Which one do you prefer and which one is better for winter driving. I'M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT WON'T GET ME KILLED IN THE WINTER.
LIMITED SLIP OR LOCKER
- Thread starter flying frenchman
- Start date
I had a Detroit Locker a Few years back, I hated it. It did it's job for locking but when you would turn normal it ratcheted really bad making all kinds of noise. I ended up going to a full spool and loved it but I know most wont go to that extreme but I would go to a posi or do a lot of research before buying another locker. A air locker is probably the best option IMO. That truck was a 2wd and I drove it in the winter and never thought it was any worse with the Spool than the open diff it started with, Just have to drive it like your on Ice like anything.
The problem with running a locker(air, detroit, or even a spool)is when the roads are really slick you run the chance of the locker staying locked entering a slick corner, which could cause the truck to "push" to the outside of the corner...the problem with a limited slip diff is from the day they are installed they wear out and offer less and less true both wheel drive...I personally would install a truetrac gear differential..there is nothing to wear out like a posi, drive both tires like a locker, yet arnt "locked" like a locker or spool....they cost a few hundred more then a posi but will last the life of the rig....
http://www.eaton.com/EatonCom/Produ...ducts/Products/Differentials/DetroitTruetrac/
http://www.eaton.com/EatonCom/Produ...ducts/Products/Differentials/DetroitTruetrac/
For rock crawling and off road I like lockers better. A 2wd truck with a locker can almost do the same stuff as a 4wd without lockers. Lockers are horrible in snow though. Had ARB lockers on my toyota T100 and could never lock the rear in the snow cause it would just let loose with it's light rear end. Get a limited slip if your main goal is winter driving.
Thank for the info. Now what to get, True-trac from Eaton or Limited slip from Auburn gear which has cones not plates.
BTW the old detriot lockers clicked/ratched alot and loudly. The new versions do not.
My recomendation is to run the true trac. It is a gear deasign with no wear points. I run one in my street/strip car, best upgrade i have ever done over the standard cone/clutch setup. Very smooth.
I have a Auburn cone style Limited slip and love it in the winter and in tight spots( turning ). Its in a 1978 Bronco with a 429 Bigblock and holds up well.
I've got a few thousand miles on a Lock Right in a 2wd Ford E350 van. The Internet scared me a bit re: unpredictable behavior, random lock/unlock, all that.
I don't know if the other "automatic" lockers are different, but I'm REALLY happy with the Lock Right in the van. Yeah, if I spin the back wheels, it goes sideways (a LSD will do the same). Not sure there are negatives - I can't hear it, I can't feel it, it just has more traction.
It really shines on partially icy roads - put one wheel on the dirt/gravel/pavement, all the grip in the world (whereas with an open diff, one wheel on gravel = spinning other wheel).
I guess you have to be careful with it, but it has not done ONE bad thing for me so far, including a few hundred miles on variable, windblown, icy/snowpacked roads with the trailer.
CHEAP way to get a good chunk more traction.
I don't know if the other "automatic" lockers are different, but I'm REALLY happy with the Lock Right in the van. Yeah, if I spin the back wheels, it goes sideways (a LSD will do the same). Not sure there are negatives - I can't hear it, I can't feel it, it just has more traction.
It really shines on partially icy roads - put one wheel on the dirt/gravel/pavement, all the grip in the world (whereas with an open diff, one wheel on gravel = spinning other wheel).
I guess you have to be careful with it, but it has not done ONE bad thing for me so far, including a few hundred miles on variable, windblown, icy/snowpacked roads with the trailer.
CHEAP way to get a good chunk more traction.
Grizzly Locker
I put a fulltime locker in my Dodge 3500 and absolutely love it< It feels awesome on the ice and pulls perfectly in snow my sled trailer weighs 14,000 lbs, So when I'm on some slippery icy mtn road pulling, slipping into the ditch is not an option> My locker Is a Grizzly<
I put a fulltime locker in my Dodge 3500 and absolutely love it< It feels awesome on the ice and pulls perfectly in snow my sled trailer weighs 14,000 lbs, So when I'm on some slippery icy mtn road pulling, slipping into the ditch is not an option> My locker Is a Grizzly<
Your looking for driving on snowy roads? No locker, limited slip of other.
You looking to get out of deep snow in a parking lot? Selectable locker that you turn off after you aren't stuck anymore. (ARB)
Looking to do some of both, but not really be amazing at either (but biased far towards the driving side) Limited slip. I wouldn't really bother with a limited slip IMO, on snowy roads (like town in a snowstorm) regular 4x4 will work fine. And in the deep parking lot, the selectable will work so much better.
You want to NOT die on snow covered roads? Don't get anything like a Detroit, grizzly, or lock rite. They lock up when they 'sense' the wheels spinning at different rates under power.
So for example, foot off gas, in turn, the locker will ratchet (it takes resistance to make this happen, IE won't do this very well on ice) And will have a tendency to slip the wheels.
Add power, the locker locks, a locked rear end will slide almost no matter what on any slick surface.
You looking to get out of deep snow in a parking lot? Selectable locker that you turn off after you aren't stuck anymore. (ARB)
Looking to do some of both, but not really be amazing at either (but biased far towards the driving side) Limited slip. I wouldn't really bother with a limited slip IMO, on snowy roads (like town in a snowstorm) regular 4x4 will work fine. And in the deep parking lot, the selectable will work so much better.
You want to NOT die on snow covered roads? Don't get anything like a Detroit, grizzly, or lock rite. They lock up when they 'sense' the wheels spinning at different rates under power.
So for example, foot off gas, in turn, the locker will ratchet (it takes resistance to make this happen, IE won't do this very well on ice) And will have a tendency to slip the wheels.
Add power, the locker locks, a locked rear end will slide almost no matter what on any slick surface.
/i\
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Yeah, what he said |
When driving on mostly dry roads with scattered slippery spots I want one wheel to break free by surprise. I can deal with that.
But when they both break free, the back end no longer wants to follow the front end & you get some unwanted 75mph drifting practice.
Not fun when you are in the middle of a pass when this occurs.
I understand the trade off is diminished performance in deep snow etc.
For my needs I will accept that trade-off.
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Yeah, what he said |
When driving on mostly dry roads with scattered slippery spots I want one wheel to break free by surprise. I can deal with that.
But when they both break free, the back end no longer wants to follow the front end & you get some unwanted 75mph drifting practice.
Not fun when you are in the middle of a pass when this occurs.
I understand the trade off is diminished performance in deep snow etc.
For my needs I will accept that trade-off.
It depends. What is the application? On some trucks, I only use OEM parts due to the (IMO) high failure rate of aftermarket parts. As mentioned, some of the Auburn stuff is junk. But it depends on the application.
Regardless, stay with a limited slip differential. I install these things for a living and lockers are good for mud bogs and rock crawling....off-road 100%. They are not designed for trucks on icy/snowy roads towing trailers.
Second vote for the Eaton TrueTrac. It's all gear, no friction plates to chatter or wear out.
I have 20k miles on my Duramax, about 695 hp on 35's with the toy hauler. No noise, hardly put it in 4wd. One tire on ice, one on dry and you never slip.
Prices are dropping on them too. I can get the Ford 10.5 $450 and AAM (Chev/Dodge) for $650.
I have 20k miles on my Duramax, about 695 hp on 35's with the toy hauler. No noise, hardly put it in 4wd. One tire on ice, one on dry and you never slip.
Prices are dropping on them too. I can get the Ford 10.5 $450 and AAM (Chev/Dodge) for $650.
