Pros and Cons of various rear lockers/limited slips

I have been looking at Detroit locker, Powertrax, and similar non-spool lockers. What are the pros and cons of these and similar, including ease of installation, maintenance, and performance?

 

I've used Trac-locks in my Broncos. For normal street use they are real smooth and are ok but but in my 4 wheeling days, they didnt hold up that well. They slip too easily causing clutch wear. Even stuck some extra shims to tighten them up but still didnt work as well as the detroit locker. The DL on the other hand is all gear and positive lock. The only con is a little noise and bumpty bump around corners at a slow speed. Not as big problem. I've also owned an Auburn Pro. It seemed to lock better than the trac-locks but I didnt really put it to any abuse. A con of the Auburn Pro is that it is not rebuildable.

 

I had the Powertracs LockRite in my 71 f100 for a while. It's the one where you remove your spider gears and reuse your side gears and it goes inside the diff instead of replacing it. It worked great as far as traction goes. If the wheel started to spin it locked right up for true posi traction. It got anoying on the road though. I sold it and bought a rebuilt one my bud bought off ebay. he bought a rebuilt 3.70 center section with a form of tracloc in it. It is a clutch type unit but unfortunatly I don't know what it really is and he can't remember. All I know is I can't tell it's back there until I stand in it and both wheels spin. No more clakity clak.
I'd say for racing go with a real locker like a Detroit and for street use go with a clutch type.
clint

 

I disagree...partially. If you're drag racing, the spool is the ONLY way to go. Mini spool if you're on a really tight budget. If it's driven on the street daily a Trac-Lok would be a good bet....you can set 'em up pretty tight and they'll still work fine. Running any type of limited-slip diff on a drag strip is asking for disaster. Lots of folks still use them, but nothing beats a spool for simplicity and strength.

 

I have been reading up on the Richmond Powertrax system, for around $450. Anyone had any good or bad experiences, or hear of any?

I would rather not have the clicking noise around corners, like Detroit Locker is said to have.

I also want rebuildable, or no (very low) maintenance or very long life expectancy.

I am not asking for much...

 

Running a Powertrak on the street, love it! Clickty/clackty is fine with me..

 

I agree there.
Have a mini-spoil in a 66 F-100 that i sold my brother.
SUCKS on the street. Chirps the tires a lot around corners,etc. Cant even hardly make U turn in a parking log bigger than about 3 or 4 rows of parking spots.
And he has twisted a set of axles also.
That thing is coming back out soon.

 

I have been using a Motorsport soft locker for about 4 years and love it. It is very quiet compared to a friends factory detroit locker and is very well behaved until you step on the gas. I had a rebuilt Trac-loc for a few years but they don't hold up very well under abuse(from my experiance anyway).

 

I've had no problem with those.
Guess it's luck of the draw. My buddy had one in his truck I sold him, hammered on it pretty hard. I had one that i never used but the guy that bought it is still using it. How much was the motorsport soft locker?

 

Never heard of motorsport softlocker. need to look that one up.

 

It didn't come up on Google. I tried "softlocker" and "soft locker". plenty of "motorsport" but nothing looks right.

 

i left a a post on your other thread which slightly mentions rear question. i have had traction-lock (ford oem), detroit locker, and spool in various vehicles. oem unit is softest, but wont take much abuse before it doesnt work properly, plus as it wears, it puts grit from the frictions into the rear end fluid which slowly clearances the parts in the rear end. the reason ford says change the fluid periodically (80k) is to get the crap out of the rear. thats on a car seeing normal usage; not a street strip car that will grind the clutches faster. detroit locker is much better, but can be noisy & cranky at low speed. sometimes tricky in slick weather. is BRUTAL on the axles. it is a ratchet lockup and (i think) a difference of 1 1/2 turns between the rear tires causes the lockup. it will snap an axle eventually. it can actually be harder on your axles than a spool that is always under a constant load. been there; done that. am currently using a mini-spool. little bit of chirp on tight turns, and must drive sanely in slick weather. it will twist/snap an axle, eventually if you have any power.

the only thing that wont twist an oem axle eventually, is a car with no torque, or an oem clutch type posi (which doesnt lock up hard). thats why they make aftermarket axles. paint a line on your axles & check them for twist periodically. when they get bad, get another set, or a set of aftermarket if the budget allows.

hope this helps.

 

I responded to the other reply as well, Igo. I am wondering if I shouldn't try a spool first, and see how it works. The steering is crappy on a stock Mav anyway, and I may not notice much difference with the spool and power steering.

I really need to know: 1) spool or mini spool and 2) how difficult is installation for someone who only knows the theory of rearends? I am very mechanically and electronically inclined (not trying to brag...too much) so as long as it is not a really difficult and requires special tools, I can usually make it work.

 

With a spool or mini-spool on the street, you will have more than your fair share of spin outs, especially on wet roads. I would never recommend a spool for a street car. It's too easy to forget it's there and you'll take a turn a little quick and get turned around. Just an opinion from an older and wiser or a fatter and safer...take your pick.

 

soft locker is made by detroit locker it's like a lock right set up