i have a 3.0L v6 edge ranger and i need to know wut type of locker or other upgrade would allow me to get the best offroad performance with a 4x2?

 

I'm running an Auburn ECTED in the back of my 4x2 offroad machine. Search for picture and movie posts with Wharton and Centralia as keywords and you'll see it in action in some of them.

It's a limited slip until you lock it. Very nice for street and offroad. Like all Ford diffs, a pain to install because of the shimming and all. Since I had to do all that, I also got an FX4 axle (thicker 31 spline shafts like an explorer) and put that on also; along with 4.56 gears while I was at it With additional lift I'm running 35's and traction is much improved with the locker.

Now, it's NOT a panacea and you're NOT as good as a 4x4. Where it sucks is in the following scenarios:

1. Steep leading edges on rocks and logs -- without a front wheel driving to pull you up, you can sometimes just bump against it and spin both rear wheels, lol.

2. Places where your rear is bogged down but your front could have pulled you out. I'd like $100 for each time I ended up stuck coming out of a mudhole with my front wheels on solid ground and my rear wheels spinning.

3. Similar to 3, where the rear wheels are in deep ruts with the diff sitting on the ground but the front could have pulled you out.

For the most part it surprises 4x4 guys how well it does -- with the exceptions noted.

I like a selectable locker over the automatics like the PowerTrax LockRite and NoSlip models. They lock up under power and can give you fits if you try to throttle around turns when you're on the street. I don't like them primarily for that reason. But they're cheaper and they don't require a full carrier replacement in the diff.

 

Hey John did you buy offline? If so where because I like the idea of haveing a LS on the streets and a locker when I need.

 

how much does it run to get a lockrite and have it installed by someone?

 

k thanks ill look into it

 

yay auburn
yay ected

 

I used this guy for all the stuff I bought for the rear. I bought the Auburn from him on eBay, then chatted with him about the rest of the stuff and he gave me very good pricing, so I bought a "package deal" from him by the time it was done: 4.56 gears, master rebuild kit, the larger explorer axle bearings, seals, etc.

Jeremy Ayers, J.T. Parts and Accessories (Specializing in Differential Parts and Service)
Phone: 425-879-6192
email: jtsdifferentialsaxles@comcast.net
Website: http://www.ringpinion.biz

 

so why isnt that rear end build a How-to on your Extranvaganza! lol

 

Quite simply because the entire experience was a FUBAR, and I did most of it myself with oily hands and couldn't hold a camera. There IS a post about it on here where I disseminate my "notes" on the experience.

It is here: https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ead.php?t=6064

Sorry I couldn't make it a full "how to" -- but there it is for what it's worth.

 

I plan on buying the Powertrax No-slip, its chaper then the Lock-right and its made for more street driving. Its quieter and suppose to last a long time too

 

They're pretty good -- but watch out putting power to the rear when turning. If you're doing some real "handling" on twisty roads and you hit the gas to try to put weight to the rear tires, the unit can lock up and cause the inside tire to spin -- and the rest of the truck could start spinning, lol.

They're good, but they don't know when you are driving on the street. The only difference in the NoSlip is that it's engagement is smoother and quieter. The basic way it works is the same as the LockRight from PowerTrax. I really would urge you to take time to "learn" your vehicles cornering "rules" carefully after you install one in the rear.

 

yea thats one disadvantage but on snow im sure it'll alow for some great donuts! Although on an icy road you'll need to go really slow cuz the rear end of my truck can spin so fast in slippery conditions (probably becasue of the shorter wheelbase too)

 

That's a fact. I've owned a 2001 standard cab and a 2002 extended cab and the regular cab was REAL squirrelly. I wrecked my first one (the 2001) and that contributed greatly to it.