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14bsf Getting Rid of my Detroit?

Which Limited slip?

  • Detroit TrueTrac

    Votes: 3 60.0%

  • Eaton E Locker

    Votes: 1 20.0%

  • Clutch type limited slip

    Votes: 1 20.0%

  • Gov-Lock (G80)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    5
Chevy305

Chevy305

6 Lug 14bsf Status
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So I've finally grown tired of the quirks in the Detroit Locker in my 6 lug 14bsf in my K10. A lot of it is because the K10 is a manual transmission and it does some weird things as a result. I really don't wheel much anymore and the truck is mostly used on the street. I've got a healthy built 350,NV4500,208, 4.10 gears, and 35" tires.
I've been doing some research on what to replace it with and I've come up with a few options:

1. Detroit TrueTrac. Helical gear limited slip so no clutches to wear out but I'm finding a lot of mixed reviews where it's totally grenaded on people or they only get one wheel peals. It's also only rated for 33" tires where I run 35"s.

2. Eaton E Locker. These came factory in the 9.5 14bsf in the H2 and is a bolt in deal for my axle. The only part that doesn't is the retainer for the stator magnet needs to have the bearing cap drilled and tapped. Plus of course the hole to run the wiring. It works like an open dif until you hit the switch and then an electromagnet pushes pins into one of the side gears locking both sides together. Sounds wonderful right? Well I guess a lot of H2 guys that actually wheel go through these like crazy and they don't hold up well to shock loading. They also unlock and relock when you change direction. So going from forward to reverse like rocking yourself out of a hole could blow it to pieces. They have their downfalls but I guess if I drove with them in mind I'd maybe be okay?

3. Traditional clutch type limited slip. Tried and true concept. If I find it's letting one wheel spin more than the other I can get stiffer springs for it so it locks harder but then it'd wear out faster, though they are rebuild able. If you choose this option let me know which brand you'd recommend. (Auburn/Eaton/etc)


I know ARB is also a great option but I don't want the added complexity of air compressors or the price tag that comes with it.
 
If you really don't wheel that much I would just use a limited slip.
That's really what you would like the best on the street.
 
Do you drive it much in snow? The true-trac is a little more forgiving in the snow. It will let one tire turn a little more than the other when there isn't a lot of pressure. This can help keep the rear from drifting sideways as quickly as other differentials. I really like mine in my '70, all year long.
 
Where is the naked option? Disappointed.

Went round and round myself on this. You left out a huge one, the gov-lock.

I thought mine had been malfunctioning the last couple of years, but actually it was the brake hanging up since there was a tiny fluid leak that had contaminated the pads.

The E-locker sounds great, and I'd not heard the problems you mention before, HOWEVER, it's not an "on the fly" actuation. You have to stop to engage. I don't like that myself, although in most cases it might be practical to do, in some cases it definitely will not be. The cost is pretty prohibitive as well.

True trac is the other I had considered, also had not seen anything about the tire size limitation, although that is going to be an arbitrary statement, since weight, traction, loading, etc are all going to impart different strains on the diff and every non-stock rig will be different in those regards. There is a good video on youtube somewhere of a jeep showing exactly how the true trac can fail you when you really need traction...front and rear, guy twisted up the suspension enough to get one tire on each axle off the ground, and the vehicle stops moving since all power goes to the unloaded tire(s).

Personally, in the 9.5, right now IMO the gov-lock seems the best choice for a rig that isn't just for wheeling. Ideally you'd find one already equipped and just swap the whole thing in, which would be cheaper (potentially) than a new carrier. A true-trac in the front, coupled with the gov-lock in the rear would probably enable some pretty good traction overall, without having the downsides of the various true lockers.

I'm not a big fan of the spring loaded clutch limited slip diffs for trucks. They depend on spring pressure to keep the axles locked together, resistance is what "unlocks" them. Trucks are a lot heavier and use larger tires than cars, and I'm quite certain that is why GM used the gov-lock exclusively in trucks (at least since the 80's) and not the spring style limited slips as used in the cars. Yes, the clutch type springs can be upgraded, but I particularly like the idea of the gov-lock comparatively, as when you lose traction in the rear with a posi, the rear end IS going to come around. With a gov-lock, unless you are in the "sweet spot" (under 25MPH tire speed and 100RPM tire speed side-to-side difference IIRC) the rear end is not going to come around on you.

Gov-locks have a pretty poor reputation, but IMO that is due mainly to the 8.5" axle version. But just like the 8.5" axle reputation itself in trucks, the same problems don't seem to translate to the 9.5" SF.
 
