Let's talk lockers

[powerlifter405]

I used to run Lock Rite (lunchbox) lockers in the front and rear of my Jeep Wrangler. Worked great, the slight clicking noise on turns never bother me. Sold the Jeep and regret it.

Now I have a 2007 F350 XLT SuperCab 4x4 DRW Auto 6.0L with manual locking hubs and manual shifted TC. Dana 60 front, Dana 80 rear and 3.73 gearing. Open diffs on both ends, and that is simply useless in reduced traction conditions. So, as soon as I can afford it, I'll put a TrueTrac in the rear and No-spin in the front. (Can't seem to find a No-spin for the rear.)

Have you googled or bing'd "Dana 80 Eaton NoSpin"?

I'm finding a plethora of vendors stocking them :shrug:

 

[powerlifter405]

Heck you might score one for free:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=796423

 

[duddy]

What I am failing to see is how the no spin locker accounts for turning. I know the lock up in the military trucks I work on, do not have a locker designed any where near this. This may also be hindering my understanding, how does the no spin accommodate for wheel over-speed in a corner. From what I can tell the inside tire will push the truck but where is the slip coming in. In a lock up set like the no spin, to accommodate for road use, there would be a ramp to un couple the teeth for turning.

 

[4x4given]

Have you googled or bing'd "Dana 80 Eaton NoSpin"?

I'm finding a plethora of vendors stocking them :shrug:

Yes, but they were for a 4.10, not 3.73 gears, which is what I have.

 

[TexasA&M]

What I am failing to see is how the no spin locker accounts for turning. I know the lock up in the military trucks I work on, do not have a locker designed any where near this. This may also be hindering my understanding, how does the no spin accommodate for wheel over-speed in a corner. From what I can tell the inside tire will push the truck but where is the slip coming in. In a lock up set like the no spin, to accommodate for road use, there would be a ramp to un couple the teeth for turning.

When turning, the outside wheel is essentially unlocked and is allowed to rotate faster than the diff. If you throttle it up enough, it'll engage and you'll have a 50/50 split between the wheels which will cause some extra tire wear on both side.

I've got a Detroit No spin in the rear end of my '86 Chevy and a TrueTrac in the front and have been very pleased with the performance. That said, I can definitely feel the locker in the rear while on the road, especially while making sharp turns. Sometimes it catches and keeps both tires tied together (seldom, but it happens), but usually it just creates a jump and a small chirp when the trans shifts during a turn. This could be because I've got a hopped up trans that shifts quite firm, but I'm not sure. My Chevy is a long bed single cab, so not quite as long as a crew cab Superduty, but it's close. Every once in a while, the rear end will bind up in reverse and jump and pop VERY loudly (to the point where I thought I blow it out the first time it happened). I've been told that this will happen from time to time, and I'm used to it now, but it still makes me cringe when it happens (twice a year).

In my Ford, I've got a TrueTrac in the rear and have been very happy with it. I no longer spin a single tire in the rain and have very much improved offroad performance. That said, I'm considering putting a locker in the front just to maximize everything and still have very nice road manners. I don't take this truck off road all that much, but Powerlifter, I really hate being stuck in a ditch in a big 4X4 truck. Not sure when I'll have extra $$ laying around for the front locker, but it's definitely on my list of things to do.

 

[ithumpwheniwalk]

Yes, but they were for a 4.10, not 3.73 gears, which is what I have.

http://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-8223953-ford-sterling-10-25-10-5-grizzly-locker-fits-all.html

Not too many people talking about these, but I've had no problems with mine.

 

[duddy]

When turning, the outside wheel is essentially unlocked and is allowed to rotate faster than the diff. If you throttle it up enough, it'll engage and you'll have a 50/50 split between the wheels which will cause some extra tire wear on both side.

I've got a Detroit No spin in the rear end of my '86 Chevy and a TrueTrac in the front and have been very pleased with the performance. That said, I can definitely feel the locker in the rear while on the road, especially while making sharp turns. Sometimes it catches and keeps both tires tied together (seldom, but it happens), but usually it just creates a jump and a small chirp when the trans shifts during a turn. This could be because I've got a hopped up trans that shifts quite firm, but I'm not sure. My Chevy is a long bed single cab, so not quite as long as a crew cab Superduty, but it's close. Every once in a while, the rear end will bind up in reverse and jump and pop VERY loudly (to the point where I thought I blow it out the first time it happened). I've been told that this will happen from time to time, and I'm used to it now, but it still makes me cringe when it happens (twice a year).

