Drop on Lockers?

[99 Expy]

I was doing some searches on rear ends, and I stumbled upon an article about lunchbox lockers. After a little more research, I found that they are like a limited slip locker, but made to drop in for open differentials and lock better than LSDs, and are pretty cheap! I have open diffs in my truck, and for about $250 it is pretty cheap and you don't have to take the whole differential apart to put it in. I am wondering if anyone has any experience with these, like how strong they are, how well they work, and if you think it would be worth it to try. I don't really do any extreme off roading, but I don't want something that will break and end up costing me more money in the long run. Just something I could possibly do this summer instead of swapping my diff out for a locker of LSD.

Zerick

 

[treycool94]

I would like t know more about this to but ldk if my car has lockers or not

 

[jacks3am]

no expy has lockers lust limited slips and open diffs. are those full time lockers?

 

[panda24619]

http://www.offroaders.com/tech/Lunchbox-lockers.htm

i dont think they make them for the 9.75" axle. we have weird axles. so were limited. and no expo has lockers. i just wish i had an lsd. it would help some. i do want a detroit though. it would be funn to roost both rear tires in the dirt!

 

[jacks3am]

dosent the 4.6's come with the 8.8?

 

[JDMitchell]

Everything I have read shows that the axles are the same no matter what motor is in an expy.

 

[99 Expy]

Expeditions and F150s with 4.6 have the 8.8 rear end. The drop in lockers are not permanent lockers. They behave like a LSD, but engage more often than LSDs do. The benefit of these lockers is that you can put them in without taking the rear end apart and having to recheck all the backlash and everything, and they are relatively cheap. The downfalls are that they are not as strong as a locker, so depending on the stress put on it and what kind of wheeling you do, they can break. Towing also adds extra stress to them. Since I don't do any towing or extreme off roading and have smaller tires, I think they would be fine, but I would like to know what people who have them think. They also are only made for open differentials.

 

[panda24619]

i just never herd of them. so i wouldnt trust them. and no expys and 150s are like this. the front diff is an 8.8. both engines. and the 5.4 is the 9.75 and the 4.6 is the 8.8. the 9.75 is a version of the d60. so its a strong axle.

 

[jacks3am]

ive seen them in the 4x4 mags they are the powertrax ones right?

 

[98EXPY 5-0]

I've been wanting to put a PowerTrax in my Dodge Ram for a while now. 2wd with an open Diff is no fun in the snow.

I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

 

[tonydiv]

Just remember that the only thing that you can put in the front (at least for the Gen 1 trucks) is a selectable locker like an ARB or e-locker.