Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Air Locker/Rear end drive air locker??

[Robert101]

Hello,



I have a 1999 2 WD Limited slip, which gets me stuck all over the place. .



I once read about a rear air locker to lock the rear axkes together...



Does anyone know who manufactures this for this application??



Thanks...

 

[jkalchik]

Probably the best known is ARB (http://www.arbusa.com. )



Teraflex (http://www.teraflx.com) also makes an air locker, but only for Dana 30, 35, 44 and 60 axles.



There's also a few electric lockers out there, like the Auburn ECTED. Reviews are mixed on those.



I should point out that to engage or disengage any of these you'll need to be stopped.

 

[Robert101]

Thanks,

these are the products I wanted to do research on... .



Engaged while stopped I understand. . the places I need to use these kind of thing on, is when I have one wheel on the dry and the other in a slightly slick place. .

 

[frankram]

I have had ARB Air Lockers on the front and rear on my 2000 since 2001 with

no problems!

 

[wcjp]

The poor man's locker is your parking brake. Recently stuck my work vehicle. The combination of the parking brake and heavy duty canvas bags under the low traction tire got me out. The parking brake fools the diff into thinking both tires have traction. Not sure if Detroit makes a D80 locker. It's the strongest most reliable locker. They do make a popping sound in a parking lot.

 

[Nate]

Probably the best known is ARB (http://www.arbusa.com. )



I should point out that to engage or disengage any of these you'll need to be stopped.

I can't talk about the others, but I run ARBs in my Jeep, have been for 4-5 years and you don't need to be stopped to lock them, nor stopped to unlock.



You can't be spinning 1 tire at 30mph and the other is not moving though... cause it will lock, and it will bust the locker. "crash locking"





Yes Detroit makes a locker for the D70 and D80. Other than the it's ARB and you can get the Power Lock limited slip. Nothing else for our big axles, as least that I found.

 

[wcjp]

With my Jeep's ARB I try to anticipate needing the ARB. However, as previously stated it's not necessary to come to a complete stop before engaging the ARB. I've confirmed this with ARB Seattle (national headquarters). I take my foot off the gas before engaging. I run front ARB, rear Detroit on my Jeep.

 

[Nate]

As long as you don't have one tire spinning way fast and the other is not, you can lock it...



I've seen people do it before... throttling into an obstacle and start spinning, throw on the ARB... BAM! Good way to bust a shaft or the locker.



Now locking a 2wd will help, but it won't be better than a 4wd. I can go farther in my Jeep with both diffs unlocked and 4wd than I can with 2wd and the rear locked... . that front axle needs to pull you, not drag.

 

[BigPapa]

Now locking a 2wd will help, but it won't be better than a 4wd.

It's gotta be better than a 2WD with an open differential! I can't wait to get enough money to put an ARB on mine.



Scott

 

[GEdwards]

I see in Diesel Power, the TrueTrac limited slip is now available for Dana 80 tall ratios(3. 55s)

 

[Nate]

Yeah I agree there.

It's gotta be better than a 2WD with an open differential! I can't wait to get enough money to put an ARB on mine.



Scott

 

[Nate]

They do make the True Trac for the D70 as well, but I have been told by several sources that it's not able to hold the power our trucks make. It's basically a cheaper version of the Power Lock.

I see in Diesel Power, the TrueTrac limited slip is now available for Dana 80 tall ratios(3. 55s)

 

[Robert101]

Thanks for replies...

This is all good info. . Thanks to all. . I have stuff to do research on now... .



Robert

 

[BigPapa]

The poor man's locker is your parking brake.

I'm intrigued. Please explain this procedure. Full application? Slight application? I've never tried this. Thanks.



Scott

 

[BILLVO]

Hello,



I have a 1999 2 WD Limited slip, which gets me stuck all over the place. .



I once read about a rear air locker to lock the rear axkes together...



Does anyone know who manufactures this for this application??



Thanks...

Sounds like its time for a clutch kit. I have ran clutch type limited slips for 20 years and the only time I have ever gotten one wheel to slip without the other is on extremely hard flex where one tire is about off the ground. A $40 clutch kit and 2 hours of time would be way easier and cheaper than a locker.

 

[Nate]

What is the stock limited slip? It's a Power Lock isn't it? A rebuild kit for those is around $350 when I checked, where did you find one for $40?

 

[wcjp]

I read about this in a 4wheel drive mag a few years ago. Never needed it until two weeks ago.



Parking Brake



The differential provides power to the wheel lacking traction. In the case of mud or other slippery surface this is a bad thing. A locker such as a Detroit or ARB engage both axle shafts. Both tires split the available power. Which ever tire has traction will propel the vehicle. The parking brake fools the differential. As far as the diff is concerned both tires have equal good traction. The effect is both tires will receive power. I'm not sure what the percentage of braking should be applied to the parking brakes. When I was recently stuck with the work van one tire had good traction. The other tire was in some sort of weird moss. I tried using heavy duty canvas bags under the tire without traction. This propelled the vehicle backward about 1inch everytime. I needed to go 2-3ft backward before reaching decent traction for both wheels. Vehicle was an E250 with rear disk brakes.



If you're stuck in mud this method may/may not work. In case of mud both tires will be without traction. As previously stated, I don't use this method in my Jeep. My Jeep is equipped with dual lockers. I prefer to keep the Dodge out of low traction situations. The heavy nose of the Dodge and the expense of buying a new Dodge makes wheelin' it unfun. The Jeep is properly equipped and significantly cheaper to repair/replace.

 

[BILLVO]

What is the stock limited slip? It's a Power Lock isn't it? A rebuild kit for those is around $350 when I checked, where did you find one for $40?

You could be correct I'm not sure what stock ls are. I have an Eaton Ls unit in my D70 and I used the wrong syn oil when I installed it and clutches would always bark so I reclutched it the kit from Inland Truck Parts was $40. The complete Eaton LS carrier unit only was $400 from the same company though.

 

[Nate]

The reason I was asking is when I bought my Detroit it was a toss up between that and a Power Lock limited slip. Randy's R&P quoted me around $500 for the Power Lock, and a rebuild kit was $350.



Where the Detroit was $550... and is bascially bulletproof... though it's not as transparent which gets rather annoying at times.