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Detroit Trutrac or Locker?

6K views 28 replies 13 participants last post by  BigRed02 
#1 ·
I have a 2004 F350 im looking to put either a trutrac or a locker in. Im wondering what the difference is between the two?
Thanks
 
#2 ·
Im doing a Truetrac when I have the cash. All my research says that the Truetrac's are more forgiving for daily driving since its technically a limited slip diff, just has helical gears instead of clutches so it doesnt wear out.
 
#3 ·
I would go with a True Trac in the front and a Detroit Soft Locker in the rear. My brother in-law has the older style Detroit Locker which is a TAD harsh in parking lot type maneuvering but their new Soft Locker is MUCH smoother. I find that the True Trac can behave very unpredictable under some circumstances with a sudden one wheel loss of traction under acceleration. (Had a buddy end up DEEP in a road side ditch because that particular "feature")


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#5 ·
I like ARB also, but for me by the time I've started getting myself in trouble traction wise it's a little late to hit a switch to lock the differentials.


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#6 ·
did you check your dif tag to see if your truck came with the Ford Traction Lock? its fords version of a TrueTrac. Very similar in functionality however the detroit runs gears instead of clutches. Ive yet to hear of anyone breaking or wearing out a Ford Traction Lock they are incredibly strong and easy to rebuild- but- if someone didnt run a locker additive it could ruin the clutches. I assume since your inquiring about this you must have a open diff or your factory locker isnt locking. Also some people refer to them as "posi" diffs because they "posi trac" when you step on it, obviously a "locker" is called a locker because you can manually lock it or unlock it. At least thats my understanding lol Im no gear specialist.
 
#7 ·
from my understanding the clutches in the limited slip from ford wear out, im doing one wheel peals every time i get on something slippery (or fool around). My axle code correlates to 3.73 limited slip by the way.

I like the tru trac because it is geared but i also saw that the locker is maintenance free, so im assuming it has those notched plates and not clutches?

Im not really worried about parking lots or whatever but I don't want the truck locking unpredictably in corners. I guess my question is, if they are both unclutched, which one puts power to both rears the quickest and most often and most reliably?
 
#9 ·
The Detroit Locker is not going to all of a suddenly lock your axle in a corner, it just ratchets and that's the noise you hear. There is, of course, resistance so slightly more tire wear will be a result which is why I would run a TrueTrac up front not a Detroit Locker. The Ford limited slip has nothing in common with the TrueTrac or locker.


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#10 ·
I got the locker in and im happy. the only difference i notice while driving is that there is a little more play when i put the truck into gear or get on or off the gas the unit jerks kinda. Does anyone know what adjustment this would be or if it is just a normal thing i have to live with?
 
#14 ·
Where I usually drive by the time I figure out I should have had the air locker engaged its too late. LOL


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#18 ·
I'm running a Detroit Trutrac Locker in the back and love it. No strange handling at all in my Long Bed Crew Cab. In a short wheelbase rig such as a Jeep they can be a handful in Snow or Ice but I see no difference between my factory limited slip and the Detroit in parking lots or in corners.
 
#19 ·
Yes, today's Detroit Locker is not at all like the harsh one of a number of years back that made you think something was very wrong with your truck every time you did a tight turn on pavement.


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#21 ·
Yup, IMHO the Detroit Locker is THE only choice for a rear locker. Some guys rave about electric or air lockers but I wouldn't touch those for a rear locker even if you gave it to me for free.


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#22 ·
Wow..really?...most of the hard core off-road rigs in the last 8 years have switched to electric or air....look in Peterson's off-road mag, and other off road articles....they are dumping Detroit's.

...I've had my ARB'S in both axles for almost 6 years...zero issues, zero failures, smooth operation.
 
#23 ·
Don't get me wrong those types of lockers are FANTASTIC and if I did that type of off-road driving then YES I'd have those front and rear but for the type of off-road driving I do they are a royal PITA.


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#24 ·
What kinda offroading is that? I'm just curious. I go off-road in my 2wd it does fairly good way better then my buddies 250 with open 4.10s 4x4.

I went up in the mountain with 5 inches of snow with pizza cutter like tires made it halfway not even giving it throttle that was ok with me. I backed down didn't feel like burning up a transmission or blowing half a tank
 
#25 ·
When my brother in-law and I go into the back country he's loaded it down with a camper and I'm hauling a trailer loaded down with quads, fuel, supplies, etc. The "roads", if you can call them that, we're driving on for hundreds of miles can be anywhere from cement hard deeply rutted to soft muskeg that often I have to go forward and backwards a number of times just to maneuver around turns. So having an air or electric locker would just cause me too must resistance and while I'm spinning my steering wheel back and forth all the time driving these changing road conditions the LAST thing I want to be thinking about is flipping my diff in and out lock.


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#27 ·
Here is my take on this, and i am by gar no expert. Hell, you could probably refer to me as the village idiot lol. I drive an 18 wheeler for a living and our trucks have air lockers for the rear drives. The least bit of uneven ground going slow and we are stuck. So, i flip the diff lock and problem solved. Now, i will say that an air locker on an 18 wheeler is only smart because half of the stuff on the truck is run off the air system(ie; brakes, hi/lo range in tranmission). I figure if you have an on board air system on your pickup then why not run an air locker. So long as you route the air lines where the wont get ripped out and the compressor is opperating then the locker will do its job. Companies like arb didnt get as big as they are and make air lockers as popular as the are by selling crap. Just my .02cents though. Im eventually gonna put an on board air system in my truck for an air horn.and possibly add some helper air bags on the rear for when im pulling a load so i think it would be the smart choice for me to run an air locker instead of an elocker. I just dont like the lunchbox type lockers. They are cheaper for a reason.
 
#28 ·
bwstone92, Howdy;

Thought I'd resurrect this thread for a selfish reason.
I've got an '04 F250 6.0L with an Open rear. Have been
doing some research and have pretty much settled on
a Detroit Locker to replace my OEM rear, less things to r&r
later. I've been trying to find a Step-by Step or You tube
video to show me how to go about it. Closest I found shows
someone doing an 8. something rear in some gm product.
Does my 10.5" have the 4 bolt and 2 clamps or 'C' clips
holding it in? Wish I were Super Dude so I could do the X-ray
vision trick then I wouldn't feel the need to ask.

hank
 
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