Ok, so I have about 1000 bucks to spend. At the moment, I have the 8.8" 28 spline axle with an open differential and 4.10 gears. I want a selectable locker, but when not selected, I want it to be limited slip. I don't want the open differential anymore. I see that the Eaton E Locker is described as: "The Eaton E-Locker is a electronic push button selectable locker . It goes from open to spool with just the push of a button, no air lines to leak or cables to get hung up on. 12 Volt power is all thats required." Is that the way the E Locker works (only open or locked)? I don't want to have to choose between locked or open. I want it to be limited slip or locked. Now my other question is, I like the Aubrun Ected, but is it every actually locked, and how long will it be before I have to pay the 125 bucks and have it rebuilt. I don't really offroad my truck, I just want to have it there in case I need it. Any help is appreciated, however, I do not want an air locker.

 

the ected is a locker when locked, and a l/s when unlocked. i dont know how long it will go before you need to rebuild it..

do they make the ected for a 28 spline?

 

Yes they make the ECTED for the 28-spline. Read up about the ECTED over on pirate 4x4. A lot of people complain that it will not ever fully lock, only become a very tight limited slip. Of course you already know that it will have to be rebuilt after a certain amount of mileage......how many miles that is I am not sure but my guess would be 20-50K. That was the main reason I chose the E-locker, I didn't want to have to pull it out and deal with the ring and pinion should the unit ever need rebuilt. I wanted to toss it in and forget about it.

My question to you is this though. Are you dead set on a rear locker? You will get far better results from a front locker at a fraction of the price....

 

just minispool the rear, and aussie lock the front.. but for 'occasional' use thats not very practical

i agree with razoredge, a front locker will be much more noticable

 

Or pick up a 31 spline axle and an ox locker. They're fully mechanical, you even get a nice little shifter for it. :)

 

He says he has a budget of $1000. An OX locker costs nearly that much by itself. It is also not a limited slip when it is disengaged.

 

not to hijack this thread or anything but how much does it cost to have someone install an aussie locker in the front?

 

you can do it you're self if you have basic knowledge.
besides that it cant be too much
if you want to wait 8 months i may have mine with 4.88s up for sale
/threadjack


an ox costs what, $800? you could do that swap for just over a grand.. if your going with a 31 spline why not an ARB?
well no its going to be more than that, you gotta figure in installation i suppose

and why exactly do you want limited slip when its not locked? any particular reason?

 

I have the Auburn in the front and I have had tires in the air and it is fully locked. No matter what if you have a limited slip it WILL need to be rebuilt. I got 30000 on my Auburn and it still acts like it was brand new. No complaints. Only Selectable lockers up front so you can unlock it to turn.

 

I have an Auburn Limited Slip and it is not fully locked, ever. Sure, the preload from the clutches make the tire that's off the ground difficult to turn by hand, but it can be done. There is nothing mechanically locking the two axle shafts together; it's merely the friction afforded by the clutches inside the differential case. That's why they're called "limited" slips. The only limit the one-tire-fire; they don't stop it. It's in their very design.

I've surpassed the usefull life of my Auburn now. It doesn't bais torque anything like it used to. Afterall, I put 100k miles on it. It was good at limiting the slip when it was new, but the good fades. Quickly if you off-road it.

Back to the original question though- I would pick up one of the E-Lockes by Eaton. I don't think they are limited slips in the "off" position, but they will fully lock in the "on" position. They will never let a wheel break free from a clutch or some other friction-based lock-up.

The way I see it, I would hate to be flexed out in a ditch somewhere with my ECTED spinning one tire. I would say to myself, "No problem, I'll just push this little button and my differential will lock." Push the button and, unfortunately, the articulated tire still spins freely. Turns out there is just too much of a traction difference between the tires for the magnetically energized clutches to handle. Talk about a $800 disappointment.

I may still get suck in the ditch with a true, positive locking differential, but at least both my tires would be spinning.

Wow! I just wrote a book. Sorry :)

 

Well... I figured if it ever did snow here, a locker would be worse on the snow/ice than a limited slip would. That way, I could be locked or limited slip, and I could use it in all terrains.

 

well why not just have an open and a locker, open for good gas mileage, won't wear your tires and if you need both wheels to spin its a button away. I don't think that you really need a L/S and a Locker.

 

I will tell anybody this seeing it the reason my truck fliped over ,
You dont even want an L/S on ice if you ever go into a skid you wont come out . I had exstensive training in defensive/protective driving . and still could not get that SOB under control when it skided on some ice .

And yeah an Ox locker is nice but read the fine print add 100 bucks for the unincluded cable .

And if you dont off-road hard why do you want a locker ? Im not trying to be rude but ive had truck with L/S I would rather have unlocked or spool no inbetween , I dont like L/S they dont work as said by "seminaryranger" the clutches cant handle the forces going to them .

 

my l/s worked beautifully when i was doing smokey burnouts back when the truck was stock, but it basically have an open diff offroad..

 

why not a detroit e-z locker? it compensates for turning, but locks up when traction is lost on one wheel.

 

I found the Eaton E Locker for 575 shipped, new, is this a good deal? I see at Summit and 4 Wheel Parts they are 850+.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/EATON...QQcmdZViewItem

I got mine there and thats the cheapest I was able to find them, so yes $575 is a great deal.

 

I'm just so torn right now. Let me go over this again, I hardly ever take my truck off road. The most I would do is pull a boat through a hilly yard, drive through the occasional ditch, and pull a boat out of the water on a slick boat ramp. I can get the E Locker for about 575 shipped, but then it would be either locker or open. I can get the Ford Racing Torsen T2 L/S for about 550 shipped, but then it would always be L/S. What would suit me better? The only thing I worry about is the occasional snow/ice we get here, what's better on it?

 

^why a locker if he dont offroad? a ls would be plenty.

 

Anyone have any other input?

 

With how you use your truck and the weather you get I would go with a L/S like a true trac or a torsen. It will take a little to get use to it in the winter but once you have you will be glad you did not go with a locker.

 

But will a L/S wear out the tires noticably more than my open? If so, I would like to go with a selectable locker, or possibly the ECTED.

 

no......the L/S will NOT wear tires out faster than an open diff.....all a L/S is is an open diff with clutches to engage when one tires loses traction......when cornering even with the L/S engaged, the outer axle shaft is disengaged so the outter tire can turn faster than the inner tire.....

 

i agree, except i wouldn't go with a Torsen for the simple fact they are EXPENSIVE for a 28 spline axle.....

i would go with a Ford Racing L/S diff......i got mine from Summit for $215 + shipping

 

^^ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.......you are comparing a front wheel drive car to a rear wheel drive truck.......and not to mention 2 different tire make ups........