posi or locker?

[beto101]

im looking for some help on lockers vs posi units. What is the difference between the 2? what do you recommend? I have a 1980 K5 with 5.3 and 4L60E/205 12 bolt rear end and dana 44 front. I do mild wheeling and use it for hunting in our northern country where it snows.

 

[blazinzuk]

Limited slips are for cars, lockers are for trucks.


Why do I say that, simple a locker helps more than a "limited" slip. You always get both tires to spin. Something I suppose is better than nothing but if you are buying new the price difference between a automatic locker and a limited slip is very little

 

[bot0611]

Both the posi and the locker will eat up your tires if you use as a DDor if it sees lots of pavement.

 

[badmix]

Both the posi and the locker will eat up your tires if you use as a DDor if it sees lots of pavement.

This is false IMO. My tires are wearing evenly front and back with no excess wear. Ive had a Loc-Rite locker in the back of my truck for 5-6years with no problems. I do 90% street driving and wouldnt hesitate to use my truck for a DD.

And there are so many cars with LSD aka Posi on the road, if this were true , someone would be complaining big time.

Now a Spool or welded spider gears will eat tires because youll be dragging the one tire when going around turns.

 

[blazinzuk]

Both the posi and the locker will eat up your tires if you use as a DDor if it sees lots of pavement.

30k on a set of swamper radials that I sold with a ton of tread on em says different.

The whole time I had em on I was locked. Welded or spool will eat up tires though

 

[big dan]

I run a detroit in the rear of my dd and never noticed any increased tire wear.

and I vote locker as well. I have a truck that was locked front and rear and was given a free eaton clutch style posi that fit my front and decided to try it so I could turn better and after one trip I swapped the locker back in. Lots of places on the trails I normally cruise right up I either had trouble or couldnt make it at all.

The posi resides in the front of my dd now just because it is better than nothing, I dont really need a locker in that truck, and it was free but if I were to buy a new traction aid, a locker is the only way to go.

 

[496truck]

im looking for some help on lockers vs posi units. What is the difference between the 2? what do you recommend? I have a 1980 K5 with 5.3 and 4L60E/205 12 bolt rear end and dana 44 front. I do mild wheeling and use it for hunting in our northern country where it snows.

To answer that question....

A limited slip (aka posi trac which is a GM term used back in the 60s that just kinda stuck around, short for positive traction, Ford called it something else, Dodge called it something else) would be a diff that would use friction as a means of applying power to both drive wheels. This type of diff will allow one wheel to spin under severe use, ex: climbing a hill and one wheel comes off the ground, there is nothing but the clutches, cones or gears to depend on putting that power to the wheel that is still on the ground. Power will still follow the path of least resistance, so if it's easier to overcome the limited slip unit rather than turn the tire on the ground, that one tire in the air will spin.

An automatic locker is a diff that essentially locks both drive wheels together under power. This diff will not allow one wheel to spin faster than the other under power, ex: climbing that same hill and one wheel comes off the ground, power is still applied to the wheel that is still on the ground through the locker because it is mechanically locked together. This same unit will 'unlock' under a no power situation, like coasting around a corner, and will allow one tire to spin faster around a corner.

A selectable locker is still a locker but is basically controlled by the driver by hitting a switch, pulling a cable, applying air, etc. This is the best option for most daily driver/trail trucks because you don't always need both drive wheels locked in.

There is alot more detail to be had with the different types of limited slips and lockers and how they work, but those are the basic differences. Hope that answered your question.

 

[pblaze725]

Go with the locker, you will be happy you did.

 

[manchildau65]

what size wheels you running? what gears? You're going to have a hard time keeping that 12 bolt alive with that powerplant and a locker...

Just my 2 cents...

 

[bot0611]

ok they wont eat the tires, well then another thing how come lots of people mention the issue of road manners for theese things.

 

[pblaze725]

Locker road manners

ok they wont eat the tires, well then another thing how come lots of people mention the issue of road manners for theese things.

Locker road manners automatic locker)

Take it easy on the turns. The inside tire is spinning at the same rate as the outside tires causing what sounds like a burnout. If you let off the gas the locker unlocks, get around the turn then get back on the gas.
This can occur at a stoplight or pulling into a parking space.

Imagine you are driving in the rain and hydroplane, your rig gets a little bit sideways. You need to let off the gas until you get back straight. DRIFTING IS BAD ROAD MANNERS. If you try to correct yourself by gassing it you will end up driving straight into the wall, or a ditch. Whichever way your rig is facing.This is an extreme hypothetical situation.

You may want to consider a locker that you can disengage while on the road and engage only off road. There are E lockers, cable lockers etc...

Personally I have poor road manners, I like to hear my tires on the turns & such. This will change when I get a new set of good tires but for now I don't care about my $100 CL tires.

 

[buefchris]

get a locker and don't drive your K-5 like it was a ferrari on the streets.