2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Rear Open Differential

[MAllen]

I have about had it with my open diff. Has anyone had the such poor traction like I am having with their open rear diff. I normally don't notice it until it is wet on the roads. I will just spin trying to take off. Does anyone have a cheap fix that a do it your selfer can do to get more traction? I have seen the powrlocker and other items like that, but want to know the best option for getting more traction. I used to have a 85 ford 250 2wd that had positrac and it seemed like I could go everywhere a 4wd could go. Just want better traction

 

[drag racer]

Probably going to have to pony up for a limited slip of some type or a Detroit Locker. If/when my stock LSD goes out, a Detroit Locker is going in.

 

[CumminsFarmer]

I have a friend with an '04. 5 open rear end, and another with a 98 Dakota w/ open rear end. They have very poor traction as well. My '02 has limited slip and it provides pretty good traction as is. My dad's old-old pickup was an '88 Ford F-250 body on a ton-rig frame. It had posi-trac and he too could go almost anywhere in 2wd. I would go limited slip. Even a stock limited slip for a Dana 80 is pretty damn good.

 

[PRattenbury]

Probably the cheapest way to go would be find a used rear end in a boneyard and swap it in. Just gotta be careful to match the gear ratio to the front. If your brakes are different you'll have to swap them off your old one. If you know someone that has the ability to install a limited slip setup into your housing you could at least save on the cost of labor.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

MAllen I had a shop in my area rebuild the Dana 70 in my '98 and put a Power Lok in it. With parts and labor it came to about $850 including the Power Lok. I am VERY pleased with it because it puts a lot of power to the left rear yet drives so smooth you don't even know it's there. Traction is great. I've been able to use my 2wd to park trailers in a vacant lot with fairly soft sand without getting stuck.

The shop stacked the clutch packs for more aggressive limited slip, he said there are 3 levels- stock (takes about 100 ft/lbs to break loose), medium (good for about 250 ft/lbs) and very tight (don't recall the torque rating). I went for the medium setting, IMO it's perfect. The main downside is the tighter you go I'm guessing the packs wear out faster.

Vaughn

 

[WrenchRat]

Nothing quite like a limited slip or a Detroit Locker. I've had Detroit Lockers in more than one truck and they were absolutely great. Tremendous traction advantage, especially with aggressive tires.



However, a word of caution, because Detroit Lockers are a full mechanical lockup, they are quite tricky on ICE or similarly slick roads. For example, if you cross an iced over bridge, with both wheels 'locked' and driving equally, both wheels can break lose and the rear end wants to come around to meet the front. Rather scary. If you know this, and can compensate, you'll be fine. I would normally just back off the gas a little and 'float' over bridges and such. And if there was any question beyond that, I put it in 4WD.



Where as a limited slip will give a little and allow one wheel to maintain lateral traction just a little more than the other side and you won't have the rear end wanting to swap as readily. But they do wear and need occasional rebuilds.



One alternative is to install an ARB air locker or Detroit's new electric locker. That way you can have the lateral stability of an open rear end but, when you need the traction of both wheels, just flip a switch and it engages. A little pricey but it is a slick :-laf set up.

 

[Missouri Mule]

A little bit more aggressive tire mite help out.

 

[DonFitzwater]

I plan to try an electric locker when this one needs going through. The stock limited slip on my 06 is quite worthless. I can spin on ice and only one tire turns... ... ... ... ..... been to the dealer and they assure me that's how the new trucks operate. Pretty useless rearend compared to my old 97 Z71, it's limited slip works great with instant traction.

 

[T-Bone]

I had an open rear end in my 1997. I found a used LSD carrier for $100 and had a rear end shop install it. Total cost was around $250 with new clutch packs. Some of the best money I have spent on the truck since new. It drives awesome and I have much better traction.



The guy at the rear end shop said I might not be comfortable with the road manners of a true locker. Another buddy of mine just removed a locker from his Dana 80 and went with a factory LSD.



T-Bone