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Limited Slip Recommendations?

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by Henri Watson, Jan 23, 2020.

  1. Jan 30, 2020
    jzeber

    jzeber Well-Known Member 2022 Sponsor

    Morgan Hill, Ca
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    I ran a power loc in my front 27 for a couple years and it worked great. I went to a lock rite for a more aggressive locker eventually. From personal experience I think you will be happier with the power loc.
     
  2. Jan 31, 2020
    zinertia2

    zinertia2 "and which part are you keeping?" 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Greencastle , IN
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    My second jeep while in high school was a USMC M38A1 that I bought at auction at Camp Pendleton. It had limited slips in both axles, lots of the pundits in the early 70s told me that the limited slip in the front was dangerous - never had any issues as this was the vehicle I raced through SCORE for a couple years. Had no engine when I purchased, added a SBC 283 and Armstrong Trutrac tires etc. Eventually destroyed the rear 44 with catastrophic damage to the carrier- went to a 57 Pontiac rear, also with a limited slip that lived through the remaining years I owned it.

    somewhat recreating this vehicle now almost 50 years later but with narrowed semifloat Dana 60 and Trutrac in the rear, Dana 44 front with Trutrac also. I like and have had good luck with them

    Dennis
    Have also put Trutrac in my transplanted Dana 60 front of my J2000, with Detroit locker in the transplanted Dana 70 rear. Even with the full size of the truck the locker was pretty obnoxious on the street.
     
  3. Jan 31, 2020
    oddfirejeeper

    oddfirejeeper Active Member

    Hamilton, MI
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    I had a trac-loc in my '71...wheeled the hell out of it for a few years..found the little clip that was holding the clutch packs in was coming out. When it did, the clutches have an ear on them and they started digging into the case. I bought a powr-lok and have loved it ever since. Also have one in the dana 30 in the front. I have the axle with the trac-loc still in the barn.
     
  4. Feb 2, 2020
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
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    I'll chime in a bit based on my experience - I believe I read some others noted as well. Power-Loc's are for SUMMER AND DIRT ONLY in my book. I don't know how many times I've had one try to kill me on ice and snow growing up. I have 2 axles with them now, and those are only for summer wheeling. The Red '51 has the OX lockers Front and Rear that I use when needed in the winter. I will never go back to a limited slip now that I've had a set of OX lockers.

    The Detroits I had were more aggressive than the Power-Loc, the only TruTrack we had only lasted one summer and was never put back in.
     
  5. Feb 9, 2020
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
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    Yes.
    Personally I’d find something better to spend your money on. Tru-Trac or any of the myriad of other limited slips or lockers available. The Ford 8.8 Trac-locs are no better than the Jeep versions. There were some 9” versions with two pinion shafts that were much better than other applications which I believe is where they got a decent reputation.
    Pay close attention to the axle bearings, seals, and bearings surfaces on the axle shafts on that 8.8. Being a c-clip retained axle the axle shaft is the inner bearing race and is prone to wear just like a GM 10/12/semi float 14 bolt (9 1/2”) diff.
    The 8.8” is an easy upgrade and huge improvement to the Dana 35 but does have things people need to be aware of.
     
  6. Feb 9, 2020
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    C-clip eliminators are a good idea if going the 8.8 route. Otherwise there is nothing to retain a broken axle.
     
  7. Feb 9, 2020
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Northern California
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    Thank you for the pointers. I think we are going to throw a trutrac in it.
     
    gromit likes this.
  8. Feb 9, 2020
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Northern California
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    Disc brake axle so we’re somewhat covered there.
     
  9. Feb 9, 2020
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    True, the caliper will keep it from coming out.
     
  10. May 15, 2021
    Montgomery J Yarbrough

    Montgomery J Yarbrough Member

    Lander wyoming
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    May 28, 2018
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    I also have a 71, and installed a powerlock in the dana 27 and love it. I have spartan in the rear works great to, some noise but but awesome.
     
  11. May 13, 2022
    shaun

    shaun Member

    Lebanon, Ohio
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    Oct 15, 2015
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    So from reading this thread, seems like LSD is the way to go. I’m redoing my gears in my cj5 that currently has 225 oddfire and d44 rear and d30 front. Thinking about putting LSD in rear with 3.73 gears. It’s 80% road driven 10% storage. (Ohio weather) the other 10, well we will see. But with rear LS it would give more traction, better power to wheels, am I missing anything? BTW, anyone have a LSD for D44 laying around?
     