In my Ford, I've got a TrueTrac in the rear and have been very happy with it. I no longer spin a single tire in the rain and have very much improved offroad performance. That said, I'm considering putting a locker in the front just to maximize everything and still have very nice road manners. I don't take this truck off road all that much, but Powerlifter, I really hate being stuck in a ditch in a big 4X4 truck. Not sure when I'll have extra $$ laying around for the front locker, but it's definitely on my list of things to do.

Thanks for the info, but I am still curious how it unlocks? Guess I will have to get my hands on one to find out. I need to do something with my rear end since the limited slip is worn out.

 

[dsberman94]

Thanks for the info, but I am still curious how it unlocks? Guess I will have to get my hands on one to find out. I need to do something with my rear end since the limited slip is worn out.

Internal weights and springs.

 

[duddy]

Internal weights and springs.

So similar concept of a governor in a mechanical fuel pump?

 

[4x4given]

http://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-8223953-ford-sterling-10-25-10-5-grizzly-locker-fits-all.html

Not too many people talking about these, but I've had no problems with mine.

Those are for Sterling rear ends. I can't find one for the Dana 80 with 3.73 gears (My truck is a DRW).

Only locker I've seen for the Dana 80 with 3.73 gearing (2007) is either a Lockright (lunchbox), an ARB Air Locker (expensive) or a Detroit TrueTrack.

Being a dually, I'll pass on putting a lunchbox locker in my factory open carrier. I can envision it breaking under the right (or wrong, depending on your viewpoint) circumstance. The ARB is out of budget and will increase overall system complexity. The TrueTrack, in my experience will work pretty darn well in a DRW application. Especially if you order it will the more aggressive calibration (I understand this can be done).

Now, as for the front Dana 60? I'll put a regular Detroit Locker (No-Spin) in it. Those are available for the 3.73 gearing. Since I have manual locking front hubs, it will be quite happy just sitting in there until I need it.

 

[ithumpwheniwalk]

Dana 80 with 3.73 gearing

Sorry bud, missed the Dana 80 part

 

[dsberman94]

So similar concept of a governor in a mechanical fuel pump?

Umm I guess. I kinda figured this out by looking at the pictures in that link.

 

[duddy]

Umm I guess. I kinda figured this out by looking at the pictures in that link.

I like knowing how things work intrically. The no spin makes much more sense to me after finding the video bellow.
The no spin is a full time lock diff with overspeed ramps that allow the wheels to disengage to turn.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ1yMBR7w4Q
Did a search, the clutch has the ramp system farther in that the outside cogs, no weights to be thought off. The video shows it well.

 

[dsberman94]

i was just going to try to find a video like i did with the truetrac a while back. i was busy before and couldn't. that ramp disengage system is a neat idea though.

 

[duddy]

There had to be a way to unlock it. I just wanted to know how.

I was reading more into the trutrac though. The only way, that I am reading, the tire off the ground scenario would come into play, would be if said tire was off the ground and you stop, and then while attempting to get moving again if would act like an open diff unless brakes are applied. I am unsure as to how they will operate on ice. which the tires can be simulated as to both being off of the ground, do to the near zero traction.
http://www.eaton.com/ecm/groups/public/@pub/@eaton/@per/documents/content/ct_128482.pdf

 

[dsberman94]

a guy made a video where he had an icy driveway and one tire was on gravel and the other was on ice.

 

[duddy]

I have not found any videos on that yet. Maybe one of the engineers at work can get me a contact at eaton to talk to. Will have to see tomorrow.

 

[lincolnlocker]

I did some searching on you tube but couldn't find a good video of someone demonstrating how the truetrac works... but I did find a very odd video thrown in amongst them...

See the youtube thread...

Im taking 2 weeks off for the holidays so maybe ill try and video my dually.

live life full throttle

 

[TexasA&M]

I am unsure as to how they will operate on ice. which the tires can be simulated as to both being off of the ground, do to the near zero traction.

In this case, no kind of locker is going to help (if the tires are both off the ground). On ice, I believe that the TrueTrac performs slightly better because both wheels aren't physically locked together. With the full detroit locker, you could get both wheels locked together during a turn on ice if one of the wheels loses traction; this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if a wheel loses and gains traction quickly, it could cause problems with the other wheel (forcing it to spin when it doesn't need/want to).

That said, I've been driving both my Ford (True Trac in rear) and Chevy (No Spin in rear) this week in DFW (3" of ice on my street) and haven't had a problem with either one.

 

[powerlifter405]

Yes, but they were for a 4.10, not 3.73 gears, which is what I have.

Ahh so there we go! Now I feel like a d$ck when I was trying to be an a$$ :naughty:

Email Eaton as there might be an app that just isn't listed yet. They got back to me in just over a day.

Good luck.