Well, I think I've arrived at my ultimate solution:

1) Dynatrac freespin conversion with 35spline inner axle upgrade
2) Eaton Electrac up front
3) Truetrac in the back.

With this setup I can have:
1) Free-spinning 2wd with good LSD in the rear
2) 4wd with functional LSDs on both ends-- allowing better handling and maneuvering
3) Lockable front diff when you REALLY need traction.

With the Dynatrac kit, I'll have stronger stub axles and serviceable bearings. Also, their hubs don't stick out quite as far as the Warns, and they are mucho strong!

After doing a bunch of research online, I'm convinced the Electrac is really the ultimate differential (basically, it's a lockable TrueTrac) for what I want to do. The locking only requires basic wiring, no compressor or air plumbing.

Since my truck is a late 2nd gen, I don't have the CAD, and while I like the simplicity of my current 4wd system, I don't like to have everything spinning all the time.

With a freespin hub conversion, I have the choice to have freewheeling hubs, or just my regular 4wd system that shifts on the fly like a dream.

The only downside that I can see is, of course, cost.

The Dynatrac goodies are going to run almost $2500 by themselves, never mind the labor and installation of new differentials in BOTH axles!

While I'm breaking my bank, I might as well regear to 3.73 or 4.10s, eh?

$4k would be cheaping out on this-- $5K would probably be closer. So much for getting twins this decade. There's always 2011, right?

Justin

 

If you are going to regear, now would be the time to do it. Not sure how many miles you have on the truck, but don't forget carrier bearings and pinion bearings, gear install kits, front ujoints while you have em out, etc. It definately adds up in a hurry...

Maybe a better option would be to reroute your driveway so it isn't as much of an incline?

 

haha, ya but what good would the twins be if you couldnt get that power to the ground properly?

 

Maybe a 5 dollar bag of ice melt for every major storm. Couldn't be more than 50 bucks a year. It would only take you 100 years to regain your investment less interest on the axle upgrades.

 

At this point it might be cheaper to hold the driveway still, and rearrange the position of the planet.

Here's the total damage I have come up with so far:

1) Dynatrac super duper kit: freespin kit, Dynaloc hubs, upgraded 35 spline inners, super alloy outers, uber beefy U-joints and all that: $2800

2) Electrac $830, or a TrueTrac up front for $500

3) TrueTrac in the back, $500.

4) Labor for both diffs setup: ~$600 I'm guessing.



So, obviously the Dynatrac part is the big chunk of major spendage here. It's also the least necessary. If one wanted to run a LSD up front, one could simply upgrade to 35 spline inner axles, and skip all the freespin stuff. This would drop about $2200 off the price, figuring custom inners for the front wouldn't run more than $600.

Of course, you'd be giving up a couple MPG and a huge increase in front axle strength as well. Not to mention serviceability and much cheaper bearing costs. But even figuring bearing failures at 80K miles, and lots of miles driven per year with 2mpg increase, the freespin kit would take a LONG time to pay for itself. It's probably in the same league as a GearVendors or other aux trans as far as paying for itself--- it won't really do that, but that's the cost of the luxury.

Yet another Gucci-priced, gee-whiz post that I'd love to do but cannot afford.

Justin

 

Bleh, I am so stupid about money.

I know this is not quite what you are looking for. I went the traction route with two sets of HD tire chains. My truck can be such a baby in the right kind of snow. There worst seems over about a 1 foot base, ice at the ground, powder mid and a frozen crust. More than once it has became a high priced 7600 pound front driveway decoration at my in-laws.

Jim

 

you guys are way over engineering all this. do yourself a favor. go out and get a real D60 from a late model Ford or whatever else had a drivers side drop diff. take it to a fab shop and tell them you want it in the front of your dodge. sell POS stock axle to someone who doesnt know any better to make back some of your money. all that would be way cheeper than all this free spinning hub nonsense. i love my dodge...but the front axle is an absolute joke.

before i owned my CTD i had a 96 3/4 ton chevy. i chopped out the POS IFS and slapped a D60 from a 93 F350 under there. my truck stopped and handled 100% better. Im getting to the point to where my ball joint have to be replaced again and my steering is super sloppy. i refuse to throw a dime at that POS sorry excuse for a solid axle. Ferd D60 here i come!!

 

Jim, that's good advice.

I already have HD tire chains. But I have two problems:
1) They aren't allowed on the roads here.
2) I can't find them big enough to fit my future 285 or 315 tires. I have some for my 265s that work fine.

Your description of the snow is dead-on. The crust on top increases rolling resistance a bunch (truck can't move easily), and the bottom ice is super slick.

I'd love to be able to just pop the clutch and go in these very conditions.

 

My Dodge has a Dana 60 in it, that's real enough to me. An axle swap brings in all kinds of variables, and I'd essentially have to rebuild the whole thing. Not to mention swapping coil buckets onto a leaf spring axle, or modify buckets from a later 5-link Ford.

Thanks but no thanks. My Dana is a known quantity, and it's plenty real.

JH

 

Yes but with the ford dana 60 axle, you get "king pins" that don't wear out ever 80k like ball joints, plus you get tapered wheel bearings that can be serviced and to replace them is about $20 a side. Plus you get rid of your weak CAD.

You are right about adapting the leaf spring axle into a coil spring setup, but even with buying the axle and having it fabbed into your truck, the price would still be about the same as your dynatrac free spin kit.

Oh and the ford axle already has warn lockout hubs.

 

One thing to keep in mind regarding the front axle. If you do swap in an entirely different axle with all the goodies (and keep your stock one). At some point down the road if you ever decide to sell the truck, you can swap the POS back in and keep your large investment axle for another project/vehicle.

 

I'm aware of the advantages of the Ford Dana 60, and I don't have a CAD on my truck (built after 1 Jan 02).

Sad to say, a lot of the advantage of the Dynatrac/EMS kits are making the front end more like a Ford

 

Yeah, you spin just enough to dig a groove and your done. Heaven help me if I have to back out of a moderately steep icy driveway from a dead stop.

For cheap, add some links to your chains. I just bought a set for my 285's at Les Schwabs. But I agree, chains can be a PIA compared to other options. Realistically, they are not used very often. I don't 4 wheel much.

Jim

 

More like a serviceable Dana 60. If it was easily done, I would swap front axles with a Ford right now. However, we all know it's not, so the next easiest thing is to BOLT ON a conversion kit.

I'm not a big fan of locking hubs if they stick way out past the stock wheels though.

 

Good points, Phil--

The hub stickout is why I was looking at the Dynaloc hubs-- they protrude much less than the Warn units, and they are claimed to be way stronger.

jh