Electric or Pnuematic Locker

[michaelaiman]

Really playin with the idea of don front and rear lockers. But i Cant decide wether to go electric or pnuematic. The electric one from Eaton i saw on advertised on Truck U looks great but i cant find much on em. The guys at the shop like the pnuematic ones and thats what they push. benefit of that then is that puts an air system on board.
Next question. Does it make sense to just do a Detriot on the front or would that be too tough on the components. My only reason would be to save like 500 bucks.
Any input is welcome seeing as how I am not too well versed on diffs. I only know how they work but have never worked on em

[JSchuricht]

Here's my take on a pneumatic locker. If you already have a air system, use it. If you don't have air onboard, you have a good excuse to add it. As for the front if you are going to do any kind of locker it should be selectable, you could get away with the Detroit in the rear.

[michaelaiman]

Thats what I thought for the front, just wanted to make sure. Not interested in a Detroit for the rear, although cheap, strong, and reliable, I feel as though it would be too tough on the rubber and the axels. Especially after I just handed over an arm for the rubber.

[Karls03]

What kind of wheeling are you doing in a crew cab long bed that you need to be locked up front? Guys I know who are locked up front and rear all say the same thing, you can't steer when the ARB is on. You can turn the wheel, but you're going straight. I'm thinking that would be even more appearent in a CC/LWB.

I've got a Detroit Locker in a 14 bolt in my 1/2 ton with 38s and it is fine on the street.

[michaelaiman]

Well when you have the best truck for pullin everybodies toys up to the mountains, and the property is probably about 40% grade with no stone, just grass and mud. gettin everything up the hill gets a little dicey. Last year at PUNKIN CHUNKIN was almost embarasing. 6 inches of mud, trailer with everybodys gear, one tire on front and one on rear spinning. was runnin BFG AT's before and hopefully these toyos help out but the Boy Scout way has to prevail. Be Prepared

[GregsSD]

Go for a Detroit Truetrac for the rear, smoother than the locker and very reliable!

I've had Detriot Lockers on all my old trucks and they were great but a little harsh on the street, so I am going to put a truetrac in this one! I have heard only great reviews on the Truetrac and it has no clutches to wear out.

[Karls03]

I HATE my TrueTrac!! I wish I would have ponied up the extra 2 bills for the Detroit Locker! Turn left, mash the skinny pedal: donuts, turn right: one tire fire. Two foot a burnout, starts as two stripes, then right tire only. I've had to give the ebrake a couple of clicks creeping in 4HI to put enough friction on it to lock up off road. I slid the rear end around a left turn one nite on the go pedal, when the rear end came back the other way, that POS TrueTrac UNLOCKED, went one tire fire, the trans down shifted, the tach pegged, it was ugly. I tried to hot dog a wide right another night, one tire fire, down shift, 4000 rpm, again.

Since it has no clutches, there's no special lube, or friction modifier like a Trac-Loc or other clutch LS diff. It's a good piece until you really need it to perform because you're off road or you're trying to write your name in a parking lot. I'd put this in a concrete four wheeler or a soccer mom's Excursion, but that's about it.

We have a 14 bolt with a Detroit Locker and 38s under our 1/2 ton 4x4 and its got good street manners.

[michaelaiman]

At first i was thinkin Detroit due to cost and reliability to perform but I too many long haul highway and round town miles and tires are so d@mn expensive so I'd like to make em last. Heard too many people say Detroits are hard on tires and axels. Unfortunately I think the whole diff project is goin on the way back burner for now seeing as how I lost one injector and am going to do all eight to say goodbye to my hard starts and now power when cold.

[Term3]

What do you guys think of a Tru-Trac ?

[GregsSD]

Originally Posted by Karls03

I HATE my TrueTrac!! I wish I would have ponied up the extra 2 bills for the Detroit Locker! Turn left, mash the skinny pedal: donuts, turn right: one tire fire. Two foot a burnout, starts as two stripes, then right tire only. I've had to give the ebrake a couple of clicks creeping in 4HI to put enough friction on it to lock up off road. I slid the rear end around a left turn one nite on the go pedal, when the rear end came back the other way, that POS TrueTrac UNLOCKED, went one tire fire, the trans down shifted, the tach pegged, it was ugly. I tried to hot dog a wide right another night, one tire fire, down shift, 4000 rpm, again.

Since it has no clutches, there's no special lube, or friction modifier like a Trac-Loc or other clutch LS diff. It's a good piece until you really need it to perform because you're off road or you're trying to write your name in a parking lot. I'd put this in a concrete four wheeler or a soccer mom's Excursion, but that's about it.

We have a 14 bolt with a Detroit Locker and 38s under our 1/2 ton 4x4 and its got good street manners.

Wow!!!
That is the first bad review of the True-trac that I have seen.

I have not had a True-trac before, just clutch style posis which wear out quickly on 4x4's, and Detroit Lockers which work great but are a little harsh for daily street driving, but that is a small inconvenience compared to knowing that it will ALWAYS work when you need it!