Eaton E locker in front Diff.

[Flyfishing]

Just got off the horn with customer service at Eaton. Enquired if they had a Elocker for our AAM 9. 25 front axles... ... No! Any plans in the future to build one?... NO! The fellow then went on to add that they did not recommend grinding the diff. case and that the elocker that would fit in that housing, after grinding, was not designed to handle the torque of the (CTD) engine.



I really wish that one could buy a real TRUCK that was ready to go from the factory without all the wimpy marginal parts that the bean counters stick on. Don't get started on the EPA that has done so much harm to our pocket book...



Rant over



Regards, Richard

 

[BHolm]

Would you seriously be willing to PAY for the upgrades you think you need? True lockers require seriously strong axle shafts to be reliable. The aftermarket has a hard time providing axles and lockers strong enough to survive in a 3500 lb Jeep with half the torque of our engines. If you had to ask the cost, you probably couldn't or wouldn't pay that much for a pick-up. Take a look at the Power Wagon. It has lockers and a swaybar disconnect, two awesome features I would love to have. If you were able to add the CTD, beef the t-case and axles further to take the abuse, you would have a $60,000 truck that wouldn't sell, just like the $45k PWagon.

 

[Flyfishing]

In a word... YES! I would pay for what I KNOW I need. To be brief, when my lift pump failed 4 times, twice 100's of miles from nowhere I don't "think" I need a better pump, I KNOW I need a better pump. Why should I have to travel with a spare lift pump? Also, economy of scale would bring the price much lower than the $15,000 that you point out. What about the marginal performance of the stock unit hubs, lift pumps, fuel filters and steering box Pitman shafts that dangle in the breeze, to name a few shortcomings. Why did Dodge go from Dana axles to AAM? To save a few bucks per unit ? How many of you folks out there would buy lockout hubs for your 4x4 if they were available as a factory option?... I'm sure they would not cost the $1895. they get for after-market ones.

T. Boone Pickens is talking about $100 a barrel oil in 2 years. I'm sure lockout hubs could amoritise that additional cost pretty quick. The same rational that a lot of people use to buy a diesel in the first place.

Not being a market analyst but just a "consumer" I wonder if the marketing people at (insert truck company of choice here) are misreading the market by thinking that trucks are no more than SUV's and vice versa and building a less than ideal truck.

This is just my opinion... And you know what they say about opinions.



And a tip of the hat for the after-market crowd.



Regards, Richard



1999 CTD 2500 2wd

2007 5. 9 CTD 3500 4x4 SRW

 

[Jason Hughes]

Just got off the horn with customer service at Eaton. Enquired if they had a Elocker for our AAM 9. 25 front axles... ... No! Any plans in the future to build one?... NO! The fellow then went on to add that they did not recommend grinding the diff. case and that the elocker that would fit in that housing, after grinding, was not designed to handle the torque of the (CTD) engine.



I really wish that one could buy a real TRUCK that was ready to go from the factory without all the wimpy marginal parts that the bean counters stick on. Don't get started on the EPA that has done so much harm to our pocket book...



Rant over



Regards, Richard

There might be some truth to the integrity and strength of the E-locker not being able to handle the CTD, but I have installed dozens of these in "pre-runner/chase" style trucks and have had zero failure. You have to be realistic with the way you want or need the e-locker to perform. It will probably last forever if you use it only when needed. It is very hard to drive these trucks with the front diff locked. I would still recommend them.

 

[BHolm]

In a word... YES! I would pay for what I KNOW I need. To be brief, when my lift pump failed 4 times, twice 100's of miles from nowhere I don't "think" I need a better pump, I KNOW I need a better pump. Why should I have to travel with a spare lift pump? Also, economy of scale would bring the price much lower than the $15,000 that you point out. What about the marginal performance of the stock unit hubs, lift pumps, fuel filters and steering box Pitman shafts that dangle in the breeze, to name a few shortcomings. Why did Dodge go from Dana axles to AAM? To save a few bucks per unit ? How many of you folks out there would buy lockout hubs for your 4x4 if they were available as a factory option?... I'm sure they would not cost the $1895. they get for after-market ones.

