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differential options (ie lockers)

3K views 25 replies 7 participants last post by  cooper30 
#1 ·
i have a d44 front full time and a 9.25 rear both with 3.55s and both are open diffs, i would like more traction for off roading and am on a budget, so what options are out there other than welding spider gears. and what kind of money am i looking at with these options
 
#2 ·
Your best bet would be a locker out back and a good LS up front. Not sure on prices tho.
 
G
#5 ·
Take a look at Randy's Ring and Pinion too. I have the same setup as you. I installed a Lock Right in the rear. It replaces the spider gears and you don't have to touch the ring and pinion. You're looking at about 350.00 for the Lock Right.
 
#6 ·
PrimerGrey said:
Take a look at Randy's Ring and Pinion too. I have the same setup as you. I installed a Lock Right in the rear. It replaces the spider gears and you don't have to touch the ring and pinion. You're looking at about 350.00 for the Lock Right.
Speaking of which, Danny, have you driven your RC in the snow with your Lock Right? I'm curious if its tolerable.
 
#7 ·
what does the lock right do? by the way i am thinking of making this a primary trail only truck, with very little on road driving. so i want the best traction possible.,
 
G
#8 ·
The Lock Right is an auto locker like many of the others on the market. It locks both axles together until you make a tight turn and then it unlocks the outside wheel, enabling you to manuever around a parking lot without a great deal of tire squealing. Using a locker of any type means learning to drive the truck differently on the street, especially on slick roads.

Yep, Kendall, I've had plenty of opportunities to drive it in snow and ice. It's fantastic in deep snow. It's not as bad as I thought it would be on ice. As long as I don't get off and on the gas too suddenly it's tolerable. The one thing I can't get used to is when you let up on the throttle and then get right back on it, you get a really weird feeling of the rear end wanting to steer the truck.
 
#9 ·
Thanks for the input Danny.
I'm still trying to drum up the courage to get one. I'm still a little paranoid since I live at 7800 ft and have a twisty snopacked (5-6 months a year) road that decends about 2000 ft in about 3 miles that needs to be decended every day.
(was that a run-on sentence?) ??? ;D
 
G
#10 ·
KThaxton said:
(was that a run-on sentence?) ??? ;D
I don't know. I tried to marry an english teacher once, but it didn't work out.

I think once you've learned how the locker reacts in most conditions, you'll feel comfortable driving on the slick roads. I've found that if I drive the slick roads in 4hi, the open front axle helps to counteract the tendencies of the locker.
 
G
#12 ·
That's a tough one. If she's used to driving those roads and that truck, then a little time behind the wheel with the locker installed, should be all she needs. My wife won't go near my truck when the weather's bad, but she'll drive that lightweight Camaro with posi-trac on ice and snow.
 
#16 ·
Locker up front with a good posi-traction out back works good, and is pretty low buck as compared to a pair of Detroit Lockers. 9.25 Posi units can be as low as $189.00 in Peterson's 4 wheel drive magazine...
 
#17 ·
so how hard is it to install this lock right and what tools will i need, how long will it take, where can i get one and which axle do i put it in front or rear
 
G
#18 ·
Very easy to install with no special tools required. For the rear, if you've never done it before, shouldn't take more than a couple hours. The front will take a little longer because you have more to remove and replace. If you go that far into the front axle, replace all your seals, ball joints if needed, etc. Do a search for lockers on the internet, they're everywhere. As far as which axle, that's up to you and what you want your truck to do. I would suggest the rear.
 
G
#20 ·
A locker in the front of a fulltime 4wd will cause severe under steer since you cannot disengage your front axle...even a front LS/ rear locker will tend to push straight in turns.

It is tolerable, just need to get adjusted to driving with it. I would recommend you get on and install it after the snow stops...take the summer to get adjusted to the new handling characteristics and then you will be prepared for snow.

19464
 
#23 ·
a loose limited is a factory limited, none of those stronger aftermarket limited diffs, im not sure what a factory replacement is gonna run you
 
G
#25 ·
cooper30 said:
How bout a Lock-Rite and only locking one hub?
You could do that but then you're only pulling with one wheel . And I don't believe the lock right would unlock under those conditions, so you would be pulling with that wheel no matter what conditions you were in. With a limited slip at least you would be pulling with both wheels most of the time and still have some slip in the really tight turns
 
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