Eaton Detroit Truetrac In Front Diff Good Or Bad Idea?

Down the road I want to add a Eaton Truetrac to the rear axle but also was thinking of adding one to the front. Will Truetrac work on on the front axle or will it keep trying to lock up on the street when turning?

 

It is not supposed to lock while turning. It should be seamless and smooth. I have one ready to install for my front Dana 30. These are supposed to be a very good choice for a front LSD.
As a side note: Dana 30 Powr-lok Fluid & Amount Of Friction Modifier Issue | ECJ5 (earlycj5.com)

 

Well, theoretically, you aren't in 4WD while on the street, so it should not matter what is in the front end.

 

Right. Hubs not locked? You could run a spool.

 

That didn't even cross my mind. True!

 

This.
They are a common upgrade for front axles.

 

IMO, you still don't want a grabby or inconsistent LSD in the front when off road, like the lunchbox lockers. The TrueTrac should shine.
Please share your results and opinions after installation.
I was ready to reject my Powr-Lok, but changing the lube and not adding friction modifier has allowed far smoother operation...a subject for another thread.
My Truetrac is on hold for now.

 

Tru-trac in the front is amazing. I have an Eaton e-locker in the rear.

 

I run Truetracs both front and rear in my 95 F350 and am very happy with them. Living in Alaska, I lock my hubs in when the first snow falls and then don’t unlock them till spring. I just pop in and out of 4wd depending on road conditions. In 2wd with hubs locked I can tell it’s there if I’m really paying attention, but generally don’t really notice it. You feel it a bit more in 4wd, but not at all annoying. I tried a Powerloc in front and did not like it. It was not smooth in 2wd with hubs locked on a dry road. I got it already installed in an axle that a guy was going to be using for a hunting buggy, so perhaps it was set up really tight, I’m not sure. My F350 is not set up as an off-roader, just a general purpose truck.
Tim

 

I can't speak for the front, but really like the TrueTrac in rear. It is very smooth. Not noticeable at all on the road. Offroad -> It does not tear up the yard or trails, like a locker does, in uphill turns, yet puts torque to both wheels when needed at all speeds (unless you have 1 wheel off the ground ).

 

Trutrac is smooth but having owned both trutracs and lunch box lockers I prefer the lunchbox. The lunch box really isn't noticeable in the rear on the road and in the front its locked out. Once you get off-road the real lockers give you so much traction PLUS no frustrating wheelspin.

 

Is the Truetrac a limited slip vs. a true auto locker? I presume so, since having a wheel in the air is a problem…

The “lunchbox” , though, is an actual locker, providing traction to a grounded wheel, even with the other in the air??

Yes. Yes I am that ignorant. I have the Dana 30 open right now (as in, the cover is off and the lube drained), so it’s a good time to change things.

Jon B.

 

Yes, Truetrac is an excellent choice for limited slip. It does not require lube with a friction modifier. It's readily available, also.
All limited slips can be 'encouraged' to lock up with a light application of brake if you're in a slippery situation.
A lunchbox locker is probably fine for the part time front axle in a small SUV, like a CJ. It can create difficult turning if it's locked while throttle is applied.

 

TrueTrac is limited-slip, lunch-box are true "automatic" lockers.

The best choice depends on how you use them. I had a lunchbox in rear of my Jeep for years. It was great for traction, but I never liked the fact that it would tear up my yard, or trails on my property. If in a uphill turn, it would often spin the inside tire, until the outside caught up, and leave a "skid mark". The TrueTrac does not do that. It will only leave a skid mark, if so slippery that both tires spin. The lunchbox was also sometimes annoying on road, squealing tires on turns, or clicking and popping. The TrueTrac has no noticeable characteristics on a dry road.

And as dnb5853 mentioned, applying brake when one wheel is off the ground really does work.

Again, not saying that TrueTrac is the ultimate, it just depends on how you use it. For me, it is the best compromise of all the diff choices in older Jeeps. (of course it helps for me that I have a selectable locker in the front, for those "wheel in the air" situations)

 

Great discussion... I'm with @Jon B. , learning about all of this to make choice for my D30 front in a Wagon. Already have a locker in the flanged 44 rear.

 

Next question:
Where is a really good source for the Eaton product? I have the Dana 30 front in 4.27:1 gearing and, I believe, 27-spline axles.

Amazon has the unit but there’s no knowledge base there. I don’t care to overspend by $200 just for that, though. Money doesn’t grow on trees in a Minnesota winter!

I’ll want new carrier bearings, pinion bearings and seal, axle seals (inner & outer) and spindle (wheel) bearings.

The rear (D44) will likely get the same love.

Jon

 

There are other places to purchase! I have always had good luck with Summit, both with quality and returns.
Here is the Eaton LSD:
EATON 912A585 Eaton Detroit Truetrac Differentials | Summit Racing
Here is the differential parts kit:
Motive Gear R30RMKT Motive Gear Master Ring and Pinion Installation Kits | Summit Racing

Your outer seals and wheel bearings are separate items.

 

I am still not answering the OP question about a TrueTrac in front, but I am sharing today's experiences with TrueTrac in rear. I recently installed Brennan's electric Ebrake in rear of Dana 44. It allows controlling left or right ebrake separately. My plan was to get into crossed-up situations where the limited-slip would fail, then I could apply ebrake to the spinning wheel, and move forward. I found it hard to get into situation where one wheel would spin uselessly, unless almost totally off the ground. I was amazed.

ie. a TrueTrac is not a locker, but damn close. haha (and a lot smoother too)

 

Does the TrueTrac provide locking action in reverse?

 

Great question, now I'm curious.