T. Boone Pickens is talking about $100 a barrel oil in 2 years. I'm sure lockout hubs could amoritise that additional cost pretty quick. The same rational that a lot of people use to buy a diesel in the first place.

Not being a market analyst but just a "consumer" I wonder if the marketing people at (insert truck company of choice here) are misreading the market by thinking that trucks are no more than SUV's and vice versa and building a less than ideal truck.

This is just my opinion... And you know what they say about opinions.



And a tip of the hat for the after-market crowd.



Regards, Richard



1999 CTD 2500 2wd

2007 5. 9 CTD 3500 4x4 SRW

Richard,



Most of the stuff you listed HAS been fixed for the third gen trucks. Lift pumps are not an issue, nor are fuel filters, steering boxes or pitman shafts. Evolution has taken care of that stuff. I also have not seen ANY reason to believe the AAM axles are inferior to the Dana's. The only real comnparison I have is with an 11. 5 Sterling in an F-350 that needed to be rebuilt at 100k where my two Dodges at the time with 11. 5 AAM axles were still going strong doing the exact same work.



Would I prefer lock-outs, yep, that is how I ordered that last F350 I had and I was glad I had the choice. Certainly you are correct in that most production line vehicles are dumbed down for the masses or features and choices removed for economic reasons. I think we are still driving the best TRUCK of the three, and I think you will be plesantly surprised with your '07. I have had five third gen CTDs and they have proven to be very powerful, reliable and comfortable trucks that are capable of hard work day in and day out.

 

[Flyfishing]

I certainly hope my new '07 is more reliable than my '99. I guess reliability is subjective. I'm fortunate to be able to spend summer and fall in Alaska, the Yukon and the N. W. Territories (Shoulder surgery prevented this years adventure), where a critical part failure can cause a great inconvenience at a minimum. This is why I'm concerned about redundant lift pumps, clean fuel and a beefed up steering system among other things. Your point is well taken BH, regarding the weak links in the drive train with a locker up front. I think I may have grown a bit conservative in my old age... But some that know me may argue that point. . . As an aside to drive line failures, I wonder why one could not incorperate a "weak Link" in the front drive shaft that would fail prior to the axle/x'fer case failing, as you point out... Sort of like the way a shear pin protected the prop and gears in the lower unit of old outboard motors. That "weak link" could be easily be replaced at a minimul cost both in time and money.

jason... Thanks for the reply... I may call you regarding a Elocker for my '07

 

[Jeepstang]

I would not put an E locker behind a cummins truck

we put one in a FOrd 8. 8 and he broke the spider gears his first trip out rock crawling. I got a 318 ram with Dana 60's in it and broke both of them in five minutes. These were the Detroit E lockers in the D 60's I ended up cutting the rings off of them and the spacers and putting on rock crusher covers but my truck did not last long enough to hammer on them since the rear drive shaft lost to a big rock. If you plan to driving on the street only yeah they are fine but if you plan to take them off road dont waste your money put somehting stronger in there.

 

[Flyfishing]

Hi Jeepstang,

Your experience goe's along with what BHOLM and Jason mention in thier reply.

Obviously I wouldn't need a locker for the street and don't plan on rockcrawling. But in sand or soft ground where traction is marginal that is when I would like both front wheels pulling. Playing in the rocks and mud is great fun but I just need something to get me through those marginal sections of "roads" that are marginal with a stock 4wd setup. Of course, all bets are off if I sink up to the axles.



Thanks, Richard

 

[Jeepstang]

if you dont plan to do anything other than loose surfaces i think it would hold up. if you want to abuse it I would go with somehting stronger

if you have manual locking hubs on your truck I would use a Detroit locker

they make hub conversion kits. I am not sure who makes what for this axle

ARB is next in line if you can afford one. they make a small compressor now that is not expensive just to run their lockers but dont plan on airing up tires with it. Kilby Enterprisies makes a kit for the 5. 9 CTD trucks that uses York air compressors you can run air tools with it if you have an air tank.

have not seen the E locker for the 9. 25 AAM axle. Eaton and Detroit are one company now though. They both make great products for the right ussage