cowboykilla235

ok i have a open differential in my rear axle. what are my options and preferably prices.

im tired of going to a stop sign in the snow, and once i take my foot of the brake my tires start spinning...

tanderson2002us

I feel your pain...and I'm tired of putting 800 lbs. on the rear axle for 5 months out of the year! BTW...I went the opposite direction and stacked a Smarty and Edge EZ with my factory 47re...no problems yet. I have some BD Tranny stuff on layaway, hope to pay it off in the spring.

Good luck!

Tom

KATOOM

Are you sure its open? Most limited slip carriers are worn out simply because the everyday person has no clue as to what destroys them. Did you check your build sheet in the glove box? If it is an open carrier then you can look for an aftermarket LS or a locker. I'd stay away from lockers just because they're very harsh and aren't heavy towing friendly and they can be dangerous on slippery surfaces. A good aftermarket LS should be all you'd need unless you're rock crawling. If you do have a LS then maybe you can have the clutch pack replaced or it might act better with a lube change. Just dont use so much friction modifier.

cowboykilla235

no im positive its not a LS, i checked the vin, and changed the diff fluid in the front and back, and i checked then as well...

i looked into a few LS's and they were upwards of $1000.... OUCH!!!

KATOOM

If you changed the fluid in the back then you definitely should know since you would have needed to know in case you needed friction modifier. And you would have easily seen the clutches when you had it open. Do you have a sticker on the inside of the glove box door that has the build sheet? That will tell you if you have the LS or not.

cowboykilla235

Katoom, im POSITIVE i dont have LS in this truck...

tanderson2002us

Yup...


That's why im saving to build my 47re first!!

KATOOM

Gotcha. I misunderstood your other post. I guess the only choice you have is to get something aftermarket. Again, I'd look for a quality LS unit (which will work great) or get an ARB selectable locker. Stay away from any ratchet locker like a Detroit. Its not going to be cheap but if that open differential really stops you from doing what you want or need to do then it may be worth it.

cowboykilla235

Does anyone have and brand recommendations?

Dane

Detroit Locker or ARB air locker

cowboykilla235

i have a 12K 5th wheel i pull, is a detroit locker going to hurt my towing capacity?

KATOOM

Thats a good question. I'm not sure if the Detroit isnt strong enough or that you may cause issues with the axles. Detroit lockers are very harsh and tend to place a lot of stress on drivetrain components.

VADSLRAM

Junkie??
Why buy a new aftermarket when so many of our trucks came with LS stock?
Depending on your area you could probably get away with dif,lube, gaskets and plastigage for setup under $100.

cowboykilla235

Will a LS out of and older dodge (like one with drum brakes) will it work on my 02 (disc brakes)?

I mean as long as the gears are the same...

KATOOM

Yes. But even though that sounds like a viable option, I would opt not to go that route because 1) you still have to find a carrier from a junk yard who will probably want top dollar for it, 2) you will know nothing about that carrier's history and what condition the clutches are in which may require a rebuild, and 3) you're still going to have to have it installed professionally since no two carriers are exactly the same and you cant just throw it in your differential housing without shimming and setting to spec. So in the end you will have paid a lot for something that will work not as good as a good aftermarket limited slip carrier. I'd suggest you call some differential gear shops/vendors and get their opinions and prices.