Need help with buying a locker
 

Well I definately want to get a locker for my 8.8. I believe it's a 28 spline (not sure what that means). I want something thats probably automatic that will disengage on the street for corners but NOT a L/S system or those expensive air lockers. I can only find the Powertrax Lock-Right system. It seems pretty good, but i dont want it to be churping my tires round every corners which i hear they do......

Also i dunno where i would buy one if i wanted to, jegs doesn't have the Lock-right system, and summit racing says i have to buy parts seperate like a carrier which i have no idea what that is... i just want to buy the whole sha-bang at once.

also if someone could explain what a carrier or spline gear is that'd be great

these people have everything you could ever need!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.drivetrain.com/4x4.html

anyone else, did i stump you all?

What's your budget? About $550 I think for an ECTED like I've got -- but the install is tougher than the ones you just drop into the carrier.

And the carrier is the bell-shaped hunk of metal in the middle of your differential. It has the big ring gear bolted to one side of it, the "wide side of the bell shape. Inside it are the differentiating "spider gears". "Spline gears" are gears that have splined holes in the middle to go on splined shafts -- in this case your axle shafts.

Inside a standard or limited slip carrier are four beveled gears. Two of them are splined and go on the ends of your axle shafts. The other two fit on a shaft (called the cross pin) in the center of the carrier, and engage the splined gears. Power is transferred from driveshaft to the pinion gear, which turns the ring gear (turning the carrier in the process), and then the two gears on the shaft engage and turn the splined gears depending on load on each side. I won't explain the full way a differential differentiates in this post, lol.

When you put in a lock right or no slip from Powertrax, you remove the spline gears and the gears on the cross pin. This is done by first removing a bolt that "pegs" the cross pin in place, and sliding it out. Then you can pull off the "c-clips" that retain the axles by pushing the axles IN then pulling off the clips. The cross pin keeps the axles from pushing in also, and keeps the c-clips inside a recess in the splined gears. Once the c-clips are out, the axle can be partly pulled out on each side to make easy removal of the spline and spider gears.

The install instructions for a no slip detail this. I have installed one before, even though I don't have one.

When you replace the full carrier with a "real" locker, lol, it's a lot more work because you have to get the mesh between the pinion gear and the ring gear right by shimming the carrier. There's information here on the board about that, some of it posted by me.

good info, i was hoping to spend about $400 but i could get the extra money, i also hope this is something me and a friend can do, cuz i've never taken a rear end apart nor him

If you have the tools and the "know how" you can easily do it in one day. I have found that to be true of MANY tasks that I thought I might not be able to handle. Once you read through the instructions and read some stuff from people who have done it, it becomes much easier to tackle once you get started. The key thing is to take your time and make sure you have ALL possible parts/tools you might need.

As John also pointed out, the manufacturer you choose will include detailed instructions as to "How to install it"

this is an interesting post, i have read alot about the clutches in the l/s wearing out and the user not knowing at all... i know that minee is working now.. but how will i know when it desides it wants to stop working, i currantly have 35000 miles on my 02'...

anyhow like Andrew said i dont want a full locker... that E-Locker might be nice.. kind of $$$ though...

not sure what i want to do...

this photo KIND OF shows the splines, the #3 arrow is pointing to a gear, well the shaft that gear is on is the axle, and those teeth that "grabs" the gear are splines.. they are important in off roading because more splines = stronger axles...

1 flange
(attaches to drive shaft)

2 pinion gear

3 side gears


4 ring gear

5 left axle shaft

6 right axle shaft

7 spider gears

http://www.baja101.com/4x4abc/4WD101/img/diff.jpg

I think i get it, the enitre carrier spins at the same speed of the ring gear... maybe?

yeah

thats why if you have an open diff and you do a burn out, the tire doing the spinning is going x2 faster than your speed-o is saying...

a L/S looks alittle differat... that picture is of a open diff, in a l/s there are cluthes and springs

is #7 the spline gears? That doesn't look like it would be a 28 spline, or is it the 2 combinded to equal 28?

