ok so i know this has probably been beaten into the ground but i didnt see anything specific for my situation. i have a 98 2wd w/ 4.6L and some 33's. ill be getting some 4.56's for christmas and figured while i had the diff open i would do something to help turn a 1 wheel drive into a 2 wheel drive. i have the factory LS unit in there now but it needs some new clutches.

now, i dont do any serious off-roading but i'm an eagle scout and am a firm believer in be prepared. if something happend, i would like to have the ability to get through what i need to. i would only be going through mud if i did leave the asphalt.

now, im a poor college student and cannot afford an expensive locker, neither do i need one. i just want something i can afford and will work better than i have now. both of these options will do this. i just want some info. i know the factory LS doesnt work all that well but thats about all i know.

i can probably afford the lock right but def. nothing any more expensive.

and this truck is my daily driver and will see about 15,000 miles a year on the road.

so, lock right locker or replace the clutch packs on the factory LS unit?

 

The new clutch pack from summit racing is about 75 bucks and fairly simple to install. If money is the issue then I'd replace the clutches. Then you can plan long term for the more expensive locker.
A scout is thrifty!!
ASM Troop 107-Corona CA

 

I get what you're saying but I guess I need to clear things up a little bit. I guess my question is will the lock right be enough for me? And will it hurt the truck's driveability? I won't mind popping or clicking noises comming from the axle but if it's gonna lock it up all the time and wear out the tires or break an axle, I don't want it.

And it's good to hear from another scouter on here. I'm an asm in troop 204 out of Marietta, Georgia.

 

I ran the "lock right" unit sold by richmond gear, called powertraxx... biggest POS ever. that damn thing distorted in under a year and would only engage 1 tire. vehemently disgusted by that crap i paid for.

 

Maybe check out summit racing web site they have a wide variety of diff options, and you can check prices at the same time. Guess I missed the part about the 4.56"s. If you are re gearing then now would be the time to make the switch so you don't have to pay for set-up twice. If you have the 9.75 rear end I think you can just buy a drop in, but I'm not posative.
We (my eagle scout son and me) just re-built his Bronco diff, parts around 325 and delivered in 2 days. His was an 8.8 trac-lock. We were real happy with the service and it was a Ford Racing ring and pinion.
Hope that helps.

 

I got the idea off of summit. One of the best sites I've found for parts. I have a 8.8 inch. The reason I was considering the powertrax lock right is cus it's cheap. I can't afford any thing else and I don't really need a $600 locker, as a matter of fact, I don't really need a locker at all, I just thought it would be nice to have. From what I've read, the powertrax is ok up to 33" tires and technically my tires are 32.8" and my truck is pretty light. I'm more interested in how the unit handles on the road. But thanks for the help. And I'll keep looking for info.

Klitch, I'm sorry about your bad experience. I sure hope that that doesn't happen to me. I'll keep looking to see what other people say about the unit. If I find any more bad reviews I'll think that the powertrax is a junk product but I think that yours was a fluke or that the unit can't handle 35" tires. And if I get one and it breaks, I'll get a factory LS unit from the local junk yard and just be back where I was before.

Thanks for all the advice. I'll keep researching. Ill post up soon.

 

it chirped the inside tires more than my eaton locker did.

 

hey klitch, i see in your sig that you've got a camper on your truck. did you have the camper on when you used/blew out the lock right? im trying to get an idea of how much extra stress was on it if maybe that caused it to blow or if it is just a pile of junk.

can you tell me the model of your locker or a link to it? is it an automatic locker or a selectable one?

thanks for the info.

 

That first year I didnt run the camper, It blew when I stepped on the gas from about 10 mph, Felt a bang and ratcheting/grinding sound of the cog teeth not meshing properly.

I moved up to the Eaton fully automatic locker
http://www.4wheelparts.com/Drivetrai...5589&t_pl=5458

When I blew the pinion the second time from abusive HP, I dropped it and sold it to my brother to use in his ranger and I took his OEM LS for the meantime til i step up to 1ton axles.

 

I participate in a Monte Carlo SS message board for 83 to 88 MCSSs. Many guys on that board have posted over the years that they have tried and liked the Powertrax.

One guy said his son floored the gas in the middle of a corner and caught the powertrax in the process of ratcheting and the teeth stripped. So, maybe if you avoided gasing in the middle of the corners it would be ok. Don't have any personal experience with it. The Richmond Gear site has some cool videos demonstrating how they work.

 

Ok. Thanks for all the advice but I think I'm just gonna replace the clutches in my LS. I read on another forum that if you give it any gas at all in a corner it locks the wheels up. I don't think this will make for good handling on the road which is where 99.9% of my driving will be. Between the bad road characteristics and the occasional tendency to blow one up, I decided to just replace the clutches and maybe get a selectable locker on down the road if I decide I need one. I would love to get a locker for $260 (price of an Aussie locker) but I think it will cost me more in tire wear and time spent without my truck if it blows up. Thanks for all the advice!