What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Preferred "locker" for front end

U

uberbeans

1/2 ton status
Joined
May 14, 2004
Posts
564
Reaction score
0
Location
Jacksonville, Florida
I am considering buying a front locker for my 10 bolt front (no 14 in the near future) and the options are either a truetrac, the lockright, and a name brand of posi-traction all from randy's ring and pinion. What does everyone advise?:D
 
Go for the lock-rite. Cheap and easy and it'll outlast the axle. You'll spend more on a true-trac or a posi then the whole axle is worth.
 
You could weld it.:D Prolly not the best idea but it is free. My dana 44 is welded and I have no problem with it with 35s but my suggestion is for the lock right also.
 
goldwing2000 said:
Go for the lock-rite. Cheap and easy and it'll outlast the axle. You'll spend more on a true-trac or a posi then the whole axle is worth.
Click to expand...

I heard that with a lockright in the front you may have troubles on the trail with turning unless you take your foot off ofthe gas, Is that true? It sounds like it may be a problem in some cases. The salesman on the phone said that he recommends the posi with 600lb springs. He says that he likes it because it is easiy tunable/rebuildable by repacing the springs. It isexpensive though at around twicethe cost of the lockright. He says if the lockright breaks it isn't fixable but the reapir kitfor the posi is only sixty bucks. I haven't heard about the offroad peformance of a posi. I don't hear much about them and assumed it was the cost.
 
Of course the salesman recommends a posi. He probably works for commission. :rolleyes:

In a nutshell: a locker will give you true four wheel drive. A posi will give you about 1 1/2 wheel drive on each axle. If you're concerned with off road traction, get the locker. If you have a really tight turn you need to negotiate, you can always unlock one of the hubs.
If you still want it to have good road manners all the time, get a tru-trac. A posi on a 4x4 is the next best thing to useless, especially in a front axle.

Also keep in mind that a posi or a true-trac will necessitate a complete removal of the ring gear and replacement of the carrier so the gear pattern will have to be re-set. That's around an additional $300 if you can't do it yourself. A lock-rite is a drop-in.
 
ive got a lockright in my 10 bolt front. i LOVE the capability it brings, but ive blown 3 front axle shafts now. im runnin 456 gears and 37" radial tires which increases the stress on them significantly.

it's worth it though. bang for buck mod!
 
I have a lockright in my 10 bolt front and have been more then pleased with it. The salesman would love to sell you a posi unit because it is expense to buy just the part, and then you have to pay to install it because the gears have to be taken out and reinstalled by someone qualified.

A lockright is cheap, offers good traction, is reasonably strong, and most shadetree mechanics can install it in there driveway in a couple hours. It won't be as easy to steer on the trail but it is not as hard as alot of people will have you believe it can be even on trails with good grip. The traction a lockright will provide over a posi is much better. The posi can slip even with heavy clutches causing you to loose traction. the locker won't slip giving you 100% traction.

Harley
 
I wondered if there was some exaggeration about the drivability. I heard alot of crap about detroit lockers before I put mine in but I don't think any of it is a big deal. How does a lockright drive on the street?
 
A lockright in the front won't matter on the street because the frontend won't be engaged.

Harley
 
I have a lockright in the front of my '88 and I havent had any issues with tight trails on turns, as long as you not really getting on it the outside wheel will "unlock" anyways. I wouldnt leave it locked on the street as the lockin and unlocking will make cornering unpredictable at speed, but on the trail its fine, ive even used the loud pedal to "skid" truck around in the really sloppy stuff with the locker in the front.
 
TDTK5 said:
I have a lockright in the front of my '88 and I havent had any issues with tight trails on turns, as long as you not really getting on it the outside wheel will "unlock" anyways. I wouldnt leave it locked on the street as the lockin and unlocking will make cornering unpredictable at speed, but on the trail its fine, ive even used the loud pedal to "skid" truck around in the really sloppy stuff with the locker in the front.
Click to expand...

exactly...if you can stay off the throttle around a turn, itll turn just fine. my np203 is part-timed so i have 2 low. usually when i take tight turns i just pop it back to 2lo unless i end up needin the front end pull.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom