Check out hydratechbraking.com . They have assist units that don't require engine vacuum. Thought it was pretty cool, figured I'd share.    Bill

a couple of ?? on your test fit of the 56" springs. 1. those were procomp 13511 correct? 2. the centering pin is not offset? 28" of spring both in front and behind the pin correct? 3. have you moved the front axle (itself) forward from stock location (IE. still centered in wheelwell).

by the way i probably won't be doing my spring switch till feb. i have other things to do on the rc before that and when you are an over the road truck driver time for wrenching goes by quickly. 2-3 days a month.

one last ? for now,do you have problems with your jackstands sinking or was the ground already frozen? my "shop" looks like yours in the test pics except soft sand. 

Sam check this out on the ZF pump.

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/dev/zf-hydraulic-pump-hydro-boost-install-t252825.html?t=252825

There's a lot of thought/decisions that has to go into the build at the stage you're at now. The Ox should be a good locker for you, Especially with the weight on the front end with the 6BT. Have you checked with Lanty AKA"Elwein" ( http://www.stullunlimited.com/ ) for your D60 parts? He does some Awesome pricing & great customer service!!
Jim

A note on the OX lockers, they are good lockers when they work. when i worked at the 4x4 shop there was a guy who had a jeep with them in front and rear. he wasnt mechanicaly inclined at all so we were always working on them. they wouldnt lock, u could put the lever into the locked position and the slider wouldnt slide all the way over. we adjusted the cables every which way you could and eventually we could get them to lock about 70% of the time. eventually we took them both off.  but anyway the biggest problem i found with them is IMO they work backwards. the cable PUSHES the slider over to lock it and PULLS with the help of a spring when it unlocks. again IMO and you can take it for what its worth( sometimes its not much lol) they should PULL with the cable to lock it and PUSH to unlock using the spring to do most of the work.

if you want a selectable locker im a fan of the ARB air locker. the electric locker is junk as far as im concerned.

every time i see some one fiddleing around on the trail with some thing under the rig its usually a ox locker.

Unless it was a smokin' deal or I knew the installer and driver of the used ARB I'd go new.

doesnt matter what is in the front as long as the hubs are unlocked.

driving down the highway in snow in 4 high with a front detroit? sketchy at best.

mine is welded but on the road it doesnt matter with th ehubs unlocked.

since you are goin with an ARB heres and idea for a powerful and reliable air compressor for your cummins. look into gettin a compressor off a garbage truck. most of the ones ive seen have air brakes and 5.9s

well I can cross lockers off the list.  After some deep discussions with my diff guy and a nice test drive, and after selling some hardware from Nacho, I picked up the front and rear lockers.  Out back - Detroit Locker.  In front - Detroit Electrac - essentially a Detroit TrueTrac limited slip with an electronic version of an Ox.

The basic truetrac is pretty sweet - it's a fully open diff until some wheel spin is detected, then it automatically syncs into limited slip mode.  No wearable parts.  The Electrac is essentially the same diff, but with a fully-locked feature.  There is a shift fork and electric solenoid mounted behind the diff cover (similar to an Ox) that is push-button activated on-the-fly to fully lock when it's time to play.  Plus, if the wiring gets ripped off I can still go fully locked manually by removing the solenoid and inserting a pin (like an Ox), and if that doesn't work it's still a limited slip.  And since I'm doing ram-assist I'll fab up a rock shield to shield the solenoid/wiring - bonus.  This should do it.

My diff guy has the same basic combo in his truck - detroit locker in back and a truetrac in front.  He also has a snow plow hanging on the front, and he offered for me to drive it around, dirt and street, and see how it feels.  It felt great.  On the street I could feel the rear doing its thing - a little poppin' and a little jerkin', but I never noticed any issue up front.

For what I'm doing it sounds perfect.  The front is new, the rear is used, and my diff guy just happened to have both in his shop.  Got both for $1100.  

Detroit Electrac on the left, Detroit Locker on the right



 

While I think the Electrac in theory is a great dif,I have concerns mainly the actuator being externally mounted also will it interfere with a hydro assist setup. I really liked the Eaton but have heard they have issues too but they may have been addressed, I read there was a minor redesign.

Nice score for the equipment.

its a little late now, but i'll post it up for guys who are still looking....this impressed me pretty thoroughly. granted, i haven't driven or seen one in person, but still...Tibus Offroad Teraflex T-Locker: http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/PR-T_locker/

edited to add: it's still an external solenoid like the Electrac, but it is an air solenoid and a bit more slim-line and looks like its well protected too.

I'm glad to hear it wasn't the same guy.

So why the electrac over the ARB most people suggested?

In a previous life you were most likely a Black Smith judging by the way you like to smash metal.

Darold?

Does he specialize in Toyota stuff?
He might know Tim if it's the same guy.

I hope not, you generally get what you pay for, just saying.

Well brand new they are about the same price, that doesn't mean they are equally the same performance wise. 

That certainly was a good price on that detroit.

The guy I know is Darrel.  He's out in Ramah. 

I was wondering about that.  I'll certainly have enough weight and torque to break stuff, and I am upping to 35 spline gear, but I haven't looked into hubs yet.  I thought I saw matching hubs offered with the axle kits.  Tim are you saying the 35 spline hubs are less than 'enough'?


I think my biggest issue will be finding chain sets for a 38x15.5 tire... ...'course I haven't actually looked for them yet......maybe I'll just make my own.

see, there ya go - one fo the best things about this site - lots of diversity.  Ask a question, get an answer.  Thanks Bogie

the v-bar does look just about right, and they look pretty dern'd good for crunching through the ice.  See, we're planning to take Bud elk hunting - one of the reasons for a 4-door and a 'pickup', and we'll likely need chains to get back up the woods, etc, or certainly be good to have them juuust in case. 

....ya know what I'd really like to do.....

http://www.mattracks.com/html/150_series.htm

they'd be so bitchin'

I found his pics Tracks not Tires

That is Awesome!!

Hey Sam is it snowing?