# Locking Rear Diff.



## Newnamlawn (Dec 18, 2002)

Has anyone installed a locking Rear Diff. on an 80's ford turck. i have a 1986 2wd f150 and am wanting to put a locking diff on so i can plow some of my flat parking lots. I can do it now sometimes. but having the locking diff willk help alot. Thanks


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## Plow Meister (Oct 16, 2001)

I have put dozens in Jeeps. Never in a Ford. Although, the process and theory is still the same. Actually, I plan to put an Eaton E-Locker or an Aubern Elec-trac locker in my F-250 when the price goes down. A cheap locker for your diff would be a lock-rite. They sell for about $250.00 and are a piece of cake to install. Usually installs in about 45 minutes. It takes the place of your existing spider gears. They work great but be careful if you do a lot of towing. You will chew up your tires in no time. possibly break an axle.


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## Mr_Roboto (Dec 21, 2002)

I'd vote for the lock-right too. It's the easiest to install. Also a set of real snow tires work wonders.


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## Team_Yamaha (Nov 30, 2002)

I run lockers in all of my trucks. I have air lockers in the front of my 97 and 03. I have Deitrot lockers in the rear of the 97 and the 99. And have the factory limited slip in the rear of the 03. The best locker I have seen or used is the Deitrot, they are bullet proof. I use my 97 as a pulling truck in the summer, I have broken axles, drive shafts, U-joints, and even a tranny mount once, but never the locker. Plus the can take lots of miles, I put the one in the 99 when the truck had 2,000 miles, it now has 160,000 and the only thing that I have done it change the fluid in the rear end every 30,000. My little brother put a Auburn Pro limited slip in his 94 F-150. He likes it and no problem yet 40,000 miles later.


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## Plow Meister (Oct 16, 2001)

Team_Yamaha,

Sounds like you need a "weak link". You now, something that will break well in advance of the costly axles and driveshafts. 

When towing with a locker and making relatively sharp turns, it helps to get the momentum first going straight then let off the gas and ease into the turn. Most automatic lockers are designed to act as an open diff when there are no external forces acting against it such as stepping on the gas. This is what makes lockers different than "spools". I didn't mean to scare you off of the locker deal. I just wanted you to know what problems you can encounter. If you read Team_Yamaha's reply he is living proof. 

I race Jeeps in mud bog and rock crawling circuits and have yet to break a drive train component due to the installation or abuse of a locker and I am just as hard, or if not harder, on my Jeeps than Team_Yamaha is on his equiment.


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## Pelican (Nov 16, 2001)

Since there are a number here who understand the locking rears, I have a question about the factory optional limited slip rear axle in my '01 F-350. The other day I intentionally stopped on an icy hill and tried to start out. One rear tire was on dry pavement, the other on ice. When I tried to start, the icy wheel just spun, power was not transferred to the dry wheel. I thought I should have been able to start up the hill if the unit was working properly. Any opinions?


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## chtucker (Sep 6, 2002)

In a 100% difference situation the limited slip tends to let the 0 traction wheel spin. A locker would have spun both equally. The best trick I can give you is to engage your parking brake a tad and it will had a little bit of resistance to the system. No garuntees, but the limited slip should work a bit then, of course disengage the brake when you are out of the situation.


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## Big Nate's Plowing (Nov 26, 2000)

you could change the gearlube and dont use the friction modifier to help tighten it up  $15 fix, worked in my 1 ton

~Nate~


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## bgrover (Jan 29, 2002)

Pelican, I thought the same thing. I asked my mechanic friend about it and his response was that "limited slip" is the operative phrase. It seems the diff limits the slip, doesn't eliminate it.

Still, it's better than not having it!


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## Team_Yamaha (Nov 30, 2002)

Pelican, I had the same thing happen on my 99. I also asked the dealership and they said to apply light brake pressure and both duals should then turn. I just figured that was a bunch of B.S. so I just went all out with the full on Deitrot.


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## Plow Meister (Oct 16, 2001)

Applying brake pressure helps a bit but 75% of your braking power goes to the FRONT wheels anyway.

Most limited slip diffs require a few turns of the driveshaft to fulle engage the friction pads in the diff. But... limited slip diffs do not lock up 100%.

Big Nate is right of with the friction modifier. It is usually required in limited slip diffs.


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