What I'm looking for is both front and rear selectable lock diffs. What I have is stock gears and diffs with 3.73LS in the rear. I've been looking at the ARB Air Locker and Auburn ECTED which are a little different in themselves, the ARB is open diff when unlocked, however the Auburn is LS when unlocked. And, of course, the ARB is air operated and the Auburn is electric.

From what I've read, there is no company as of yet that makes a selectable locker for the 9.75" rear end. Although ARB's website says it is under development, who knows how long it could take.

Anyways, I'm wondering what the best options would be to achieve this? What I've been thinking is that I could find some F250 axles from a wrecker and strap them under my F150. I believe both of these lockers are available for any rear end on an F250. I haven't really looked yet, but I have no idea if this would be a big PITA or not. Curious which axle would be the easiest to swap over?

I'm sure someone's going to ask why I want this and it's because I'm tired of getting stuck in spots I shouldn't be. Mostly in mud or snow and because one wheel is spinning. Either it's that or I get hung up in the snow, which has an entirely different solution in itself. I have a POS LS that must have absolutely no clutch face left in it because it acts like an open diff. I pretty much drive mostly highway and have read that the autolock diff's aren't the best solution if on mostly pavement. I also just want the control to turn them on/off as needed.

This is getting to be a long post...looking for suggestions.

Thanks.

 

Not sure if they make them for your truck, but Torsens are the s#!t. They offer full differentiation in turns, but full 50/50 torque bias. They claim that even in front axles you can't tell that its there in a turn.

If I were setting up mine, I would do either a selectable locker up front or a Torsen, but the selectable locker MUST be open when not locked. (like the ARB) A limited slip in the front is a PITA. For the rear I would do a good clutch style limited slip, a LS with selectable locker, (like an ECTED) or a Torsen.

Hard-core offroaders don't like the Torsen because they can't control it like a switch on the dash, but for guys like me that occasionally go off road they're great. I currently have open diffs in both of my 98's axles, but for this truck I'll probably go factory LS in the rear and leave the front open.

 

You might want to check some of my recent posts on my experiences with the True Trac gear driven LS. I too live in the snow belt(Michigan) and don't like getting stuck in it. I have the True Trac in the rear and it really performs in the snow. I'm now thinking about adding one in the front or going to an E-locker in front.
BTW the Torsen is almost identical to the True Trac.
HYPO

 

Check out the OX lockers. No Air leaks or pesky electrical problems. If I were to outfit my truck with a locker this is what it would be!

http://www.ox-usa.com/ox/

 

love my true trac in the rear only problem is it get the truck sideways all the time.

 

Thanks for the suggestions, the selectable lockers mentioned aren't available on the 9.75" rear end though. I'm starting to think I'm gonna go with an autolocker on the rear end and selectable on the front and see how it goes. Maybe some time in the next year a selectable will be available for the rear. It'll be much simpler. I may also look into the TruTrac / Torsen area, we'll see how it goes.

 

do detroit rear and auburn selectable up front. I had the auburn in my f150. Plenty of people on here have a detroit in back. klitch is one off the top of my head.

 

That is what I've decided to do, thanks.

 

Sorry to interrupt, but I see you are from Manitoba.Me too....Please keep us updated on your project. I'm hoping to do 4.88 gears, and if it's all gonna be pulled out,well,I'd be crazy not to add more expensive gear to everything I touch.My wife looks at it a bit differently tho...

 

I may not get around to it for a couple months or so but I could start a thread when I do it. I'm gonna put in 4.56's when I change the diff's as well.

 

If you absolutely need locker traction in the rear there is the tried and true Detroit Locker. It isn't smooth or quiet, but it will get you anywhere.

Another option if you are contemplating swapping rear ends is to get a rear end out of the 2004+ F150 with the heavy duty package. It is a 10.25 or 10.5" Sterling similar to the Superduty axle, and I am fairly sure will accept the same diff as the Superduty. The 7 lug wheels are funky, but the rest of the axle is a bolt in for the F150, whereas the 10.5" sterling out of a Superduty would require you to relocate the spring perches and shock mounts.

I plan on running a True-Trac out back and keeping it open up front (unless I can find a helical limited slip for the reverse rotation 8.8").

 

Did you not know that Eaton makes a True Trac for the 8.8" Ford 28 spline front diff? That is what I plan to run in mine before next winter. So far I have been really pleased with the True Trac in the rear.

HYPO

 

No I didn't... that is awesome! Well, the front end will have that then.