locked up or not

[PSDF350]

differentially speaking that is. was just wonder wheather you guy prefer to have a locker or open or limited slip differential. i am thinking about locking up but am undecided. one thing is i am also considering putting in 4.10s. but wouldn't be able to till next year. better to wait or dont bother. anyone know if the electrac will be availible soon for the ford 10.25.

[sonjaab]

PSD............
I don't think anybody (GM-Ford-Mopar-etc.) puts a true
posi. rear in the 1/2-3/4/1 tons any more.

Best your gonna get is a limited slip.
Every mfr.has their own name for theirs anyway....

Open rears stink ! I have had a few. One wheel peel ain't no fun at the boat ramp either !

Nothing like 3 wheels doing the pushin' ! :burnout

[JohnnyU]

I'd go with the Eaton E-locker, I have one of their limited slips, and I LOVE it! It's so much more positive than the factory G-80 unit.

http://www.traction.eaton.com/product.htm

[PSDF350]

thanks guys! sonjaab i was planning to buy aftermarket type locker. i know that oem is not true lock. i've had limited slips and there o.k but to be truelly locked up you need a real locker not limited slip.

snowybowtie i dont think they make one for my axle. one reason i want to go electrac (but they dont make one for my axle yet) is it is limited slip when off but flip switch and it a true locker. i worry about a true locker with all the tight movements plowing driveways. i hate open diffs:(

[szorno]

Just a word of caution on a full locker on a plow truck. They can be easier to spin out with, specially on a sweeping curve at high (40+mph) speeds. Lots of 4x4 shops and plow dealers around here recommend against full locker. I only use limited slip factory ones on my trucks so this is not first hand experience. I did watch a guy do about 270* for no apparent reason and he blamed the truck.:mad:
Oh well, just a caution....

[CT18fireman]

I have also seen a full locker cause a truck to move sideways on an uphill push. The front axlegripping but not overcoming the locked rear. Make sure you have good ballast in the rear.

Lockers are great for stacking though. You can really push the front of the truck into the pile and the locked rear will pull you out even if the front is off the pavement.

[wyldman]

Some good words of advice.

Driving with a true locker takes some skill in slippery conditions.Having a selectable locker gives you the best of both worlds.

[PSDF350]

well guys great advice and most i knew about. thing is i dont like the open rearend. the only selectable locker for my rear is the arb which is expensive by itself, then the install. oh by the way i had a locker in a 83 k10. but didn't plow with it. i just dont know what i should do:headwall

[Jerre Heyer]

If your thinking of upgrading the rear to an eaton unit you might as well look at doing the front too.

Experience here on a Ford Bronco 79 and Cheve K5 Blazer 72.

Locker rears on both ( actually limited slip with the springs bottomed out on the Ford and Detroit Locker on the Blazer )

Limited slip in the front of both. Were incredible for getting into ( read pushing it too far ) and out of problems.

The Eaton unit will give you limited slip front and rear and let you have a full locker forward and reverse when you need it.

As above Drive it differently. No trying to power slide it and complaining when you hit a ditch or blaming the truck for sliding sideways on a hill in the ice.

Tools on the truck do not mean the driver can leave the brain at home.


Jerre

[wyldman]

Originally posted by PSDF350
well guys great advice and most i knew about. thing is i dont like the open rearend. the only selectable locker for my rear is the arb which is expensive by itself, then the install. oh by the way i had a locker in a 83 k10. but didn't plow with it. i just dont know what i should do:headwall

Try a Lock-Right,they are better than a limited slip,but not quite a "locked" as a true locker.

[PSDF350]

Chris i was on that website you had posted for me before and they dont have it for the Ford 10.25/10.50 rear.

Jerre good advice my mind is allways on the road when i am in a vehicle. Jerre i thought the eaton was a limited slip. does anyone know if electrac is going to be avalable for mine anytime soon?

[festerw]

Here's something for you at least:
http://www.ringpinion.com/products/prodfordposi.xml

[PSDF350]

thanks for the link festerw.

[PSDF350]

oh Chris other links show that the lockright is avalable but on that one link it didn't show:confused: i must have done something wrong:headwall

[capnkel]

Before you go spending your money,go try out the limited slip on your truck,i have an 03 ford nearly identical to yours with the limited slip,and after having a chance to plow with it last winter,i can say i was very impressed,mine will lock both wheels very quick,the 6.0 pushes like a locomotive,maybe i just got one thats adjusted right,but i like it,it certainly got me out of a couple tight spots last year.I do know that not every limited slip acts the same,a couple other fords i had with the limited slip were not much help if you needed them.I have a trailer here with fishing gear on it that weighs 12-14000lbs,it was frozen to the gound,and we had snow and ice when i needed to move it last winter,my 87 6.9 has an open rear,it wouldn't even break it free from the ground,hooked the 03 on ,gave it a little goose and away we went:D ,i do have to watch it when i have the plow on running around town,gotta be gentle on the go pedal,or she locks up the rears and likes to go sideways:cool:

[PSDF350]

thanks capnkel i was also thinking L/S but i have had it in a couple trucks and like you said some work better than other. the thing is i also like/need to get off pavement so the extra traction is a must. gotta do something becuase i dont like an open differential.