I put a tru trac in a Tacoma the other day, I was very impressed with how well it worked. A gov lock in good shape would also do just fine.
 
With a true-trac, using the brake will put some power to the tires with less traction. With a manual trans, that may mean park brake....
 
beags86 said:
If you really don't wheel that much I would just use a limited slip.
That's really what you would like the best on the street.
Click to expand...

So which kind of limited slip? Gov lock, clutch type, or TrueTrac?

6872xtc said:
Do you drive it much in snow? The true-trac is a little more forgiving in the snow. It will let one tire turn a little more than the other when there isn't a lot of pressure. This can help keep the rear from drifting sideways as quickly as other differentials. I really like mine in my '70, all year long.
Click to expand...

No I don't ever drive in the snow anymore. The truck is mostly stored for the winter. If I take it out it's to get at something in the garage or to exercise the engine a bit. Even then it still doesn't leave the driveway. Perhaps I might do a donut on the icy driveway or climb a snow bank, otherwise that's it.

dyeager535 said:
Where is the naked option? Disappointed.

Went round and round myself on this. You left out a huge one, the gov-lock.

I thought mine had been malfunctioning the last couple of years, but actually it was the brake hanging up since there was a tiny fluid leak that had contaminated the pads.

The E-locker sounds great, and I'd not heard the problems you mention before, HOWEVER, it's not an "on the fly" actuation. You have to stop to engage. I don't like that myself, although in most cases it might be practical to do, in some cases it definitely will not be. The cost is pretty prohibitive as well.

True trac is the other I had considered, also had not seen anything about the tire size limitation, although that is going to be an arbitrary statement, since weight, traction, loading, etc are all going to impart different strains on the diff and every non-stock rig will be different in those regards. There is a good video on youtube somewhere of a jeep showing exactly how the true trac can fail you when you really need traction...front and rear, guy twisted up the suspension enough to get one tire on each axle off the ground, and the vehicle stops moving since all power goes to the unloaded tire(s).

Personally, in the 9.5, right now IMO the gov-lock seems the best choice for a rig that isn't just for wheeling. Ideally you'd find one already equipped and just swap the whole thing in, which would be cheaper (potentially) than a new carrier. A true-trac in the front, coupled with the gov-lock in the rear would probably enable some pretty good traction overall, without having the downsides of the various true lockers.

I'm not a big fan of the spring loaded clutch limited slip diffs for trucks. They depend on spring pressure to keep the axles locked together, resistance is what "unlocks" them. Trucks are a lot heavier and use larger tires than cars, and I'm quite certain that is why GM used the gov-lock exclusively in trucks (at least since the 80's) and not the spring style limited slips as used in the cars. Yes, the clutch type springs can be upgraded, but I particularly like the idea of the gov-lock comparatively, as when you lose traction in the rear with a posi, the rear end IS going to come around. With a gov-lock, unless you are in the "sweet spot" (under 25MPH tire speed and 100RPM tire speed side-to-side difference IIRC) the rear end is not going to come around on you.

Gov-locks have a pretty poor reputation, but IMO that is due mainly to the 8.5" axle version. But just like the 8.5" axle reputation itself in trucks, the same problems don't seem to translate to the 9.5" SF.
Click to expand...

I'm not totally opposed to a GovLock. I have one in my '12 Silverado that also has the same 9.5 14bsf. It works awesome, it even squeals the inside tire when taking off hard turning onto a road. It shreds both tires no problem on dry pavement. The only problem I had was when I flexed it out and the rear driver's tire started coming off the ground and I stopped. Honestly that doesn't matter to me as the Silverado is for daily driving/general hooning around, not for off-road or flexing. I'm going to add this option to the poll.

You bring up a good point with the engagement of the E Locker. You need to be stopped or damn close to it. Not super convenient for the street.

I also have a Lock Right in my front axle and I don't plan on changing it unless it blows up. That should help pull me through any situation if a rear tire comes off the ground.
 
Carcinogen said:
The one tire leaving the ground situation is what 6872xtc was talking about, just drag the brake and it should engage.
Click to expand...

You *shouldn't* need to use the brakes at all with the gov-lock. The problem becomes the wheel speed at that point. Gov lock (again, should) work fine with one tire in the air. Either more or less throttle, but not brake. Which is super inconvenient with a clutch.
 
Keep the Detroit...

[Russel Peters] Be a man![/Russel Peters]

 
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