Morology

Hey jdjoe_97, This upgrade was the first one I did to my rig. With only 2wd i really needed both wheels to turn. I had the local mechanic install a Detroit Locker. Wow what a difference and I have not noticed any odd behavior or noises at all. Really helps stop wheel spin under heavy acceleration, Darn. Here is a link to some info on the lockers.
http://www.reiderracing.com/detroitlocker.htm. Total cost around $700 installed.
One last thing, my mechanic also showed me the info label inside the glove box. It will tell you the drivetrain specifications for the next time you are looking at a used truck.

hoser

The shims are behind the carrier bearings, just use the ones from the original carrier and swap them over. It should right on the money. The only time you should have to change the shim size is when you change gears. The carriers are machined the same . Done plenty , no problems .

CTD NUT

Chris,

A locker that just replaces the spiders and side gears and retains the existing carrier is significantly weaker than a full carrier unit......these weak lockers have no place in a bombed CTD w/twins that tows heavy from time to time (like you!). Because these units only use the one existing cross pin, this is where they typically fail......the carrier really gets the heck beaten out of it.....anything from chewed up and bent carriers to bent and broken pins. I have even seen one spit the cross pin out one end of the carrier and crack the housing!

Hoser,

My experience leads me to suggest that it is wishful thinking to expect all carriers to be machined exactly the same and that it would never be required to reshim on a carrier swap. I have done many carrier swaps where the backlash and pattern are not fine and must be reshimmed.....also, carrier bearings are frequently changed when a carrier is swapped further increasing the likelyhood that a reshim is required.

hoser

Unless you have a set of dummy bearings(tool #D-343 ), it is a pain to adjust carrier bearing preload and gear backlash. On "almost" every carrier swap or bearing change the origional shims will work. Yes it is better to measure and make sure, but if you don't have the dummybearings and you wanted to do it yourself , you would have to try it with the origional shims and check backlash after. The only thing that might not be correct is the 0.015 in bearing preload.

CTD NUT

Agreed......I make dummy bearings out of actual carrier bearings......if you hone .010 - .015" out of them they slide on and off with out too much trouble.

Stamey

What you're saying makes sense, but on a Dana 70? I read someplace that with the larger rears they only replace the guts, Detroit Locker included, because the carriers were already strong enough. This is not true on a Ford 9", Dana 44, etc. so they include a stronger carrier.
I don't remember where I read it now, and can't vouch for the value of that information, but I'm throwing it out there because it kind of makes sense too.
One of their examples was a GM 14 bolt. I didn't know there was such a beast. I thought 12 bolt was the big one.

Thanks,
Chris

Patrick Campbell

I think you would be fine with a PowerTrax NoSlip. A little less clunky on the road than a full detroit Locker. Be careful in the snow/rain though... They are pretty cheap ($400?) and you can install yourself.

CTD NUT

Well Chris, I am sticking by my last post that these light duty lockers would have no place in your CTD.......as far as them not failing in the larger axles - they do!......For a stock CTD they may be fine but adding larger tires and/or huge torque increases makes these lockers VERY marginal at best.......for the level of torque you have, you need the strongest driveline parts that are available to you.....why skimp on the locker?.....doesn't seem like you skimp on the rest of your CTD!!.....just remember the strongest lockers aren't cheap and the cheapest lockers aren't strong!.......IMO, I would not suggest any locker in your CTD unless you were going to go offroad frequently.....find yourself a Powr-Lok LS.....it has superior on road performance, excellent traction, a very long service life and is much easier on driveline parts......I have very high mileage Powr-Loks in my 2500 and 3500 and they perform flawlessly.

just some more .02!! , Cheyne

amartinson

Do you have a link for where to find these? I want to install a LS in my truck and I really do not want a full locker.

ddestruel

Inland truck parts of missoula was pretty reasonable 4 years ago when i did mine compared to the onliners

http://www.reiderracing.com/danapowrlok.htm

and if you need it for a dana 80 specify that to them as the dana 80 carrier is simply a modified dana 70HD carrier. they do the mods in house and reasonable


they also have a rating system that helps some people better compare the characteristics of each style of carrier that they offer.

Stamey

CTD NUT,
I won't dispute what you are saying, as I don't know one way or the other. I appreciate your advice on this. I am checking into the Powr-Lock. Now I just have to find someone that can set the rear up correctly. That's the thing that worries me most.
You think that Powr-Lock will handle the torque, huh?
And how do you know so much about my truck? You seen me race or dyno? I sure don't advertise my numbers in my sig.

Thanks,
Chris

CTD NUT

Hey Chris,

The plok is definately the way to go - yes it will handle the torque...it has a much higher torque handling capacity than any of those "lunchbox lockers". No, I have never seen your truck run and I really don't need to to realize the torque levels your truck is capable of!.....let's face it, a bombed CTD running around with twins and a DTT tranny is probably pushing an easy 1000 ft/lbs + right? We have also talked about some of the things that you tow in previous threads, so I do have some kind of idea what you use your truck for. If you are doing some drag racing, a Detroit may be an option but you would learn to hate it when towing heavy.....a lot of guys have great success with the plok for drag racing. No disrespect here, I just want to see your truck get the right parts!

ddestruel

Ploks do work and i will put my old D60 and D80 Ploks up against any ratcheting locker in a towing application or high torque application. Im not going to go into detail as if you search back i have detailed my experiences with lockers in a high toque towing application and debated that before. The ones being used in these pictures are a testimate to how well they do work even after 150k+ miles and alot of abuse.

Shall we say Ratchet... bang... bang. vroom vroom no more rear tires spinning. I have stripped out several D80 full case detroit lockers doing nothing more than turning while under a heavy gooseneck load and slowly acellerating, lunch box lockers last a very short span too.


That is a CTD under the hood, and that day she was running 370's, #10 plate 16* timing HX40 a few other little tricks and ran fairly hard not as hard as yours i imagine but probably saw more abuse than yours too.

in the picture i had to drive up the creek on the left side and then up the hill to about where i was standing up hill which is where i was able to get eh trailer back into the road cut and get around the washout


As to drag racing, alot of the old mopus's like the hemi powered cudas, road runners, daytonas, superbirds all with with dana 60 rears and 8 and 3/4 rears came with power loks in the strip package and many are still used today in much higher hp applications. I know quite a few guys who either run a spool or a Plok as they just are one of the most reliable durable and toughest LSD cases out there.

Good luck

Stamey

I wrote to LockRight and asked about maximum torque capabilities of their products, and that I tow and drag race. This is what I got back:

There isn't a torque rating for these units, but are made of a high impact material. I would think you would need a full spool for your application.

Yeah, right, a spool on the street?
If the spool don't break, I'll be buying an axle.

Chris