  12. May 13, 2022
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    I personally prefer a full selectable locker...absolutely love the eaton e-locker in my cj5. But typically its pricier, so if budget is a constraint, then seems like you will like an LSD in the rear over an automatic locker given your street use. Another option includes putting an auto locker (or LSD) up front as its has no effect when the hubs are unlocked. Although I love the full locker in the rear of the cj5, its more focused on wheeling than some, and I am putting an LSD powr-lok in the rear of the 58 wagon as it will be more street driven, and I just like the vintage combination of the powr-lok in the the wagon. Lots of options, lots of different ways to gain traction, and a few different price points as well.
     
  13. May 15, 2022
    mickeykelley

    mickeykelley Well-Known Member

    Republic of Texas
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    So can someone explain what I’ve read several times that Powr Lok is not good for packed snow? "Nearly killed me", etc. What exactly happens? If not good for packed snow, then why would the factory have offered them when would be driven in snow conditions on roads with packed snow? Does not make sense to me so I’m obviously missing something here.
     
  14. May 15, 2022
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    if both wheels on an axle start spinning, then the vehicle has a tendency to slide sideways (or whichever way is downhill or momentum is carrying you)...with aggressive traction devices on snow, its easy to start going sideways as the device forces the wheel with traction to turn, and thus spin if its slick. Short wheelbase of a cj makes it even harder to keep pointed forward. With an open diff, as soon as one wheel looses traction, all the power is transmitted to that wheel, and the wheel with traction does nothing, but it also doesn't spin, loose traction and and slide sideways. The worst are the auto lockers. My personal experience with mild LSDs is they don't usually cause an issue (in my cj7 at least DD'd in Colorado year around), but I am sure if you make them more aggressive, you could cross that line. I plan to run a powr-lok in the 58, and I expect to be on snow in Montana, but I also don't plan to make it overly aggressive with extra clutch disks.
     
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  15. May 16, 2022
    amboynut

    amboynut Member

    Chelatchie, WA
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    Said another way: when a tire loses traction it loses traction in all directions. With an open diff the non-spinning wheel acts as a rudder.
     
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  16. May 16, 2022
    Ol Fogie

    Ol Fogie 74 cj5 304, 1943 mb

    Southern...
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    correct, as a kid we had an old junker jeep with the axle gears welded in front an rear. Man that thing would climb a tree. BUT IF IT EVER DID SPIN every wheel on it would spin. If it was not on exactly level ground it went down hill until you stopped it from spinning no matter what direction it was.:shock:. usually sideways too. You had to watch very close if approaching a sideways hill it would walk right up on it and just roll over before it would spin if on dry ground.
     
    Last edited: May 16, 2022
  17. May 16, 2022
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
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    The JK is a POS but it really sold me on selectables on both ends. Locked only when you need locked. They are the only thing that works well on packed snow and ice, assuming you actually want to stay on the road. You can run into a very similar situation on a trail with a greasy, off camber stretch, most especially if it is also steep. Like Ol Fogie's above post, you head sideways locked up.

    Since my post a couple years back the Powr-Loc in the butt of the 3B has been replaced with an ARB to match the front. You can drive a rear Powr-Loc on ice and packed snow but you have to be very cognizant that it's back there and drive accordingly. No way do I want one in the front in that situation. And if you put an auto locker up front, you have pretty much eliminated using 4x4 mode on ice and packed snow. Powr-Locs are, IMO, still way more predictable than an auto locker and probably the best of the limited slips.
     
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  18. May 17, 2022
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
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    Obviously a selectable is the best option, and also the most expensive. I put a Tru-Trac in the rear of my ‘04 1/2 ton Silverado (very light in the rear) when I had to rebuild it and have been very happy with the results, including ice and snow. Powerlock is great because you can set them up tight or loose to fit your needs and are easily rebuildable. They can be tested for breakaway torque by building a simple tool you can use with a torque wrench.
    If I didn’t already have ARB’s waiting to go in to replace my Lock-Rites either one could be a contender if I didn’t need full lockers.
     
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