker. Locked when you need it, open when you don't.
 

19Walt93

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My credo
If you don't have time to do it right will you have time to do it over?
We sold very few F trucks and 96 and earlier Broncos with front traction lock, they were squirrelly to drive on snow and really didn't like corners. You could climb a tree in a straight line, though.
 

85_Ranger4x4

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Early D28 trucks could have front limited slip. The new Tremor Super Duty as a limited slip in the front also.

The older D35 trucks, you could put the rear carrier from certain Jeeps in to get front limited slip. No dice for 98-11 trucks though.
 

alwaysFlOoReD

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I made a limited slip by adding an extra side gear shim or two to both a d-28 and 9". The d-28 was in a b2. In the snow it was awesome in a straight line. As soon as you started sideways on a hill you would have to point the nose up and crab walk across the side of the hill. Made for some interesting driving in the mountains...
 

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Early D28 trucks could have front limited slip. The new Tremor Super Duty as a limited slip in the front also.

The older D35 trucks, you could put the rear carrier from certain Jeeps in to get front limited slip. No dice for 98-11 trucks though.
Even if you can (and you probably can) install a limited slip in the 98-11 trucks there's only one way I would consider doing it. That would be to have a '98-2000 Ranger that had the pulse vacuum hubs swapped out for manual lockers. No way I'd do it in one with the PVH still intact or live axles.

Atleast with the older trucks and the manual hubs on a '98-'00 you can physically lock out the front axle. The PVH would probably be ok too, I just don't trust them to work right. That's just my thoughts and opinion on the matter.

I don't know about the new Super Duties, but I know my '00 F-250 has manual hubs.Most Super Duties of that generation had auto lockers, some had manual like mine,all of them the front hubs could be disengaged. I don't know that they ever went to live axle like the Ranger and Explorer had.
 

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The OP didn't ask about putting a locker in the front, he asked if he could put a lsd in the front. The answer is yes, you can put a torsen limited slip in the front diff (if you can find one that fits) because there are versions of the F-150 that have torsen front differentials from the factory, as well as other brand X vehicles that do also.

New Super Duty trucks still have auto/manual locking front hubs.
 

gw33gp

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Actually, he asked if he could put the rear LSD in the front. That answer is "no". Yes, you can put a LSD in the front. Torsen makes one specifically for the Ranger, but is not always available.

I have run Torsen differentials front and rear for many years with no problem. When in 2WD, I pretty much do not even know it is there. In 4WD there are some quirky instances when I use it on wet pavement. I have not used it much in 4WD in snow but when I did, it worked very well. Off-road in 4WD, it is great and handles everything I have thrown at is with no problem.
 

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People have different thresholds for "this works for what I want to do" or "this is dangerous".

You can put a lunchbox in the front for whatever they cost now + fluid ($300?). Front autolockers in 2wd don't do anything but make ratcheting clicks. They do make it hard to turn in 4x4, but if there's enough snow on the ground for me to just be driving around in 4x4, I'm also driving really carefully. You learn how to handle it fairly quickly. I would assume the same applies to a front LSD, but it'll cost twice as much (if it's in stock at all) and require you reset the gears. If you don't do any technical wheeling; I wouldn't drop $1k+ on a selectable.

If you upgrade the rear, just sell/donate your trac-lok to another owner.
 

gw33gp

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I don't think there are any selectable lockers for the front of a 2006 Ranger. I did a very thorough search for one before I went with the front Torsen. The only thing I could find that might work was from Yukon. It would have required some modification to both their kit and the cross frame to get it to work. I was seriously considering doing it until the front Torsen came out. To me, it was not worth the risk and cost to try the Yukon selectable locker when the Torsen was an easier install.
 

00t444e

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If you upgrade the rear, just sell/donate your trac-lok to another owner.
Doesn't the FX4 Level 2 have a Torsen differential in the rear? If so I would keep it, way better than a track lock.
 

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