those with lockers up front- what in the back? Locker/Posi/Spool?

[purpony]

I am looking at maybe putting a locker up front in my D35. I was just wonderin what others with front lockers run in the rear - Another locker? Posi, or Spool? The truck I am building is going to be a pavement pounder most days but from time to time see some off road adventures. I am thinking just a plain old posi in the rear would work best for the on/off road and a locker up front for an little extra traction?

 

[crawlin91]

I got a detroit Truetrac limited slip for the 8.8 going in this weekend. Couldnt tell you much but everywhere Ive looked says they work really well. Let you know when I finally test mine. I will install a Aussie lockerup front later this year.

 

[86ford]

lockers and spools both require alot of finesse in poor road conditions. i just got home from driving my b2 with a mini spool in the rear and you have to be VERY gentle in the icy/snowy/ hail conditions we have had in the cleveland area today. it is plenty drivable but if you have been known to carelessly slip and slide around in a open diff truck without doing it intentionally you are in for a wake up call if you put a spool or locker in the rear. my b2 only sees the roads when my DD is down like today or the roads are so bad i cant take my car. a manual trans can make it even worse because a little to much gas when you let of the clutch in a turn will spin you in circles. as a rule of thumb i dont think people who DD there rigs should run a spool but i am yet to have a ratcheting locker in the rear of one of my vehicles so i cant speak form experience, but i do know if you bury the pedal in a turn it will lock up and spin you around in poor road conditions. its a buyer beware situation as far as i am concerned. as a side note spools take a significant amount of life expectancy off your tires.


86

 

[Capt Jay]

Spools/mini-spools not only take life off your tires it is also a lot harder on the axle. On dry pavement and a heavy foot you put large loads on the shafts and carrier. If you can get a posi. i'd go that route.

 

[Evan]

I run Lockrites front and rear.

In the past I had both axles welded and didn't have any problems in the winter. In fact, the welded rear behaved very well on slippery roads.

I don't know how the truck will handle with the lockers...we'll soon see.

 

[Destroyer000]

my b2 is fully locked front/rear an its only a "trail" truck.. sees the mud an mostly a tough truck... my dd has a l/s in the back an its a damn good improvement over the open diff

 

[Will]

I've had Lockrights on both axles for years, daily driver--many winters--both a Ranger and then my B2--my first child came home from Columbus Regional in the middle position of the Ranger's 60/40 in a snow storm. The rear one you forget about in a week. It's a non-issue. The front one takes a little getting used to.

You have to understand--the Lockright unlocks with no force at all. On my truck I can spin the back tires by hand and they unlock--you hear the tock-tock-tock-tock-tock. The rear end behaves itself just fine--it is very predictabe. The front is a little different because the relative speed between the tires changes so much. It does not herk and jerk though--it just gives an unsteady feeling through the steering wheel. For instance, when you steer a little to the right the left tire speeds up because the ground pulls it faster than the inside tire. You feel the wheel push a little to the left because for a moment, only the right tire is driving. So on snow you feel the wheel a little. But you quickly get the feel of what is going on. I don't loan my truck to certain people in the winter because I don't want them freaking and slamming on the brakes or jerking the wheel and killing themselves. But if you have the brains to operate something like a chainsaw without cutting you head off you will be able to figure out your winter lockers. I drive along just like it was a sunny day out on icy roads because I have the feel of it. And I also know that if I go in a ditch, I'm driving right back out again. I pulled a Jeep with 35s out that had 2 open axles. Both his higher tires were spinning. I wouldn't dream of not having real lockers on both axles because I hate to be stuck.

 

[86ford]

I don't loan my truck to certain people in the winter because I don't want them freaking and slamming on the brakes or jerking the wheel and killing themselves. But if you have the brains to operate something like a chainsaw without cutting you head off you will be able to figure out your winter lockers.

haha, i bet 95% of the people i know could not drive a vehicle with anything more than a Ls much less a 5 speed with a locker.....

86

 

[Hahnsb2]

I've always failed to see how a limited slip in the snow/ice is any safer than a locker, when conditions are slick I don't think there is enough traction between both tires to let them differentiate so it acts the same a locker/spool.

 

[Sunk]

I've always failed to see how a limited slip in the snow/ice is any safer than a locker, when conditions are slick I don't think there is enough traction between both tires to let them differentiate so it acts the same a locker/spool.

Definitely. Before I swapped the locked 8.8 in, I could almost effortlessly break the rear end loose with the worn out L/S I had. The only difference I have noticed with the locker is now I know exactly how it is going to behave. I don't have to wonder whether it is going to unlock mid-slide- and not in a smooth way.

 

[crbnunit]

I have an ARB up front and a PowerTrax out back. Soon to be an ARB in front and a Detroit out back when the axles get swapped.

 

[mjonesjr]

I run a Lock-Rite in the front and a factory limited slip in the rear. I haven't had that setup in snow, but so far for street driving it works fine.

 

[fordboi415]

if your truck sees mostly pavement i would run posi both front and back

 

[mjonesjr]

if your truck sees mostly pavement i would run posi both front and back

Why would you put one in a front axle that isn't locked in on the pavement? That would be a waste of time and money to put a limited slip in a Dana 35 TTB.

 

[fordboi415]

limited slip is the way to go when you arent offroading lockers are a waste of money if your pavement pounding and they eat tires for days if you dont stay out of that throttle