[capnkel]

I guess i missed the part about you not having the factory limited slip in your truck,if what you have now is an open differential ,no wonder you are looking to change it.On another note,with all the power the 6.0l has,unless you do a lot of heavy hauling,why would you want to change to 4.10 gears,personally i wish ford would offer 3.55 or 3.28 axles as well as the 3.73 i have.

[PSDF350]

no capnkel i dont do alot of heavey hualing. but i was thinking (but not sure if i will or not) put 35" tires on, better for off road. might just go 33s.

[Joey D]

See if one is made for the Dana 60 in the front of your truck. It will be fine in the front as you just turn it on when you need it then shut it off for most plowing. The weight is on the front and outside of stacking it will push better than one in the rear.

[PSDF350]

joey plenty are made for the dana 60. but right now i am looking for a traction aid for the back. i know whats going in front when i have extra cash.

[PSDF350]

for what its worth i went with the ARB air locker. thanks all for your input.

[wyldman]

Nice choice. :D

[CT18fireman]

If you don't mind please update us with cost and once winter hits, performance. I have never run one.

[PSDF350]

from reider racing they wanted $705 for the locker and $210 for the air compressor then called randys ring and pinion they wanted $773 for locker and $208 for compressor. but i told him i was going to check around some more he asked what price i had gotten so he beat reider by $3 went with randys total 911.14. install is going to be another $350-$400 all said and done were talking about $1300:eek: far more than i wanted to spend but i wanted something that is going to suite my purposes and it will.

could have just went with a L/S but i get off road and they just dont cut it, and a detriot or something else like it isn't good for towing or all the street driveing i do. so we'll see i will give updates.

[CT18fireman]

If I have existing air on the truck can that run an ARB?

Do they have a website? I know very little about them but it sounds interesting.

[wyldman]

You don't need a lot of air to run an ARB.For the money they want for the compressor,I'd invest it into something a little better like a true onboard air system.

You can even get by with a 5 gallon air tank to run the ARB,just top it up when you need to.

[Waterchikn]

From what I remember, the ARB systems are pretty nice. On board air is half the battle if you can do the install yourself. I am not sure what the pressures are for it to work, but I can't imagine it being alot.
Try this link

http://www.arbusa.com/

[wyldman]

Forgot the website.

ARB USA website (www.arbusa.com)

[PSDF350]

fireman i am sure you can run it with the air you allready have. the reason they sell the compressor seperate is for that reason i'm sure some need it some dont. alls it takes is a small shot of air to engage. as for an ARB website www.arbusa.com

[PSDF350]

Chris i wish i was any good at things like that. becuase that is what i would do, so i could pump tires up and other things. but i'm not. so i have to go with theres.

[Waterchikn]

Hows that for getting the link posted..lol. Everyone did it at the same time. That was kinda funny.

[PSDF350]

it was wasn't it. easy to find that website now huh:D

[CT18fireman]

The truck I need a locker on has a Sanden A?C pump converted to run air and a 10 gallon storage tank. I can run air tools or air tires easily. When our portable compressor went down my brother and I used it to run two nailers while we roofed his shed.

Looks like something that I could tackle myself. I have done rear ends and third members before. What do you think Chris?

[wyldman]

Install isn't too hard,no pinion depth setting needed.Only backlash,and preload.Backlash can be checked with a dial indicator,and preload is just adding .003 thou to each side after backlash is good.If you get lucky,you may get by with the same shims.If not,having a selection on hand is a big help.A gear shop may have a box of spare shims lying around.

You also have to drill and tap the diff housing for the air line,1/4 pipe thread.

If your interested in onboard air,check out www.onboardair.com

[capnkel]

Hey David,here in Maine they recently passed a law that will prevent you from getting an inspection sticker if you have tires on that are larger than what the vehicle manufactures sticker says on the truck,it has something to do with messing up the antilock brakes.If i recall ,i believe Alan in Vermont tried to buy tires that were larger than the manufacturer supplied,and the tire shop refused to sell them to him,rumour is there are big fines for installing oversize tires nowdays.If you are thinking about changing you might want to talk to a good tire shop ,or a state trooper first.My brother just had to change 4 low milage tires on his truck,because no one would inspect it with non stock tires. :headwall :headwall :huh :huh

[PSDF350]

capkel that has got to be the stupidest law i have ever heard of.:confused: glad i live in the live free or die state there are no laws like that here.