i am not sure how many are there... they are generaly pretty small groves... but if they say 28 thats per axle.. and usualy if an axle breaks its at the splines.. the twist untill it gives... this could hapen if say your rock crawling and your wheel is lodged between some good sized rocks and you keep giving it gas.. it will twist the axle shaft... same thing for really thick mud..or it could be something as easy as putting to large of tires on a weak axle, it will over time warp the axle untill one day it gives

here are some photos of axle shafts and a detroit locker... 33-spline axleshafts (right), 30-spline shafts (left)

http://4wdandsportutility.com/tech/0...perior02_z.jpg
http://4wdandsportutility.com/tech/0...perior03_z.jpg
http://4wdandsportutility.com/tech/0...perior04_z.jpg
http://4wdandsportutility.com/tech/0...perior12_z.jpg

ahhh it makes sence now, thanks

if money was no object it would be nice to get an E Locker set up on the Ranger similer to that on the jeep rubicons... it has front and rear E Lockers, and you tap the button in the truck once to lock the rear, then tap it again to lock the front...

that would be great... one thing i dont know is how the E Lockers act when they arnt activated/locked is it like an open diff, or a l/s ...?

a little googling and you can find anything...
from http://www.reiderracing.com/elocker.htm

The Eaton Electric Locker® provides an on demand lock actuated by an electrical switch that provides the current to electromagnetic coil. The coil activates a ball ramp that engages lock pins between the side gear and the case. When de-activated, the unit operates as an open differential. It does not require any special lubricants. The E-Locker® is compatible with other electrical traction control systems.

that would be cool, but I think i want to go with the powertrax No-slip traction system

the Powertrax locker from Richmon Gears , seems to me to be IDEAL for an DD ..

http://www.powertrax.com/nsoperation.html i think they evan have a conversion kit for your OEM l/s

http://www.powertrax.com/images2/explosion.jpg

Wait for Griggs to respond, he'll tell you EVERYTHING about a real world use of the E-Locker. He has the Eaton E-Locker, I dunno if thats the same one Jeep uses or not but Griggs loves his!

Specially since hes 2wd.

Limited slip. I have a 31 spline model and moser axles.

For about 500$, he COULD buy a detroit locker from summit. Its not a REAL locker, but actually a limited slip. for another 50$ he can buy the berring/shim kit.

Actually, he has an Auburn. He used to have a powertrax unit. I broke my powertrax unit.. then again, I break everything :biglaugh:

I was gonna say I thought it was an Auburn but then I'd have to go back and read old posts to make sure.

I broke my Powertrax too. Powertrax blows.

Factory Locker
 

I've got the chunk out of a 03 Explorer, tagged 3L73, which is a Factory 3.73 Locker. Complete $100 + shippin.

Let me know if your interested..................

I believe your Edge has 31 splined axles and this units internals would be a DIRECT swap-in.

The PowerTrax is a good, and useful design -- but can lack strength for bigger tires and higher torques. Probably better if you have an automatic.

However, it can suck if you like to push your truck through turns. When you apply a little throttle go transfer some weight rearward in a turn, it can lock and cause the back end to break loose. I do not like automatic lockers in the rear for this reason. In the front, when in 2WD mode, they are basically "invisible", and you don't drive at high speeds when in 4WD (generally) so it's not an issue.

The Auburn is great but pay attention to lubricants: full synthetic + limited slip additive = slipping locker! I had that happen. Went back to normal gear oil and problem solved.

Basically, you can test a limited slip with a torque wrench if you know the specs; but generally they just get looser and looser until they are basically an "open" diff. Best to treat them as repair/replace items.

This is the potential long-term consequence of the Auburn ECTED. It may be no good in 100k or so -- but by then I'll be looking to make more changes anyway probably. Auburn has the "D-Rex" plan -- DiffeRential Exchange. You give them your core and a couple of hundred and they spot you a rebuilt one. Cheaper than new and just as good I would think.

I just like the limited slip when deenergized feature. It's considered a "performance" limited slip -- that is, it has more clutchs and therefore more clutch surface area then a typical one. That implies a longer wear interval but we'll see.

It seems to have more torque bias than my factory limited slip did.